#BookReview #BlogBlitz #DirtyLittleSecrets @QuercusBooks @SpainJoanne @MillsReid11

(Runs into room panting) I’m here, I’m here! Hangs up scarf, hat and coat and sits down quickly at computer. Phew! Just made this, the last day of the blog blitz for the brilliant Dirty Little Secrets by the now bookmarked, brilliant Jo Spain! Thanks so much to Quercus books for allowing me to be part of this and for the book in return for an honest review.

Universal Amazon buy link

Length: 416 pages

What they say:

Six neighbours, six secrets, six reasons to want Olive Collins dead.

In the exclusive gated community of Withered Vale, people’s lives appear as perfect as their beautifully manicured lawns. Money, success, privilege – the residents have it all. Life is good.

There’s just one problem.

Olive Collins’ dead body has been rotting inside number four for the last three months. Her neighbours say they’re shocked at the discovery but nobody thought to check on her when she vanished from sight.

The police start to ask questions and the seemingly flawless facade begins to crack. Because, when it comes to Olive’s neighbours, it seems each of them has something to hide, something to lose and everything to gain from her death.

The new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Confession, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty.

The Review: This book commences with one of the most memorable of openings, one that had me watch a mother and her young son raising their eyes to the sky in horror as a symbol of death rose from the house next door. And I was all in! What happened next though, the fact that we were to hear what had happened from the points of view of wealthy residents of a gated community (including one that … ooh no I’m not telling you!) made me almost clap my hands together in glee (I was holding my Kindle at the time so this wouldn’t have been the best idea).

We open with one idea of Olive and it gets passed around from character to character and we realise that everyone has something to hide. With the excellent, gripping drama, comes some great little nuggets of dark humour (sniggers at one of Olive’s quotes) that made me want to be next to someone who’d read the book so I could nudge them and relive it. They came when you least expected it and I found myself highlighting, not for the review, but so I could just appreciate them. The police officers are a large presence in this book and I loved the combination, a tired, long-at-it-and-ready-to-finish-up Frank and the up-and-at-em (as he sees her) Emma.

I won’t tell you any more except I felt for some of the characters and despised some of the others, could SEE the settings and was kept guessing until the end. I’d say this book will suit many- no gore and the re-telling of some violence but we don’t see it if you know what I mean? But oodles of satisfying unease, drama, relationship issues and the ins and outs of daily policing when everyone has something to hide. Extremely enjoyable and very much recommended.

Advertisement