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The Wrong Kind of Clouds
Patrick Forrester is in trouble. Deep trouble. Someone wants him dead. In fact, lots of people want him dead, but one of them has taken him hostage. As he’s being bundled away, he manages to call his ex-lover, Summer Morris, and begs her for help...
Summer Morris, an award-winning photographer with synaesthesia, hasn’t spoken to Patrick for months. With good reason. In fact, she would have been happy never to hear from him again. But, he begged her for help, so she’s trying to help. Along with an off-duty police officer, Detective Sergeant LB Stewart, she gets swept into Patrick’s world of lies and deceit, in a desperate race against time to find him alive.
Trying to unpick the knot of Patrick’s life takes them from an affair that could help bring down a government, to the dust and heat of Malawi, and a whole heap of trouble in between. If only they knew who wanted him dead, they might find him alive. The trouble is, almost everyone wants Patrick dead.
Summer Morris, an award-winning photographer with synaesthesia, hasn’t spoken to Patrick for months. With good reason. In fact, she would have been happy never to hear from him again. But, he begged her for help, so she’s trying to help. Along with an off-duty police officer, Detective Sergeant LB Stewart, she gets swept into Patrick’s world of lies and deceit, in a desperate race against time to find him alive.
Trying to unpick the knot of Patrick’s life takes them from an affair that could help bring down a government, to the dust and heat of Malawi, and a whole heap of trouble in between. If only they knew who wanted him dead, they might find him alive. The trouble is, almost everyone wants Patrick dead.
285 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2016
64 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Fleet
5 books14 followersAmanda Fleet is a physiologist by training and a writer at heart. She spent 18 years teaching science and medicine undergraduates at St Andrews University, but now uses her knowledge to work out how to kill people (in her books!). She completed her first degree at St Andrews University and her doctorate at University College, London.
She has been an inveterate stationery addict since a child, amassing a considerable stash of fountain pens, ink and notebooks during her lifetime. These have thankfully come in useful, as she tends to write rather than type, at least in the early stages of writing a book.
During her time at St Andrews, she worked with the College of Medicine in Blantyre, Malawi. While in Malawi, she learned about the plight of the many street children there and helped to set up a Community Based Organisation that works with homeless Malawian children to support them through education and training – Chimwemwe Children’s Centre. It was this experience that helped to inspire the Malawian aspects in her novel "The Wrong Kind of Clouds" (briefly released as "The Call"), though, of course, the book is entirely fictional.
She is the author of the urban fantasy trilogy: "The Guardians of The Realm", published in early 2020, and the psychological thriller "Lies That Poison".
Amanda lives in Scotland with her husband, where she can be found writing, walking and running.
She has been an inveterate stationery addict since a child, amassing a considerable stash of fountain pens, ink and notebooks during her lifetime. These have thankfully come in useful, as she tends to write rather than type, at least in the early stages of writing a book.
During her time at St Andrews, she worked with the College of Medicine in Blantyre, Malawi. While in Malawi, she learned about the plight of the many street children there and helped to set up a Community Based Organisation that works with homeless Malawian children to support them through education and training – Chimwemwe Children’s Centre. It was this experience that helped to inspire the Malawian aspects in her novel "The Wrong Kind of Clouds" (briefly released as "The Call"), though, of course, the book is entirely fictional.
She is the author of the urban fantasy trilogy: "The Guardians of The Realm", published in early 2020, and the psychological thriller "Lies That Poison".
Amanda lives in Scotland with her husband, where she can be found writing, walking and running.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 17, 2017
Patrick is charming with a great smile, He likes the ladies and the ladies likes him, too much which has gotten him into untold trouble. He's a journalist heavily involved in a charity of sorts in Malawi.
Someone has kidnapped Patrick. He's in deep, deep trouble. He has many enemies who might want him to come to harm .. or disappear forever. Lots of suspects who have legitimate reasons for Patrick to disappear .... but who has taken Patrick? Is he even still alive?
He owes a loan shark a lot of money that he cannot pay back. He stole money from one lady he was sleeping which terminated that relationship immediately. He took up with another lady who is now pregnant. Her brother would love nothing more than to 'take care' of Patrick. His current lady love is the very married Minister of Health. Her husband received an anonymous letter announcing the affair and he's called and left messages on Patrick's phone.
And to top it off, he has discovered a scandal that will take down the charity for children that he loves. Seven young boys have gone missing from the home ..... and there are seven huge payments in the accounts. He has seen 2 of the boys in the UK and USA. So how did they get there ... Patrick suspects child-trafficking.
This is a character driven crime thriller featuring Detective LB Stewart and Summer Morris, a freelance photographer. All the secondary roles are well defined and are able to hold one's attention from start to finish. It is fast-paced with a few twists and turns that keeps the reader engaged.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Someone has kidnapped Patrick. He's in deep, deep trouble. He has many enemies who might want him to come to harm .. or disappear forever. Lots of suspects who have legitimate reasons for Patrick to disappear .... but who has taken Patrick? Is he even still alive?
He owes a loan shark a lot of money that he cannot pay back. He stole money from one lady he was sleeping which terminated that relationship immediately. He took up with another lady who is now pregnant. Her brother would love nothing more than to 'take care' of Patrick. His current lady love is the very married Minister of Health. Her husband received an anonymous letter announcing the affair and he's called and left messages on Patrick's phone.
And to top it off, he has discovered a scandal that will take down the charity for children that he loves. Seven young boys have gone missing from the home ..... and there are seven huge payments in the accounts. He has seen 2 of the boys in the UK and USA. So how did they get there ... Patrick suspects child-trafficking.
