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Aug 9

The Heights By Louise Candlish

The Heights‘The Heights’ is the latest book by Louise Candlish.

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Tower Bridge, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognize anywhere. He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him. Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years. You know this for a fact.

It’s fair to say that Louise Candlish is doing well, ‘The Other Passenger’ is number 2 in the Canadian book charts and the cast has been revealed for her award winning bestseller ‘Our House’ and what a cast it is!

She is back with ‘The Heights’ a dizzy and thrilling story about obsession and the strength of a mothers love.

Like Louise’s previous novels, the story begins at the key moment that something happens before working back to the moment that lead up to it.

The story is seen through the narrative of Ellen and her ex-husband Vic, who’s lives are turned upside down when their son befriends a boy called Kieran Watts, a bad influence who distracts Lucas from his family and studies. Both Ellen and Vic think Kieran has disappeared and are relieved for him to be finally gone only for him to reappear and Ellen begins to question her own sanity.

Right from the start, this book is a compelling read that had me gripped from start to finish. Ellen is a fascinating character, an equal measure of likeable and dislikable in her mothering traits that can be seen as possessive and not just looking out for her children. As the story processes, we begin to question her sanity and also her reliability after all she’s been through. Her dislike for Kieran leaps from the pages, as she tries to keep her son safe and under her wing.

The dual narrative in the story is a great addition as it gives the reader another insight into the situation and Vic adds a bit of stability to the story whenever things get too much for Ellen.

The story is cleverly crafted with fascinating and flawed characters that make for unsettling but compelling reading and in true Louise Candlish style, nothing is ever what it seems in her latest psychological thriller.

A story about fears, love and revenge, ‘The Heights’ is a wonderfully powerful story that made for dizzying reading with a gripping plot that will keep the reader right on the edge of their seat throughout.

Dec 14

Handwritten Girl’s Top 12 Books Of 2020

Top 12 Books Of 2020It’s fair to say that 2020 has been a strange old year. For some of us, we either lost our reading mojo and for others, we discovered a new passion that helped us escape the chaos of the world.

For me, my reading dipped regularly. Sometimes, I couldn’t be found without a book in my hand and other times, I left a pile of half read books in my path unable to find one to catch my attention.

If you’re looking for book ideas for yourself or for others for Christmas, check out my top 12 books of 2020, for some ideas.

Click on the links to read my thoughts on the books and why these books might appeal to you.

‘The Dilemma’ by ‘B.A. Paris
‘The Minute I Saw You’ by Paige Toon
‘The Other Passenger’ by Louise Candlish
‘Grown Ups’ by Marian Keyes
‘My One True North’ by Milly Johnson
‘The Last Charm’ by Ella Allbright
‘My Dark Vanessa’ by Kate Elizabeth Russell
‘Just My Luck’ by Adele Parks
The Lockdown Diary of Tom Cooper’ by Spencer Brown
‘The Flipside’ by James Bailey
‘Invisible Girl’ by Lisa Jewell
‘After The Silence’ by Louise O’Neill.

Although these books are available on Amazon, please consider buying from an independent bookseller to help supporting local businesses during this time.

May 18

The Other Passenger By Louise Candlish

'The Other Passenger‘The Other Passenger’ is the latest book by Louise Candlish.

It all happens so quickly. One day you’re living the dream, commuting to work by riverbus with your charismatic neighbour Kit in the seat beside you. The next, Kit hasn’t turned up for the boat and his wife Melia has reported him missing.When you get off at your stop, the police are waiting. Another passenger saw you and Kit arguing on the boat home the night before and the police say that you had a reason to want him dead. You protest. You and Kit are friends – ask Melia, she’ll vouch for you. And who exactly is this other passenger pointing the finger? What do they know about your lives?

Having won best crime and thriller book at the British Book Awards for her previous book called ‘Our House’ you’re always guaranteed a gripping and gasping book journey with Louise Candlish.

Like Louise’s previous books, the book starts right at the key moment that something significant has happened and then travels back to the time leading up to it and after.

After giving up a high powered job in marketing due to the claustrophobic commute, Jamie decides to work in a less pressurised job in a cafe that involves a compute on a river boat. It’s whilst on this river boat that he makes friends with Kit, a young man with a lust for partying and his stunning girlfriend Melia who works with Jamie’s wife Clare.

The four of them become firm friends despite the age difference until one day Kit disappears and the finger of blame is pointed at Jamie.

The story is primarily seen through the perspective of Jamie, which makes for interesting reading. He’s a character that envies Kit and Melia, a young couple who enjoy partying and socialising whilst Jamie’s partner prefers a slower pace of life. As the story progresses we see Jamie go from being a simple man to a man fuelled by lust and power and it’s fascinating to see this transition.

With short and snappy chapters, complex characters with a sharp and plausible plot line that really grabs the readers attention, this book was a great thriller to get absorbed in. An exciting masterpiece of suspense and drama, Louise has delivered another rollercoaster of a story with ‘The Other Passenger’ with an ending that certainly rivals that last line from ‘Our House’.

You can pre-order ‘The Other Passenger’ from Amazon and will be available to buy from good bookshops from 25th June 2020.