Secrets, they are difficult to keep, heavy to carry, and eventually revealed

 

The Family Friend by Claire Douglas

Claire Douglas’s thriller The Family Friend continues her reputation as one of the most reliable voices in psychological suspense. The novel centres on Imogen, who unexpectedly inherits a country house from Dorothea Roe, a reclusive artist she has not seen in sixteen years. What begins as a fresh start quickly turns ominous as Imogen uncovers a mysterious box left behind for her, rumours of Dorothea’s murder, and unsettling links to her own past. Everything is not always as it seems and abuse comes in many forms. But sometimes the most unconfirmable truths, are the most freeing.

Tight paced, twist‑heavy plotting, and compelling character work make this an addictive read, with atmospheric tension, and a great reminder to always question anyone’s motivations when your gut is trying to make itself heard.

 

The Party to End All Parties by Lucy Roth

The Party to End All Parties is a wicked little cocktail of privilege, paranoia, and pure, unfiltered dysfunction, shaken violently and served with a goat-shaped garnish. Lucy Roth doesn’t just lean into the chaos of the Morland siblings—she swan‑dives into it, headfirst, with a grin. The setup is gloriously deranged: four obscenely wealthy siblings throw yet another of their infamous parties, only to wake up to a corpse and the kind of hangover that comes with a side of felony. Instead of calling the police—because that would expose their other “minor” illegal activities—they do what any catastrophically entitled family would do: make crazy choices and make everything worse and fight over who is to blame.

The Morland’s are the kind of characters you love to hate; petty, venomous, and so self‑absorbed they would probably step over your body on the way to brunch. Every one of them has a motive, every one of them has a secret, and none of them has the emotional maturity of a houseplant. The pacing is relentless, the atmosphere deliciously claustrophobic, and the family drama so toxic it should come with a biohazard label. Old traumas bubble up, new threats creep in, and the wine cellar becomes the world’s worst‑kept secret. By the time the inheritance decision looms, you are not wondering who the murderer is—you are wondering how any of these people have survived this long without killing each other first. And yes, the goat absolutely steals the show. Dark, decadent, and wickedly funny.

 

Circle of Secrets by Ceril Campbell

Ceril Campbell’s Circle of Secrets promises a glamorous, high‑stakes dive into the glittering yet treacherous world of 1980s fashion—a setting ripe for the author’s signature blend of glitz, rivalry, passion, and danger. As the hotly anticipated follow‑up to her 2021 debut Secrets in the Dark, this novel continues Campbell’s trajectory as a writer of twist‑driven, escapist women’s fiction. An addictive read that takes you back to all the 80’s hotspots, from London and LA to Monaco and Marbella with more twists than a Curly Wurly. Yet, a stark reminder of what lurks beneath the supposed glamour.

Campbell has been compared to Jackie Collins and Jilly Cooper, and Circle of Secrets embraces that lineage wholeheartedly with bold characters, glamorous settings, and a narrative that does not shy away from the darker undercurrents beneath the sparkle.

 

It Happened One Murder - Liz Lawson

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a birthday party, a murder mystery, a rom‑com, and huge dollop of family dysfunction all collided at high speed, Liz Lawson has your answer: pure, unfiltered entertainment carnage.

This book doesn’t open with a bang—it opens with a full‑scale emotional fireworks display courtesy of Harriet Baker, a journalist whose life is already wobbling like a shopping trolley with one rogue wheel. Then someone has the audacity—the sheer nerve—to go and get murdered at her birthday party. Rude.

Enter Nic Allbright, a man with the energy of someone who has definitely said “I’m not good at feelings” while being extremely good at feelings. He’s the brother of the prime suspect, Harriet’s former fling, and the human embodiment of “this is fine” while everything burns around him. Together, Harriet and Nic form the kind of investigative duo that would make Sherlock Holmes sigh deeply and consider early retirement. Their sleuthing style is 40% deduction, 60% chaos, and 100% “please stop flirting while discussing whodunnit.” A small town so full of secrets it might as well be sponsored by Tupperware. A collection of delightfully flawed locals who behave like they’re auditioning for a spoof reality show version of NCIS Logan Island. Twisty enough to make a pretzel jealous.

 

More books...

“Well-behaved women seldom make history.”