This is a character driven crime thriller featuring Detective LB Stewart and Summer Morris, a freelance photographer. All the secondary roles are well defined and are able to hold one's attention from start to finish. It is fast-paced with a few twists and turns that keeps the reader engaged.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 27, 2017
This book made want to say the F word so many times! I know this is a free copy and the idea is to help this book to get success whoever I need to be honest.
THE PLOT
Summer Morris received a phone call of her ex-boyfriend, Patrick Forrester, asking for help. Since they end up in bad terms the call intrigued her. From there she has to search into Patrick's life to help him.
Kidnaping, Child Trafficking, Marital Affair Pregnancy & Abortion are the main subjects of the story.
WHY I DISLIKE THE STORY
1. Including Child Trafficking as a trigger for a story is not ok. This subject didn't add anything to the story.
2. I found really hard to believe that a guy who broke up with his girlfriend because she is pregnant is going to be a person who cares about the life of other children.
3. The amount of people surrounding the main character are just to much.
4. The investigators are not really smart people... They keep guessing what to do next because they didn't have a clue... And including a guy with the name Andy WATSON was to much.
5. I didn't like any of the characters at all and the love story between Summer and LB Stewart was far from being convincing.
I wish the best luck to the writer.
November 25, 2017
Summer Morris would have been happy to never hear from her ex lover Patrick again.Unfortunately she has just received a phone call from him begging for help,it appears that his life is in danger.Even though their relashionship ended badly,can she really refuse to help him.
Although Patrick can be very charming,he also has many enemies who might want him dead.He had been working in Malawai and might have uncovered a scandal,he has been involved with a powerful woman,has made another woman pregnant and has borrowed money from the wrong people.
Along with a off - duty policeman,DS Stewart,Summer gets swept up in Patrick's world of lies and deceit,in a desperate race against time to hopefully find him alive.
This character driven thriller mainly features Summer and DS Stewart although there are parts that follow a number of secondary characters.Some of my favourite parts featured Moyenda who lived in Malawai and was project manager for a charity that helped orphaned children,his parts of the story were sinister and intreguing.Hopefully the author is planning a sequel that will answer some of the questions pertaining to the disappearance of the young boys.I also enjoyed the parts featuring another character but can't say too much about those parts without giving away spoilers.
It's a enjoyable read that has some gripping action scenes and a number of decent twists but I also felt that parts of the book dragged at times and slowed down the pace of the story.I really liked DS Stewart, Summer and Moyenda and would love to read more books featuring them in the future.
Many thanks to Joffe books and Jill Burkinshaw for a arc of this book in exchange for a honest review
Although Patrick can be very charming,he also has many enemies who might want him dead.He had been working in Malawai and might have uncovered a scandal,he has been involved with a powerful woman,has made another woman pregnant and has borrowed money from the wrong people.
Along with a off - duty policeman,DS Stewart,Summer gets swept up in Patrick's world of lies and deceit,in a desperate race against time to hopefully find him alive.
This character driven thriller mainly features Summer and DS Stewart although there are parts that follow a number of secondary characters.Some of my favourite parts featured Moyenda who lived in Malawai and was project manager for a charity that helped orphaned children,his parts of the story were sinister and intreguing.Hopefully the author is planning a sequel that will answer some of the questions pertaining to the disappearance of the young boys.I also enjoyed the parts featuring another character but can't say too much about those parts without giving away spoilers.
It's a enjoyable read that has some gripping action scenes and a number of decent twists but I also felt that parts of the book dragged at times and slowed down the pace of the story.I really liked DS Stewart, Summer and Moyenda and would love to read more books featuring them in the future.
Many thanks to Joffe books and Jill Burkinshaw for a arc of this book in exchange for a honest review
unfinished
May 17, 2016Hard to know what to say really. I loved the title and the blurb. However the writing did nothing to grip me and I wasn't that interested in the outcome. The basic Patrick/Summer story isn't bad but the rest didn't appeal.
June 25, 2016
Journalist Patrick Forrester isn’t the most well-loved man. From numerous affairs, including a politician, borrowing money from loan sharks, a pregnant ex-girlfriend who he wants nothing to do with, and her depressed brother who is in a rage about Patrick’s behaviour towards his sister. Then there is the little matter of him investigating a possible child trafficking ring in Africa. The hit list is long.
When he takes a beating outside of his flat, he inadvertently calls one of his ex-girlfriends Summer, instead of the police. Summer can only listen helplessly as Patrick is beaten and then the phone cuts dead as he is dragged into a waiting van and taken hostage.
But with a long list of suspects, can the hostage-taker be found before Patrick is killed?
The Wrong Kind of Clouds is a suspenseful thriller, with a great cast of characters. Patrick may not be the nicest of men, but he does have a heart, especially where the children in Malawi are concerned. He doesn’t actually feature that much in the book though, but it is his disappearance at the start that brings the rest of the characters together.
Summer Morris, is a hot-headed photographer. She likes to be in control and finds it difficult to take orders or be challenged. After her phone call from Patrick, Summer phones the police and is passed from pillar to post until DS L.B Stewart takes the case. He’s not confident at the start that Patrick has been taken, but after spending time with Summer and listening to her reasoning he gives the case his full attention.
Summer blew hot and cold for me. One minute she was a bold young woman, the next she was a sobbing wreck. The two personalities just didn’t seem to go together. Yet she was a remarkable young woman.
