BOOK REVIEW: Wrong Number by Carys Jones

Wrong Number is the first in a series by Carys Jones (author of Prime Deception). The sequel to Wrong Number, titled Last Witness, is already out and receiving great reviews, so admittedly I'm a little late to the party here!

Amanda, a successful web designer, leads a happy  life with husband Will. Until one day, she receives a strange phone call, asking for a Jake Burton. The mysterious caller is adamant that Jake lives at the property. Amanda puts it down to a simple wrong number.

But then Will disappears.

Leaving without so much as a note or call is extremely out of character for her normally meticulous husband Will. Worried and frantic about his whereabouts, she contacts the police. Meanwhile, using her skills as a former hacker, Amanda starts to look into Will's online presence. And things just don't seem to add up...

When will is officially declared missing, the police officer on the case is none other than Amanda's ex boyfriend Shane. A man who knows everything about Amanda's past. Shane is now in a new relationship, but with the pair working closely on the investigation of Will's disappearance, will Shane and Amanda fall for one another again?

When I saw this book on Netgalley I had to request it, because I love a good thriller, and the premise of Wrong Number sounded gripping. It is...but not straight away. The action and suspense seems to pick up in the second half. It's quite slow at first, but I carried on, and was glad because the story does get better.

I particularly enjoyed the darkweb element of the book. It was original, and made for an interesting glimpse into the past of Amanda, who isn't the perfect wife that she initially seems. I liked that Amanda has a secret past, one she's not particularly proud of.

Wrong Number seems, to me anyway, to be less of a fast-paced thriller and more of a mystery with a bit of romance. I found this with Carys's previous novel, Prime Deception. Now, I am partial to a romantic sub-plot, however this book seems to be marketed as a thriller, which may mislead some readers who are looking for something more gripping and psychological. The ending was, in my opinion, a little bit hurried.

I don't want to spoil too much, but I enjoyed Wrong Number; Carys Jones is a great writer, and even though this book is slightly predictable and a bit slower than I had expected, it's still a good read overall!

Rating: 3/5

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

COVER REVEAL: Dare to Dream by Carys Jones

Carys Jones is the author of First to Fall and Prime Deception, and her newest novel, Dare to Dream - a YA dystopian sci-fi story that's due for release very soon! Carys has today revealed the beautiful cover - check it out below!

The world was going to end. Of that, Maggie Trafford was certain.

Fourteen-year-old Maggie Trafford leads a normal life. Well, as normal as being crammed in a three-bedroom house with four siblings and a single parent can be, anyway. But despite being somewhat ignored at home, Maggie excels, earning top grades, a best friend who would do anything for her, and stolen looks from a boy in Maths.

It’s not until the dreams start that Maggie realizes “normal” is the least of her problems. Every night, she lives the same nightmare—red lightning, shattered glass, destruction. But nightmares are just that, right? No one believes her when she says it’s an omen. At least, not until the already mysterious pillars of Stonehenge start falling.

No longer alone in her fear, Maggie and the world watch with bated breath as one after another, the historic stones tumble, like a clock counting down. But only Maggie knows what it means: when the last stone falls, destruction will reign. And when the world ends, there’s only one option left—survive.

Horrifying and raw, Dare to Dream is equal parts tragedy and hope, detailing the aftermath of apocalyptic catastrophe, the quest for survival, and the importance of belief.

About Carys Jones
Carys Jones loves nothing more than to write and create stories which ignite the reader's imagination. Based in Shropshire, England, Carys lives with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored canine companion Rollo.

When she's not writing, Carys likes to indulge her inner geek by watching science-fiction films or playing video games.

She lists John Green, Jodi Picoult and Virginia Andrews as her favorite authors and draws inspiration for her own work from anything and everything.

To Carys, there is no greater feeling then when you lose yourself in a great story and it is that feeling of ultimate escapism which she tries to bring to her books.

NEW RELEASE: First to Fall by Carys Jones

We first heard about Carys Jones when her April novel, romantic thriller Prime Deception, was released. Carys's new novel, First to Fall, was released on Thursday, and it follows lawyer Aiden Connelly, whose latest case turns out to be much more difficult than he expected...

Aiden Connelly’s first case…

Lawyer Aiden Connelly has traded the frenzy of Chicago for a slower pace in sleepy Avalon – and his first case appears to be as open-and-shut as he could hope for. Hired to defend a local ex-beauty queen accused of murdering her husband, he’s confident that he’ll have the case closed in record time. But below the surface lurks a darker truth…

Will be one he’ll never forget.

Suddenly, a quiet backwater has transformed into a dangerous pressure cooker. In a town where everyone knows everyone, gathering evidence should be easy… but the harder Aiden searches, the more he appreciates how tangled this net of loyalties is. And as he digs deeper, Aiden begins to realise that his very first case in Avalon could be the beginning of his undoing…

Head over to Amazon to download First to Fall. You can also find out more about Carys and her books over at her website, or by following her on Twitter, @tiny_dancer85. Also, check out the stops on the First to Fall blog tour!

About the Author

Carys Jones loves nothing more than to write and create stories which ignite the reader's imagination. Based in Shropshire, England, Carys lives with her husband, two guinea pigs and her adored canine companion, Rollo.

When she's not writing, Carys likes to indulge her inner geek by watching science- fiction films or playing video games.

She lists John Green, Jodi Picoult and Virginia Andrews as her favorite authors and draws inspiration for her own work from anything and everything.

To Carys, there is no greater feeling than when you lose yourself in a great story and it is that feeling of ultimate escapism which she tries to bring to her books.

BOOK REVIEW: Prime Deception by Carys Jones

I was intrigued when I received a review copy of Prime Deception, the recently-released novel by Carys Jones. Published by Carina in the crime/thriller genre, Prime Deception focuses on Deputy Prime Minister Charles Lloyd, whose affair with an intern is about to be made headline news...

Investigative journalist John Quinn has spent years waiting and working to get a story that will shock the nation. Working for a notorious British tabloid, he finds himself extremely close to the story of his dreams - a kiss-and-tell with the young intern mistress of the Deputy Prime Minister. However, just before the story is printed, John receives a call that quickly puts an end to his dream. The intern, Lorna Thomas, is dead.

Charles Lloyd is devastated when he hears of Lorna's death. However, with his job as the Deputy PM, his feelings have to be kept strictly under wraps. Charles is regretful about the affair with Lorna - mainly because he was never able to admit his true feelings for her. And now it's too late. Having to put on a brave face for his wife, for his colleagues, and for the nation, is a difficult feat, because Lorna won't ever be coming back.

Meanwhile, convinced that her twin's death was uncharacteristic, Laurie Thomas leaves her quiet life behind for a while and heads to London with a mission in mind: to finally find out the truth about her sister.

Successfully getting into the Downing Street internship programme, Laurie puts herself in her sister's shoes in a bid to find out what truly happened. Ambitious, confident and lively Lorna would never have killed herself - so why did it happen?

Knowing about the affair, Laurie gets close to Charles to try and work out her twin sister's motives. Yet it becomes difficult for Charles when, after the initial shock of realising his lover had a twin, he begins to fall for Laurie.

Just what - or who - made Lorna Thomas drive to her death?

When I first started reading Prime Deception, I couldn't put it down. The book begins with reporter John, finding out that the story he's worked so hard on has fallen through. Lorna has been killed, and Charles has no idea why - and no way to find out without being caught out about the affair - a secret that'd make news across the nation if it was ever to be found out...

However, I couldn't help but find that a lot of the book focused more on the feelings of the characters, and less on the mystery of Lorna's disappearance. Throughout the book, the reader is given an insight into the feelings of Charles - his guilt, his love for Lorna, the thoughts that do not seem to go away. And there's Laurie, now an outsider in her family home now that her perfect sister has gone, and unable to let Lorna go until she unearths the truth. Even though I enjoyed reading about these characters and their obvious struggles at the start, I felt that it continued for too many chapters, and that information that could have made Prime Deception an even more addictive read, was left out. I wanted to read even more about John, for example, and more into the life of Faye, secretary to Charles.

I noticed quite early in this book that Prime Deception seemed to be a mix of the crime and romance genres, which I thought would work very well, though about halfway through I found that it was more confusing; there was no real romance besides that of Charles and Lorna. The ending of Prime Deception was surprising and great, although I felt cheated in some way by one of the minor characters turning up right at the end, and having not known that much about him, I was unsure about his motives. (I don't want to say too much as I do not want to spoil this book!) The book ended well, though a lot of the suspense happened mainly towards the end.

I enjoyed reading Prime Deception, and I will definitely read any future novels by this author as I feel that she is a very good writer with a great writing style. As someone who enjoys both the crime genre and romance, this was an interesting read. However, I did get the feeling that it might disappoint those who are looking for a fast-paced crime novel.

Rating: 4/5