3.11.18

Blog Tour Review and Excerpt : The Stepsister by Jenny O`Brien





Stepsisters Victoria and Vanessa (Ness) are both convinced that it's a big mistake. It has to be right? Why would a total stranger leave them a half share in a house, in Holland of all places?

Ness flies over to Holland from Guernsey to check the house out and promptly disappears.

Victoria is convinced that something isn't right,Ness would never abandon their mother or Ness`s beloved dog Nigel (who the hell calls their dog Nigel...lol)And as for the texts that Ness has sent about a whirlwind romance and Ness marrying some man called Manus Van Der Hooke. That's not the actions of the sister that Victoria knows.

So Victoria and Nigel fly over to Holland to try and find out what has happened to Ness.

But someone is watching Victoria,someone who wants her dead.

Can Victoria find out the truth before it is to late?


I really liked Victoria,she had a wicked sense of humour,even during her bouts of amnesia she was able to see humour in the situation. She was a complex,vivid character who found herself in a number of life threatening situations as the story unfolded. I loved her interactions with Nigel,at first looking after him was just a inconvenience but she gradually ended up loving the lazy mutt. The authors descriptions of Victoria's fear and confusion as she struggled with her amnesia were realistic and believable. As were Victoria's conflicting feelings and doubts about Doctor Manus Van Der Hooke. Could she really trust him? Did he know what had happened to Ness? Where was Ness? Who was their mysterious benefactor? Was Nigel the laziest dog in the history of literature?. Apart from Victoria and lazybones Nigel,my other favourite character was the Inspector (poor bloke didn't even have a name) who was investigating Victoria's case,he was a very likeable,kind and caring character.

How can anyone not be drawn into a story that opens with the line "I died yesterday,or so I've been told" It's a fast paced,part romance/part mystery that is packed full of twists and turns.Had a number of life threatening situations and keeps the reader guessing and held my attention throughout the whole book. It's very well written,the authors words flow with ease,drawing you into Victoria's complicated life and conflicting emotions. Very good book and highly recommended by little old me.



                                                                    Three

Something is different, if there haven’t been more than enough changes to contend with already. It’s still dark and warm but now, instead of a woolly blanket, I’m wrapped in duvet and dog, as Nigel shifts to snort in my ear.

Just like before, I examine my surroundings without moving a muscle, just in case. Just in case he’s still in the room, although my ears tell me differently. It’s quiet, too quiet for guests and the only sound is my pulse as it throbs in my ears.

 I’m lying stretched out on a bed, a bed topped with the softest mattress and the smoothest of sheets. This is no cheap student flat as I sink my head further into the pillow, aware of a slight pull on my scalp. But there’s no pain, just the awareness that something isn’t quite right. I let my muscles relax, concentrating on easing the sudden tension that threatens to overwhelm everything. I have to think this through, all of it and I have to do it before he comes back into the room.

There’s no sign of the nausea and dizziness of earlier. Nevertheless, I take a few deep breaths before shifting back against the pillows. I don’t know who he is. I suspect that he may be this Manus van der Hooke person. But, in truth, that’s only a guess, a guess based on a couple of unsubstantiated texts from the most unreliable of sources, my stepsister. Who’s to say he isn’t just an innocent bystander who’s stumbled into the middle of the most bizarre of situations? But if that’s the case, what was he doing in my house? And with the staircase all but demolished, how the hell did he manage to get into the basement?
My head’s starting to ache. Now all I can think about is when I last had a drink. There was that coffee, hours ago, which I never got to finish and all that delicious wine, which I never got to start.

                                                                 AUTHOR BIO


Jenny O'Brien was born in Ireland and, after a brief sojourn in Wales, now resides in Guernsey.  She's an avid reader and book reviewer for NetGalley in addition to being a RoNA judge. She writes for both children and adults with a new book coming out every six months or so. She's also an avid collector of cats, broken laptops, dust and happy endings - two of which you'll always find in her books.
 In her spare time she can be found frowning at her wonky cakes and even wonkier breads. You'll be pleased to note she won't be entering Bake-Off. 

Readers can find out more about Jenny from her blog:
https://jennyobrienwriter.wordpress.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/JennyOBrienWriter/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/ScribblerJB

PUBLICATION DATE : 29th October 2018

GENRE : Psychological Thriller

PURCHASE LINK....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stepsister-gripping-psychological-thriller-wicked-ebook/dp/B07H3TH4HT/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1541187746&sr=1-1&keywords=the+stepsister

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour





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