There are a few twists and turns, and there are a lot of characters, many who could have ordered the hit on Patrick. The book is also told from the third person perspective, so we get to read about those in the UK who wouldn’t mind Patrick being removed permanently from their lives, to possible offenders in Malawi.
The book has a lot of depth to it, and a tight plot. The writing is fluid, the pace is fast and the characters compelling. It won’t have you on the edge of your seat, but it will leave you satisfied that you have read a fantastic book and wanting more.
Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com
When he takes a beating outside of his flat, he inadvertently calls one of his ex-girlfriends Summer, instead of the police. Summer can only listen helplessly as Patrick is beaten and then the phone cuts dead as he is dragged into a waiting van and taken hostage.
But with a long list of suspects, can the hostage-taker be found before Patrick is killed?
The Wrong Kind of Clouds is a suspenseful thriller, with a great cast of characters. Patrick may not be the nicest of men, but he does have a heart, especially where the children in Malawi are concerned. He doesn’t actually feature that much in the book though, but it is his disappearance at the start that brings the rest of the characters together.
Summer Morris, is a hot-headed photographer. She likes to be in control and finds it difficult to take orders or be challenged. After her phone call from Patrick, Summer phones the police and is passed from pillar to post until DS L.B Stewart takes the case. He’s not confident at the start that Patrick has been taken, but after spending time with Summer and listening to her reasoning he gives the case his full attention.
Summer blew hot and cold for me. One minute she was a bold young woman, the next she was a sobbing wreck. The two personalities just didn’t seem to go together. Yet she was a remarkable young woman.
There are a few twists and turns, and there are a lot of characters, many who could have ordered the hit on Patrick. The book is also told from the third person perspective, so we get to read about those in the UK who wouldn’t mind Patrick being removed permanently from their lives, to possible offenders in Malawi.
The book has a lot of depth to it, and a tight plot. The writing is fluid, the pace is fast and the characters compelling. It won’t have you on the edge of your seat, but it will leave you satisfied that you have read a fantastic book and wanting more.
Reviewed by Stacey at www.whisperingstories.com
June 3, 2016
It's hard to believe that this is psychological mystery is a debut novel, such is the quality of the writing. A bit slow at the outset, but intriguing enough to carry on reading.
The book, set in Edinburgh starts off with the mysterious abduction, assault and disappearance of Patrick Forrester, occupation indeterminate, a womanizer, gambler and cheat whose saving grace is that he helps disadvantaged children in Malawi to achieve an education by supporting a charity out there.
During his abduction he manages to make an alarming call for help to his ex girlfriend Summer Morris, a photographer with synaesthesia, which is a condition I've never heard of before but is explained on the NHS UK site here:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/synaesth...
In Summer's case emotions are felt as colours.
Summer tries in vain to enlist police assistance in Patrick's disappearance, but at first they're not interested until it is discovered that a female government minister and Patrick have had an affair. Before that discovery though and subsequent police involvement, Summer visits his flat and not very sensibly removes items to try to find out what has happened to her ex-boyfriend with whom she hadn't parted very amicably from.
With several trails to follow, including the mysterious disappearance of children in Milawi and a number of suspects apparently seriously annoyed with the missing man, police involvement when it appears is in the form of the rather enigmatic DS LB Stewart.
I liked the dynamics between the detective and Summer as together they try to unravel the mystery and find out what happened to Patrick Forrester, although if I was being critical the mutual attraction and holding back from the pair of them did go on a tad too long and I felt like shouting at them to get a room, but no, tlme was critical and a man's life could be at stake.
I think and hope there might be more books involving these two intriguing characters because only parts of their personal histories were revealed and there's more I'd like to know about them as individuals.
Altogether a cracking good read.
(With thanks to the author and publisher via NetGalley for ARC in exchange for an honest review)
The book, set in Edinburgh starts off with the mysterious abduction, assault and disappearance of Patrick Forrester, occupation indeterminate, a womanizer, gambler and cheat whose saving grace is that he helps disadvantaged children in Malawi to achieve an education by supporting a charity out there.
During his abduction he manages to make an alarming call for help to his ex girlfriend Summer Morris, a photographer with synaesthesia, which is a condition I've never heard of before but is explained on the NHS UK site here:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/synaesth...
In Summer's case emotions are felt as colours.
Summer tries in vain to enlist police assistance in Patrick's disappearance, but at first they're not interested until it is discovered that a female government minister and Patrick have had an affair. Before that discovery though and subsequent police involvement, Summer visits his flat and not very sensibly removes items to try to find out what has happened to her ex-boyfriend with whom she hadn't parted very amicably from.
With several trails to follow, including the mysterious disappearance of children in Milawi and a number of suspects apparently seriously annoyed with the missing man, police involvement when it appears is in the form of the rather enigmatic DS LB Stewart.
I liked the dynamics between the detective and Summer as together they try to unravel the mystery and find out what happened to Patrick Forrester, although if I was being critical the mutual attraction and holding back from the pair of them did go on a tad too long and I felt like shouting at them to get a room, but no, tlme was critical and a man's life could be at stake.
I think and hope there might be more books involving these two intriguing characters because only parts of their personal histories were revealed and there's more I'd like to know about them as individuals.
Altogether a cracking good read.
(With thanks to the author and publisher via NetGalley for ARC in exchange for an honest review)
November 26, 2017
This is the first novel by Amanda Fleet to cross my path and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. It begins when Patrick is kidnapped from his flat, knocked out and bundled into the back of a van. As he is being attacked, he manages to speed dial a number, which turns out to be that of an ex-girlfriend Summer Morris. She is a freelance photographer and split with Patrick when he cleared out her bank account. As the story progresses we meet other girlfriends, a married politician amongst them, who all have a reason to want Patrick out of the way.
