I think this may be your best yet, Ruth Ware!

‘The Turn of The Key’ ticks off all the boxes necessary to make this the perfect mystery: a protagonist who may well be going to prison for murder, an old house in Scotland that seems to be haunted but is also a marvel to be in, one that has a history of deaths and local stories swirling around it, plus a family with a strange set of circumstances. The characters and the setting are all pieces of this fantastic puzzle and they are craftily put together seamlessly.

Ruth is such a skilled writer of suspense and mystery, that I feel as though I am just moved along with the story in such a vivid way, but it’s also so very natural, and I never feel like I have to jump one step further to try and guess ‘whodunnit.’ I always feel like I’m right there with the main character (Rowan) because the pacing is so brilliant. And yet again, the final twists completely managed to blow my mind.

Every single page had me fully imagining myself in Carn Bridge, Scotland, where the story takes place, and I absolutely didn’t want it to end. Waiting for each new Ruth Ware novel just gets harder and harder, I swear.

This is an extraordinary book.

It’s a sobering, sometimes difficult read, eye-opening, and enlightening. I had to put it down on many occasions, being constantly reminded of how Obama’s presidency has been followed by Trump’s is depressing enough, but the central focus is on challenging the American racism (and how the current toxic presidency has exposed this malignant state). Coates openly wrestles with his own changing views on the first Black Presidency, and demonstrates how deeply engrained systemic and societal racism infects everything in this country, Obama or no Obama.

‘We Had Eight Years in Power’ is practically required reading.

IT IS FINALLY HERE.

When it comes to 'must-read' authors for me, Riley Sager is one of them. I was fortunate enough to be one of the early readers for his first thriller FINAL GIRLS, and I suddenly had found a new favorite author.

I was then lucky enough to be an early reader and be the blog tour for his second book, THE LAST TIME I LIED, and I was a certified obsessed fan of Sager's writing.

My biggest problem is that I read his books too quickly.

His books, which are fast-paced thrillers with gutsy young women as protagonists, have quickly made him a best-selling novelist and a three-time Book Of The Month (BOTM) author.

His new book, 'LOCK EVERY DOOR’ is said to be inspired by his love of the old Gothic apartment buildings in Manhattan, and from the opening dedication to the great Ira Levin, who wrote the brilliant 'Rosemary's Baby' (a favorite of mine, which was adapted into the one of the most iconic horror films of all time), the scene is set and you WILL be sucked in.

Read ahead to find out more about Riley’s newest exciting thriller, reminiscent of the classic horror movie, but with a decidedly modern twist.

ABOUT THE BOOK: LOCK EVERY DOOR

Release Date: July 2nd, 2019

Dutton Books, Hardcover, 371 pages

Find it on Goodreads

Amazon | Book Depository | Indiebound | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

LOCK EVERY DOOR REVIEW

It probably comes as no surprise that I’m going to say that this is a must-read. It’s a little hard to talk about it without giving too much away but I’ll do my best.

‘LOCK EVERY DOOR’ starts with twenty five-year old Jules experiencing some kind of emergency and frantic that she not return to the Bartholomew.

We then transition to six days earlier to when she first is shown the huge, exclusive, and very private apartment inside that very building that she will end up living in, as an apartment-sitter, and being PAID to do so. For someone who was basically homeless, jobless, and penniless when you compare her to the residents of the opulent Bartholomew, this seems too good to be true. Usually when you suspect that’s the case, you’re probably right.

Jules Larsen is relatable to anyone who has been in a position where they would consider taking on the responsibility of apartment-sitting in exchange for having contact with the outside world; just having a decent place to live can be a great motivator in these times so I found myself completely understanding why Jules would do this. Shedding her old life and being willing to try something new feels hopeful but a bit naive, but blameless. It would probably be pretty bloody hard to resist living in a huge apartment in one of the oldest buildings in Manhattan overlooking Central Park, no matter the circumstances (or gargoyles outside your window). Cutting yourself from the real world, except for access to the internet, when things go badly feels so 2019. 

Sager moves on from setting the stage for Jules’ exciting new chapter to presenting the reader with a cast of characters, all with unforgettable personalities and quirks. The Bartholomew itself is an undeniable presence as well, with its dumbwaiters, patterned wallpaper, old-fashioned elevators, iron floor vents, spiral staircases, and complete with front doorman, and it’s hard not to picture the infamous Dakota building in New York City (which inspired Sager, and is where ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ was filmed). Such a building seems like it would be a marvel, as well as terrifying. 

The building changes from being a refuge and a place that fascinates, to somewhere that Jules feels trapped, and the other occupants either end up missing or are acting strangely. Her isolation suddenly becomes suffocating, she realizes she must discover the truth, uncover the secrets of the Bartholomew, and fight like a ‘final girl’ to get herself out. Like Rosemary, she experiences moments of clarity interspersed with those abject fear, and sometimes has to question her own sanity because of the environment she is in.

There is real genius to creating a quiet atmosphere of dread that can felt on every page, one of panic, suffocation and confusion, and it’s why this psychological thriller is perfect horror. When the real world takes away your safety nets, it can be terrifying, and this book made me think about that, maybe because I’m going through similar things right now; as humans, we need basics like a home, food, as well as connection to others. When the rug is pulled out from underneath you, it really can be terrifying. You don’t have to have someone chasing you with a knife for you to want to scream and cry and run. 

