The French Guesthouse by Isabelle Broom #TheFrenchGuesthouse @Isabelle_Broom @HodderBooks @hodderbooks.bsky.social #BookReview

 

Sometimes the only way to rebuild is to face the past you tried to escape...

On the night Fliss loses everything - her beloved hotel ravaged by fire and fiancé exposed as a cheat - she receives devastating news: her estranged mother has died. They hadn't spoken in fifteen years and Fliss has stayed away for her own self-preservation.

Summoned to a dilapidated guesthouse in France for the reading of the will, Fliss is stunned to discover she has been left all her mother's possessions. But the inheritance comes at a price - both literal and emotional. Sharing the house is Etienne, her mother's grief-stricken, wine-soaked partner, and his guarded yet magnetic nephew, Benoit.

As Fliss begins restoring the guesthouse, she unearths long-buried secrets about her mother, their past and the true cost of her long absence. But to move forward, cure her guilt and claim the love and happiness she's never thought she deserves, Fliss must first reckon with the hardest question of all: can she forgive?

The French Guesthouse by Isabelle Broom was published on 6 November 2025 by Hodder. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

One of my most favourite things about Isabelle's books are that she whisks her readers away to a wonderful new setting in every single novel. And, every single time, I find myself on Google looking for trips to the places that I'm reading about. The French Guesthouse was no exception, whilst I read this on holiday in Gran Canaria, my phone history shows just how many times I've looked up guesthouses in France! 

The French Guesthouse is another of her novels with a such a strong sense of place, exploring themes of loss, reconciliation, and forgiveness. Fliss (Felicity), is forced to rebuild her life after a traumatic night: her hotel goes up in flames, her fiancé’s betrayal is exposed, and she learns of her estranged mother’s death. 

Fliss travels to France, to a dilapidated country guesthouse for the will reading. To her surprise, she inherits her mother’s possessions, but not the life she expected. The house is shared with Etienne, her late mother’s grief-stricken partner, and Benoît, his quiet and quite reserved nephew. As Fliss begins restoring the guesthouse, she uncovers secrets about her mother’s past, grappling with guilt, estrangement, and many questions. 

Alongside the wonderful sense of place, the novel deals with serious emotional issues: grief, abandonment, and generational trauma. Fliss’s journey is not just about restoring a house, but healing her own internal wounds. There is an interesting relationship described between Fliss and her late mother, with Fliss's feelings of abandonment at the front. 

The author layers the relationships really beautifully, a mix of Etienne’s grief and Benoît’s guardedness adding a depth to the story, with a gentle touch of romance

The French Guesthouse is a warm, atmospheric, emotionally moving novel. It captures the beauty and slow rhythms of rural France, making it ideal for readers who enjoy romantic contemporary fiction with depth, and stories about families, secrets, and grief

Wonderful, highly recommended by me. 

Isabelle Broom was born in Cambridge nine days before the 1980s began and studied Media Arts at university in London before a 12-year stint at Heat magazine. 

When she is not travelling all over the world seeking out settings for her escapist novels, Isabelle can mostly be found in Suffolk, where she shares a home with her two dogs and more books than she could ever hope to read in a lifetime.

www.isabellebroom.com

X @Isabelle_broom

IG @isabelle_broom

Scars of Silence by Johana Gustawsson t. David Warriner BLOG TOUR @JoGustawsson @OrendaBooks @thewarrinerd #NordicNoir #BookReview

 

Twenty-three years ago, a young woman was murdered on the Swedish island of Lidingö. 

The island has kept its silence. 

Until now…

As autumn deepens into darkness in Lidingö, on the Stockholm archipelago, the island is plunged into chaos: in the space of a week, two teenaged boys are murdered. Their bodies are left deep in the forest, dressed in white tunics with crowns of candles on their heads, like offerings to Saint Lucia.

Maïa Rehn has fled Paris for Lidingö after a family tragedy. But when the murders shake the island community, the former police commissioner is drawn into the heart of the investigation, joining Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery as chilling as the Nordic winter.

