Six friends. One storm. A secret to die for…
We arrived at the beautiful, sprawling Spanish villa ready to celebrate – over twenty years of friendship, and of course, Alexis’s big birthday. It’s paradise. Alexis has pulled out all the stops, and like always, I know we’re meant to be grateful…
But the tensions begin on the very first night.
The workaholic slipping off to take mysterious calls. The people pleaser afraid to speak out. The quiet observer snidely analysing every move we make. The former life of the party knocking back wine to forget it all. Even I, the peacekeeper, have secrets…
And of course, Alexis, the Queen Bee – furious that, as a summer storm descends, her perfect trip isn’t working out like she planned… Her fury makes it feel like she’s hiding something. Like her schemes are unravelling…
I thought our secrets finally emerging might be the biggest threat on this trip. But on the last night, I wake up on the cold floor of the locked wine cellar, a knife clutched in my hand and Alexis’s body unmoving beside me.
I want to scream, to cry, to run, but with the floodwater rising, we’re trapped. My friends all think I killed her. But I know I didn’t, which means someone else here did…
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I've read quite a few of Barbara Copperthwaite's psychological thrillers and have enjoyed them. I'm also a fan of her historical fiction; written under the name of Barbara Havelock.
I settled down with Just Between Us and immediately became engrossed by this complex and cleverly woven taken on the locked-room mystery. Yes, it's been done many times, but we all know it's a great hook and the author has done it very well. The combination of a luxury villa in Spain and a group of women who've known each other forever, with he pull of a big birthday celebration turns out to be the perfect setting for this tense and often surprising mystery.
Whilst the women have known each other for many years, none of them really know what secrets they hide from each other. The author cleverly unveils little snippets about each woman, drip by drip, and it's a fabulous structure, keeping the reader on their toes throughout. You need to concentrate to establish the differences between each character, but it becomes easier as you get to know each one.
Then, the storm arrives and it's not just the weather that creates trouble, the increasing tension between the women seems to match the crashes and bangs of the terrible weather outside. It's a fabulous way to add atmosphere and to create a darkness in a place that would naturally be sunny, bright and cheerful.
Needless to say, there are deaths. There are twists and there are character to love and some to really detest. The story moves at a pace that can leave you feeling a little breathless, but you always want to know more.
A great thriller, with twists and turns and a cast of well created characters. Recommended by me.
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Whilst the women have known each other for many years, none of them really know what secrets they hide from each other. The author cleverly unveils little snippets about each woman, drip by drip, and it's a fabulous structure, keeping the reader on their toes throughout. You need to concentrate to establish the differences between each character, but it becomes easier as you get to know each one.
Then, the storm arrives and it's not just the weather that creates trouble, the increasing tension between the women seems to match the crashes and bangs of the terrible weather outside. It's a fabulous way to add atmosphere and to create a darkness in a place that would naturally be sunny, bright and cheerful.
Needless to say, there are deaths. There are twists and there are character to love and some to really detest. The story moves at a pace that can leave you feeling a little breathless, but you always want to know more.
A great thriller, with twists and turns and a cast of well created characters. Recommended by me.
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Her addictive contemporary psychological thrillers are published under the name BARBARA COPPERTHWAITE. Her new book, JUST BETWEEN US, is out on March 30, but can be preordered now!
As BARBARA HAVELOCKE she creates dark, tense Gothic historical thrillers set in the early Victorian era. Estella’s Revenge was nominated for the prestigious Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2025.
For over twenty years Barbara wrote for & edited national magazines & newspapers, talking to victims of crime – and its perpetrators. Her fiction reflects this: she creates realistic characters, and often explores moral grey areas.
Barbara is also an artist specialising in animals and nature. She lives in Birmingham, UK, with her partner and their three rescue dogs.
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