‘LOCK EVERY DOOR’ is quite unlike his other two books, this time paying distinct homage to an iconic horror story, but needless to say, this is trademark Sager. He has a distinct voice that makes you want to devour his books in one sitting, and unlike when I read his first book and was encouraging fellow readers to pick it up, having not heard of him yet, I’m sure this one will fly off the shelves. Plus it’s pink and black, so it’s utterly perfect, you can’t miss it.

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN: BOOK GIVEAWAY

There is an amazing giveaway to go along with this blog tour; there are SEVEN COPIES of LOCK EVERY DOOR by RILEY SAGER up for grabs, so make sure to enter. US ONLY.

Click on THIS LINK TO ENTER!

 ABOUT AUTHOR RILEY SAGER

Riley Sager is the award-winning pseudonym of a former journalist, editor and graphic designer who previously published mysteries under his real name. 

Now a full-time author, Riley's first thriller, FINAL GIRLS, became a national and international bestseller and was called "the first great thriller of 2017" by Stephen King. Translation rights have been sold in more than two dozen countries and a film version is being developed by Universal Pictures. 

Riley's second book, THE LAST TIME I LIED, was published in 2018 and became an instant New York Times bestseller. It was inspired by the classic novel and film "Picnic at Hanging Rock" and one horrible week Riley spent at summer camp when he was ten. A television adaptation is being developed by Amazon Studios.

His next book, LOCK EVERY DOOR, inspired by a lifelong fascination with the grand apartment buildings on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, will be published in July.

A native of Pennsylvania, Riley now lives in Princeton, New Jersey. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, cooking and going to the movies as much as possible. His favorite film is "Rear Window." Or maybe "Jaws." But probably, if he's being honest, "Mary Poppins."

Website: www.rileysagerbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rileysagerbooks
Twitter: @Riley_Sager

If you are lucky enough to be near any of these bookstores next week (7/8- - 7/11/19), Riley Sager is ON TOUR. I'm sad he won't be anywhere near me, so don't you dare pass this up if you are close! You can still call the stores and order the books for signing.

Thanks for having me on the blog tour again, Fantastic Flying Book Club!

Here is THE FULL LOCK EVERY DOOR BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE!

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of the book for review.

Today is a huge day for me, as it's release day for Restraint, the first book in my new BDSM series 'His Empire'.

Having spent several years in the kinky scene where I used to live, I was lucky enough to meet some amazing people and to explore a variety of different scenarios. Inspiration, as they say, is everywhere.

But one downside to most BDSM clubs is the time-frame. Parties generally run for a few hours at most, barely enough time to catch up with friends AND play AND practice proper aftercare, especially if you want to watch other people's sessions, as well. Not to mention the fact that you're either forced to drive to a (usually distant) location wearing your leathers or corset or tiny skirt and fishnets, or you have to bring everything with you and change when you arrive.

I was thinking about this one day, as you do, and the idea for Nox Oasis was born. A luxury resort set on a private island, where guests can stay - and play - for as long as they desire. A kinky theme park which is open to everyone, no matter their budget. A lavish hotel and several separate areas catering to all kinds of play... medical, age-play, spanking, and more.

Not to mention a 'ghost train' which takes the rider through the depraved mind of the legendary Marquis de Sade.

And, of course, someone had to build it.

Restraint follows the grand opening of Nox Oasis, with particular emphasis on its very first guests, including longtime friends of Sir Simeon, as well as his godson, Dain, and new, wide-eyed receptionist Hazel.

If you enjoy contemporary BDSM stories with lots of humour, hot sex, realistic sessions and, of course, love, you won't want to miss this. Available from today on Amazon only - free on Kindle Unlimited, or at a special sales price of just $2.99 for the weekend (price will revert to $4.99 on Monday, 15th August). I can only hope you enjoy reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it!

All best,

 ~ Tabby x

 

Love. Lust. Limits.

Sir Simeon Harvey has realized his lifelong ambition: to build a BDSM resort on a private island off the Australian coast.

At last Nox Oasis, with its grand apartments, exclusive membership, and very own kinky theme park, is opening its doors to guests for the first time.

George and Faye have been especially invited by Sir Simeon himself to celebrate the official opening. Having lost the spark in their marriage, they hope to rediscover their one time passion. What they don't expect is for Simeon to make them an offer they can't refuse.

Hazel Jenkins can't believe her luck when she lands the plum job as head receptionist for the Oasis. While she has no experience in the BDSM realm herself, she's fascinated by the whole idea.

Her initiation into Sir Simeon's world is as shocking as it is arousing, and when she meets his godson, Dain Wilcott, the handsome American Dom, she knows just whom she wants to explore her kinky side with.

The question is, does he feel the same way about her?

 

On sale for $2.99 this weekend only (regular price will be $4.99 on Monday, August 1st).  Will be available on other sites (Blushing Books, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, & ARE) on Monday at the full price.  

On sale (this weekend only) at: