Chris Curran

This was a really enjoyable, well-written novel and I'm not sure what genre I would put it in; it is so multi-faceted. I didn't find it as gripping as I expected but it was certainly an addictive read as the story slowly unfolds and Joycie uncovers all of her family secrets.

In 1965, Joycie appears to have it all - she's a well known model, living with her photographer boyfriend, Marcus. Behind the scenes though, Joycie is a damaged individual, scarred by events that happened over 12 years ago. Joycie is part of a theatre family in the 1950's. Her Dad, Charlie Todd, and obnoxious Sid Sergeant are a popular theatre act who have no end of admirers waiting at the stage door. When Joycie's Mum suddenly disappears, the rumour mill claims that she has run away with one of her many fancy-men. Joycie isn't so sure as none of her Mum's clothes have been taken and she found a bloodstained rug hidden under the bed...or did she imagine it as the next day it had gone?

Without giving away any of the story, I found it really interesting and disturbing to see how events from Joycie's childhood had moulded her into the person she has become. From reading her story, it's no surprise to see that she hides behind the facade of model 'Orchid'. To the outside world, Orchid is confident and beautiful but behind closed doors Joycie is afraid to let Marcus get close to her. I felt as if she was a cracked vase that had been superglued together but at risk of being broken into a million pieces if she's hugged too hard.

Joycie does turn out to be tougher that I thought as she uncovers all of the skeletons in her family's closet. Skeletons that Chris Curran has revealed with tact and sensitivity, whilst being true to the era when such skeletons, through fear, remained firmly in the closet.

Her Turn to Cry is a very addictive read; the thread throughout the story is the disappearance of Joycie's Mum but there's so much more going on. I felt that stones were being overturned that could have absolutely anything underneath them and as the story went on, I felt Joycie getting stronger and really evolving into the woman she was always destined to be.

I received this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.… (mais)

Having previously read Her Turn to Cry by Chris Curran, I was eager to read anything that Chris might write next. I was so impressed with Her Deadly Secret and absolutely raced through it in my haste to get to the thrilling conclusion.

We meet Joe and Hannah when their 14 year old daughter, Lily, goes missing. As the police investigate Lily's last known movements, they find an argument with her mother, a keen interest in a local cult and a hunt for her real father. It is clear that Hannah is harbouring a secret and she is even hiding it from her husband, Joe. Could this be motive for Joe to harm Lily? Even worse, in an attempt to keep her secret buried, could Hannah have harmed Lily? What a great hook...but there's more!

There are also two other linked stories, that of Loretta and Rosie. Loretta is the Family Liaison Officer, allocated to Lily's family. Loretta has her own challenges to deal with both at home and at work, but her persistence with Hannah might just pay off in the end. There is also the story of Rosie whose sister, Alice, was killed many years ago. Rosie's Dad went to prison for his own daughter's murder and even his family thought he was guilty, until letters from a mystery writer claimed he was innocent. The writer seems to know a lot more about Alice's death than they should...but what does this have to do with Lily going missing? We find out after travelling through so many twists and turns, as Chris Curran takes us on a rollercoaster ride, and sometimes a wild goose chase, leaving my heart in my mouth at the end of the book.

Her Deadly Secret is an absolutely thrilling read with so many shocks and surprises that it kept me on my toes from start to finish. It's definitely worthy of a huge 5 stars.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.… (mais)

I always get a thrill when a novel is set in my native North East, so I was surprised and delighted when I was reading All the Little Lies as I had no idea that Chris Curran had part set her new novel in Gateshead and Newcastle.

Aside from the amazing location, All the Little Lies is such an intriguing story with Eve trying to find out more about her birth mother, Stella. She knows her adoptive parents know more than they are letting on and I had a constant question mark over my head as I wondered just what they were trying to hide.

As Eve digs into Stella's story, we are treated to flashbacks of Stella's life: from her meagre beginnings as a young child in Newcastle to fame as an artist before her life was tragically cut short. I loved the tempestuous story of Stella and Maggie; best friends or frenemies as I liked to think of them because Maggie was so jealous of Stella's artistic talent and beauty. I didn't trust Maggie one bit and when she invited Stella to stay with her in Italy, I knew it would all end in tears.

I love reading a fiction book and learning something I didn't know. I was so surprised to read about an art installation in Gateshead's Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art that I was completely unaware of. I have visited The Baltic on numerous occasions but I have always taken the supersonic glass lift to admire the views of the Newcastle Gateshead quayside on the way. Thanks to Chris Curran, next time I visit I will be taking the stairs to experience Mark Wallinger's Heaven and Hell art installation of a staircase that appears to stretch to infinity.

All the Little Lies is not only gripping and intriguing but it has an added hint of danger as Eve's digging into Stella's past unearths secrets that somebody wants to keep well and truly buried. Where lies are involved, you can always expect twists and turns aplenty and All the Little Lies certainly delivers in the surprising twists stakes, many of which I really didn't see coming.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.… (mais)