As they dig deeper, it becomes clear that a wind of vengeance is blowing through the archipelago, unearthing secrets that are as scandalous as they are inhuman.

But what if the victims weren’t who they seemed? What if those long silenced have finally found a way to strike back?

How far would they go to make their tormentors pay?

And you – how far would you go?

Scars of Silence by Johana Gustawsson is published by Orenda Books on 20 November 2025 and is translated by David Warriner. This is volume two of the Lidingö Mysteries. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this Blog Tour 

Whilst Scars of Silence is volume two of the Lidingö Mysteries, it can certainly be read as a stand alone story. Johana Gustawsson excels in providing enough back story that compliments the current plot. 

There’s something wonderfully deceptive about Johana Gustawsson’s writing. You open one of her books expecting a solid crime thriller, and before you know it, she’s wrapped you in something far deeper, darker, and more emotionally charged than you ever anticipated. Scars of Silence is exactly that sort of novel; richly atmospheric, beautifully written, and absolutely impossible to put down. 

Set on the island of Lidingö, the story gives off that unmistakable Nordic chill, the kind that creeps under your skin slowly. The author’s sense of place is extraordinary; you feel the darkness settling in, the quiet roads, the brooding forests. The novel is steeped in mood, and she uses that mood to full effect as the island reels from a pair of shocking, ritualistic murders.

In steps Maïa Rehn, a former police commissioner who has escaped Paris carrying more than her suitcase. She is such a wonderfully drawn character; damaged yet determined, thoughtful, and deeply human.  Her partnership with Aleksander Storm is handled with subtlety, never overshadowing the heart of the mystery.

And, crikey, what a mystery it is. The author peels back the layers slowly, compassionately, and with a fierce sense of justice. She never sensationalises and writes with empathy for the people at the centre of the darkness. Those people have been forgotten, ignored, or silenced. She also asks uncomfortable questions about vengeance, truth, and the cost of looking the other way.

This is Nordic noir at its finest: atmospheric, thoughtful, and utterly compelling. Johana Gustawsson has a rare ability to make you feel the cold while she warms your heart with characters who stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Scars of Silence is chilling, yes, but also deeply moving, and told with a tenderness that makes it all the more powerful.

David Warriner's translation skills are wonderful, he seems to really understand this author, and brings her words to her English speaking fans magnificently.

A gripping, beautifully crafted novel that once again shows why Johana Gustawsson is in a league of her own.

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, including Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song, has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. The Bleeding – a number one bestseller in France and the first in a new series – will be published in 2022. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband and their three sons. 

Follow Johana on X @JoGustawsson

David Warriner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco,
Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. 

David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home.

Follow David on Twitter @thewarrinerd and on his website wtranslation.ca

The Confessions by Paul Bradley Carr #TheConfessions @paulbradleycarr @FaberBooks @faberbooks.bsky.social #BookReview #SpeculativeFiction

 

LLIAM, what do I want for dinner?

LLIAM, how can I get a better job?

LLIAM, should I kill my husband?

AI bot LLIAM powers society - but today, he went offline. Shops shut, planes were grounded, and Kaitlan Goss, CEO of LLIAM's parent company, has to fix it.

Then letters from LLIAM arrive: identical white envelopes, confessing people's darkest secrets to their loved ones.

Kaitlan races to find Maud Brooks, the only person who can bring LLIAM back online and stem the tide of societal breakdown. But Maud received a letter, too - about Kaitlan.

LLIAM, how do I save the world?

The Confessions by Paul Bradley Carr was published on 6 November 2025  by Faber.  My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I think it's fair to say that speculative / dystopian fiction is one of my very favourite genre. I am also fascinated by AI; about its strengths in terms of science, medicine and engineering, but also the massive problem that it is causing for the creative industries. Like most people, my home is run by that little box called Alexa, aided by lighting and heating app and a Ring doorbell. The premise of this book fascinated me. 

