Review: 'Prime Deception' by Carys Jones (2014)

When Lorna Thomas is found dead in her car everyone believes she killed herself. But the day after her death Lorna was set to sell a scandalous story to one of Britain’s biggest tabloid papers. For six months she had been the Deputy Prime Minister’s mistress.

Will Lorna’s secret die with her? While her family try to move on and come to terms with her death one person refuses to believe that Lorna killed herself. Her twin sister, Laurie is convinced that Lorna was murdered and she’ll stop at nothing to prove it, even if that means teaming up the very man her sister had been having an affair with…
During the summer I was contacted by author Carys Jones about possibly reviewing her novel 'Prime Deception.' Carina has released quite some exciting and interesting titles over the past few months and 'Prime Deception' is definitely one of them. The blurb of the book promises a captivating story that appears to be a mix of both romance and thriller/mystery; a mix I was immediately curious to check out. I can really enjoy a good detective story every now and again and I looked forward to be introduced to Carys Jones' writing!
Charles Lloyd is the Deputy Prime Minister of England and quite unhappy with his life. His job doesn't give him much pleasure anymore and he's stuck in a loveless marriage to his wife Elaine. The only thing that still managed to make him smile was his Downing Street intern Lorna, who was his mistress for six blissful months until she was found dead in her car. Everyone suspects it to have been suicide, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions surrounding Lorna's death. Both Charles and Lorna's family try to pick up their lives again without Lorna, except for one person: Lorna's twin sister Laurie, who is convinced her sister would never have committed suicide. To prove Lorna was actually murdered, she decides she needs to follow in her sister's footsteps, which means becoming the Deputy Prime Minister's intern while trying to find the missing pieces of the puzzle.
I thought the plotline of this novel was really promising. The blurb and the first few chapters managed to attract my attention quite easily and I was really curious to find out more about the characters and, most importantly, Lorna's death. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, because with books like this one it can be quite easy to ruin the story for others, which is something I definitely don't want to do with this review. There was a fascinating mix of well-rounded characters and intriguing relationships, and Carys Jones' writing is easy to read and enjoyable. 
Yet, I wouldn't describe this as a real suspenseful read; I missed that touch of excitement while I was reading the book. The beginning and the ending were really intriguing and especially the ending had me on the edge of my seat, but the middle part of the story was a bit slow-paced and focused more on the emotions of the characters than the actual murder case. Of course, readers have different tastes; some might really enjoy the specific focus on the characters and their feelings and thoughts, but in this case I personally wished there had been more suspense. Having said that, I did really enjoy Carys Jones' writing and will definitely pick up some of her other work in the future. 'Prime Deception' is an interesting and quite enjoyable mix of romance and thriller, but it didn't turn out to be the addictive read I was hoping it would be. Rating:

7,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 'Perfect Strangers' by Tasmina Perry (2012)

Just an innocent invitation...

When Sophie Ellis is asked to house-sit at a luxurious Knightsbridge townhouse, it appears to be the offer of a lifetime. Drawn into the glittering circle of the home's owner, she meets wealthy American businessman Nick Cooper and is swept up into a thrilling and passionate affair. 

But when Nick is found dead in his hotel suite, Sophie is suddenly the prime suspect for his murder, and soon realises Nick was not the man he seemed. Racing to find the truth and clear her name, Sophie must elude not only the authorities but also a group of dangerous players who believe Sophie has something that they want. And who won't stop until she's caught...

I am a true sucker for romance and happy endings; have been for as long as I can remember. This becomes instantly apparent from my favourite books and films: all of them have to do with love and, most importantly, have that happily ever after some people find too unrealistic or predictable. I know precisely why these are the kind of tales I love to lose myself in: I want to find that kind of happiness in my life, and I thoroughly enjoy reading about other people’s (even if they are just fictional characters) roads to their own happy endings. Why would I want to read about murder, financial troubles, war...? There’s already enough trouble in this world, so in that little corner of my mind there’s simply not allowed to be any. So, when I received this review copy of Tasmina Perry’s novel ‘Perfect Strangers’ from the lovely people at Headline, I at first wasn’t completely sure whether this novel would be something I’d enjoy. How wrong was I!

Sophie Ellis is a rich Chelsea socialite who seems to have it all. However, when her family loses all their money and her father suddenly dies of a heart-attack, Sophie’s life changes significantly. She decides to pick up the pieces and go on as quick as possible, so when she is asked to house-sit for a new friend in Knightsbridge, she gladly accepts. At a glamorous party she meets handsome stranger Nick Cooper with whom she starts a passionate love affair. Yet, when Sophie finds Nick’s lifeless body in the shower one morning and she is automatically considered one of the main murder suspects, her life is once again turned upside down. This time, however, it turns out to be slightly more difficult to find her way out...

I hadn’t read a novel by Tasmina Perry before, and I was pleasantly surprised. From the first couple of pages I was captivated by the story and its exciting and intriguing plot. Who killed Nick, and why? What was going to happen to Sophie? I didn’t want to put the novel down, and all the twists and turns which I seriously did not see coming only strengthened this longing to keep on reading. I really liked Sophie; she isn’t your average Chelsea girl, which becomes clear from the start. She is thrown into a situation no one wants to find themselves in and I think it is very impressive how she deals with everything that is going on in her life. I adore fictional heroines who are strong, know how to take care of themselves and want to do the right thing; Sophie fits this picture perfectly. I found myself rooting for her straight away and hoping she would be able to find the real killer and go on with her life. 

Tasmina Perry turns out to be one of those authors I have definitely been missing out on. Even though I initially thought this novel might not be the kind of thing I would like, I found out that chick lits with a touch of crime might after all be books I can really enjoy and get lost in. ‘Perfect Strangers’ encompasses a great mix of mystery, excitement, drama and a touch of romance and keeps on throwing new twists and turns your way. If you’re looking for a novel that includes both glamour and intrigue, then be sure to pick up this book. I certainly can’t wait to get my hands on the next Tasmina Perry novel!

Rating:

8/10