BOOK DESCRIPTION
A family trapped. A psychopath on the loose. Let the game begin…
What could be more innocent than going on holiday?
As a family drive along a quiet country lane on their way to the airport, they meet a stranger standing alone in the middle of the road.
Steering them along another path, he tells the driver, Ben, that a tree has fallen and there’s no way through.
But as they make their way along the diverted route, they come across a coach blocking the road.
Getting out of the car Ben goes to investigate and is horrified to find the passengers tied to their seats.
Then a discarded phone starts to ring…
If Ben calls the police, everyone on board will die.
Let the horrific game begin…
Every time you settle into your favourite reading chair and start reading one of Stuart James's gripping thrillers, you know that you at the beginning of what is going to be a fast paced thrill ride and Stranded is no exception. From the moment that Ben, his wife Laura and their daughter Milly arrive at the abandoned coach and discover the prisoners, the action is non stop as we watch Ben being forced to follow the instructions of the unknown caller. In a plot that could have been ripped straight from one of the films in the brilliant Saw series, the prisoners are forced to take part in their own personal game. The question was, who were these people and why had the killer specifically chosen them to be the subjects of his very clever but twisted plans? Throughout the story,we were taken back in time and learned the prisoners background stories and why the killer thought that they deserved to be on the coach. The captive were a mixed bag of realistic characters who each had their own personal flaws but we're mostly likeable but there was one character that I didn't like very much. I thought that Ben and his family were a really likeable group but as with all of Stuart James's characters, there is always a tiny shred of doubt lurking at the back of your mind. I mean, why would they willingly out their lives at risk for a group of complete strangers? Was there a dark motive hiding behind their acts of heroism and bravery? Interspersed throughout the story was parts that were narrated from the perspective of the mysterious caller where we learned their back story and the reasons behind their actions. The caller definitely had some serious issues but I couldn't help feeling a tiny bit of empathy for that character as their story unfolded.
Omg...just wow and omg, I honestly love this author's extremely well written, dark, chilling, heart pounding thrillers with their multiple twists and turns and trademark shocking concluding twists. They are always fast paced, thrill rides that have you glued to your kindle and frantically turning the pages. His characters are always vivid,diverse and realistic, the settings are dark and atmospheric. I would love to watch a film adaptation of this incredible book. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
I have always loved scary stories, especially ones that shocked me, left me terrified, looking under my bed or in the wardrobe before going to sleep.
There was just a fantastic buzz whenever I watched or read something that took my breathe away.
I remember going to my nan’s house in Ireland as a youngster with my mother and sister, on the West Coast, staying in a cottage, surrounded by miles of fields and my family sitting around the table in the kitchen at night telling ghost stories. Going out and exploring derelict farmhouses in the middle of nowhere. I remember clearly the field at the end of the road was supposed to be haunted by headless nuns.
My cousins often remind me of the great times we had, frightening each other and running for our lives whenever we’d see something that didn’t look right.
This is why I love nothing more than to tell a story.
I started writing three years ago, penning The House On Rectory Lane which has just won The International Book Award in horror fiction. I got the idea from something that has often seemed scary to me. I know that a terrifying story has to be something that you’re frightened of doing, something that makes the hairs stand on the back of your neck, something that fills you with dread, yet also with excitement.
To me, the thought of going to a house in the middle of nowhere, upping and leaving a busy town and moving to the country is something that scares lots of people and me: the seclusion, the quiet, the darkness. That’s what inspired me to write my first novel.
My second thriller is called Turn The Other Way, which was a world wide number 1 best seller and stayed at number 1 for 19 weeks in the US.
I have multiple stories running, past and present. A family who want answers from the surgeon responsible for their daughter’s death. A young woman looking for her parents after they go missing from a party. A couple driving home and hearing screams for help from the back of the van in front of them. A serial killer on the loose in North London, dragging victims off the street.
I’m so grateful when people not only read my thrillers but also take the time to get in touch and leave a review. To me, that is the greatest feeling, hearing from people that have enjoyed my work. I know then that I’m doing something right.
My third thriller, Apartment Six, was published in January of this year and was a number 1 hot new release on Amazon for 4 weeks.
Stranded goes on pre-order Monday October 12th on Amazon and is released October 19th.
I’m 47, married and have two beautiful children. Currently, I’m a full-time plumber but would love nothing more than to make a living from my writing. I hope I write stories and people continue to enjoy them for years to come. That would be completely amazing and a dream come true.
https://www.facebook.com/stuartjamesauthor/
PUBLICATION DATE: 19th October 2020
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Thanks for being on the blog tour Nicki x
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