So far, I haven’t read a bad book by Bloodhound Books. They pick winners, so when I see books published by them – especially mystery/thrillers – they pretty much tet an automatic spot on my TBR. This book was full of the twists and turns that I’ve come to expect from a great mystery/thriller put out by this publishing house!
About the Book
A man reunites with his estranged father to uncover the truth about his tragic childhood …
Twenty-seven ago, eleven-year-old Callum was abducted. His body was found six months later by his older brother, Tom, near a Neolithic henge called the Shadowing Stones. It was the first in a series of events that would tear Tom’s family apart. Convinced his father was responsible for his brother’s death, Tom fled to Australia to start a new life.
Now, decades later, Tom learns that his father is dying of cancer. Knowing this may be his last chance to learn the truth, Tom returns to England. But when he crosses paths with childhood acquaintance Anna, the pair are drawn together. As Tom grows closer to both Anna and his father, he is confronted with a series of shocking twists and revelations that will change his life forever…
My Thoughts
I never really read thrillers until last year and now I can’t get enough of them! Good ones, like this, keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you up well past your bedtime because you absolutely cannot put them down until you know what happens!
In this book, we see the dual POVs of Tom and Anna, and at first, I was like what the heck is happening? Tom very clearly had a mystery going. And, Anna, had some domestic drama. And it looked like the two had nothing to do with each other. And those are usually the absolute best stories. Because once they actually meet up, bam, the story always gets good.
Tom and Anna’s chemistry was fiery and good. A rich girl and a boy from the working-class neighborhood who’s done well for himself both with their own emotional baggage come back to their home town for their own issues – the impending death of a loved one and a medical issue of another. Adn they end up spending time together , as people do in these small town novels or movies. Both had, of course, previously had a crush on each other as kids, so the opportunity as great.
The pair try to beat the clock of Tom’s dad’s impending death from cancer to figure out how Tom’s little brother Callum died more than a decade ago, and he believes his dad holds the key. He and most of the town have long suspected his dad. Can the pair figure out who killed him before it’s too late and Tom’s dad takes his secrets to the grave?
This book is grim, sad, and hard to read in parts. But it is also hopeful, romantic, and beautiful. It balances out an turns out to be incredibly heartwarming. I’m so grateful to the author and Love Books Tours for including me on the tour and I can’t wait to read more by this author!
Who’s It For?
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a domestic tilt. The twists and turns in this one keep you guessing until the end. Nothing is quite what it seems and nothing is quite resolved until the end.
Content Warnings: Child Loss/Murder, Parent Loss, SI, Cancer, Medical Trauma, Surgery, Major Medical Issues, HRT, Hysterectomy, Infidelity, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse, Child Abuse, Violence, Classism, Divorce, Mental Illness, Pedophilia
About the Author
‘A very promising writer.’ – Sir Michael Parkinson.
Sorrel Pitts grew up in the ancient English landscape of Wiltshire, which is a strong presence in her writing. She worked as a magazine editor before moving overseas to teach English in Turkey and Spain. On her return to the UK she became Commissioning Editor for Macmillan Publishers and Editorial Manager for Oxford University Press. She is now living back in Wiltshire and is a freelance editor and writer. Her current key role is Series Editor for PRH’s Penguin and Ladybird Readers series.
Sorrel has written numerous educational adaptations for Harper Collins, Oxford University Press and PRH including Ian McEwan’s The Children’s Act and Mario Puzo’s The Godfather – which won the international Extensive Reading Foundation Award – and John Le Carre’s The Night Manager (both PRH) as well original stories Nuala and Champion (Stand For Publishers) and The Scissor Man Caves (PRH). (Note that many of Sorrel’s educational titles are published under her pen name of Anna Trewin)
Sorrel’s debut novel THE RIVER WOMAN was published in September 2011 by Indigo Dreams Press. Sir Michael Parkinson described it as ‘a fascinating story written by a very promising writer’.
On February 6th, 2024, Sorrel’s new novel BROKEN SHADOWS was published by Bloodhound Books.
Amazon US: https://a.co/d/fyihJoO
Bookshop US: https://bookshop.org/a/25511/9781916978256
Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/ansCJCr
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203857674-broken-shadows
Author Website: https://www.sorrelpittspublishingservices.co.uk/about-me
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Published by Amorina Carlton. Award-winning American author, Amorina Carlton, is currently working on her first novel. You can find more about her published work and works in progress on the home page. She also serves as the PR/Marketing Lead for Ravens and Roses Publishing, and reviews books, mostly by other indie authors, here and on Bookstagram.