I completely forgot to send out a Substack post when my latest psychological thriller came out a fortnight ago. Sorry! đ Itâs been a bit hectic here as my husband had a fight with his mountain bike and the bike won! Heâs currently in hospital but weâre hoping heâll be discharged sometime this coming week.
Every Breath You Take is doing really well on Amazon and has some fabulous reviews. Itâs just 99p / 99c or FREE in Kindle Unlimited. Check it out at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
âOMG what in the world was this crazy wild ride of a book? This one was messed UP and let me tell you, I LOVED IT!â - Bookswithjams
âThis novel is freaking amazing!â - JulieReadzintheRockies
âMiranda Rijks is truly a Thriller Queenâ - Oilycaffeinatedmama
Itâs about Eva, whose husband Samuel, doesnât return from a boys night out. And then she starts receiving these crazy bucket-list type demands.
Iâve read some great books recently that have been published in the last couple of months. Here are my mini-reviews:
The Step Daughterâs Lie by Teri Terry
This is an excellent fast-paced thriller, with fascinating characters and an unusual storyline. I really sympathised with both Rowan and Ellieâs journeys, and the ensuing family conflict. To a degree, I worked out the back story and twist, but it didnât detract from my enjoyment of the book. I particularly liked the role of âVeraâ the Alexa-type home automation. I thoroughly recommend this book and look forward to reading more of Teri Terryâs novels in the future.
The Lucky Widow by Samantha VĂ©rant
The Lucky Widow is a gripping thriller with an unusual premise. What a shocking opening, with Emma expressing her delight to the police that sheâs thrilled to find Nathanial, her surgeon husband, dead. This is a story of horrible, entitled people, doing shocking things, yet it is extremely compelling with plenty of twists and secrets.
I read a lot of thrillers, so the ending didnât come as a surprise to me, but nevertheless, I couldnât put this book down. It was compulsive reading, with a clever use of different perspectives and a fascinating insight into evil minds.
Message Deleted by K.L. Slater
A beautifully crafted thriller about Saffy who receives a message from her best friend Leona asking for help. When the message is deleted and Leona and her family go missing, Saffy and her sister Poppy are drawn into a twisted search for the truth. With plenty of traumas in their pasts, the characters are complex and flawed. Although this wasnât the fastest of reads for me, I was engaged with the plot and eager to discover the truth. A great book by an author who never disappoints.
The Second Mrs Strom by Kaira Rouda
I hadnât appreciated that this book is a sequel to Best Ever Day, nevertheless not knowing the narcissistic Paul prior to reading The Second Mrs Strom didnât in any way lesson my enjoyment of the novel. I raced through this book as it explored the relationship between Cecilia and Paul, covering their initial meeting through to their first wedding anniversary in Paris. The characters were truly horrible, yet the dark humour combined with the staggering lies and deceit had me engaged from beginning to end. Although itâs a twisty thriller at heart, I found this novel to be great fun and thoroughly recommend it.
The Mother by Valerie Keogh
The Mother is a pacy thriller following Sarah, her rebound marriage to Nick and their missing baby, Kaya. Although I didnât find the protagonists particularly likeable, I was completely hooked by the story and thoroughly enjoyed the many plot twists and turns. I really like the authorâs compelling writing style and raced through this novel in record time.
The Perfect Nurse by Daniel Hurst
There are few books that are more entertaining than Daniel Hurstâs and The Perfect Nurse is no exception. This fast paced thriller has a slightly different style to his previous books and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing. The midpoint twist left me gasping! I raced through this novel and enjoyed every moment.
Under Her Roof by A.A. Chaudhuri
When Seb finds a room to rent in a stunning house in Hampstead, it all seems too good to be true. And when he falls for the landlady, we know that something sinister is apace. I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple POVs and am still reeling from the shock reveal. Under Her Roof is a true psychological thriller (youâll have to read it to understand the implications!) and I raced through it. Thoroughly recommend.
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley is a dark, mysterious locked-room type thriller told from multiple points of view, flipping between the past and the present. Itâs focused upon the opening of a new, luxury hotel set on the Dorset coast, surrounded by woods. I found the story started slowly but I was swept up by the menacing atmosphere and the haunting folklore, and by the final third of the novel I couldnât turn the pages fast enough. The characters were complex and fascinating (even if many were thoroughly unlikeable) and the creepiness built to a terrifying conclusion with a satisfying twist.
Iâve got a non-fiction book coming out later this year called, âHow To Write 4 Books A Year.â Iâve co-authored it with my friend and international book coach, Emily Tamayo Maher. Itâs full of tips on how to write, and particularly how I manage to write four books a year. In the paid edition of my Substack, Iâll be sharing lots of writing tips for those of you who are aspiring authors, as well as tracking my author journey. Emily will also be sharing tips because writing should never be a lonesome pursuit!
Finally, if you havenât joined my Facebook Group (Miranda Rijksâ Thriller Readers Group), please do! Itâs where I give readers the opportunity to name characters in my books, plus I run regular giveaways. Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mirandarijks
Thatâs it for today. Iâm off to the hospital for visiting hours⊠Have a great weekend.
Miranda x