Summer is worried by Patrick's cut-short call and visits his flat where she discovers proof of his abduction and removes items to try and discover what has happened to him.
The story moves back and forth between Scotland and Africa, where Patrick has found that children are disappearing from an orphanage.
Summer is helped by an off-duty policeman, DS Stewart, and a possible romance begins. I enjoyed the story, even the more gruesome parts, and would love to read more. I'm totally intrigued by the possible romance and would love to find out more about the mysterious DS Stewart.
Although the story jumps from area to area and character to character, I found it a very entertaining read and would recommend it to all.
Summer is worried by Patrick's cut-short call and visits his flat where she discovers proof of his abduction and removes items to try and discover what has happened to him.
The story moves back and forth between Scotland and Africa, where Patrick has found that children are disappearing from an orphanage.
Summer is helped by an off-duty policeman, DS Stewart, and a possible romance begins. I enjoyed the story, even the more gruesome parts, and would love to read more. I'm totally intrigued by the possible romance and would love to find out more about the mysterious DS Stewart.
Although the story jumps from area to area and character to character, I found it a very entertaining read and would recommend it to all.
July 8, 2016
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review. Review originally posted on my blog, WonderfullyBookish.
I seem to be reading a lot of crime novels at the moment. It’s funny because crime fiction used to be a genre that I never really had an interest in reading, but then I read books like Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan and I can’t get enough of them. The Wrong Kind of Clouds by Amanda Fleet was no exception.
I must admit, it took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story because there were so many characters being introduced. At the beginning we are introduced to multiple characters that I guessed would have some baring on the story in the later chapters, but I found myself getting a bit confused when a new character name was mentioned. I kept thinking, “Who’s this now? Who are you?!” I didn’t let this bother me too much though because I knew that if they were introduced now they would probably be of importance later on, so I waited patiently to see where they would fit into the story.
Later on they do play a much bigger part and they are all linked to Patrick, the missing man, in some way. However I found myself not caring too much about these characters when their perspectives were being told; I just wanted to read what was happening with Summer and LB, the two characters I did care about. I saw the potential for these secondary characters to develop bigger plot lines though, and luckily they did in the second half of the book when the story began to come together.
On the same subject of not caring too much for characters, I agree with other reviews who say that they didn’t really care very much for Patrick. We don’t know very much about him and the things we do know make him out to be a not very nice man. It’s a bit like Nick in Gone Girl – seemingly not a very nice character who doesn’t treat anyone with much respect, so you almost don’t mind what the outcome is at the end. However, for Summer’s sake, I really wanted him to be found because I cared a lot about her. Summer and LB were easily the best characters in the book and I loved the rollercoaster relationship between them.
As for the story, after taking the first quarter or so of the book to really get into the story, I really enjoyed it. I was gripped right till the end and I desperately wanted to know how Patrick went missing and why, what would happen to some of the other characters, and I especially wanted to see which direction the relationship between Summer and LB would take. I was not disappointed with this book at all; by the end all questions were answered, all plot lines nicely finished, and something that happens rarely in a novel of this genre – I was completely satisfied with the ending and I had no more questions left unanswered.
I’d definitely recommend picking up a copy of this book if you like crime novels that are a fairly easy read – I read it in only a few days.
I seem to be reading a lot of crime novels at the moment. It’s funny because crime fiction used to be a genre that I never really had an interest in reading, but then I read books like Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan and I can’t get enough of them. The Wrong Kind of Clouds by Amanda Fleet was no exception.
I must admit, it took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story because there were so many characters being introduced. At the beginning we are introduced to multiple characters that I guessed would have some baring on the story in the later chapters, but I found myself getting a bit confused when a new character name was mentioned. I kept thinking, “Who’s this now? Who are you?!” I didn’t let this bother me too much though because I knew that if they were introduced now they would probably be of importance later on, so I waited patiently to see where they would fit into the story.
Later on they do play a much bigger part and they are all linked to Patrick, the missing man, in some way. However I found myself not caring too much about these characters when their perspectives were being told; I just wanted to read what was happening with Summer and LB, the two characters I did care about. I saw the potential for these secondary characters to develop bigger plot lines though, and luckily they did in the second half of the book when the story began to come together.
On the same subject of not caring too much for characters, I agree with other reviews who say that they didn’t really care very much for Patrick. We don’t know very much about him and the things we do know make him out to be a not very nice man. It’s a bit like Nick in Gone Girl – seemingly not a very nice character who doesn’t treat anyone with much respect, so you almost don’t mind what the outcome is at the end. However, for Summer’s sake, I really wanted him to be found because I cared a lot about her. Summer and LB were easily the best characters in the book and I loved the rollercoaster relationship between them.
As for the story, after taking the first quarter or so of the book to really get into the story, I really enjoyed it. I was gripped right till the end and I desperately wanted to know how Patrick went missing and why, what would happen to some of the other characters, and I especially wanted to see which direction the relationship between Summer and LB would take. I was not disappointed with this book at all; by the end all questions were answered, all plot lines nicely finished, and something that happens rarely in a novel of this genre – I was completely satisfied with the ending and I had no more questions left unanswered.
I’d definitely recommend picking up a copy of this book if you like crime novels that are a fairly easy read – I read it in only a few days.