There are some books that grab you by the collar from the first page and refuse to let go;  The Confessions is one of those. Paul Bradley Carr takes us into a world that feels both very familiar and slightly too close for comfort. It’s sharp, bold, and utterly gripping from the very first page.

We’re in a near-future world where an all-powerful AI, LLIAM, has taken over almost every decision humans used to make for themselves; where to live, who to marry, even whether to have children. It’s a chillingly plausible premise, and the author doesn’t waste time easing you in. When LLIAM suddenly goes offline, everything starts to unravel: chaos erupts, secrets spill, and no one is safe from exposure.

At the centre of the storm are Kaitlan Goss, CEO of the company that built LLIAM, and Maud Brookes, a former nun whose job was to teach the AI empathy. Between them, the author creates a fascinating moral tug-of-war; taking in faith, science, guilt, and the uneasy question of what it means to be “good” in a world run by code.

The author's writing is really energetic with incredible pace and tension pushing you through the pages, but there’s also real heart here. The “confessions” that start to surface show the raw, messy humanity that LLIAM was supposed to fix. It’s a clever idea; the AI apocalypse as both tech thriller and emotional study.

There are moments where you have to suspend disbelief a little; the logistics of those mysterious letters, for instance, but honestly, I didn’t mind. 

I finished this book asking myself uneasy questions about my own reliance on algorithms, and that, to me, is the mark of a good book.

The Confessions is a smart, timely thriller that manages to be both deeply human and frighteningly possible. It’s one of those books you’ll think about long after you’ve turned the final page.

Paul Bradley Carr is a British journalist and author. 

He has written three memoirs about his adventures in and around Silicon Valley. 

He was the Silicon Valley columnist for The Guardian, senior editor at TechCrunch, cofounder of PandoDaily, and founder and editor-in-chief of the infamous NSFWCORP in Las Vegas. 

His writing has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, National Geographic, and much more. 

He lives in Palm Springs with his family and is the co-owner of The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs. 

Find out more at PaulBradleyCarr.com

IG @paulbradleycarr

Threads @paulbradleycarr

Black As Death by Lilja Sigurðardóttir t. Lorenza Garcia BLOG TOUR @LiljaWriter @OrendaBooks @liljawriter.bsky.social #Iceland #BookReview @orendabooks.bsky.social

 

A final reckoning…

With the fate of her missing sister, Ísafold, finally uncovered, Áróra feels a fragile relief as the search that consumed her life draws to a close. But when Ísafold’s boyfriend – the prime suspect in her disappearance – is found dead at the same site where Ísafold’s body was discovered, Áróra’s grip on reality starts to unravel … and the mystery remains far from solved.

To distract herself, she dives headfirst into a money-laundering case that her friend Daníel is investigating. But she soon finds that there is more than meets the eye and, once again, all leads point towards Engihjalli, the street where Ísafold lived and died, and a series of shocking secrets that could both explain and endanger everything…

Atmospheric, dark and chilling, Black as Death is the breathtaking finale to the twisty, immersive An Áróra Investigation series, as Áróra and her friends search for answers that may take them to places even darker than death…

Perfect for readers of Camilla Läckberg, Karin Slaughter, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir and Jo Nesbø.

Black As Death by Lilja Sigurdardóttir was published by Orenda Books on 23 October 2025 and is the fifth and final instalment in the Áróra Investigation series. It is translated by Lorenza Garcia. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this blog tour.

The Áróra Investigation series has been wonderful, each book has been something to look forward to over the past five years and whilst I was eager to read the latest, it has been quite a sad experience too. It's always difficult to say goodbye to characters that one loves. 

Lilja Sigurðardóttir’s Black as Death delivers a powerful and emotionally charged conclusion to the Áróra Investigation series; five books that have explored the murky underbelly of Icelandic crime, but also obsession and loss. Atmospheric and taut, this final story combines classic Nordic noir with a very clever character-driven mystery.

