Showing posts with label What She Knew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What She Knew. Show all posts

Friday, December 4, 2015

"What She Knew" by Gilly Macmillan

REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
What She Knew
by Gilly Macmillan


What She Knew is the debut psychological thriller by UK author Gilly Macmillan. The book was originally published in the UK as Burnt Paper Sky.


What She Knew is currently on tour with Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. The tour stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.


Description
In her enthralling debut, Gilly Macmillan explores a mother’s search for her missing son, weaving a taut psychological thriller as gripping and skillful as The Girl on the Train and The Guilty One.
In a heartbeat, everything changes ...
Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry - until Ben vanishes.
Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.
As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that nothing is quite as she imagined it to be, not even her own judgment. And the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most.
Where is Ben? The clock is ticking ...


Excerpt
PROLOGUE
NOVEMBER 2013 - ONE YEAR AFTER
RACHEL
In the eyes of others, we’re often not who we imagine ourselves to be.
When we first meet someone, we can put our best foot forward, and give the very best account of ourselves, but still get it horribly wrong.
It’s a pitfall of life.
I’ve thought about this a lot since my son Ben went missing, and every time I think about it, it also begs the question: if we’re not who we imagine we are, then is anybody else? If there’s so much potential for others to judge us wrongly, then how can we be sure that our assessment of them in any way resembles the real person that lies underneath? You can see where my train of thought’s going with this. Should we trust or rely on somebody just because they’re a figure of authority, or a family member? Are any of our friendships and relationships really based on secure foundations?
If I’m in a reflective mood, I consider how different my life might have been if I’d had the wisdom to consider these things before Ben went missing. If my mood is dark, I find fault in myself for not doing so, and my thoughts, repetitive and paralysing, punish me for days.
A year ago, just after Ben’s disappearance, I was involved in a press conference, which was televised. My role was to appeal for help in finding him. The police gave me a script to read. I assumed people watching it would automatically understand who I was, that they would see I was a mother whose child was missing, and who cared about nothing apart from getting him back.
Many of the people who watched, the most vocal of them, thought the opposite. They accused me of terrible things. I didn’t understand why until I watched the footage of the conference – far too late to limit the damage – but then the reason was immediately obvious.
It was because I looked like prey.
Not appealing prey, a wide-eyed antelope say, tottering on spindly legs, but prey that’s been well hunted, run ragged, and is near to the end. I presented the world with a face contorted by emotion and bloodied from injury, a body that was shaking with grief and a voice that sounded as if it had been roughly scraped from a desiccated mouth. If I’d imagined beforehand that an honest display of myself, and my emotions, however raw, might garner me some sympathy and galvanise people into helping me look for Ben, I was wrong. They saw me as a freak show. I frightened people because I was someone to whom the worst was happening, and they turned on me like a pack of dogs.
I’ve had requests, since it was over, to appear again on television. It was a sensational case, after all. I always decline. Once bitten, twice shy.
It doesn’t stop me imagining how the interview might go though. I envisage a comfortable TV studio, and a kindly looking interviewer, a man who says, ‘Tell us a little about yourself, Rachel.’ He leans back in his chair, which is set at a friendly angle to mine, as if we’d met for a chat in the pub. The expression on his face is the sort that someone might make if they were watching a cocktail being made for them, or an ice-cream sundae if that’s your preference. We chat and he takes time to draw me out, and lets me tell my side of the story. I sound OK.
I’m in control. I conform to an acceptable view of a mother. My answers are well considered. They don’t challenge. At no point do I spin a web of suspicion around myself by blurting out things that sounded fine in my head. I don’t flounder, and then sink.
This is a fantasy that can occupy long minutes of my time. The outcome is always the same: the imaginary interview goes really well, brilliantly, in fact, and the best thing about it is that the interviewer doesn’t ask me the question that I hate most of all. It’s a question that a surprising number of people ask me. This is how they might phrase it: ‘Before you discovered that Ben had disappeared, did you have any intuition that something bad would happen to him?’
I hate the question because it implies some kind of dereliction of duty on my part. It implies that if I were a more instinctive mother, a better mother, then I would have had a sense that my child was in danger, or should have done. How do I respond? I just say ‘No.’
It’s a simple enough answer, but people often look at me quizzically, brows furrowed in that particular expression where a desire to mine someone for gossip overwhelms sympathy for their plight. Softly crinkled foreheads and inquisitive eyes ask me, Really? Are you sure? How can that be?
I never justify my answer. ‘No’ is all they need to know.
I limit my answer because my trust in others has been eroded by what happened, of course it has. Within many of my relationships doubt remains like slivers of broken glass, impossible to see and liable to draw blood even after you thought you’d swept them all away.
There are only a very few people that I know I can trust now, and they anchor me to my existence. They know the whole of my story.
A part of me thinks that I would be willing to talk to others about what happened, but only if I could be sure that they’d listen to me. They’d have to let me get to the end of my tale without interrupting, or judging me, and they’d have to under- stand that everything I did, I did for Ben. Some of my actions were rash, some dangerous, but they were all for my son, because my feelings for him were the only truth I knew.
If someone could bear to be the wedding guest to my ancient mariner, then in return for the gift of their time and their patience and their understanding, I would supply every detail. I think that’s a good bargain. We all love to be thrilled by the vicarious experience of other people’s ghastly lives after all.
Really, I’ve never understood why we haven’t thought of an English word for Schadenfreude. Perhaps we’re embarrassed to admit that we feel it. Better to maintain the illusion that butter wouldn’t melt in our collective mouths.
My generous listener would no doubt be surprised by my story, because much of what happened went unreported. It would be just like having their very own exclusive. When I imagine telling this fictional listener my story, I think that I would start it by answering that hated question properly, for the first time, because it’s relevant. I would start the story like this: When Ben went missing I didn’t have any intuition. None whatsoever. I had something else on my mind. It was a pre-occupation with my ex-husband’s new wife.

