Review: Burnt Paper Sky by Gilly Macmillan

Title: Burnt Paper Sky
Author: Gilly Macmillan
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publication Date: 5th February 2015
Pages: 320
Book Source: own purchase

Synopsis: 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?

My Thoughts: 

I love psychological thrillers but I did begin this one tentatively. Whilst it's fiction, any child-related crime adds a depth of reality that is hard to cope with. Child abductions scare me to death and when 8 year old Ben Jenner goes missing, Rachel Jenner faces every parents' nightmare. 

'In the quiet, my eyes followed the lines of the surrounding tree trucks upwards until I glimpsed the sky above, and I could feel darkness starting to push in as surely as fire creeps across a piece of paper, curling its edges, turning it to ash. 

In that moment, I knew that Ben wasn’t there.' 

Yes this was a special kind of hell to read but it was also riveting and bloody brilliant. I'm astounded it's Gilly Macmillan's debut novel. 

The main narrative focuses on Rachel Jenner's recollection of her son's disappearance and investigating Detective Jim Clemo's, reports and sessions with his treating psychologist. But the narrative is supplemented with transcripts from social media posts, online newspapers, journal articles and missing children websites. It's an unusual mix and it really works. 

Burnt Paper Sky is a highly emotive read, and not just for the obvious impact of a missing child but the 'trial by media'. The vilification heaped on Rachel by the media and public was appalling. Every facial expression, phrase, action, scrutinised and judged with ignorance and maliciousness. 

Burnt Paper Sky is wonderfully layered. Tight, pacy and smart and OMG the tension, it kept me guessing. I read this in one sitting desperate to know what happened. Make sure you lock the door and start this one with a chunk of free time because you won't want to put it down and you'll want to hurt anyone that interrupts. 

A heart-in-mouth read ... start to finish. 

Gilly Macmillan is an author to watch out for and I'll be standing in line for whatever she dishes up next. 

Note: this will be released in the US as What She Knew.

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Review: Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin

Title: Black-Eyed Susans
Author: Julia Heaberlin
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publication Date: 26th August 2015
Pages: 368
Book Source: Penguin Australia & NetGalley

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Tessa, dubbed a 'Black-Eyed Susan' by the media, became famous for being the only victim to survive the vicious attack of a serial killer. Her testimony helped to put a dangerous criminal behind bars - or so she thought.

Now, decades later the black-eyed susans planted outside Tessa's bedroom window seem to be a message from a killer who should be safely in prison.

Haunted by fragmented memories of the night she was attacked and terrified for her own teenage daughter's safety, can Tessa uncover the truth about the killer before it's too late?

My Thoughts:

HOLY guacamole this was BRILLIANT, a 2015 favourite read. It's intelligent, edgy and tight ... the very best kind of psychological thriller. Even the title and cover art is creepy good. 

Tessa is the only surviving victim of the Black-Eyed Susans serial killer. The story moves seamlessly between past and present, teenage Tessie and adult Tessa almost 2 decades on, with a teenage daughter of her own. 

Tessa's fragmented memories and growing desperation added wings to my own anxiety and as the murderer's execution loomed the sense of urgency grew. Was he wrongfully convicted?

Black-Eyed Susans had my skin crawling with dread, there's no graphic violence but the suspense almost killed me. My thoughts were jumping as erratically as my heart. So true about the sense of smell and memories. Such visceral reactions to Heaberlin's writing ... LOVE that. 

I had my suspicions and I was correct (to a point) but the author's skill with misdirection. Wow, talk about amping the suspense. I was all over the place. 

What more could you ask for? ... superb characterisation, gorgeous writing, the forensic science/DNA, psychological and legal aspect all fascinating, obviously well researched and executed brilliantly. 

I'd laughed, something close to the way I used to, and imagined it drifting out under the bedroom door, smoothing out a tight wrinkle in my father's face. 

I can't wait to read more from Julia Heaberlin!

Recommend: an unputdownable read

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Review: Conspiracy Girl by Sarah Alderson

Title: Conspiracy Girl
Author: Sarah Alderson
Genre: YA Suspense/Thriller
Publication Date: 12th February 2015
Pages: 320
Book Source: Simon & Schuster AU

Synopsis: Everybody knows about the Cooper Killings – the Bel Air home invasion that rocked the nation.
There was only one survivor - a sixteen year-old girl.
And though the killers were caught they walked free.

Now eighteen, Nic Preston - the girl who survived - is trying hard to rebuild her life. She’s security conscious to the point of paranoia and her only friend is a French Mastiff bulldog, but she’s making progress. She’s started college in New York and has even begun dating.

