And then this morning, I received a wonderful review from the team at The Wishing Shelf .
It's not often I get pulled instantly into a novel. But that was the case in this intriguingly entitled novel, One Tuesday, Early. It's the story of Lexi and her partner, Finn. It’s Tuesday morning and Lexi finds herself in an empty town – and when I say ‘empty’, there’s nobody there; nobody! Finn, however, is oddly not affected by this phenomenon, waking up and simply finding Lexi’s not there! It’s all very confusing – deliciously so. What follows is a character-led drama as we follow Lexi exploring the empty streets and Finn who thinks Lexi must have left him. There were a number of aspects of this novel I particularly enjoyed. Firstly, I love the way the author developed the way Lexi feels. As she so aptly puts it - It’s a ball and a fist and a whimper and a yell. All swallowed down and shackled within you. The author is adept at putting over her protagonist’s feelings, developing the suspense along the way. Secondly, I enjoyed the pacing; it’s oddly slow – which is normally a bad thing – but not here, the author in no rush to ‘reveal all’; and that is the novel’s biggest strength. Thirdly, the writing style is wonderful – atmospheric, richly descriptive with strong, thought-provoking dialogue. So, who’s this book for? Well, I suspect readers who enjoy a good mystery will find this story a blast. They’ll also enjoy getting to know Lexi and Finn and rooting for them to find a way of reuniting. I remember enjoying another book by this author, Small Forgotten Moments, which was excellent too (and also a bit creepy). But I think this latest book is even better. ‘A smartly plotted psychological drama packed full of mystery – and suspense. Highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf
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You’re on your own and you shouldn’t be. Your partner is missing. The streets are empty. Even the birds have disappeared. What do you do? ★★★★★ “A world both familiar and nightmarish. Eerie, atmospheric and immediately gripping.” Charlie Carroll, author of The Lip
"A spooky and impossible situation that steals up on you until you're questioning your own life choices." - Roz Morris, author of Ever Rest
You’re on your own and you shouldn’t be. Your partner is missing. The streets are empty. Even the birds have disappeared. What do you do? It’s 6:05am one Tuesday morning, and Lexi Peters is alone. Her partner, her friends, her neighbours have all vanished without a trace. The entire town is deserted. Gathering every ounce of courage, she sets out to explore the streets, seeking any sign of life. Her only companions are a coy black cat and a lurking fog that seems to follow her every step. On the same morning, her partner Finn awakens to an empty house. Recalling the blazing argument they had the night before, he assumes Lexi has snuck off somewhere to cool down. But she doesn’t return. Time passes. Or not. Lexi is stranded on that Tuesday morning, while Finn hurtles through the years at increasing speed. Can Lexi and Finn be reunited, or is it already too late? My New Year's Resolution for 2024 is to spotlight the small and independent publishers who bring such diversity to readers, but on a tight, sometimes minimal budget. These are the publishers who relish original ideas, strong voices, and take risks on the type of books they accept. But the industry is harsh. The Big 5 publishers have the money to push their books front and centre in your local chain bookshop - the books in the windows and on the tables when you walk in, often with discounts that would devastate a small press. Smaller publishers rely more on their loyal band of supporters and readers to spread the word and tell people how great they are. And they really are, genuinely and absolutely, great. Over the course of the next few months, I'll be spotlighting independent publishers on my Facebook page. Please check in, and follow the links. You never know what hidden gem you might discover. Here are some ways you can help small publishers and discover brilliant new authors...
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