Praise for the Book
"What an amazing, gripping, beautifully written debut. WHAT SHE KNEW kept me up late into the night (and scared the life out of me)." ~ Liane Moriarty, New York Times bestselling author
"Tightly focused and fast-paced. You won’t rest until you really know what happened." ~ Lisa Ballantyne, author of The Guilty One
"Every parent’s nightmare, handled with intelligence and sensitivity, the novel is also deceptively clever. I found myself racing through to find out what happened." ~ Rosamund Lupton, international bestselling author of Sister
"This accomplished, intelligent debut should come with a warning - it’s completely addictive. A nail-biting, sleep-depriving, brilliant read." ~ Saskia Sarginson, author of The Twins
"Heart-in-the-mouth excitement from the start of this electrifyingly good debut … an absolute firecracker of a thriller that convinces and captivates from the word go. A must read." ~ Sunday Mirror
"One of the brightest debuts I have read this year - a visceral, emotionally charged story … heart-wrenchingly well told and expertly constructed, this deserves to stay on the bestseller list until Christmas. ~ The Daily Mail
"A terrific debut." ~ Reader's Digest
"A very clever, tautly plotted page turned from a terrific new writer." ~ Good Housekeeping

My Review


By Lynda Dickson
Set in Bristol in 2012-2013, this is the first-hand account of 8-year-old Ben's disappearance from the point-of-view of his mother Rachel Jenner and the investigating detective Jim Clemo. It is an intimate look into their minds in the period preceding and following Ben's disappearance. Rachel addresses the reader directly, while Jim's account is in the form of his interviews with (and confidential reports to) his department psychologist.
The characters are all described in great detail, along with their extensive back-stories. While not totally necessary, this does provide some depth to the story and makes us feel like we know them. The author may be setting the scene for a series of follow-up books featuring the same characters. The story itself is told in an interesting format, which includes narrative as well as blog posts, emails, interviews, and reports. During the investigation, we discover that everyone is hiding a secret - but who's hiding Ben? Everyone is a suspect: Rachel's sister Nicky, Rachel's ex-husband John, John's new wife Katrina, as well as anyone who had contact with Ben at school. Even the title of the book gives us the impression that Rachel may not be a reliable narrator. Could she herself be responsible for Ben's disappearance? I must admit that when I see a story like this on the news, I usually suspect the mother first.
This is a suspenseful and exciting story, one that will keep you reading until the end, which is both realistic and satisfying. The story is followed by an interview with the author, reading group discussion questions, and a list of Gilly's ten favorite page turners.
This is one not to be missed.

About the Author
Gilly Macmillan grew up in Swindon, Wiltshire and also lived in Northern California in her late teens. She studied History of Art at Bristol University and then at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. She worked at The Burlington Magazine and the Hayward Gallery before starting a family. Since then she’s worked as a part-time lecturer in A Level Photography and a full-time mum.





Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win one of five copies of What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan ( US only).

Links
Amazon UK (published as Burnt Paper Sky)

Friday, September 27, 2013

"Darkest Day (What She Knew Trilogy, Book 2)" by K. R. Hughes and T. L. Burns

NEW RELEASE and GIVEAWAY
Darkest Day
(What She Knew Trilogy, Book 2)
by K. R. Hughes and T. L. Burns


Darkest Day, the second book in the What She Knew trilogy, has just been released. Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win an ebook copy. Fateful Night, the first book in the trilogy, is ON SALE for only $0.99 to 30 September. You can read my interview with author K. R. Hughes in my previous blog post as well as enter the giveaway for your chance to win an ebook copy of Fateful Night. The authors are currently working on the final book in the series.