At the heart of the novel is Áróra, still reeling from the devastating truth about her missing sister Ísafold. The discovery of what really happened should bring closure, but instead it leaves Áróra devastated.

Áróra throws herself into a financial crime case with her partner, Daníel, a money-laundering scheme that proves to be anything but straightforward. As the threads of corruption, betrayal, and violence begin to intertwine, the novel takes the reader back to Engihjalli, the street in Reykjavík that has seen so many secrets. The setting is described excellently and almost becomes a character in its own right. 

The author's prose is tight and so well developed, every detail is needed, nothing is gratuitous. Iceland’s landscape; all dark waters, brittle ice, and little light. Yet amid the bleakness, there are glimmers of connection and hope. 

Black as Death balances two intertwined mysteries: one deeply personal, the other procedural and financial. The pacing is deliberate, building tension throughout. The use of flashbacks, told in the voice of Ísafold is brilliant, giving the reader the opportunity to feel that they know her more personally. 

While it can be read as a standalone, the novel’s full emotional impact comes from having followed Áróra’s journey across the series. 

Black as Death is an elegant, haunting, and deeply satisfying conclusion to Lilja Sigurðardóttir’s series. It’s a crime novel that understands grief as intimately as it understands deception — and it leaves you with the uneasy sense that some mysteries, especially those of the heart, can never be fully solved.

Icelandic crime writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and
raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. 

An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written eleven crime novels, including Snare, Trap and Cage, making up the Reykjavík Noir trilogy, and her standalone thriller Betrayal, all of which have hit bestseller lists worldwide. 

Snare was longlisted for the CWA International Dagger, Cage won Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year and was a Guardian Book of the Year, and Betrayal was shortlisted for the prestigious Glass Key Award and won Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year. 

The film rights for the Reykjavík Noir trilogy have been bought by Glassriver. 

Cold as Hell, the first book in the An Áróra Investigation series, was published in the UK in 2021 and was followed by Red as Blood, White as Snow and Dark as Night. 

TV rights to the series have been bought by Studio Zentral in Germany. 

Lilja lives in Reykjavík with her partner and a brood of chickens.

Lorenza Garcia spent her early adulthood living and working in Iceland, Spain and
France. She has been a full-time literary translator since 2008 and has translated and co-translated over forty novels and works of non-fiction from French, Spanish and Icelandic. 

She currently lives in South London with her Tibetan Terrier.

Little Secrets by Victoria Goldman BLOG TOUR #LittleSecrets @VictoriaGoldma2 @RandomTTours @victoriagoldman.bsky.social #BookReview

 

Welcome to the true-crime controversy that’s divided the media for the last twenty years. To discover the truth, we need to delve back into the past…

THEN: In June 1999, the last five prisoners at HMP Panbrook were killed just before the prison closed its doors for the final time. Anna Kendall, the nurse accused of their murders, died before the case went to court. Her motive and guilt have never been proven.

NOW: The Panbrook Prison Hotel is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Hotel manager Madeleine Batten is determined to discover what happened there twenty years earlier. But as the prison’s dark secrets are gradually exposed, danger lurks in the shadows. And someone is determined to keep the truth locked away.

Little Secrets is a compelling, atmospheric locked-room mystery set in a former prison that's been converted into a luxury hotel. Ideal for fans of Sarah Pearse, Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware and Claire Douglas.

Little Secrets by Victoria Goldman was published on 17 October 2025 by Three Crowns Publishing. My thanks to the author who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour 

I've known the author, Victoria via her online presence as a book blogger and reviewer for quite a few years. I knew that she was writing and has published a couple of books previous to Little Secrets. I was so impressed by the blurb for this one, and yes, I admit, also pulled in by that fabulous cover. It's such a thrill of a read. I'm going to go back now and check out her earlier books. 

Little Secrets is a darkly atmospheric and intricately layered mystery that blurs the lines between past and present, guilt and innocence. Set against the chilling backdrop of a former prison turned luxury hotel, the novel featues an unsolved crime that has fascinated and divided the public for over two decades.

The premise of this story is so compelling: in 1999, five prisoners at HMP Panbrook were killed just before the prison’s closure.  Nurse Anna Kendall was accused of the crime but died before the case could ever reach court. 

Twenty years later, the newly refurbished Panbrook Prison Hotel is thriving under the management of Madeleine 'Maddie' Batten, until the ghosts of the past begin to stir. Maddie’s determination to uncover the truth about what really happened in those final days sets off a dangerous chain of revelations, each one peeling back another layer of deceit and long-buried trauma.

The author has created a compelling dual-timeline narrative which seamlessly moves between the terrible events of 1999 and the world of the present-day hotel. The setting itself is a triumph: the claustrophobic corridors, cold stone walls, and feelings of confinement give the story a real sense of menace. 

There is a real emotional depth and moral complexity to this novel.  Instead of relying solely on twists, the author looks at the human cost of secrets—how guilt, fear, and ambition can damage even the most ordinary lives. 

As the novel unfolds, the tension builds. Every chapter is so tense, leading to a finale that’s both shocking and satisfying. Victoria Goldman makes us question how truth itself can be manipulated by time, memory, and perception.

Little Secrets is an atmospheric, haunting, and thought-provoking mystery that I thought about for quite some after after finishing it. With its eerie setting, complex characters, and meticulous plotting, this is a highly recommended read from me. 

VICTORIA GOLDMAN is a freelance journalist, editor and proofreader and the author of the Shanna Regan murder mystery series. The Associate, the second book in the series, was Editor’s Choice Winner of Best Indie Novel of 2023 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards. The Redeemer, the first book in the series, was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards. 

Little Secrets is her first standalone. 

Victoria lives in Hertfordshire, England.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/VictoriaGoldmanBooks 

Twitter/X: @VictoriaGoldma2 

Instagram/Threads: @victoria_goldman_x 

Bluesky: @victoriagoldman.bsky.social 

Website: vgoldmanbooks.com

Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson BLOG TOUR #Snowblind #Fadeout @ragnarjo @OrendaBooks @orendabooks.bsky.social #AriThor #Giveaway #Prize #Competition

 

Ragnar Jónasson’s iconic, multi-million-copy bestseller, Snowblind, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a glittering new edition, including a never-before- published prequel, Fadeout...

SNOWBLIND / FADEOUT

RAGNAR JÓNASSON

TRANSLATED BY QUENTIN BATES AND LARISSA KYZER

SNOWBLIND

Siglufjörður: an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland, where no one locks their doors – accessible only via a small mountain tunnel. Ari Thór Arason: a rookie policeman on his first posting, far from his girlfriend in Reykjavik – with a past that he's unable to leave behind. When a young woman is found lying half- naked in the snow, bleeding and unconscious, and a highly esteemed, elderly writer falls to his death in the local theatre, Ari is dragged straight into the heart of a community where he can trust no one, and secrets and lies are a way of life.

An avalanche and unremitting snowstorms close the mountain pass, and the 24- hour darkness threatens to push Ari over the edge, as curtains begin to twitch, and his investigation becomes increasingly complex, chilling and personal. Past plays tag with the present and the claustrophobic tension mounts, while Ari is thrust ever deeper into his own darkness – blinded by snow, and with a killer on the loose...

FADEOUT

When Ari Thór Arason receives a staggeringly high bill for a foreign credit card that was taken out in his name, his life takes a turn he never anticipated. The bill in question belongs to his namesake – his father, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances when Ari was only a child.

Seeking answers, Ari Thór travels to London to investigate, hoping to learn the truth about what happened to his father all those years ago, and discovering far more than he could ever have imagined...

Snowblind / Fadeout by Ragnar Jónasson 10th Anniversary edition was published by Orenda Books on 9 October 2025. As part of this Blog Tour, I am delighted to have one copy to give away. Just fill out the competition widget in this post. UK entries only please.   GOOD LUCK!

