Tag: c l taylor

Book Review: It’s Always the Husband – C L Taylor

Book Review: It’s Always the Husband – C L Taylor

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: June 5 2025
Publisher: Avon
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

The school gates have never been so dangerous…

When newly divorced Jude arrives in the small town of Lowbridge, she is soon drawn to the enigmatic Will, father to her young daughter’s best friend.

But Will’s devastating past holds questions that nobody knows the answer to – and after two tragedies tore his life apart in just a few short years, gossip and rumours abound about what really happened to the women he loved.

Because whilst one dead wife is tragic, two starts to look like murder…

Review

C L Taylor is back with a new twisty thriller, this time following Mum Jude, who finds herself strangely drawn to the Dad of her daughter’s new best friend. Through gossip with the other Mums, Jude learns about Will’s past – two tragedies and two dead wives in a short space of time. Jude soon finds that rumours are flying everywhere, what really happened to his wives, could it have been murder?

I always really enjoy C L Taylor’s books, and this was no exception. It was fast paced, gripping, and had a really interesting plot. I raced through this book in a few sittings. I don’t think I’ve ever guessed the ending to a C L Taylor book, and yet again, the surprise twist was absolutely not what I expected. This is definitely an entertaining read, and there were definitely a few spine-tingling moments that had me glued to the page.

Taylor’s characters are really interesting, and I enjoyed the way Taylor depicted the school gossip mill and the way this can affect people, especially if they are on the outside of the clique. The characters were compelling, and I enjoyed exploring their backstories. I did find Victoria to be a bit on the annoying side and was less invested in her story. Overall, I thought this was a really entertaining and engaging read, so if you’re looking for a fun thriller, definitely check out It’s Always the Husband!

 

Book Review: Every Move You Make – C. L. Taylor

Book Review: Every Move You Make – C. L. Taylor

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release date: March 28 2024
Publisher: Avon Books
Pages: 422
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Synopsis

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…

Alexandra, Lucy, Bridget, River and Natalie. Five friends who wish they’d never met. Because the one thing they have in common is the worst thing in their lives: they are all being stalked.

When one of their group is murdered, days after their stalker is released from prison, time stands still for them all. They know their lives could end just as brutally at any moment – all it takes is for the people they fear the most to catch up with them.

When the group receive a threat that one of them will die in ten days’ time, the terror that stalks their daily lives becomes all-consuming. But they know they don’t want to be victims anymore – it’s time to turn the tables and finally get their revenge.

Because the only way to stop a stalker is to become one yourself…

Review

Every Move You Make is the latest edge of your seat thriller from C. L. Taylor. The story follows five strangers who form a support group for people who are the victims of stalking. When one of the group is murdered, the other four attend the funeral, only to receive a threat that one of them will die in ten days’ time. Can the group figure out which one of them is going to die as well as stop the stalkers that are ruining their lives?

I don’t read an awful lot of thrillers but whenever C. L. Taylor releases a book I know I need to drop everything to read it. Fast paced and addictive, I absolutely raced through this book. Taylor is the Queen of captivating premises and this story hooked me in right from the very first chapter. The story definitely keeps you glued to the page and there are plenty of twists and turns that you definitely won’t see coming. Taylor has a really accessible writing style and I loved the way the tension continued to build and build as the ten days counted down.

The characters in Every Move You Make are particularly intriguing. Taylor has created a really fascinating cast and each of our four main characters felt really well developed. I enjoyed watching the dynamic between the group change, particularly as they began to grow more suspicious of each other. I was never really sure who was trustworthy and as a result, I found I questioned all of them. Overall I think Alex was my favourite, her backstory was really interesting and I was particularly invested in her storyline.

Overall Every Move You Make is a tense and gripping thriller. If you’re a C. L. Taylor fan or you’re looking for a thriller that will have you turning pages long into the night, this is a book you do not want to miss.

Book Review: The Guilty Couple – C. L. Taylor

Book Review: The Guilty Couple – C. L. Taylor

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release Date: June 23rd 2022
Publisher: Avon Books
Pages: 352
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I bought a copy of this book from my local supermarket
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

Five years ago, Olivia Sutherland was wrongfully convicted of plotting to murder her husband.

Now she’s finally free, Olivia has three goals: repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, clear her name, and bring down her husband – the man who framed her.

Just how far is she willing to go to get what she wants? And how far will her husband go to stop her? Because his lies run deeper than Olivia could ever have imagined – and this time it’s not her freedom that’s in jeopardy, but her life…

Review

As a reader I’m not someone who reads crime thrillers very often, however C. L. Taylor is without a doubt one of my auto-buy authors. Her latest release follows Olivia Sutherland who was convicted of plotting to murder her husband. Olivia swears she is innocent and now she has finally been released from prison, she’s determined to do everything she can to fix her relationship with her daughter and clear her name. But will she be able to uncover the truth about her husband in time and how far will he go to protect his secrets?

When it comes to C. L. Taylor I have pretty much given up attempting to guess the plot twists. This book was razor sharp, fast paced, and had lots of surprising moments. How Taylor manages to continually come up with endings you won’t see coming I’ll never know, but once again I was left guessing right until the very end. Taylor’s writing style is very accessible and it’s so easy to get completely caught up in her clever stories. The Guilty Couple is no exception and I was absolutely hooked on seeing whether Olivia would be successful in clearing her name.

The story is told from both Olivia’s and her husband Dominic’s perspectives and I enjoyed seeing things from both points of view as the tension continued to build. Taylor has a knack for crafting these really believable characters and it was particularly apparent as we see Olivia attempt to rebuild her life and her relationship with Grace. Olivia is a really compelling protagonist but my favourite character had to be Smithy who stole the show just a little bit.

The Guilty Couple is an addictive and compelling tale, one that thriller fans will find difficult to put down. If you’re a fan of C. L. Taylor or you’re looking for something that will have you turning pages long into the night, this one is not to be missed.

Book Review: Her Last Holiday – C. L. Taylor

Book Review: Her Last Holiday – C. L. Taylor

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


Release Date: 27th April 2021
Publisher: Avon Books
Pages: 400
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I received an E-ARC via Netgalley
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis

You come to the retreat to be healed. You don’t expect to die.

Two years ago, Fran’s sister Jenna disappeared on a wellness retreat in Gozo that went terribly wrong.

Tom Wade, the now infamous man behind Soul Shrink Retreats, has just been released from prison after serving his sentence for the deaths of two people. But he has never let on what happened to the third victim: Jenna.

Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat – the first since his release – and finds herself face to face with the man who might hold the key to her sister’s disappearance. The only question is, will she escape the retreat alive? Or does someone out there want Jenna’s secrets to stay hidden?

Review

C. L. Taylor is one of my favourite thriller writers so I always go into her books with the highest of expectations. Once again I was completely sucked into this fast-paced tale full to the brim with suspense. The story is set around a Soul Shrink retreat in Gozo that went horribly wrong: two people died and another committed suicide. We follow Tom Wade, the man behind Soul Shrink, who has just been released from prison, his wife Kate as they attempt to put the past behind them and Fran the sister of the girl who committed suicide. Fran is trying to uncover the truth behind her sister’s death, so when Tom and Kate announce a new Soul Shrink retreat, Fran signs up. But what she uncovers might be far more than she bargained for.

This was such a compelling read. I made the mistake of starting this quite late at night and then ended up glued to the book for several hours. Taylor has a brilliant writing style and a way of sucking you in right from the very first page. The story was full of twists and turns and like all C. L. Taylor books had an ending that I absolutely did not see coming. The plot is pretty fast-paced and that definitely had me turning pages faster and faster.

C. L. Taylor always writes such fascinating characters and Her Last Holiday is no exception. The different perspectives were so intriguing as we follow Kate, Tom and Fran in the present and Kate and Jenna in the past. The characters were all complex and well creating, dealing with a variety of things: Fran with the loss of her sister and all the things she did not get to say, Kate with the breakdown of her marriage and everything she has worked for and Tom with the death of his clients and his time in prison. The characters are brilliantly created and because of them, the story was so engrossing.

Her Last Holiday is a fantastic new page-turner from C. L. Taylor. If you’re looking for a story to get completely lost in, this is definitely a must-read.

Blog Tour: The Island – C. L. Taylor

Blog Tour: The Island – C. L. Taylor

by Nicole Sweeney ♥ 2 Comments


Release Date: January 21st 2021
Publisher: HQ Stories
Pages: 384
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher sent me an E-ARC to review
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Synopsis

Lost meets The Hunger Games in the thrilling new young adult novel from C.L. Taylor, the Sunday Times and million-copy bestselling author.

Welcome to The Island.
Where your worst fears are about to come true…

It was supposed to be the perfect holiday: a week-long trip for six teenage friends on a remote tropical island.

But when their guide dies of a stroke leaving them stranded, the trip of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare.

Because someone on the island knows each of the group’s worst fears. And one by one, they’re coming true.

Seven days in paradise. A deadly secret.

Who will make it off the island alive?

Review

The all new addictive YA thriller from C. L. Taylor, the story follows six families who holiday together every year. This time they’re in Thailand and the six teenagers are taking part in a week long survival trip on a remote island. When their guide dies suddenly the teenagers are stranded and the trip quickly takes a dark turn. As the group attempt to survive they quickly learn someone on the island knows their worst fears – but who is making them come true?

This was such a fast paced read and I raced through it in just over a day. I always love C. L. Taylor’s books and this one is no exception. Full of twists and turns, I didn’t guess the ending until it was revealed. Taylor has such a great writing style that it’s really easy to get absorbed in the story. I really adored the premise of this one – the idea of a once in a life time trip gone horribly wrong and the sinister notion of whether they are in fact the only people on the island.

The characters were well developed and I liked some of them and hated others. They made for a fascinating group and it was really interesting seeing the dynamics change as they fought to survive and grew suspicious of each other. Like the other C. L. Taylor books I’ve read there’s a tense, unsettling atmosphere that continues to climb right to the very last page.

If you’re a fan of C. L. Taylor or you love compelling YA thrillers, this is absolutely a must read. This is my fifth read by this author and I cannot wait to see what she does next.