But then one night her apartment is broken into and the life Nic’s worked so hard to create is shattered in an instant. 

Finn Carter - hacker, rule breaker, player – is the last person Nic ever wants to see again. He’s the reason her mother’s killers walked free from court. But as the people hunting her close in, Nic has to accept that her best and possibly only chance of staying alive is by keeping close to Finn and learning to trust the person she’s sworn to hate.

Fleeing across a snowbound New England, frantically trying to uncover the motive behind the murders, Nic and Finn come to realize the conspiracy is bigger than they could ever have suspected. But the closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, the greater the danger becomes.

To survive she has to stay close to him.
To keep her safe he has to keep his distance.

My Thoughts:

My first Sarah Alderson but it won't be my last. Heart-racing pace without sacrificing character or plot development ... what a wicked ride. 

Nic Preston lands on Finn Carter's doorstep after her apartment's security system is breached and her home broken into. Are the killers who brutally murdered her mother and stepsister 2 years ago back to finish the job? Hacker extraordinaire Finn may be her only chance of survival. 

I loved the dual narrative from Nic and Finn. Nic's opinion of Finn changes from understandable dislike and mistrust to something more as the storyline progresses and I really bought how their relationship developed. I adored Finn from the get-go, he's smart and hot and even with his questionable deals and decisions, you just know he's a good guy. I always fall for the dog in a book and Nic's French Mastiff bulldog Goz was no exception ... aww my hero.

I've read true stories stranger than Conspiracy Girl so I didn't find it in the least bit far fetched, the conspiracy almost did my head in, the bad guys were relentless, I had the 'twist' figured out well before the end but far from lessening my enjoyment, it kept me flipping the pages to see if I was right. 

Not often I enjoy a YA suspense/thriller to this extent ... Conspiracy Girl is the complete package.  

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Audiobook Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Title: The Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publication Date: 15th January 2015
Time: 10hrs 57mins
Book Source: own audio
Narrators: Clare Corbett, India Fisher, Louise Brealey

Synopsis: Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar. Now they'll see; she's much more than just the girl on the train...

My Thoughts:

The Girl on the Train has garnered a lot of attention, opinions are divided but go into this one with as little foreshadowing as possible and just let the disturbing twisty-ness suck you in ... you'll appreciate the normality of your own life. 

These characters are messed up, all of them, seriously messed up. It's an interesting character study that had me impressed with the authors skill, it's not an easy feat to keep a reader reading with a cast of unlikable characters. That said, as the story progressed I felt a begrudging sympathy for one of the most manipulated characters.  

The writing is strong and the narrators are great, they add that bit extra to the reading experience, I'm glad I picked this one up on audio. And the ending ... I actually laughed, not sure that was the desired effect. HA. What can I say ... I like to see someone get their 'just desserts' :)

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Audiobook Reviews: 5 Reasons To Pick Up Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline & The Winter Crown by Elizabeth Chadwick

Title: Keep Quiet
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Genre: Suspense/Mystery
Publication Date: 8th April 2014
Time: 8hrs 15mins
Book Source: own audio
Narrated by: Ron Livingston

Synopsis: an emotionally gripping and complex story about one man’s split-second decision to protect his son - and the devastating consequences that follow. Jake Buckman’s relationship with his sixteen-year-old son Ryan is not an easy one, so at the urging of his loving wife, Pam, Jake goes alone to pick up Ryan at their suburban movie theater. On the way home, Ryan asks to drive on a deserted road, and Jake sees it as a chance to make a connection. However, what starts as a father-son bonding opportunity instantly turns into a nightmare. Tragedy strikes, and with Ryan’s entire future hanging in the balance, Jake is forced to make a split-second decision that plunges them both into a world of guilt and lies. Without ever meaning to, Jake and Ryan find themselves living under the crushing weight of their secret, which threatens to tear their family to shreds and ruin them all.

1. Walter Scott's quote "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!" was my first thought. Keep Quiet is a hot mess of LIES and angst and extreme implausible lengths but I was hooked, cringing but hooked. 

2. If you want an unexpected character to loathe, Jake's wife Pam is the most hypocritical, sanctimonious, judgmental bitch I've come across in a while.

3. Ron Livingston 'fit' Jake well. I think the audio lightened up writing flaws and repetitive angst. My first Lisa Scottoline and my first Ron Livingston narration ... I'd go there again. 

4. Moral dilemma ... hmm, well at the risk of sounding sanctimonious, I don't think there's much to debate. This was not 'protection' ... 

5. It's twisty and fast-paced and despite the flaws you go along for the ride ... it's the trainwreck you can't look away from. 