May 18, 2016
The Wrong Kind of Clouds
by Amanda Fleet
Troubador Publishing Ltd
Troubador Publishing
Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction (Adult)
Pub Date 13 May 2016
I was given a copy of The Wrong Kind of Clouds through the publisher and their partnership with Netgalley in exchange for my honest review which is as follows:
Patrick had been attacked and then carried off. He manages to call Summer Morris asking her for help but she really has no idea what to do.
Will Summer be able to find out what happened to Morris's before its to late?
If you like Mystery/Thrillers that leave you on the edge of your seat then you will love The Wrong Kind of Clouds.
I give this book five out of five stars.
Happy Reading
June 6, 2016
Really good first novel; crime with some interesting sub plots.
December 13, 2017
Every so often I come across a new (to me) writer and after reading their book, I wonder to myself how the devil have I not noticed them before now? This perfectly sums up how I feel about ‘The Call’ by Amanda Fleet. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
For a while, Summer Morris was in a relationship with Patrick but I get the impression that their break up was less than pleasant in some respects. Patrick is kidnapped but before he is placed into the back of the van, he manages to ring Summer one last time. Summer cannot understand why Patrick has called her because they no longer see each other but something about the call gets under her skin and she just can’t leave it alone. Summer notifies the police about Patrick’s disappearance, which is out of character but nobody seems to take any interest. Summer is one persistent, feisty female, which stands her in good stead when she has to go into battle with the police. Summer does her own little investigation and takes her findings to the police, where thankfully an off duty policeman called DS Stewart takes an interest in the case and they investigate together. Summer realises that Patrick’s abduction could be linked to a big scandal. Summer certainly knows how to think on her feet and she knows of certain little ways to get the information she wants. Summer is one smart cookie and she certainly has an awareness of police forensic procedure and what counts as evidence. All in all, I did take to Summer moreorless from the start because of her persistence, her tenacity and her dogged determination to find out what happened to Patrick. There were certain characters who made me feel uncomfortable and made me highly suspicious of their motives and their ambitions. I won’t tell you anything else about who because that would give too many spoilers away and I really do think that you need to read the book for yourselves.
I must admit that it took me a little while to get into this book because there seemed to be so many characters being introduced that I lost track of who was who and where they came in the story. However, once I fathomed out the ‘cast list’ so to speak, I became totally immersed in the story. The writing style is such that you can’t fail to become curious about what has happened and then you have to read the book to the conclusion because you need to know how the story ended. I was that into the story that I didn’t realise quite how quickly the pages were turning and before I knew it, I had finished the book, which I was so disappointed about. I wasn’t disappointed by how the story ended but I was disappointed that I had finished it as I was enjoying the writing style and the book so much. I would liken reading this book to being on a rollercoaster ride with all the twists, turns, stomach churning and OMG moments, where you have to put your hands over your eyes and hold your breath because you genuinely fear what is going to happen next.
In short, I loved this book by a writer new to me. I will certainly read more of her books and I can’t wait until the next book is released. I would recommend this book to anybody. I award this book 5* out of 5*.
For a while, Summer Morris was in a relationship with Patrick but I get the impression that their break up was less than pleasant in some respects. Patrick is kidnapped but before he is placed into the back of the van, he manages to ring Summer one last time. Summer cannot understand why Patrick has called her because they no longer see each other but something about the call gets under her skin and she just can’t leave it alone. Summer notifies the police about Patrick’s disappearance, which is out of character but nobody seems to take any interest. Summer is one persistent, feisty female, which stands her in good stead when she has to go into battle with the police. Summer does her own little investigation and takes her findings to the police, where thankfully an off duty policeman called DS Stewart takes an interest in the case and they investigate together. Summer realises that Patrick’s abduction could be linked to a big scandal. Summer certainly knows how to think on her feet and she knows of certain little ways to get the information she wants. Summer is one smart cookie and she certainly has an awareness of police forensic procedure and what counts as evidence. All in all, I did take to Summer moreorless from the start because of her persistence, her tenacity and her dogged determination to find out what happened to Patrick. There were certain characters who made me feel uncomfortable and made me highly suspicious of their motives and their ambitions. I won’t tell you anything else about who because that would give too many spoilers away and I really do think that you need to read the book for yourselves.
I must admit that it took me a little while to get into this book because there seemed to be so many characters being introduced that I lost track of who was who and where they came in the story. However, once I fathomed out the ‘cast list’ so to speak, I became totally immersed in the story. The writing style is such that you can’t fail to become curious about what has happened and then you have to read the book to the conclusion because you need to know how the story ended. I was that into the story that I didn’t realise quite how quickly the pages were turning and before I knew it, I had finished the book, which I was so disappointed about. I wasn’t disappointed by how the story ended but I was disappointed that I had finished it as I was enjoying the writing style and the book so much. I would liken reading this book to being on a rollercoaster ride with all the twists, turns, stomach churning and OMG moments, where you have to put your hands over your eyes and hold your breath because you genuinely fear what is going to happen next.
In short, I loved this book by a writer new to me. I will certainly read more of her books and I can’t wait until the next book is released. I would recommend this book to anybody. I award this book 5* out of 5*.
December 29, 2017
Summer Morris gets a phone call from her ex-boyfriend Patrick begging for her help. Their relationship ended badly, with him stealing from her, but she feels the need to help him. But there’s more to his life than it seems. He owes money to a loan shark, is investigating a scandal in Malawi, is having an affair with a married woman and on top of that he is expecting a child with another.
