The Magdalene Stones Murders by J. M. Simpson | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an eARC of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: The Magdalene Stones Murders by J. M. Simpson

My rating: 5/5

Publication date: 5th March 2026

Blurb:

Murder in a sacred place.

When Joe Ripley, the local fire chief, attends a house fire, he finds his friend Gina Murray has been burnt alive in a clear case of murder. DS Scott Hansen, still new to the area, is called in to investigate. Returning from a call out, the local mountain rescue team discover a body laid out in a sacred stone ring. The body has been placed reverently. Local legend holds the stones holy as the ghost of Mary Magdalene has been rumoured to have appeared by them. Folklore says she is protecting something sacrosanct.

Alastair Brown is reported missing by his sister after she finds blood and signs of a struggle at his property. Puzzled, Scott looks for clues as to why he would suddenly disappear while he investigates the other two deaths. Clues lead him to Cameron Hunter, the owner of the largest resort in the area who has plans to expand his empire further. When Alastair is found dead on the standing stones by the stone ring, Scott realises there may be a link between all three killings and discovers that two very different obsessions have led to three murders.

Review:

You know when people say, "if she writes it, I'll read it"? That's exactly how I feel about J. M. Simpson. I adored every book in the Castleby series and felt the exact same with The Ophelia Murders, the first in this Whistler's Peak series. The Magdalene Stones Murders is a direct follow on from the first book so I really recommend reading that first to get a feel for their characters and connections.

The first thing that draws me into a J. M. Simpson book is the atmospheric descriptions, you instantly feel like you are there. It is so meticulously planned and plotted. I love a thriller where we are drip fed information so we have sort of an idea of what's happening, but there are still twists, especially those ones towards the end, that made my jaw drop. I felt on edge at points, couldn't wait for some people to get their comeuppance (I'm looking at you Mark Wallis) and I was desperate to see how it would all come together.

The books in the Whistler's Peak series have been inspired by paintings, and I absolutely love this idea as a theme. I loved getting back with these characters, Simpson always writes them fantastically, to the point where although it is a thriller with a crime element running through it, you really care about this group of people and their lives.

Someone option this for TV please! 

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Thank you to Hygge Book Tours for having me on this blog tour. 

Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R Weaver | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received a proof copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R Weaver 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bantam

Publication date: 14th August 2025

Blurb:

Who would you trust with the future?

The year is 2050. In the teeth of a climate catastrophe, the world is left with a drastic solution: one global leader to steer it through the coming apocalypse.

The final two candidates are ex-US President Lockwood, and Solomon, the world’s first political artificial intelligence.

As whispers of a global conspiracy emerge, investigative journalist Marcus Tully find himself at the centre of it – when Solomon’s creator turns up murdered.

Overnight, one investigation becomes two, and it’s not just the result of the election that’s at stake but the future of the species. Suddenly humanity must make an impossible choice – between salvation, or freedom.

Review:

It's the year 2050 and there is a global election about to take place. Who would you vote for - an ex-U.S. president or an A.I. artilect?

Marcus Tully is an investigative journalist who lost his pregnant wife in a deadly heatwave on the Persian Gulf a decade prior. Never wanting to give up on finding out the truth about what really happened to his wife and what caused the heatwave, Tully starts to unravel information that suggests that it was a conspiracy.

When Martha, the A.I. artilect's creator is killed, Tully is brought in to try and find out who killed her and why, but then both this investigation and the investigation into his wife's death start to intertwine.

I have never read a book like this before and I loved it. I don't read dystopian fiction for ages but then when I go back to it, I remember how much I love it. This is in the not too distant future but how the technology works feels like it could be real and that honestly scared me a little. 

Not only is it dystopian, but it mixed in another genre I love - murder mystery. I love that shock of finding out information and twists and a little bit of doubt like, is this a red herring?

Really enjoyable and thought-provoking!

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an advanced reader copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister 

Genre: Thriller

My rating: 5/5

Publisher: Penguin Michael Joseph

Publication date: 30th January 2025

Blurb:

It’s Camilla’s first day back at work, her daughter’s first day at nursery.

But husband Luke is nowhere to be seen. The only trace of him is an unfinished note. Camilla tries to put it out of her mind; there must be a rational explanation.

At work, there are welcomes back, and too many distractions.

Then it starts.

Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London.

The police arrive: Luke is caught up in it.

But he isn't a hostage. Luke - doting father, successful writer, enthusiastic runner and eternal optimist - is the gunman.

What Camilla does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind says, and the clues it might hold...

Review: 

Gillian McAllister is that author that I will autobuy without even knowing the plot of the book because I know it will be fantastic. Famous Last Words is no different.

Cam, a literary agent, is due to go back to work after maternity leave but that first day is thrown into turmoil when she discovers that her husband Luke, a ghostwriter, is caught up in a hostage situation. But he is the one controlling the siege.

Cam, Luke and baby Polly lived a normal life. How can their lives have upturned like this? 

The novel is told in dual POV from Cam and also Niall, the hostage negotiator (hooray for a Northern Irish character) and over a few timelines too. The present when the siege is taking place, seven years following the siege then another which I won't talk about too much as you just need to read to find out what happens.

The characterisation is fantastic and I really enjoyed Niall's background too as it gave us a chance to understand him and why he was the way that he was.

What I loved about this is that I could not guess where it was going. All McAllister's novels are intricately plotted so I expected that, but when the realisation of what was happening hit me, my jaw literally dropped and my husband asked if I was okay.

This is an absolutely fantastic new book from Gillian McAllister, joining her already incredible backlist. Wonderful and thrilling.

What The Nanny Saw by Kaira Rouda | Blog Tour Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an eARC copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Title & Author: What The Nanny Saw 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 13th November 2024

Blurb:

I keep all her secrets. She thinks she can trust me…

Cecilia has it all. The house on the beach. The cute figure. The beautiful baby. But she’s a long way from perfect.

She’s let me into her gorgeous house as her nanny because now she’s on her own, she needs a little help with her baby daughter Peyton. She barely notices me. But I see everything.

While Peyton naps, I rifle through her drawers and discover the dark secrets in her past, the threatening letter from her ex-husband.

It's a shame that Cecilia doesn’t have my powers of observation. If she took some time, she might just recognise me. I’ve been following her for a while, after all.

If she knew who I was then I don’t think I’d be so invisible. And she wouldn’t be so surprised one morning when little Peyton’s cot is found empty…

Review: 

I didn't realise before I started reading this that it was the third book in a series and I wish I had read those first! I don't feel like I needed to but I always think it's adds more background to the story.

Cecelia is a wealthy woman who has a five month old baby with her partner Evan. She throws him out after having enough of his laziness when it comes to looking after their daughter Peyton and finding out that he is having an affair with someone at work.

Cecelia was previously married to Paul, who is currently imprisoned, and he has now reached out to her via letter. I believe the previous two novels focus more on him so I will definitely be going back and reading those!

Meanwhile, Lizzie is the nanny for the Johnsons who live next door to Cecelia. Their children are teens and preteens and Lizzie is fed up with their spoiled attitudes and how the Johnson parents treat her. She has been watching Cecelia, eager for a nanny job with her and is delighted when Cecelia finally contacts her offering her the role of Peyton's nanny.

I remember reading Favourite Daughter by Kaira Rouda back in 2019 and I loved it. I felt the same reading What The Nanny Saw. Rouda is fantastic at popcorn thrillers, I flew through the pages, gripped from the beginning. I love unreliable narrators and dark female characters, add the amount of tension and you have a great thriller. I would definitely recommend!