#BlogTour #LieInWait #GJMinett #GuestPost

Owen Hall has always been different. A big man with an unusual fixation, one who prefers to put his trust in number patterns rather than in people, it's unsurprising that he'd draw the attention of a bully.

Or a murder investigation.

And, in the storm of emotions and accusations that erupts when a violent killing affects a small community, it soon becomes clear that a particularly clever murderer might just get away with it.

All they'd need is a likely suspect . . .

You can read my review of Lie In Wait here:
Bibliomaniac Review Lie In Wait

I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Graham Minett to my blog today as part of the Blog Tour for Lie in Wait! Graham has very kindly agreed to take part in an interview so without further ado, I shall get on with our conversation! 

Hello Graham and thanks ever so much for coming along to Bibliomaniac's blog today! 

Had you been carrying the story idea for Lie In Wait with you for a while or did it evolve once you had finished The Hidden Legacy?

In all honesty, the moment I finished The Hidden Legacy I started work on another novel which I finished and sent off to my agent. He read it and told me to stick it in a drawer and chalk it up to experience because it wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t very happy at the time as you can imagine but he was right and fortunately the character of Owen Hall had already started to take root in my thoughts so I was able to get stuck into Lie In Wait without too much of a break.

Lie In Wait is quite different from your first novel. Was that a conscious decision?

Not really, no. I think the main reason for the difference is that The Hidden Legacy wasn’t originally going to be a novel. The prologue was written as an academic piece as part of the MA I was doing and it was only when it won a national competition for opening chapters that I found myself in the unusual position of having to come up with a storyline to go with an opening, rather than the other way around. With Lie In Wait the intention from the outset was to write a novel with a crime at the heart of it. If the two novels are linked in any way though, I’d say it’s the fact that they both revolve around strong central characters who are bewildered by events going on around them.

Some authors plan their storylines on excel spread sheets, some use post-it notes, some carry it all in their heads. Do you have a preferred method for planning your complex plots?

I spend months planning before I even write a word. For The Hidden Legacy I used a huge board and filled it with cards that were pinned to it, each one containing the scenes for a particular chapter. For Lie In Wait and for book 3 which I’m writing at present I’ve switched to a Word document which details every individual scene, what it will tell me about a character and how it will move the action forward. I also have detailed timelines that tell me what was happening on certain dates and what each of the characters knew at that point, as well as detailing dates of birth, marriages, ages etc. I’m an unapologetic planner.

Lie in Wait is set in Chichester. How important is the location in your novels and were there any difficulties in setting it so firmly in a ‘real’ place?

It was hugely important to me for The Hidden Legacy as I grew up in Cheltenham and The Cotswolds, love the area and wanted to work something out of my system, I think. Part of the challenge for me was to make readers who have never been there feel as if they know the place and I’m proud of how it all turned out. In Lie In Wait I opted for the area on the South Coast where I live now because it was familiar and that made any research much easier. In book 3 I’ve set it in the area around Rye, Camber Sands and Winchelsea as well as a place called Peaks Island off the coast of Portland, Maine. I spent a few days in Rye to research it and my wife and I went to have a good look at Peaks Island last summer. I’m not sure how important the location will be in future novels. I suspect, if I want to make some sort of breakthrough in the US, I may need to make my novels less obviously English but that’s for the future.

In terms of the journey from the first draft to the final publication, was there anything you did differently or approached differently this time now that you had already been through the process once before? Were there any particular lessons you had learned from the first time round?

The one big lesson I’ve learned is that it’s so difficult to find time to write it. I allowed myself four months to write book 3 which was less than I’d originally envisaged but I’d worked it out as about 750 words a day which seemed relatively straightforward. What I hadn’t factored in – and should have – were the other things that have been demanding my time. I’m still working at a school until Easter, I’m training up my replacement, I’m writing blogs every day for the blog tour, I’m making appearances to promote the book, frequently making journeys that require an overnight stay, and also travelling often to London to meet with my agent and publishers as well as supporting other authors when their books come out. And then there’s social media – that takes up about two hours every day if I’m going to thank people for re-tweeting or for reviewing the novels. It all adds up and leaves me frequently having to write between 2000 and 3000 words a day for a while to catch up.

            Hope it doesn’t sound like a moan – I love it but it will be a lot easier when I’m writing full-time.

What have you enjoyed most about writing your second novel? Did the fact it was your second book affect any part of the creative process?

What I enjoyed most was what I also loved about the first one. As a reader I like to peel away layers of mystery and intrigue and try to get to the heart of the story before the author reveals all. I don’t care if I’m wrong – as long as it all holds together and doesn’t rely totally upon ridiculous coincidences or behaviour which is totally out of keeping with what we know of the character, I’ll applaud the author. I try to write what I enjoy reading and loved the challenge in Lie In Wait of revealing the murderer’s identity two-thirds of the way through and yet still retaining the interest of the readers by and following the investigation dangling the ‘will they/won’t they’ issue in front of them.

            The only way in which the fact that it was my second novel affected the process was my publishers’ preference for it to sit a little more firmly in the crime genre than The Hidden Legacy did. It wasn’t a problem in any way.

Both your novels are psychological thrillers. Do you think this is the genre in which you may continue to write or have you something else planned for book three?!

I’m now 65,000 words into book 3 and can say with some degree of certainty that this is the right genre for me at the present time. I feel very comfortable with the material and have found a writing style which works for me and hopefully appeals to readers as well.

            I’m no different from most novelists, I guess, in imagining that I have a really serious, ‘worthy’ novel in me and the very fact that my literary heroes are Maggie O’Farrell and Kate Atkinson makes me wish all the time that I could follow in their footsteps and have the chance to write something overtly literary. Maybe one day. For now though, I’m very happy with what I’m doing. When I get moments of frustration, as all writers do, I simply remind myself that just over two years ago I had no publishing deal and might have been forgiven for thinking I’d never get a book out there. And I didn’t know wonderful people like Bibliomaniac even existed!

Sometimes I have to pinch myself.

Ah, too kind Graham! When I get to do a blog post like this and interview my favourite authors, I also sometimes have to pinch myself too! 

Thanks so much for taking part today! It's been an absolute pleasure to chat to you about Lie In Wait. 

Lie in Wait was published in paperback on 9th March 2017 by Bonnier Zaffre.


More about GJ Minett



Graham was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and lived there for 18 years before studying for a degree in Modern and Medieval Languages at Churchill College, Cambridge.

He taught for several years, first in Cheltenham and then in West Sussex before opting to go part-time and start an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Chichester. Completing the course in 2008, he gained a distinction for the dissertation under the guidance of novelist, Alison MacLeod and almost immediately won the Segora Short Story Competition with ‘On the Way Out’.

Other awards soon followed, most notably his success in the 2010 Chapter One novel competition with what would eventually become the opening pages of his debut novel. He was signed up by Peter Buckman of the Ampersand Agency, who managed to secure a two-book deal with twenty7, the digital-first adult fiction imprint of Bonnier Publishing.

"The Hidden Legacy" was published as an eBook in November 2015 and the paperback version was published in August 2016. The second book in the deal, entitled "Lie in Wait", was published as an eBook in August 2016 and the paperback version will be on the shelves in bookshops around the country in March 2017.

Graham lives with his wife and children in West Sussex but retains close links with the rest of his family in Cheltenham.

@GJMinett

grahamminett.com

For more recommendations and reviews you can follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)

#Guestpost Alex Caan #CutToTheBone

I am really excited to welcome Alex Caan to my blog to talk about his second book nightmare! Alex is coming along to my Dazzling Debuts event on the 22nd March where he will be talking about his debut novel Cut To The Bone (published Nov 2016 by Bonnier Zaffre).

Without any more ado, let me hand you over to Alex and hear all he has to say about writing Book 2!!

BOOK TWO (AKA HORROR BOOK)

So I have been a bit quiet on social media while I tackle the dreaded BOOK TWO!

OK I know this is a FIRST WORLD PROBLEM completely. Still, the pain of writing a second novel has been immense. This isn't my actual second novel, it took me a lot of false starts to get to Cut To The Bone, so I've written a few novels in the past. 

The art of writing is my passion, I love doing it, I enjoy doing it. And I've done it through this enthusiasm many times over the years. Always when nobody was paying me for it, or interested in it, just me and my creative processes. And then...somebody give me a contract, an advance, and wants to publish this novel and...and then what? I have been frozen with terror ever since I started to realise I would have to deliver BOOK TWO!! 