The police do not take Summer seriously until she comes across off-duty policeman DS LB Stewart. Together they must find Patrick before it’s too late.
The story line switches between Scotland and Malawi which I thought was an interesting combination! It is well written and there was no typos or plot holes that I spotted but to be honest I found the overall plot a little disappointing.
I think it didn’t help that the character of Patrick was a womaniser, a liar and a cheat. I mean it was hard to want someone to be saved when their only redeeming factor was him wanting to help kids in Malawi (yet he wanted a woman carrying his child to get rid of it, this made no sense to me). Also the detective, LB, was a bit of an arse most of the time, however I did enjoy his little romance with Summer.
The character of Summer pretty much carried the book for me, with her selfless attitude and free spirit made her very entertaining. I also found her condition synesthesia, where you see emotions as colours, interesting.
There was also a lot of Americanisms, in this book, like Cop instead of copper, which for being set in Scotland and Malawi was a little strange.
Overall not my cup of tea but that will not put me off reading anything else by this author.
The police do not take Summer seriously until she comes across off-duty policeman DS LB Stewart. Together they must find Patrick before it’s too late.
The story line switches between Scotland and Malawi which I thought was an interesting combination! It is well written and there was no typos or plot holes that I spotted but to be honest I found the overall plot a little disappointing.
I think it didn’t help that the character of Patrick was a womaniser, a liar and a cheat. I mean it was hard to want someone to be saved when their only redeeming factor was him wanting to help kids in Malawi (yet he wanted a woman carrying his child to get rid of it, this made no sense to me). Also the detective, LB, was a bit of an arse most of the time, however I did enjoy his little romance with Summer.
The character of Summer pretty much carried the book for me, with her selfless attitude and free spirit made her very entertaining. I also found her condition synesthesia, where you see emotions as colours, interesting.
There was also a lot of Americanisms, in this book, like Cop instead of copper, which for being set in Scotland and Malawi was a little strange.
Overall not my cup of tea but that will not put me off reading anything else by this author.
November 26, 2017
Thankyou Netgalley/provider for letting me read this book.
Het begint heel goed en spannend, waarvan je denkt dit moet een spannend boek worden. Helaas was dit niet het geval. Er mist duidelijk veel spanning, er mist een correct verhaallijn. Nu heb ik namelijk het idee dat ze twee zaken behandeld hebben, maar er uiteindelijk maar met eentje zijn verder gegaan waardoor ik de noodzaak niet meer zie in het verhaal van de andere zaak.
Tevens begint het boek met een hoop introducties van personages zonder duidelijkheid wat ze met het verhaal te maken hebben. Tuurlijk kan dat niet meteen duidelijk zijn, maar het duurt lang voordat het werkelijk waar duidelijk wordt.
Geen bijzonder of spannend boek dus. Al vind ik de titel wel aantrekkelijk.
Het begint heel goed en spannend, waarvan je denkt dit moet een spannend boek worden. Helaas was dit niet het geval. Er mist duidelijk veel spanning, er mist een correct verhaallijn. Nu heb ik namelijk het idee dat ze twee zaken behandeld hebben, maar er uiteindelijk maar met eentje zijn verder gegaan waardoor ik de noodzaak niet meer zie in het verhaal van de andere zaak.
Tevens begint het boek met een hoop introducties van personages zonder duidelijkheid wat ze met het verhaal te maken hebben. Tuurlijk kan dat niet meteen duidelijk zijn, maar het duurt lang voordat het werkelijk waar duidelijk wordt.
Geen bijzonder of spannend boek dus. Al vind ik de titel wel aantrekkelijk.
November 21, 2017
Patrick works for the Malawi-Scotland Alliance. He is attacked and he manages to call a speed dial on his phone which is Summer- a long time ex girlfriend. Kate has had an affair and her husband has walked out on her, as she will always put the party first as she is a politician. The police appear to be taking little notice of Summer reporting Patrick missing and she takes steps of her own. JB is on holiday but something about Summer makes him take the case more seriously than just a missing man and he starts the investigation off, and then finds a connection that makes it headline news. This is a well written novel with lead characters that you can take to. A couple of gory scenes but nothing to put you off your dinner. An interesting plot line, a hint of a romance, much scandal and a few key characters make this a well put together piece of work. An enjoyable read.
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased
May 9, 2016
Full disclosure. The author is a digital friend. We met on twitter and regularly talk writing in the cloud. I pre-ordered the paperback from Matador, in order to benefit from a £2 discount. I had not seen any of the book until the package arrived.
The Wrong Kind of Clouds is a crime novel that rattles along. I read it in a day, which is pretty much the greatest compliment that I can pay a thriller. The characters have depth and are interesting - in fact, I hope to hear more of Summer and LB. The Police Detective became my new hero when he said,
"Yes. I really hate bad cooking. I would rather go hungry than eat something out of a packet."
'Atta boy LB!
It's a cracking book that I enjoyed from start to finish. Buy it from troubadour.co.uk as a paperback or if you prefer ebooks, then it's available towards the end of the month.
The Wrong Kind of Clouds is a crime novel that rattles along. I read it in a day, which is pretty much the greatest compliment that I can pay a thriller. The characters have depth and are interesting - in fact, I hope to hear more of Summer and LB. The Police Detective became my new hero when he said,
"Yes. I really hate bad cooking. I would rather go hungry than eat something out of a packet."
'Atta boy LB!
It's a cracking book that I enjoyed from start to finish. Buy it from troubadour.co.uk as a paperback or if you prefer ebooks, then it's available towards the end of the month.
