First Fruits by Penelope Evans

First Fruits

by

Penelope Evans


Kate is special; she is her dad's first fruit, his offering. He is bring her up to have his special power, the ability to manipulate people. She practices what he's taught her with devastating effect. Yet one night, when a recurrent dream comes to her once more, the truth that has long eluded her is revealed. Nothing can cleanse her world but fire and death.



I heard about this novel on Facebook and am so glad I downloaded it. I could barely put it down and read it over two nights. I love an unreliable narrator, and 14-year old Kate Carr is one of the best I've read. The tone was perfect, and brought her so vividly to life I could almost see her (which was pretty scary). It was a suspenseful, creepy, intense read, with plenty of hooks (and some laughs) and a cast of well-rounded characters - her minister father was a truly terrifying creation. It was hard to warm to Kate at first, but as the plot unfolded I was rooting for her all the way. Brilliant.

I've read and enjoyed another of this author's novels - The Weight of Water - and am off to download another.

Little Egypt by Lesley Glaister

Little Egypt

by

Lesley Glaister

Twins Isis and Osiris are now in their 90s, living together in Little Egypt, the English manor house where they were born and brought up. Their names are a clue to their parents' near fetish for everything Egyptian. In fact this near fetish leads their parents to Egypt itself, in search of a big discovery back in the 1920s, demonstrating more enthusiasm than savvy. Having left the twins in the care of the housekeeper, they never return. Isis and Osiris are now bound to the house, tied not by love or memories but dark secrets that won't let go.


Another triumph for the supremely talented Lesley Glaister. I've read all her books, and a new one is a treat to look forward to. Little Egypt was well worth the wait, as original and atmospheric as her previous books, with brilliantly developed characters dealing with obsession, neglect and madness. I loved the descriptions of Egyptology, of which I knew nothing before, and the 1920s setting - described in flashbacks by the main character, Isis, now an old woman - was brought vividly to life. It's a deeply sinister tale in parts, and darkly humorous in others.

Hard to sum up in a way that will do the book justice, I can only recommend that you read it.

The Accident by C L Taylor

The Accident                                                         by C L Taylor                                                                                        

A gripping debut about the deadly secrets your children can keep …

Sue Jackson has the perfect family but when her teenage daughter Charlotte deliberately steps in front of a bus and ends up in a coma she is forced to face a very dark reality.

Retracing her daughter’s steps she finds a horrifying entry in Charlotte’s diary and is forced to head deep into Charlotte’s private world. In her hunt for evidence, Sue begins to mistrust everyone close to her daughter and she’s forced to look further, into the depths of her own past.

Sue will do anything to protect her daughter. But what if she is the reason that Charlotte is in danger?

I love psychological thrillers and couldn't wait to read this debut novel by C L Taylor - it didn't disappoint! I was drawn in from the first page and could barely put it down after that, desperate to find out why Sue's daughter, Charlotte, was in a coma - and to discover Sue's history too. Partly told in sometimes shocking flashbacks, the truth was gradually and cleverly revealed, building to a twist I didn't see coming - and I nearly always guess the twist. It's a gripping story, well-written and full of intrigue and suspense, and I was rooting for Sue - and Charlotte - all the way. 

I loved it. 

Thanks to Avon/HarperCollins for the preview copy.