I had an outline, a title, I bring back DCI Kate Riley and DS Zain Harris, it's like driving down a new road in a car you love. And yet, I just couldn't do it. 

I had so many false starts, despite the encouragement of so many people, including one of my writing heroes. I had other writers ask me for weekly word counts, advice from anyone who has ever written, and most of all the beautiful, amazing, generous people who have been so kind about Cut To The Bone and wanted more!! And still...the words didn't come. 

It wasn't even writer's block. I knew what was happening next. I just couldn't write. And every positive review or negative review just added another brick to the wall that stood between me and BOOK TWO. 

Slowly I started to write, word by word, and each sentence was filled with self-loathing and fear. And then one word at a time, I had something. I had extensions, I even went on a Pilgrimage, and finally I burned the all-night oils and got it done. Well, into a draft and a state that I could send it to my editor. 

And then I realised that's the difference between Cut To The Bone and this book. I now have an editor, I have someone who will rip it to pieces, and send me some glue to fix it. With the first novel, you and your agent work on it and get it perfect, hoping to attract a publisher. But this book, the second one, well, you have your publisher, and they are now on your side, and they are going to help you attract an audience. 

So in conclusion? Book Two was a nightmare, but it seems everyone feels the same. And, most importantly, it's in. And now, ironically, I just can't wait to write my next one! Go figure. Book Two has gone, and so has the absolute crippling fear and self-hatred. (Well until I get my edits back...) 

Thanks so much Alex for sharing your thoughts about writing Book 2! I am absolutely positive it will be as gripping and as exciting as Book 1 and I, like hundreds of other readers, am thrilled that there is a Book 3 on the way! And even more pleased to hear that the fear of writing has gone and instead you are inspired and inspiring again! 

ALEX CAAN 

Alex Caan was born in Manchester, has spent over a decade working in information systems security for a number of government organisations, and is currently specialising in terrorism studies. A lifetime passion for writing was sparked by the encouraging words of an English teacher in school, and eventually led to Alex successfully completing an MA in Creative Writing and writing Cut to the Bone.
www.alexcaanauthor.com
@alexcaanwriter



One Missing Girl. Two Million Suspects.

Ruby is a vlogger, a rising star of YouTube and a heroine to millions of teenage girls.

And she's missing . . .

But she's an adult - nothing to worry about, surely?

Until the video's uploaded . . .

Ruby, in the dirt, pleading for her life.

Enter Detective Inspector Kate Riley; the Met's rising star and the head of a new team of investigators with the best resources money can buy. Among them, Detective Sergeant Zain Harris, the poster boy for multiracial policing. But can Kate wholly trust him - and more importantly, can she trust herself around him?

As hysteria builds amongst the press and Ruby's millions of fans, Kate and her team are under pressure to get results, and fast, but as they soon discover, the world of YouTube vloggers and social media is much darker than anyone could have imagined.

And the videos keep coming . .


Bibliomaniac's Review of Cut To The Bone

This book opens with one of the most captivating introductions I have read in a while! Caan's use of short sentences creates tension effectively, gripping the reader and pulling them straight into the dark and frightening situation which sets the tone for the rest of this compelling thriller.

"Her clothes are gone. She wears a sack, tied at the waist. ...... Help me. Who is she speaking to? .........Ruby is gone. Only her screaming remains."

The chapter continues by telling us "she is strapped to a chair, arms and legs bound, mouth taped." Ruby's panic and fear are well captured with the description of her imprisonment and sense of desperation: "The walls are coming in . The darkness has icy fingers. Her skin is on fire. She wants her mother. She can't breathe. She is drowning."

In Chapter 2 we meet our protagonist DCI Kate Riley - a highly experienced detective with a doctorate from Browns. She receives a phone call at 2.38 am about a 20 year old girl who has been missing for 8 hours. Justin Hope, the Commissioner, has requested an investigation even though it is quite unprecedented at this early stage given the age of the missing girl. It is unclear why he is involved as the parents dialled 999 and have no apparent connection with Hope.