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Title: The Winter Crown
Author: Elizabeth Chadwick
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Eleanor of Aquitaine #2
Publication Date: 11th September 2014
Time: 18hrs 56mins
Book Source: own audio
Narrated by: Katie Scarfe

Synopsis: It is the winter of 1154 and Eleanor, Queen of England, is biding her time. While her husband King Henry II battles for land across the channel, Eleanor fulfils her duty as acting ruler and bearer of royal children. But she wants to be more than this - if only Henry would let her.

Instead, Henry belittles and excludes her, falling for a young mistress and leaving Eleanor side-lined and angry. And as her sons become young men, frustrated at Henry's hoarding of power, Eleanor is forced into a rebellion of devastating consequences. She knows how much Henry needs her, but does Henry know himself?

Overflowing with scandal, politics, sex, triumphs and tragedies, The Winter Crown is the much-awaited new novel in this trilogy and a rich, compelling story in its own right.

1. Katie Scarfe's narration is brilliant, her tone, inflection, emotion; I could listen to her all day. In this and The Summer Queen, she is Aliénor ... one female historical figure I never tire of reading about. 19 hours ... who knew? 

2. I adore reading about strong women, especially at a time in history when their perceived value equates to their ability to produce heirs or seal an alliance. Aliénor, independent ruler of the Duchy of Aquitaine and Poitiers, Queen Consort of England and matriarch to a dynasty bearing 8 children to Henry. She's astute, influential, level-headed, a loving mother, (I loved the 'ordinary' warm moments with her children) compassionate friend and a formidable challenger of Henry's control and egotism.   

3. Elizabeth Chadwick tells a story with extensive research, integrity and creative flair with both foot planted firmly in the historical period. To feel like you are witnessing history rather than reading it is a powerful testament to an author's care and skill. I guess it also helps to have recently visited many of the historical sites of Henry's reign. 

4. The Winter Crown picks up at Westminster Abbey in 1154 and continues Aliénor's story, her fascinating and tumultuous marriage to King Henry II, their mutual ambition and passion fast turning to tension, resentment, utter loathing, rebellion and culminating in her banishment and imprisonment in Old Sarum in 1174.

5. A host of other historical figures to love and loathe, King Henry's brother, the despicable William X, Count of Poitou, Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury, Aliénor's friend Isabel de Warenne, William Marshall, Henry's young mistress, Rosamund Clifford and Hamelin de Gatinais, half brother to Henry.  

The Autumn Throne concludes the trilogy and despite knowing the history I can't wait!

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Audiobook Reviews: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon & Six Years by Harlan Coben

Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publication Date: 17th August 2003
Time: 6hrs 3mins
Narrator: Jeff Woodman
Book Source: Own audio

Synopsis: Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.

Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, fifteen-year-old Christopher is autistic and everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning for him. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor's dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favorite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is deeply funny, poignant, and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally.

My Thoughts: 

More than just a quirky title, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a unique tale that held my attention from start to finish. 15 year old Christopher Boone narrates his own story. 

He's a maths genius, doesn't like to be touched, struggles with emotional cues and connections, he's unintentionally funny, dislikes corn haha, hates the colours yellow and brown, he finds order soothing and his condition makes him very literal. 

Early in the story Christopher investigates the killing of his neighbour's dog Wellington, unearthing something that turns the structure and order of his life upside down, pushing him far outside his comfort zone. 

Mark Haddon captures Christopher's 'voice' insightfully, his unique perception of the world, how he thinks and feels and how his autism affects those around him ... you can't help but be pulled in. The prime-number chapters, narrative style and other quirks all add to the story. 

Excellent narration by Jeff Woodman, worth the read. 

Title: Six Years 
Author: Harlan Coben
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Publication Date: 19th March 2013
Time: 11hrs 
Narrator: Scott Brick
Book Source: own audio 

Synopsis: Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of keeping his promise to leave Natalie alone, and six years of tortured dreams of her life with her new husband, Todd. So when Jake comes across Todd’s obituary, he can’t keep himself away from the funeral. There he gets the glimpse of Todd’s wife he’s hoping for....

But she is not Natalie.

Soon Jake’s search for the woman who broke his heart puts his very life at risk, as he uncovers the secrets and lies that love can hide...

My Thoughts: 

Harlan Coben is one of my go-to authors for a darn good thriller. IMHO Six Years was not his best effort. In the audio version, the narrator's tone is good but his pace a bit slow and plodding for a suspense novel, I sped things up to stay awake. 

College professor Jake Fisher watches the woman he loves marry another man and six years later he comes across that man's obituary. What follows is a mysterious, tangled chain of events that had me wondering about Jake's grasp on reality ... all good so far. 