September 29, 2016
I was really pleased to have won a paperback copy of this book. The blurb intrigued me, and I liked both the book cover and the unusual title. The start of the book takes you straight into the action and draws you in.
This thriller has plenty of twists and turns. It's a race against time to find Patrick alive and there are many suspects who could be behind the kidnapping. Patrick really isn't a good person to be involved with, but he does have some redeeming qualities and I found myself rooting for him to be found in time. This premise and the writing style led to a page turner of a book.
This thriller has plenty of twists and turns. It's a race against time to find Patrick alive and there are many suspects who could be behind the kidnapping. Patrick really isn't a good person to be involved with, but he does have some redeeming qualities and I found myself rooting for him to be found in time. This premise and the writing style led to a page turner of a book.
May 18, 2016
I thought I would really enjoy reading this book after I read the blurb. The reality was, there were some good lines but overall I felt a bit disappointed and cheated. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy.
November 19, 2017
Summer Morris, a photographer, receives a desperate call from her ex Patrick Forrester. It sounds like he is being attacked and he begs for Summers help.
Their relationship hadn`t ended well after he cleared out her bank account but for all that she can`t just do nothing and decides to investigate after failing to get the polices interest.
Summer visits Patricks flat and foolishly removes items in her effort to discover what has happened to him.
Patrick although a bit of a charmer isn`t the most loved man and has made enemies as a result of his numerous affairs and borrowing money from loan sharks and gambling.He does however have a caring side and is involved with a charity providing for and educating the poor children of Malawi.
Summer realising she can`t do this alone finally manages to gain the attention of DS L B Stewart.
This book is a race against time to discover Patricks whereabouts and hopefully to find him alive.
Summer and LB discover quite a few people in the uk who it seems wouldn`t be sorry if Patrick was permanently removed from their lives.
The possibility that child traffickers in Malawi could also be involved in his disappearance.
I really enjoyed this book, it held my interest right up to the very end, it has a well thought out plot and interesting characters.
I would definately recommend reading it and thanks to Joffe books for the opportunity to read it as an ARC.
Their relationship hadn`t ended well after he cleared out her bank account but for all that she can`t just do nothing and decides to investigate after failing to get the polices interest.
Summer visits Patricks flat and foolishly removes items in her effort to discover what has happened to him.
Patrick although a bit of a charmer isn`t the most loved man and has made enemies as a result of his numerous affairs and borrowing money from loan sharks and gambling.He does however have a caring side and is involved with a charity providing for and educating the poor children of Malawi.
Summer realising she can`t do this alone finally manages to gain the attention of DS L B Stewart.
This book is a race against time to discover Patricks whereabouts and hopefully to find him alive.
Summer and LB discover quite a few people in the uk who it seems wouldn`t be sorry if Patrick was permanently removed from their lives.
The possibility that child traffickers in Malawi could also be involved in his disappearance.
I really enjoyed this book, it held my interest right up to the very end, it has a well thought out plot and interesting characters.
I would definately recommend reading it and thanks to Joffe books for the opportunity to read it as an ARC.
December 2, 2017
A gripping, fast paced mystery, this one was a very good read.
I liked the characters of Summer and LB and the way their relationship developed.
Summer is pulled back into the life of her ex Patrick when she receives a frantic call for help from him out of the blue.
Trying to get the police involved brings her in contact with DS LB Stewart who takes a keen interest and together they attempt to find Patrick.
There are messages from multiple people on Patrick's answering machine that indicate more than one person had reason to make him disappear.
How is the disappearance of orphaned children in Malawi related? Patrick was working for an alliance that rehabilitated orphaned children there. Did he discover something he shouldn't have?
And how is the politician Kate Hampton linked to this whole mess?
Can they pull out the clues that matter and make the connections to save Patrick before it is too late?
The way the investigation proceeds, the conversations between the two protagonists and the pace, make this a very readable book.
I liked the characters of Summer and LB and the way their relationship developed.
Summer is pulled back into the life of her ex Patrick when she receives a frantic call for help from him out of the blue.
Trying to get the police involved brings her in contact with DS LB Stewart who takes a keen interest and together they attempt to find Patrick.
There are messages from multiple people on Patrick's answering machine that indicate more than one person had reason to make him disappear.
How is the disappearance of orphaned children in Malawi related? Patrick was working for an alliance that rehabilitated orphaned children there. Did he discover something he shouldn't have?
And how is the politician Kate Hampton linked to this whole mess?
Can they pull out the clues that matter and make the connections to save Patrick before it is too late?
The way the investigation proceeds, the conversations between the two protagonists and the pace, make this a very readable book.
November 21, 2017
Patrick Forrester is a charmer and a commitment phone but his ex-lover Summer has just had a call from him and it sounds like he’s in trouble. Summer can’t get the police to investigate until she meets DS L B Stewart - he’s officially on holiday but agrees to listen to her story and look into it if he can. There are a number of people who could have wanted Patrick to disappear - the politician he was having an affair with, her husband, another woman he had a relationship with who’s pregnant, her brother who wasn’t happy Patrick wanted her to have an abortion, a loan shark and possibly a child trafficking network that was operating in Malawi. Would have liked more closure on the Malawi side of the story but it was still an enjoyable read. Hope there will be more books featuring DS Stewart as he’s an interesting character.
Thanks to Joffe Books and Amanda Fleet for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Thanks to Joffe Books and Amanda Fleet for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
November 22, 2017
This is the second book of Amanda's I have read and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The book starts off dramatically with Summer rreceiving a phone call from Patrick which she originally thinks is a joke as he hasn't spoken to her since they seperated and it sounds like he is being kidnapped.