Description
Was 'what she knew' enough to save JFK?
On the tragic day of John F. Kennedy's assassination, the nation mourns the loss of a president who stood for radical change and whose charisma carried him through the masses with never before seen devotion. Kennedy's determination to pay the U.S. back for his good fortune never wavered, with a presidency riddled in strife from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the Cold War and finally to the Vietnam conflict nothing was easy for him.
In this fictional novel, Kennedy isn't on a world tour or even in Texas in 1963. Instead he is in the Alps recovering from back surgery, a ruse that he had planned with Bobby, and his double months in advance of the tour. With the oval office tapped and the ever present Bobby running interference there was little likelihood that anyone would realize this was not the president. In fact, no one did.
Now, the world believes their beloved president is dead, there is no going back for Jack. While the decisions are difficult, it is far better to leave his 'death' alone than to risk political failure for his family clan and ridicule for his young widow.
Kennedy must now take on another face, name, and identity. Who is behind the assassination? What was the ultimate goal in killing the president? Was it to topple the American government and take down the Kennedys with it? Find out in this action packed conspiracy novel.

Excerpt
The President helped the first lady into the limo. He patted her hand and climbed in beside her. Just as the car began to roll he spotted someone on the sidewalk. No, it can’t be.
He did a double take as the car rounded the first corner and he could see the face clearly in the sunlight. It’s not, it can’t be. Marilyn?
As the car moved out of view she lifted her hand to her lips and blew her famous kiss his way.


Stansel was out of breath when he reached Latimer. “We don’t have him!”
“What do you mean, ‘we don’t have him’?” Latimer’s eyes were nearly popping out of his head. “What happened? The CIA said they had Oswald and Bannister!”
“They do have Bannister, but the other man is not Oswald.”

Review
If you want to be SHOCKED and want to find out what could have happened with John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, then you will want to get your hands on this book and read Darkest Day by two awesome authors K. R. Hughes and T. L. Burns! They have came out with Darkest Day as part of the What She Knew trilogy and I could not put this book down! The first book Fateful Night was about the death and life of Marilyn Monroe and it really made you think about whether the events of her death were real or covered up in some kind of conspiracy! Darkest Day continues the story and makes your imagination run wondering what truly happened to JFK and Marilyn Monroe. These authors really invite you to get engrossed in the story and makes you think about the "What If's".
The Darkest Day plot is very well unexpected and a wonderful read if you are into JFK and Marilyn Monroe. It will keep you on the edge of your seat as you get further and further into the story line! So if you really want to find out about what could have happened in the eyes of two talented authors, I suggest you start with Fateful Night then move on to Darkest Day. They have put some fascinating historical facts in this book and switched things around. I believe you will be shocked at the "What If's" as I was. But you will have to read the book because I will not put any spoilers out! I can't wait till the next book comes out! Kudos to K. R. Hughes and T. L. Burns for writing a great trilogy!

About the Authors
K. R. Hughes
Hughes is an English major from Amarillo, Texas. She now resides near Atlanta, Georgia. Hughes enjoys working with budding writers and tutoring English. Her passion is for at-risk teens. She volunteers to help teens realize their potential and find their passion. Hughes has two grown children, Justin and Kayti, and two four-legged girls, MayZee and Ruthie.
Hughes enjoys writing with her co-author T. L. Burns. Fateful Night is the first novel in the What She Knew trilogy; Darkest Day is the second book. They are currently working on Book 3 of the What She Knew trilogy, the fast paced novel that finishes telling the story.
You can find other works by this author, under the pen name Kymber Lee, in the Historical Romance section. Treasured Love and Lord Tristan's True Love are fun romps set in 1811 in Regency England. Lee (Hughes) wrote these novels for her grandmother, who is a huge supporter of her work.

T. L. Burns
Burns is originally from California (desert region, with mountains), spent nearly 20 years in the panhandle of Texas (again, desert region only without the mountains), then two years near Atlanta, Georgia. In her words, "Trees and flowers everywhere!! Even the weeds are green and lush! I feel like I'm living in a postcard!! And, no wind! The desert regions are sooooo windy." Only to find herself back in the desert, Las Vegas, NV.
Burns passion is for at-risk families. She volunteers her time to help the needy, not with a hand-out but with a hand-up. She is married and has two grown sons (best sons in the whole world) and one 4-legged son, Digby!
Burns and Hughes work hard to write and network over the long distance that separates them. As Burns' co-author puts it, "She is the foremost researcher and historical guru for our novel the What She Knew trilogy." Book 1, Fateful Night, was released May 2013 and Book 2, Darkest Day, has just been released. They are busily working on Book 3.