Then, things move into implausible territory and I found myself giggling instead of biting my nails. Not really the result you're after with a *cough* nail-biting suspense/thriller but oh well ... shoot me. 

If you can suspend belief Six Years is enjoyable enough. 

Not my favourite Harlan Coben that's for sure but I'll still read everything the man writes. Up next  Missing You.

On an exciting note, uber sexy Hugh Jackman is set to star in the movie adaptation of Six Years, picked up by Paramount Pictures ... now that I will watch ;)

Review: Through the Cracks by Honey Brown

Genre: Psychological Crime Fiction
Publication Date: 24th April 2014
Pages: 288
Book Source: Penguin Australia  & NetGalley

Synopsis: Young teen Adam Vander has grown tall enough, strong enough, to escape his abusive father. Emerging from behind the locked door of their rambling suburban home, Adam steps into a world he knows little of. 

In the days that follow, with the charismatic and streetwise Billy as his guide, Adam begins to experience all that he's missed out on. And he begins to understand that he has survived something extraordinary.

As the bond between the boys grows, questions begin to surface. Who is Adam really? Why was he kept so hidden? Was it just luck that Billy found him, or an unsettling kind of fate? 

It's a treacherous climb from the darkness. For one boy to make it, the other might have to fall through the cracks.

My Thoughts:

Through the Cracks is a concise, darkly disturbing read, it's also a story of survival. 

I was blown away last year by Honey Brown's psychological thriller, Dark Horse and I've been waiting with bated breath for her new book to pop up on NetGalley. I was fortunate (and in a rush) ... grabbed it without even giving the synopsis a glance, total faith that Through the Cracks wouldn't disappoint. Readers have mentioned that the synopsis gave too much away so I've taken the liberty of paring it down to avoid anything 'spoiler-ish.' 

Honey Brown writes brilliantly, Through the Cracks is a whole lot of feeling ... 

uncomfortable, shudder-y, heart-sick, sad, angry, I could almost taste despair, it made me want answers and justice and yet, it was told without overly graphic detail. Don't get me wrong, you are left in no doubt about the depravities and horror inflicted but there's nothing gratuitous. 

When teenage Adam escapes his abusive father with protective, street-smart, Billy, I felt a sense of wonderment as he began to experience some of what he had missed. Adam and Billy are a complex mix of innocence, naivety, knowledge and jaded despair, old in experiences no child should ever have to experience. 

The involvement of people in positions of trust, people with power and influence had me spitting-angry. I wanted to scream at the 'system'. People's apathy made me cry. I was fearful of the outcome but hopeful someone would come through for these boys. 

Child abuse; sadly so often in our headlines. Please read Adam's story.

Review: Thursday's Children by Nicci French

Genre: Psychological Suspense/Thriller
Series: Frieda Klein #4
Publication Date: 26th March 2014
Pages: 421
Book Source: Penguin Books Australia

Synopsis: When psychotherapist Frieda Klein left the sleepy Suffolk coastal town she grew up in she never intended to return. Left behind were friends, family, life and loves but, alongside them, painful memories; a past she couldn't allow to destroy her.

So when an old classmate appears in London asking Frieda to help her teenage daughter, long buried memories resurface. But when tragedy strikes, Frieda has no choice but to return home and confront her past. And monsters no one else believes are real . . .

Through a fog of alibis, conflicting accounts, hidden agendas and questionable alibis, Frieda can trust no one in trying to piece together the shocking truth, past and present.

My Thoughts:

I rarely, if ever read a series out of order but the publisher assured me this book worked well as a stand alone. Not sure I agree but too late now. I certainly enjoyed the writing style but I think I'd have got more out of Thursday's Children if I'd read the previous books in the series. 

Frieda Klein ... hmm. Reading the books in order do you feel more of a connection with her? Obviously she's a very good psychotherapist but she also comes across as a hard-ass, emotions tightly in check. I'm sure the woman has a heart in there? And she does have a close-knit circle of friends so that's gotta be good. Right? Frieda's friend Josef is particularly adorable. 

Frieda returns to her home town on the trail of a rapist/murderer whilst piecing together traumatic memories from her own past. Add to the mix, she's not been back to Braxton since leaving 23 years ago and her mother is now dying and unlikable, although I'm guessing she was unlikable long before she was dying. 

It's a gripping crime fiction with a bleak, menacing feel ... sad to read of young rape victims not being believed by family members. 

There were a number of references to Dean Reeve but not having read the previous books I'm a bit lost on his significance and the connection between him and Frieda, other than it ain't feel-good. 

Now to hunt down Monday to Wednesday :)

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