Harlequin MIRA Archives

Book review: Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker

November 21, 20174 min read

I read Wendy Walker’s All Is Not Forgotten just last year; and was intrigued by the plot as well as the book’s almost non-fictional structure. In fact, my niece was recently doing some University study about memories (being planted and / or removed) and this was one of the books I recalled when she talked about that.

Walker’s latest book (the weirdly named) Emma in the Night, is also cleverly constructed and plotted. And so effortlessly well written that I found myself marking paragraph after paragraph* because they seemed eloquently pivotal. Or something…

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Book review: The Watcher by Ross Armstrong

December 30, 20164 min read

The backcover blurb on this book compares it to The Girl on the Train – which I guess is the post-Gone Girl benchmark for psychological thrillers. It is reminiscent of the popular book as we’re in the head of a narrator who may not be entirely reliable, trustworthy, or well… sane.

Although I wasn’t captivated immediately, I was most certainly intrigued – and occasionally confused (as I’m sure we’re meant to be) – as I wondered where Lily was leading us.

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Book review: The Art of Keeping Secrets by Rachael Johns

September 24, 20164 min read

I’ve never read any of Rachael Johns’ novels, yet I included her in a post I wrote earlier this year for US book blogger, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, in which I featured three Australian authors.

I realise that sounds kinda strange, but… I follow Rachael on social media and love her words, updates and tweets. I can very much relate to her and think I’d like her if I met her in person.

However… her books have traditionally fallen more into the ‘romance’ genre: one I steer clear of as much as possible. As I do with fantasy, science fiction and non-fiction. And really big L literature, written by Russians with complicated names.

Johns’ latest release, The Art of Keeping Secrets, has been receiving praise from a lot of readers and book bloggers; and, as it sounded like it focused less on the happily-ever-after I decided to dive in. And thank god I did.

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Book review: Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf

February 2, 20162 min read

Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf is an interesting read. It’s a psychological thriller that offers some interesting insights into the impact long-kept secrets have on our relationships and those we love. It also challenges readers to consider how well we think we know those around us.

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Book review: Numbered by Amy Andrews and Ros Baxter

January 22, 20163 min read

I’m slowly expanding my reading repertoire by selecting a few books I might normally avoid if sticking to my fave psychological thriller type genre. I’ve undoubtedly missed a couple of great novels over the years by assuming they wouldn’t be to my taste.

Last year I read Amy Andrews‘ Limbo. Amy’s best known for contemporary romance but Limbo—romantic suspense featuring a ghost-seeing punk rocker and a PI —was a bit different so I took a leap of faith and wasn’t disappointed. I now follow Amy on social media and while I’m not quite ready to read some of her more traditional romance novels I was interested in this collaboration with her sister (and fellow author) Ros Baxter.

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Book review: Hold On To Me by Victoria Purman

January 4, 20162 min read

I tend to shy away from romance novels and I’ve written about that here a bit. I find many unrealistic and the sex scenes make me laugh or feel like a voyeur.

However… I realise my Mills & Boon / Sweet Dream-loving teenage self hasn’t entirely lost her sense of romance. Or hope.

I surprised myself last year by enjoying Victoria Purman’s Only We Know, so when I saw the South Australian author had another book out I decided to take a chance yet again.

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