Giveaway
The authors have kindly donated an ebook copy of Darkest Day for one lucky winner. Please show your appreciation by entering.

Book Links



Monday, September 23, 2013

"Fateful Night (What She Knew Trilogy, Book 1)" by K. R. Hughes and T. L. Burns

INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY
Fateful Night
(What She Knew Trilogy, Book 1)
by K. R. Hughes and T. L. Burns


Fateful Night is the first book in the What She Knew trilogy. It is ON SALE for only $0.99 to 30 September. Get it now before reading the sequel, Darkest Day, which has just been released. You can read my interview with author K. R. Hughes below and enter the giveaway for your chance to win an ebook copy of Fateful Night. The authors are currently working on the final book in the series.

Description
Did Marilyn Monroe commit suicide? Did someone get away with an elaborate plot to murder the famous sex goddess? On that "Fateful Night" in August 1962 find out what may have happened to her and why she was killed. Many argue that she was involved in way too many secrets from different factions of the world. She was a smart woman who could play the dumb blonde to attain her stardom yet she unwittingly learned of conspiracy plots and political threats that would not only end her life but that of the current president, John F. Kennedy.
In this fast paced suspense every major player of the early sixties is involved, from the world politicians, to the Rat Pack, to Hollywood, and the mafia. What if Marilyn Monroe had lived and what if what she knew could have saved JFK?
Fact or fiction? What if....


Excerpt
With an almighty kick the door crashed open and Peter ran into the bedroom. “Shit! Marilyn!”
Kneeling beside the bed the stench of vomit assailed his nostrils even before he saw it, staining the sheets and pillow around the woman.
“Marilyn, wake up.” He shook her hard enough to force her to stir.
Sighing in relief, he scooped her up, carried her across the room, and out of the house unconscious in his arms. Pushing her into the backseat of his sedan, Peter jumped in and sped away.
“Hang in there, Marilyn. We’re almost there. Don’t die now.”

Book Trailer
Please note this book has been reissued with a new cover and other changes since this trailer was made.


Review
I cannot imagine attempting to change the death and life of a historical figure. Thankfully, K. R. Hughes and T. L. Burns can. Fateful Night is a well-researched account of what if. What if Marilyn Monroe didn't actually die of an overdose? What if she instead survived a murder attempt? Who was out to silence her and who would protect her?
I found myself transformed into the past, sometimes questioning if the events were real or part of the story. And honestly, I'm still not certain about some of them. To me that is the beauty of a well-crafted book.