She goes to the police who ignore her cries for help until DS Stewart hears her and offers his assistance.
Throughout the book there are some gruesome parts but apart from this it is a very written and planned book.
I really took to the character of Summer who is thrown into the deep end when trying to figure out why he ex has been kidnapped and by whom .
Overall the story flows well and it left me guessing with all the twists and red herrings throughout the book so I give it 4 stars.
The book starts off dramatically with Summer rreceiving a phone call from Patrick which she originally thinks is a joke as he hasn't spoken to her since they seperated and it sounds like he is being kidnapped.
She goes to the police who ignore her cries for help until DS Stewart hears her and offers his assistance.
Throughout the book there are some gruesome parts but apart from this it is a very written and planned book.
I really took to the character of Summer who is thrown into the deep end when trying to figure out why he ex has been kidnapped and by whom .
Overall the story flows well and it left me guessing with all the twists and red herrings throughout the book so I give it 4 stars.
February 28, 2018
What a Gripping read! The Call by Amanda Fleet is the first novel to cross my path and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I was hooked from the first few pages.
Summer Morris, is a photographer and receives a desperate call from her ex boyfriend Patrick Forrester. He begs for Summers help and sounds like he is being attacked. Their relationship did not end well as he cleared her bank account out. Summer visits Patrick's flat, where she discovers proof of his abduction. But Summer can not just sit there and do nothing, she has to go and investigate as the police are not interested.
This book is gripping and fast paced. I could not get enough of this book and i will be reading more from this author
Summer Morris, is a photographer and receives a desperate call from her ex boyfriend Patrick Forrester. He begs for Summers help and sounds like he is being attacked. Their relationship did not end well as he cleared her bank account out. Summer visits Patrick's flat, where she discovers proof of his abduction. But Summer can not just sit there and do nothing, she has to go and investigate as the police are not interested.
This book is gripping and fast paced. I could not get enough of this book and i will be reading more from this author
January 18, 2018
*thank you to Netgalley and Joffe Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
1.5 stars.
DNF @ 39%.
Im surprised that I made it as far as I did. Right from the beginning few chapters I felt that there were way way too many narrators and that put me off. Trying to take in the details and also having to remember who is who. Then after it just felt like nothing was really happening. It says this book is 'full of twists' but even at 39% of the way through the book, I didn't find any twists. I wanted to keep going to push through it, but it just got to the point where my mind drifted way too often and I had to let this one go.
1.5 stars.
DNF @ 39%.
Im surprised that I made it as far as I did. Right from the beginning few chapters I felt that there were way way too many narrators and that put me off. Trying to take in the details and also having to remember who is who. Then after it just felt like nothing was really happening. It says this book is 'full of twists' but even at 39% of the way through the book, I didn't find any twists. I wanted to keep going to push through it, but it just got to the point where my mind drifted way too often and I had to let this one go.
November 22, 2017
Patrick is in real trouble. He owes loan sharks money, But that isn't the half of his troubles. Patrick is a player....of women. He has a list of women that he has done wrong to, including an ex-girlfriend, Summer Morris. Summer enlists the help of DS Stewart, together they get involved in all of Patrick's problems. Can they find Patrick? What will happen if they do? There is many things going on in this book. I would like to thank Joffe Books and Net Galley for the copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
November 28, 2017
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I enjoyed this book and found the pace to be spot on for the story. There were twists and turns and the plot is well planned and thought through. There are a few gruesome parts in the story but they are in keeping with the plot. I enjoyed the character of Summer and found her to be even more likable as the book progressed.
I thought that the story was well written and I did enjoy the plot, but I did prefer her previous book if I am honest. Four stars from me for this one but very much looking forward to the next release from Amanda.
I enjoyed this book and found the pace to be spot on for the story. There were twists and turns and the plot is well planned and thought through. There are a few gruesome parts in the story but they are in keeping with the plot. I enjoyed the character of Summer and found her to be even more likable as the book progressed.
I thought that the story was well written and I did enjoy the plot, but I did prefer her previous book if I am honest. Four stars from me for this one but very much looking forward to the next release from Amanda.
December 2, 2017
4.5- How far would you go to help an ex? This was a interesting story that had me wondering what I would do. Long story short not what she did I don't think. This was a fun and exciting book for me to read, I read this in just a few hours and when it was finished I was disappointed. The characters were an interesting development and so was their relationship. I thank you for allowing me to read this book and write about it.
November 21, 2017
THE CALL by Amanda Fleet. Liked her other books, this couldn't make the connection, till further into the book. When you have loan sharks after you, hard for Patrick to find some one that would help. Is he gone or disappeared, owing a lot of money, he can't pay back. Given ARC by Joffee for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.
November 21, 2017
Thanks to Joffe books for making it possible to read this book. A well written book with an unusual storyline that keeps you interested throughout. Perhaps there may be a follow up to this with the Malawi side being the topic as I would have liked to have read more about this involvement.
November 27, 2017
I like stories with different points of view, but it was to ceaseless for me. There were moments where I would lose my grasp on what was going on. I did enjoy the idea behind it though. It certainly made for an interesting story.
December 1, 2017
Disgraced politician, abduction, attempted murder, romance
All the elements for a British thriller. Fast-paced, full of twists and turns. Needs sequel, which is probably in the works.
All the elements for a British thriller. Fast-paced, full of twists and turns. Needs sequel, which is probably in the works.
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