Chapter 3 introduces another key character, DS Zain Harris. He is first on the scene at the missing girl's house - the girl we now know to be Ruby. Ruby is a Vlogger and YouTube star who posts lifestyle tips, make up tutorials and fashion advice. She is making an impressive income through freebies, sponsorship and advertising. She has an incredible 2 million followers. That night, she had just gone out for a walk and never returned. As Zain listens to the parents' answers to his questions, he can't help but feel that they are "prompting each other for answers....playing a part....their responses were scripted," but he tries to "switch off his paranoia". The theme of playing parts, and scripted scenes is repeated throughout the novel as Caan explores the world of social media; the blurred lines between someone's real and on line persona. Paranoia is also a key theme in the book - both Zain and Katy seem to suffer from it, although the roots and causes are mysteriously secret and buried deep in their back stories which Caan tantalises the reader with, only dropping the odd clue or half picture so their characters remain as mysterious as the actual crime they are investigating. It is very intriguing and I was very impressed with his handling of not only a complex plot, but also his management of complex characters. It is hard to believe it is a debut novel.

The chapters continue to alternate between Kate and Zain. They are very short and this book definitely moves with great pace and action. Although quite different characters, Kate and Zain form a bond quickly and even at the first interview with Ruby's parents the "silence was heavy between them, acquiring layers of something unspoken." I also liked the way that the mystery of Kate's home life - the baby monitor she kept by her bed with the blond wig she had to put on before responding to it, the dark fear shrouding her arrival in London- were entwined with the main criminal investigation of trying to find Ruby. As I said, this novel has a multi layered, intricate plot with lots of different threads for the reader to wonder about, be distracted by and ensuring that they are kept very much on the edge of their seat until the last page.

Zain is also a fascinating character. Is he good? Is he bad? Is he right in some of the procedural decisions he makes? What is his motive and to whom is he truly loyal? What is he caught up in? Nothing is quite as it seems and he is also compromised and full of internal conflict.

The case is difficult. Kate "was paddling...going through the motions, picking up everything she could, throwing it in the air and seeing what landed." As the book continues into the last third, the police investigation suddenly delves much deeper and into something much much bigger and more sinister than anyone could have anticipated. We learn more about Ruby, her violent and unpredictable boyfriend Dan, the mercenary world of Vlogging and the manipulative power of huge corporations. This story is more than a police procedural crime novel, it dances with conspiracy; searching and uncovering the sort of answers that will lead to people being murdered rather than revealing the truth.

This really is a novel for 2016; the world of Vlogging and those that build careers out of creating YouTube videos is such a recent phenomenon. Ruby's character is so interesting - she is lonely and has very few real friends, yet she is "lonely in the glare of 2 million people watching her." I thought it was very thought provoking in a sense as it made me really consider the growing role of social media networks and the affect they could be having on young people and their emotional intelligence or social skills. It highlights the dangers of exposure, the competition and resentment that can grow from a harmless Vlog. YouTubers and Vloggers can create a high level of perfection which can cause as much trouble for them as their viewer. And they seem relatively unprotected from praying companies seeking to exploit or manipulate them.

As the investigation proceeds there are plenty of technical conversations about how people use social media; how the police's work is made more difficult now so many people can hack / delete / wipe information - even though conversely we can also be tracked and traced by innocently opening apps on our phone. Caan's knowledge and research into the details of the technology, the internet and police procedure where vastly impressive and showed a deep understanding of everything he wrote about.

I have more to say...more quotes to use....but actually on reflection, I think they might give too much away. The best thing about this book is the way you are mislead, constantly unsure about some of the characters, shocked and tricked so I think for that reason, the less said the better! What I will say is that this is a very accomplished and considered novel and, as I am finding with all Bonnier Twenty7 debut authors, it is a book which really reads as if it has been written by an established writer with a catalogue of titles preceding them.

The final words of the book left me begging for a bit more! They are as compelling as the opening lines! I hope this means there is more to come from Caan, Kate and Zain.

This story reminded me of a lot of films and TV series I have seen recently in terms of the scale of the mystery and turns that the investigation take - the "grey" morality of a detective and another who carries an emotional burden. There is a lot of police procedure and jargon, and it was probably more intense than most crime novels I read, but even though I wasn't sure if I was always keeping abreast with Kate, I certainly recognise the talent of the author and the potential in this book. Recommend!