Interview With the Author
Welcome K. R. Hughes (Kymber Lee Hughes). Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me about the What She Knew trilogy and your co-author T. L. Burns (Tamy Lee Burns).
Where are you from?
I'm from Amarillo, Texas.
Burns is from Ridgecrest, California.
Please tell me a little about yourself.
I have an English degree with a minor in Journalism and currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia, where I co-author with Burns. I have written two historical romances, Treasured Love and Lord Tristan's True Love, under the name Kymber Lee.
Burns taught at a private school and enjoys mentoring and teaching. She is married and has two grown children. She's currently researching and writing the next sequel with me.
What's your latest news?
Our novel Fateful Night was published in May 2013 and the sequel, Darkest Day, has just been released. Our agent has had us busy with book signings, speaking engagements, and a book tour.
When and why did you begin writing?
I have always loved writing and journalism. I've written five historical novels set in the Regency Era of 1811.
Burns was dragged into the business after I took a class with a well-known published author. That is where we came up with the idea for What She Knew and we wrote the first chapter. The teacher loved it and persuaded us to write the full novel.
When did you first consider yourselves to be a writer?
After our first book signing. LOL – but it's true.
What inspired you to write your first book?
My grandmother has always been my biggest fan and she's the one who thought I could write the Regency Romances as well as some of the other published authors.
As for Burns, she was brought in as chief researcher and has done a terrific job on all of the scripts that have been done from the novel version.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Our novels are sparse in detail and rich in action and speech. We believe everyone knows what an Italian restaurant looks like or the White House lawn. People don't always need a lot of flowery details to get the image in their heads.
How did you come up with the title?
That was a tough one. We struggled with it for a long time and then one day it just popped. Marilyn Monroe was in the forefront of every known circle; political, Hollywood, and even the mob. She knew all kinds of secrets. Perhaps it was "what she knew" that caused her death. Just sayin'.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Not really, but if they do happen to wonder if Marilyn Monroe was really murdered, well, we can't help that now can we?
How much of the book is realistic?
It is historically extremely accurate. Burns took great pains to make sure that the dates and places were correct in every sequence. We love that it feels so real for a fictional novel.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Our pat answer here is that everyone either wanted to be Marilyn Monroe or be with her. She is a beloved Hollywood star who was unfortunately treated like she was a dumb blonde. In reality she was extremely intelligent and kept a close eye on what was going on around her.
What types of books have influenced your life most?
Mystery, conspiracy, and drama.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Burns loves Agatha Christie and I second that.
What book are you reading now?
Numerous research novels from the Johnson era.
Are there any new authors that have grabbed your interest?
There are several from Master Koda that we have grown fond of. No names please, we love them all.
What are your current projects?
We have just released the second book and are currently working on the last book in the trilogy. Then we are going to take some time to rest after our book signing tour.
Name someone you feel has supported you, outside of family members.
Our manager William Chelafas and our literary agent Janet Espy.
Do you see writing as a career?
We both do now.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your first book?
Funny you ask that. We actually got a do-over. We wrote the pilot episode for J. J. Abrams, and decided we liked some of the action scenes in the script and added them to the re-release of the novel. How blessed are we?
That's great! Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Not having enough time in the day to write all we'd like. People don't understand that career authors have to research, discuss with the co-author and work out details. It isn't instant and we don't have tons of time to just lay around eating bons-bons or watching TV.
Do you have to travel much concerning your books?
Yes, on our book signing tour we traveled from Atlanta, Georgia, to Dallas, Texas, to New York City and Hollywood, with everything in between.
Who designed the covers for the What She Knew books?
Kenny Burns from Amarillo, Texas – he truly rocks the cover art.
What was the hardest part of writing these books?
Finding time to write together; with family and jobs writing the first one was mostly scheduling issues.
Did you learn anything from writing your books and what was it?
Of course we did. We learned lots about the Kennedys, Marilyn Monroe as a person and the mob. We also realized a truth we'd instinctively known for a long time. Not only are we best friends - ying-yang- but also an excellent writing duo. We absolutely love spending time together and we have a rhythm that is natural and easy to our writing.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Write, write, write! Write something every day. Give yourself a goal of one page or ten pages but WRITE! Why do you think we're called writers? It's because we WRITE. Don't give up on writing, all right? LOL.
Great advice. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
It's FICTION – she died. Please don't contact us and ask us where we've hidden her and what she's doing now. Marilyn Monroe died in 1962 – really.
If you were not a writer what else would you like to have done?
I probably would have been a critic! LOL.
Thanks for the chat and best of luck with your book tour.

About the Authors
K. R. Hughes
Hughes is an English major from Amarillo, Texas. She now resides near Atlanta, Georgia. Hughes enjoys working with budding writers and tutoring English. Her passion is for at-risk teens. She volunteers to help teens realize their potential and find their passion. Hughes has two grown children, Justin and Kayti, and two four-legged girls, MayZee and Ruthie.
Hughes enjoys writing with her co-author T. L. Burns. Fateful Night is the first novel in the What She Knew trilogy; Darkest Day is the second book. They are currently working on Book 3 of the What She Knew trilogy, the fast paced novel that finishes telling the story.
You can find other works by this author, under the pen name Kymber Lee, in the Historical Romance section. Treasured Love and Lord Tristan's True Love are fun romps set in 1811 in Regency England. Lee (Hughes) wrote these novels for her grandmother, who is a huge supporter of her work.
T. L. Burns
Burns is originally from California (desert region, with mountains), spent nearly 20 years in the panhandle of Texas (again, desert region only without the mountains), then two years near Atlanta, Georgia. In her words, "Trees and flowers everywhere!! Even the weeds are green and lush! I feel like I'm living in a postcard!! And, no wind! The desert regions are sooooo windy." Only to find herself back in the desert, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Burns passion is for at-risk families. She volunteers her time to help the needy, not with a hand-out but with a hand-up. She is married and has two grown sons (best sons in the whole world) and one 4-legged son, Digby!
Burns and Hughes work hard to write and network over the long distance that separates them. As Burns' co-author puts it, "She is the foremost researcher and historical guru for our novel the What She Knew trilogy." Book 1, Fateful Night, was released May 2013 and Book 2, Darkest Day, has just been released. They are busily working on Book 3.

Giveaway
The authors have kindly donated an ebook copy of Fateful Night for one lucky winner. Please show your appreciation by entering.

Book Links