I copy of Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson

Ragnar Jónasson is the award-winning Icelandic author of the international bestselling Hulda series, the Dark Iceland series, and standalone crime fiction, with five million copies sold across 36 territories. 

The Times selected The Darkness as one of the 100 Best Crime Novels and Thrillers since 1945, and Snowblind has been selected as one of Top 100 Crime Fiction of all time. 

The Times has said of his work: ‘Is this the best crime writer in the world?’ 

His books have been on bestseller lists across Europe and the USA, and won multiple prizes. 

He has also won a special jury recognition for his poetry in Iceland. 

Ragnar has translated fourteen of Agatha Christie’s novels into Icelandic. 

Ragnar was also an executive producer of the CBS Studios TV series The Darkness, based on the first novel in his Hulda series. 

His novel Outside is currently being developed for the screen by Ridley Scott. 

Ragnar has a law degree and teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University. 

He also serves as a board member of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, and as the Deputy Chair of the Writers’ Union of Iceland. 

Ragnar is the co-founder and co-chair of the literary festival Iceland Noir, held annually in Reykjavik.

Watch Your Back by Emma Christie #WatchYourBack @MtLeopardPress @theemmachristie @headlinepg #BookReview

 

Your past is right behind you . . .

Jo has always kept her head down and surrounded herself with strangers who know nothing about her mum's murder. But fifteen years after the killing she receives a box of unopened letters addressed to her - sent from the prison.

But before she can read them, they're stolen, and soon Jo realises that someone must have a terrible secret to hide.

Determined to protect her new life from the violence of her past, she embarks on a mission to find out the truth.

But can Jo find the sender, before they find her?

.

Watch Your Back by Emma Christie was published on 23 October 2025 by Mountain Leopard Press. My thanks to the author and the publisher who sent my copy for review.

I have a real fondness for Scottish crime fiction, or Tartan Noir as it is often named, especially at various crime fiction festivals. Emma Christie sets her stories in Edinburgh, with lead characters who always appear to be the man, or woman next door. 

Jo has done her best to keep her past quiet: her mother was murdered when Jo was younger, and she’s built a new life with people who don’t know that history. Then she receives a box of unopened letters from prison addressed to her, and before she can open them they’re stolen. Suddenly Jo realises someone must be hiding a very dark secret. Now the past is rushing back. And rather than let the past define her, Jo resolves to unearth the truth before that someone unearths her.

The novel is set in the historic streets of Edinburgh and uses its setting to amplify the mood of tension and the creeping fear of being watched.

The idea of past trauma resurfacing in an everyday, 'normal' life is used effectively, and that contrast between the calm surface and the under-currents of menace works beautifully.

Jo is a compelling lead character: we sense the weight she carries, her need to keep things safe, and the fear that someone else might upset the quiet life that  she’s created. That emotional tension draws you in.

The sense of place adds so much atmosphere, as is the norm with this author's books. Edinburgh becomes more than backdrop: its historic streets and hidden corners mirror the themes of hidden pasts and things being uncovered.

If you enjoy a thriller that combines emotional depth with a strong mystery, built on character and setting rather than just things that make you jump, then Watch Your Back is a very good choice. Emma Christie has crafted a story where you feel the weight of the past, the fragility of the present, and the danger of what lies ahead. I found it engaging from beginning to end, and the ending is really satisfying.

It's solid, engrossing, and will leave you looking over your shoulder long after you finish. Recommended by me. 

Emma Christie writes psychological thrillers set in Portobello, Edinburgh's thriving
seaside neighbourhood. 

Her debut novel The Silent Daughter was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021, shortlisted for the Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2021 and longlisted for the Crime Writers' Association John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award 2021. 

It was followed in 2022 by her highly acclaimed novels Find Her First and In Her Shadow. 

When she's not travelling in her campervan, Emma lives in Barcelona with her partner Mari and far too many plants. 

Find her online at www.emmachristiewriter.com or across social media @theemmachristie.