For more recommendations, reviews and information and posts about Dazzling Debuts and my other book events, please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3

#GuestPost Chris Whitaker @WhittyAuthor

Today I am thrilled to have author Chris Whitaker on my blog! Chris is coming along to Bibliomaniac's Dazzling Debut book event next week to talk about life as author and his novel Tall Oaks. On my blog today, he is talking about that "difficult second book" so without further ado I am going to leave you with him! Enjoy! 

Difficult Second Book Syndrome

I’d heard the rumours from other authors. Book 2 is tough they said. Really tough.

Though I didn’t realise just how tough until it came to handing in the first draft. I’d worked on it for a couple of years but when I sat down with my editor I asked if I could have an extension. I didn’t know why, it just no longer felt right. Something had changed. 

 

So what was it?

I didn’t really know. Not at first. So I called bestselling author G.J. Minett for some sage advice. Book 2 was a piece of piss, he said. I knocked it out in three weeks and it’s already sold 50,000 copies. The f**kers out there will read anything I put my name to.

Hmm. Thanks, G.J.

Next I turned to David Young, of Stasi Child/Wolf fame. But he was busy touring the country in his sexy police car, flashing the lights and running the siren when the hoards of ‘Youngsters’ (like ‘Beliebers’ but much older) got too close to him.

I wondered how they did it. Was I alone?

Thankfully not. Step forward, Alex Caan. Two weeks till deadline and Alex had written 500 words. This was a man I could relate to. Maybe it’s the pressure, he said.  

And that was it.

Book 1 I had nothing. No deadline, no expectations, and no guarantee anyone would ever read it. Book 2 I had an agent, an editor, a team of people at my publishers, and the bloggers and readers who really enjoyed Tall Oaks, and they were all waiting for it.

Then there was my contract. A two book deal. Mess up book 2 and it’s all over. No more religiously checking awful Amazon rankings. No more crying over the 1-stars. No more driving 300 miles to speak to three people about a book they borrowed from the library and didn’t bother reviewing.

I couldn’t let the dream die. I’d had a taste of published-author-life and I wanted more. 

So I took a step back for a while, and I slowly began to see it was still me, sitting alone at my desk, trying to tell a story.

Nothing had really changed.

And once I got my head around that I began to see what I didn’t like about book 2. The concept was sound, but I knew the voice, the characters and the setting weren’t. Big changes. I knew it would be tough, almost like starting again, but I owed it to myself, and to everyone that took a chance on Tall Oaks, to do better.   

And now, almost three years since I first came up with the idea, I’m very close to having a finished draft.  And thanks to Joel and Bec (my supremely talented editors), it’s book I’m so incredibly proud to follow Tall Oaks with.

All The Wicked Girls will be published October 5^th 2017

Thanks Chris! So glad to hear that book 2 is now back on track - I am one of those bloggers desperate to read it!! I will be looking out for All the Wicked Girls in October! 

And for those of you that haven't yet read Tall Oaks (shame on you!) here's all you need to know! 



For fans of Twin Peaks and The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair, this brilliant debut is dark yet hilarious, suspenseful and sad.

Everyone has a secret in Tall Oaks . . .

When three-year-old Harry goes missing, the whole of America turns its attention to one small town.

Everyone is eager to help. Everyone is a suspect.

Desperate mother Jess, whose grief is driving her to extreme measures.

Newcomer Jared, with an easy charm and a string of broken hearts in his wake.

Photographer Jerry, who's determined to break away from his controlling mother once and for all.

And, investigating them all, a police chief with a hidden obsession of his own . . .

In Chris Whitaker's brilliant and original debut novel, missing persons, secret identities and dangerous lies abound in a town as idiosyncratic as its inhabitants.

More about Chris: 

Chris Whitaker was born in London and spent ten years working as a financial trader in the city. His debut novel, Tall Oaks, was published to critical acclaim in 2016 by Bonnier Zaffre. Tall Oaks was a Guardian crime book of the month as well as featuring in Crime Time’s top 100 books of 2016 and BuzzFeed’s incredible summer reads. 
Chris’s second novel, All The Wicked Girls, will be published in autumn 2017. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and two young sons. 

Follow Chris on Twitter @WhittyAuthor

Bibliomaniac's Review of Tall Oaks: 

This is a great debut - that reads with the accomplishment and finesse of a much more established writer- set in small town America where 3 year old Harry has gone missing. Although the mystery of his disappearance is the main strand of the story, it is actually more a vehicle around which Whitaker can explore the different lives of the inhabitants. As the town works to uncover the truth behind Harry's disappearance, further lies, hidden pasts, secret ambitions, obsessions, relationships and all the other fascinating stories behind the people that live there, are revealed through wit, humour, pathos and empathy. As the blurb promises, this really is a "dark yet hilarious, suspenseful and sad" read.

The writing is vivid, engaging, lively and full of great dialogue and action. The book opens with the harrowing disappearance of Harry and the palpable grief of his mother Jess. Jim, the detective in charge of the case, is clearly deeply affected by the event as well. We are then, with each new chapter or section, introduced to more characters, each with their own complications. There is a lot to keep up with at the beginning and although a little overwhelmed, I was compelled to read on as I wondered how the threads were related and how they might converge as the novel progressed. Whitaker sets a healthy pace; the short chapters and alternating voices make it a very filmic read. Some of the characters bring humour and entertainment which counteracts the sadness of Jess's loss and the intensity of the narratives from her and Jim. There is a good balance.

Whitaker's ability to evoke such a range of scenarios is commendable. His presentation of small town America and the characters within it are completely convincing. Tall Oaks should be a picture perfect town with perfect white picket fences yet Whitaker manages to unnerve the reader with a prevailing sense of foreboding. His sense of location is very clearly established and it is easy to relate to all the characters whether they are likeable or not, vulnerable or strong. Reading this book was like binging on a box set. Other reviewers have compared it to "Fargo", "Twin Peaks" and "The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair". It certainly has that quirky, original, gripping feel. Personally it also felt to me like a rather dark version of "Desperate Housewives"!

Once half way through, I found the novel picked up further in pace and drama. I really enjoyed the story of Jerry and his mother - Whitaker's depiction of madness and control was purposefully despicable, unpleasant and shocking. Then Jim's obsession with Jess gave Whitaker an opportunity to explore the complex emotions of a police officer who gets over involved in a case. It certainly was a case of "just one more chapter..." (or "one more episode"!)which has always been my downfall and the true sign of a great book!

This book follows characters at transitional points in their lives; a time of challenging personal choices, change and new starts. Tall Oaks is a place which means different things to different people, whether it's somewhere to hide or somewhere to run from, a place of safety or a place of threat. It is compulsive rather than gripping, full of hard punches but not shocking. It has elements of a comedy, a thriller, a police procedural novel and lots of drama. The ending was absolutely suburb. Amazing. It was so well executed.

At the end of the novel, Abe says to Manny as they prepare to move on in their lives, it's the "end of an era". That's definitely how I felt when I (reluctantly) turned the last page.

I would highly recommend this book. 

For more reviews, recommendations and info about Dazzling Debuts follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) 

Tattletale by Sarah Naughton

This review is in danger of sounding like a string of cliches but sometimes those expressions really are the only ones that completely sum up what I want to say!

This has been one of the most anticipated psychological thrillers of the year and one that I have been desperate to get to while it's been sitting on my TBR pile. The flip side of this is that there is always a slight sense of trepidation before starting the book as it already has so much to live up to! However, Tattletale took this on board and confidently showed me all that warrants the praise it has been receiving. Sarah Naughton wasted no time in showing me that indeed, she is a writer to look out for; she is a talented author and this is one very good book!

The book is organised into Before and Then and Now sections and focuses on Abe. Abe lies in hospital in a coma, brain dead following a huge fall from the top of the stairs. Our narrators are Jody, his girlfriend who is desperate to show the police it can not have been suicide because they were so happy together and Mags, his sister. Mags is a lawyer and has returned from the her job in Vegas to find out what really happened to him. She has returned as she is the next of kin but she has not had a close relationship with her brother and seems oddly detached from such a traumatic situation. We also hear from a few other voices as the novel progresses but I am wary of giving anything away .........Tantalising? Well, that is Naughton's most obvious talent! She is incredibly tantalising.

Naughton knows how to hook you in straight away.

"Blood doesn't look like blood in the dark." 

I love a prologue - even though the opening is "Before" and not strictly a prologue, it opens with Abe's fall. There are no names mentioned at all and the third person narrative voice keeps it delightfully anonymous. And delightfully ambigious - another of Naughton's greatest skills! Yes, don't always expect to know exactly what is going on in this novel. It is full of unreliable narrators, some confusing plot twists and several layers of huge psychological twists and turns but ultimately the reward is huge and absolutely worth every moment of your investment as a reader.

There are several difficult to scenes to read - and even the opening chapters start with quite raw descriptions. It took me a while to root myself in the plot and side with the characters but I did. I think once the story settled into Mags' interaction with the police, Jody and the hospital I found myself really getting into the story and really beginning to enjoy Mags' voice.

Mags is feisty, confident and direct. When she first meets with the police to ascertain what happened to Abe and what is going on with their investigation, her training as a lawyer is obvious. She challenges them and shows her intelligence and her eye for seeing things differently or spotting other clues that might have been missed. I found these scenes of the victim's sister driving the investigation and almost interrogating the police really original and the total opposite from the way characters usually behave in this situation. No, Mags is a victim-not-a-victim and I think this is when I became truly fascinated by her character. I really couldn't wait for her sections and found her completely compelling throughout the entire novel.

"She's saved me from that guilt, and I should be on my knees in gratitude. So why aren't I? Because I'm a self-centred bitch, probably." 

Mags can be blunt, but also insightful. She can be cold and callous but she can also show vulnerability. She's alone and keeps people at arm's length but she can harness some empathy and ultimately will "right" things. She's perhaps not always completely likeable or someone I'd like to spend a lot of time with in the real world, but I really enjoyed spending time with her in the novel. Something about her appealed to me, made her an original character and certainly a memorable one.

Naughton's writing creates very vivid scenes, characters and dramatic moments. Her writing is direct, focused and full of impact. It is also full of evocative description and phrases that are actually fantastic examples of imagery and insight but often so understated it is easy to miss them. They contribute to the overall feel of the book and ensure that the reader knows they are reading something very well written.

"The bed is made, but I'll have to change the sheets - if only to rinse out Jody's tears from the pillow." 

I enjoyed her turn of phrase and her use of colours and observations of the human condition that snuck into the passages. Naughton can clearly write exceptionally well.

Naughton is also able to create very distinctive voices for the different characters from which she writes. She shows confident use of writing in the first, second and third person.

Jody sent a shiver down my spine from the start even though actually, she appears nothing more than harmless and we should feel deep, deep sympathy for her as she waits at Abe's bedside with more devotion than his sister. But warning bells to start to ring.

"....cheesy pop songs but suddenly every word meant something. It's such a perfect day, I'm glad I spent it with you. I still feel that Abe. Even now. Even in the hospital, watching you struggle to breathe, watching the machine pump air into your lungs. It's a perfect day because I'm spending it with you." 

Hhhhmmmm. Definitely a character to keep an eye on! I can't really say more about her without giving things away but I think Naughton did a fantastic job of leading us up and down the staircase with this one!

The repetition of the words "From Abe. From Mags" which appears almost like a motif throughout the novel was so effective. These words are the only ones the siblings have exchanged in years and are from their Christmas cards. Simple. Seemingly detached and lacking in any kind of sentimentality, these words actually come to mean something quite powerful. I really liked that.

And the ending! With psychological thrillers we all talk about the twist, the turns, the unexpected rug pulling moment and all that we did not see coming but here, in Tattletale, it's all true! The complexity of the revelations and the deft skill with which Naughton manages the plot is impressive. There was only one word I kept thinking as I read the last quarter of the book and that was "Wow!"

Tattletale is a very original novel. It feels like a fresh interpretation of the psychological thriller genre and I have no doubt in my mind that this book will fly off the shelves and pronounce Naughton to be the next 'one to watch'. I'm certain she has a long, high profile career in front of her as a thriller writer and her fan base is already huge and growing daily. I will definitely be keeping my fingers crossed that this book does as well as it deserves.

Tattletale is published on 23rd March 2017 by Trapeze.

For more recommendations and reviews you can follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomainacuk)