Suspects: The emotionally gripping Sunday Times bestseller from Britain’s favourite storyteller

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Suspects: The emotionally gripping Sunday Times bestseller from Britain’s favourite storyteller

Suspects: The emotionally gripping Sunday Times bestseller from Britain’s favourite storyteller

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The story is about the residents of Willow Close. Most of them have lived there a while, but it’s Nina and Conrad’s first day on the street when the body of 13-year-old aspiring singer/actress Chloe Church is found in bushes in an area of common land behind the street.

I haven't read a Lesley Pearse book before but I vaguely knew she was a big name, so when the chance, courtesy of Pigeonhole, came to read Suspects, I grabbed it. The novel is strong on characterisation, so the reader gets to know all the residents through their own eyes and the opinions of their neighbours. It is initially quite hard to keep up with them all after the initial introductions, but gradually the reader gets to know them and gets caught up in their dramas. The murder realigns their lives and priorities in both good and bad ways. It is an interesting idea of introducing Conrad and Nina who walk into the situation blind and are able to offer more balanced opinions. Over the pas few years I have been grateful to have been offered the opportunity to read Lesley Pearse’s thrillers, and I have enjoyed every one of them. Her new offering is Suspects, set in a a leafy susburb of Cheltenham, Willow Close. Nina and Conrad have been looking for their perfect new home for a while, and find it in Willow Close with its perfect front gardens, tranquil setting and perfect houses with gleaming windows. But on the day they move in the body of a young girl from Willow Close is found murdered in the woods. As the police investigation starts, and residents questioned, Nina and George begin to wonder if Willow Close is less Stepford Wives and more Nightmare on Elm Street. I'm not sure how much any of that counts as spoilers as it's based on my reading of it rather than plot. What then followed was not what I expected at all. I ended up getting more enjoyment from the reader’s comments than the actual book.Lesley, I’m sorry to be so blunt, if this was your first draft of your first novel then it was good, for at that time, but it hasn’t aged well. I’m not trying to be cruel, but I’m struggling. This is a book to talk about, to drill down into the story and really think about it * Devon Life * The author has a pathological obsession with describing the weight of her characters and what clothes they are wearing, as if that somehow replaces what they are feeling. The weight thing is the most distracting, particularly the repeated body-shaming descriptions of Amy, Chloe’s friend and the only other child who lives in Willow Close. The only excuse I can come up with for the clothes obsession is that maybe there’s a tie-in with a clothing company, and there’ll be a link somewhere to buy any of the outfits characters were wearing to Chloe’s funeral.

Full of deep secrets and drama, it’s engrossing to read and is very strong in its characterisation, so the reader gets to know all the residents through the individuals' perspectives and also the opinions of their neighbours. Filled with mistrust, blame and many questions, the author cleverly blurs lines and casts doubt all over with turns and unexpected reveals. Suspects is definitely worth a look. Many thanks to Midas PR who invited me on the blogtour, and publishers Michael Joseph books for the gifted review copy of ‘Suspects’, the latest novel from Lesley Pearse which is published on 24th June.In the meantime Super Conrad and Nina have moved into the street. He saves the day. A lot. He solves crime. She dyes her hair, which is kinda the same thing. As the image of a ‘perfect place to raise a family’ starts to tarnish, Nina and Conrad’s life plans start to unravel.

Lesley Pearse is one of the UK’s best-loved novelists with fans across the globe and sales of over 2 million copies of her books to date. A true storyteller and a master of gripping storylines that keep the reader hooked from beginning to end, Pearse introduces you to characters that it is impossible not to care about or forget. I read this through my online book club and looked forward to it based on the blurb. Sadly, the hype failed to translate on any level. The writing was poor and the storytelling weak, but perhaps the worst thing about this book was the appalling characterization. The non-stop aspersions cast on people's looks with a heavy bias against anyone overweight was frankly more than off-putting. Add to this dialogues that are beyond ridiculous and you have the recipe for a dismal read. However the very worst part is the finale. Set in a place where I used to work, it was so implausible I screamed at the screen. It is there that she meets Etienne, a mysterious man who she first met when she was a child. Belle knows that she still loves her husband but never expected to meet the man who played such an important role in her youth here in Europe. As she continues to talk to him, the young woman and former courtesan finds herself torn when it comes to matters of the heart. I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Pigeonhole. I write this with my fat fingers which the author seems to find repellent so please do bear with me while I stuff some bonbons in my mouth and cry into my fat girl ice cream.

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Nina and Conrad had thought they'd found their dream neighbourhood. But have they moved into a nightmare? The extensive dramatis personae is full of stereotypes. The characters are so wooden that I felt I was in serious danger of getting splinters simply from holding my Kindle.

Believing someone must have seen the murderer, the police interview all the residents of the Close. They soon find out that each neighbour harbours their own secrets. When police start to interview the residents of the Close, they soon discover each neighbour harbours their own secrets. Because everyone on the Close is far from what they seem. I don't know who wrote this , or even when, but it certainly doesn't read like a Lesley Pearse book!She is married now to her sweet husband. His name is Jimmy and he supports her as she supports them both on the hat shop she finally opened– her dream for so long, ever since she was young. But they can’t see what’s coming as the first world war gathers on the horizon and it is certain that a storm is coming. Belle’s life is so crazy but it’s about to change more than she ever knew possible– is she ready for it? As events unfold, Nina and Conrad slowly get to know their other neighbours and discover what a motley crew they are. Each day seems to bring another piece of dramatic news and it is as though the dominoes are crashing down in this once peaceful suburb. Nina and Conrad are in disbelief, unable to fully process what is unfolding around them. This was not what they had planned for the start of their new life together.



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