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Eastbourne Murder Mystery #1
I Could Be You
A life has been taken. But whose life is it?
On a stifling hot day, former journalist Dee Doran finds the crumpled body of her friend at the roadside. Katie and her little boy, Jake, have been a light in Dee’s otherwise desolate life – now a woman is dead and a child is missing.
Katie has been keeping secrets for a long time. Years earlier, she fell for the wrong person. But he was in love with someone else; who he couldn’t have but couldn’t keep away from. When jealousy and desire spilled over into murder Katie hid the truth, and has been pretending ever since.
As Dee assists the police with their enquiries she’s compelled to investigate too. She realises Katie wasn’t who she claimed to be. Lies are catching up. Stories are unravelling. Revenge is demanded and someone must pay the price. The question who?
Don’t miss this explosive crime thriller perfect for fans for Alex Marwood and Fiona Barton.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2020
213 people are currently reading
914 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Bugler
31 books108 followersI'm the author of the Ellen Kelly and Dee Doran crime novels. My first stand alone novel, The Lucky Eight, is published in July 2021.
I grew up in a small town in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, I left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Argentina and London before finally settling in Eastbourne, where I now live with my husband, Sean, and our two children.
I grew up in a small town in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, I left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland, Argentina and London before finally settling in Eastbourne, where I now live with my husband, Sean, and our two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
January 28, 2020
4☆ A Taut, Twisty, Gripping and pacy thriller that will have you hooked from the first few pages!
I COULD BE YOU is a Twisty and Gripping Crime Thriller full of mystery, with an opening that will have your heart in your mouth!
It opens with a young Mum found on the side of the road involved in a hit and run, resulting in her horrific death. But there's more....there's also an empty pushchair with no sign of any child anywhere.
Dee who finds the young women (Katie) is her friend and tenant, and she also knows that her 2year old son Jake would have been with her too! So where is he?
The police are called, but as they start to investigate the Death and Missing Child, they realise things are not quiet what they seem!
Dee used to be a journalist and can't help thinking about Jake the little boy who's missing. She had become very close to them both and feels she owes it to them to find out why someone would want Katie dead! And just where is Jake!
What I loved about this story was there was so many juicy twists, just when you think you might be getting somewhere another one pops up. It kept me on my toes and gripped throughout, which is exactly how I love my Crime Thrillers to be!
The story is told in the present with the added bonus of flashbacks from the past, which strengthens the plot as it thickens.
I COULD BE YOU is a Taut, Twisty, Gripping and pacy thriller full of secrets, mystery, intrigue and investigation.
The Characters are brilliantly written, believable and at times flawed but they certainly made for a compulsive read.
Would I recommend reading this Engrossing book....... Without a Doubt.....100%.......YES!!
Thank you to Compulsive Readers Tours and Canelo Publishers for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
I COULD BE YOU is a Twisty and Gripping Crime Thriller full of mystery, with an opening that will have your heart in your mouth!
It opens with a young Mum found on the side of the road involved in a hit and run, resulting in her horrific death. But there's more....there's also an empty pushchair with no sign of any child anywhere.
Dee who finds the young women (Katie) is her friend and tenant, and she also knows that her 2year old son Jake would have been with her too! So where is he?
The police are called, but as they start to investigate the Death and Missing Child, they realise things are not quiet what they seem!
Dee used to be a journalist and can't help thinking about Jake the little boy who's missing. She had become very close to them both and feels she owes it to them to find out why someone would want Katie dead! And just where is Jake!
What I loved about this story was there was so many juicy twists, just when you think you might be getting somewhere another one pops up. It kept me on my toes and gripped throughout, which is exactly how I love my Crime Thrillers to be!
The story is told in the present with the added bonus of flashbacks from the past, which strengthens the plot as it thickens.
I COULD BE YOU is a Taut, Twisty, Gripping and pacy thriller full of secrets, mystery, intrigue and investigation.
The Characters are brilliantly written, believable and at times flawed but they certainly made for a compulsive read.
Would I recommend reading this Engrossing book....... Without a Doubt.....100%.......YES!!
Thank you to Compulsive Readers Tours and Canelo Publishers for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
January 23, 2020
Dee used to be a top journalist. But the death of her mother and the breakdown of her marriage, she has become a recluse. Dee has a tenant, Katie and her son Jake. After a murder takes place outside her house, Dee realises she didn't really know her friend at all. Kate had secrets.
This is a gripping and intriguing story. Its told in the present and the past. There are plenty of twists, some of them are obvious. It's a other book I don't want to say say too much about as I don't want to spoil it. The book drew me in after the first few chapters and I could not put it down. I needed to know what had happened. I loved this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author Sheila Bugler for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a gripping and intriguing story. Its told in the present and the past. There are plenty of twists, some of them are obvious. It's a other book I don't want to say say too much about as I don't want to spoil it. The book drew me in after the first few chapters and I could not put it down. I needed to know what had happened. I loved this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author Sheila Bugler for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2020
I was in a sad, sad mood. I heard a knock
Me: Go away... I am sad
Stranger: Come on, open up. Just a little bit...
Me: I don't wanna
Stranger: I have come to your kindle. Just read a page..
Me: Just one page?
Stranger Book: Right
Me: Okay...
A few minutes later...
Me: Woah! There's a murder
Stranger Book: Uh-huh
A couple of minutes later...
Me: And a missing baby
Stranger Book: Yeah
Me: Whaaaat!! A missing identity
Stranger Book: Yessss!!
Me with stars in my eyes: Who are you?
Stranger Book: I'm - I Could Be You
Me with a big, big grin: Sheila Bugler is a fab writer
Friendly Book: Tell her that!!
And that's how I got to be reading this fantastic book by author Sheila Bugler.
A woman Katie found dead on the road by her landlord Dee and her 2-year-old boy Jake missing. The cops came out with a revelation about Katie not being who she was, and Dee started her investigation.
My first book by author Sheila Bugler, and I was blown away by the twists which started right from the first chapter. The author's writing brought me out from my doldrums, and spike in my heart rate was a welcome change. She made me react to the story with her writing, and I felt alive.
The afternoon was a witness to me just tapping my kindle, trying to read as fast as I could to get to the end. The twists were aplenty, and they forced me to follow the crumbs of the reveals. Written in twin timeliness, I got to know snippets of Katie's life too along with Dee's present investigation.
There was something magical about this book. It gripped my mind and kept it so engrossed for the three hours that it took me to complete it. The only niggle was that the mid-section could have been spruced up. But the end more than made up for it.
Overall, it was a book which invigorated me and kept my brain hooked to it.
Me: Go away... I am sad
Stranger: Come on, open up. Just a little bit...
Me: I don't wanna
Stranger: I have come to your kindle. Just read a page..
Me: Just one page?
Stranger Book: Right
Me: Okay...
A few minutes later...
Me: Woah! There's a murder
Stranger Book: Uh-huh
A couple of minutes later...
Me: And a missing baby
Stranger Book: Yeah
Me: Whaaaat!! A missing identity
Stranger Book: Yessss!!
Me with stars in my eyes: Who are you?
Stranger Book: I'm - I Could Be You
Me with a big, big grin: Sheila Bugler is a fab writer
Friendly Book: Tell her that!!
And that's how I got to be reading this fantastic book by author Sheila Bugler.
A woman Katie found dead on the road by her landlord Dee and her 2-year-old boy Jake missing. The cops came out with a revelation about Katie not being who she was, and Dee started her investigation.
My first book by author Sheila Bugler, and I was blown away by the twists which started right from the first chapter. The author's writing brought me out from my doldrums, and spike in my heart rate was a welcome change. She made me react to the story with her writing, and I felt alive.
The afternoon was a witness to me just tapping my kindle, trying to read as fast as I could to get to the end. The twists were aplenty, and they forced me to follow the crumbs of the reveals. Written in twin timeliness, I got to know snippets of Katie's life too along with Dee's present investigation.
There was something magical about this book. It gripped my mind and kept it so engrossed for the three hours that it took me to complete it. The only niggle was that the mid-section could have been spruced up. But the end more than made up for it.
Overall, it was a book which invigorated me and kept my brain hooked to it.
June 26, 2024
What I loved about this book was the character of Dee and how she threw herself into the investigation. I also loved the unpredictability of this book. It's told by 2 POV - Kate (in the past leading up to the tragedy) and Dee (in the present solving the crime.) This book is about identity, jealously and revenge. First book in the Eastbourne Murder Mystery series and this definitely won't be my last.
February 26, 2020
Review for 'I could be you' by Sheila Bugler
Read and reviewed via NetGalley
This book gripped my attention straight away and kept me going until the end.
I found it very well written and I enjoyed the fact that it was written in the present, had flashbacks from the past and written from different characters perspectives so by the end you get the whole story and its wrapped up nicely with no loose ends.
The book is based in the UK which is always a bonus for me. The characters were well described as was the locations.
The storyline was filled with lots of juicy twists, some I worked out and others I hadn't. It was filled with suspense and left me holding my breathe at the end.
I would recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers, crime, suspense and mystery.
Rated 4/5 on Goodreads and Amazon (I liked it)
£1.99 on kindle
Feel free to add me on Goodreads for more reviews
#ICouldBeYou #NetGalley
Read and reviewed via NetGalley
This book gripped my attention straight away and kept me going until the end.
I found it very well written and I enjoyed the fact that it was written in the present, had flashbacks from the past and written from different characters perspectives so by the end you get the whole story and its wrapped up nicely with no loose ends.
The book is based in the UK which is always a bonus for me. The characters were well described as was the locations.
The storyline was filled with lots of juicy twists, some I worked out and others I hadn't. It was filled with suspense and left me holding my breathe at the end.
I would recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers, crime, suspense and mystery.
Rated 4/5 on Goodreads and Amazon (I liked it)
£1.99 on kindle
Feel free to add me on Goodreads for more reviews
#ICouldBeYou #NetGalley
February 2, 2020
A really good physiological thriller!
I found this a fast paced twisty book full of surprises and people who are not whom they seem to be.
Dee discovers the body of her neighbour in the road outside the house. It seems like she was run over. Nearby is the pram of her 2 year old boy but he is missing. BUT..... all is not as it seems. It turns out the body is not that of Katie. It is the body of someone who has never had a child. What happened to Katie and her son Jake. Who is Jake and who's body was it?
A gripping book that hooks you from the start.
Thank you to Netgally and Canello for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I found this a fast paced twisty book full of surprises and people who are not whom they seem to be.
Dee discovers the body of her neighbour in the road outside the house. It seems like she was run over. Nearby is the pram of her 2 year old boy but he is missing. BUT..... all is not as it seems. It turns out the body is not that of Katie. It is the body of someone who has never had a child. What happened to Katie and her son Jake. Who is Jake and who's body was it?
A gripping book that hooks you from the start.
Thank you to Netgally and Canello for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 20, 2020
Dee Doran finds the body of her neighbour and friend, Katie Hope. A victim of a hit and run…..but where is her 2 year old son, Jake?
Dee, a retired journalist, uses her skills to try and find out what happened and to find little Jake.
What she finds out is that Katie, her friend, had secrets. She was not the person she thought she was.
Told in the present day and flashbacks to the past, this is a gripping, twisty thriller that has you hooked for the very start.
Thank you to Tracy and Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Dee, a retired journalist, uses her skills to try and find out what happened and to find little Jake.
What she finds out is that Katie, her friend, had secrets. She was not the person she thought she was.
Told in the present day and flashbacks to the past, this is a gripping, twisty thriller that has you hooked for the very start.
Thank you to Tracy and Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
January 29, 2020
The impact a child can have on your life can be profound and everlasting. Even if that child isn’t yours. A child can lighten up the darkest of lives. They have an infectious way of melting even the coldest of personas. A child and their impact have a way of shaping your life, usually for the better. Family isn’t always determined by blood, it is the connection that we make with a kindred soul. What happens when that tie is severed? It feels like we are literally missing a part of ourselves. It’s an irrevocable wrenching of the heart. I instantly signed up for this blog tour for its intense cover and a synopsis that is dripping in mysterious intrigue.
Reading I could be you can be described as looking into the mirror and for the first time being able to see something more than just you. All your flaws, past mistakes and your vision for the future are suddenly flashing before your eyes. There’s a figure in the background threatening to be revealed in all its glorious technicolour but what exactly will revealed? It fogs your mind, makes you forget. Your memories feel like a freezing fog, keeping you in the now and happy to keep you oblivious.
The opening is a friend’s, or family members worst nightmare. That is exactly where it should stay. Seeing someone you care about is harmed and no-one felt the need to stop and help. A crushed buggy and no sign of the precious little 2-year-old boy that you doted over, you babysat and most important of all, you loved, as if he were her own. It’s poignant, heart-breaking and left me imagining my own pain if it were one of my own boys. The impact of what has just happened finally enters my foggy brain and I’m left feeling bereft just like Dee. Her pain is apparent, and she starts losing her direction.
I was unable to prise this book from my hands and Sheila Berger knows just how to punch you in the feels. She forces you to dip your foot into the water and she sends you swimming from one raw emotion to another. It leaves you feeling wrecked and disorientated, but you know the only way is forward.
I could Be You deals with difficult tropes, but they are handled with dignity and tact. The grief of a missing child is a wrought cage of emotion. We see this nearly every day in the newspapers. Press releases. Emotional reaching out. Trauma lingering. Sheila Bulger gives this type of grief a form – it’s ugly but realistic and it inflicts a severe whiplash with its intensity.
Dee’s young friend is found on the side of the road apparently being ran over in a hit and run. The buggy is beside her and it’s empty. Her friend, Kate, would have had her son with her, wouldn’t she? Just where has the little boy gone? The police are called, and they start gathering evidence and information and it is quickly discovered that nothing is as it seems. It becomes very twisty and my head needed to be straightened several times during my read of I Could Be You.
When Dee discovers some mistruths surrounding her death she sets out to rebirth the Journalist in her. She gets help from her cousin, Louise who is still a Journo. Together they plot to get to the bottom of Katie’s past and any missing links to where the little boy could be. The story is told in the present and we have flashbacks to Katie’s past which strengthens the plot.
I Could Be You was brilliantly eerie. It was a true psychological thriller that has tons of pace and atmospheric brilliance. You need to push forward to decipher the twists.
Reading I could be you can be described as looking into the mirror and for the first time being able to see something more than just you. All your flaws, past mistakes and your vision for the future are suddenly flashing before your eyes. There’s a figure in the background threatening to be revealed in all its glorious technicolour but what exactly will revealed? It fogs your mind, makes you forget. Your memories feel like a freezing fog, keeping you in the now and happy to keep you oblivious.
The opening is a friend’s, or family members worst nightmare. That is exactly where it should stay. Seeing someone you care about is harmed and no-one felt the need to stop and help. A crushed buggy and no sign of the precious little 2-year-old boy that you doted over, you babysat and most important of all, you loved, as if he were her own. It’s poignant, heart-breaking and left me imagining my own pain if it were one of my own boys. The impact of what has just happened finally enters my foggy brain and I’m left feeling bereft just like Dee. Her pain is apparent, and she starts losing her direction.
I was unable to prise this book from my hands and Sheila Berger knows just how to punch you in the feels. She forces you to dip your foot into the water and she sends you swimming from one raw emotion to another. It leaves you feeling wrecked and disorientated, but you know the only way is forward.
I could Be You deals with difficult tropes, but they are handled with dignity and tact. The grief of a missing child is a wrought cage of emotion. We see this nearly every day in the newspapers. Press releases. Emotional reaching out. Trauma lingering. Sheila Bulger gives this type of grief a form – it’s ugly but realistic and it inflicts a severe whiplash with its intensity.
Dee’s young friend is found on the side of the road apparently being ran over in a hit and run. The buggy is beside her and it’s empty. Her friend, Kate, would have had her son with her, wouldn’t she? Just where has the little boy gone? The police are called, and they start gathering evidence and information and it is quickly discovered that nothing is as it seems. It becomes very twisty and my head needed to be straightened several times during my read of I Could Be You.
When Dee discovers some mistruths surrounding her death she sets out to rebirth the Journalist in her. She gets help from her cousin, Louise who is still a Journo. Together they plot to get to the bottom of Katie’s past and any missing links to where the little boy could be. The story is told in the present and we have flashbacks to Katie’s past which strengthens the plot.
I Could Be You was brilliantly eerie. It was a true psychological thriller that has tons of pace and atmospheric brilliance. You need to push forward to decipher the twists.
January 30, 2020
Mistaken identity, lies, secrets, and revenge culminate in murder on the narrow road near the shingle coast on the outskirts of Eastbourne.
When ex-journalist, 51-year-old Dee Doran, finds the dead body she immediately recognizes her as neighbor and friend, Katie Hope. Instantly she's concerned because Katie has a two-year-old son, Jake, whose buggy is broken and twisted by a ditch. But Jake is not there. It looks like a hit and run, but where is the little boy? The police get involved and during the course of their investigation they discover that the dead woman may not actually be Dee's tenant and friend after all. But who is she, then, and where is the person that Dee had befriended? NO SPOILERS.
This is a convoluted tale of jealousy and hatred that stems from the past. The story is told from the points of view of 3 different women and shifts in time. The central characters are all actually unlikeable and the twists fairly predictable. It is fast-paced and easy to read in a single sitting as the details and clues are dangled like crumbs for the reader to follow to the inevitable conclusion.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for this e-book ARC to read and review.
When ex-journalist, 51-year-old Dee Doran, finds the dead body she immediately recognizes her as neighbor and friend, Katie Hope. Instantly she's concerned because Katie has a two-year-old son, Jake, whose buggy is broken and twisted by a ditch. But Jake is not there. It looks like a hit and run, but where is the little boy? The police get involved and during the course of their investigation they discover that the dead woman may not actually be Dee's tenant and friend after all. But who is she, then, and where is the person that Dee had befriended? NO SPOILERS.
This is a convoluted tale of jealousy and hatred that stems from the past. The story is told from the points of view of 3 different women and shifts in time. The central characters are all actually unlikeable and the twists fairly predictable. It is fast-paced and easy to read in a single sitting as the details and clues are dangled like crumbs for the reader to follow to the inevitable conclusion.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for this e-book ARC to read and review.
January 31, 2020
A new author to me, Sheila Bugler has written a gripping novel that’ll have you puzzling. There’s a dead body but things are not as they seem. A child is missing and former journalist Dee Doran is distraught. They were her neighbours. She was their landlord. This is murder, mystery and suspense. It harks back to a crime committed ten years earlier and we go back in the past which gradually unfolds and casts its light on the present. I couldn’t put this one down!
January 23, 2020
This was an interesting and twisty story, which starts off with a bang when in the first pages, Dee leaves her house to find her neighbor and tenant, Katie, had been killed by what looks like a hit and run, and Katie's 2 year old son missing. From there, there are multiple twists and turns, one of which happens pretty early in the book and caught me by surprise. There are also some alternating chapters in the book told as flashbacks from Katie's perspective, leading up to the current timeline.
There were a lot of surprises in this book, and many people who aren't exactly who they seemed to be. The story did get a little convoluted towards the end, but once I digested that, it all came back together. I thought the loose ends were tied up nicely, but not so perfectly that it seemed unrealistic- there were still some unknowns on which the reader can make their own opinions of what would happen after.
I was torn on whether I liked Dee or not- I thought she was very human and real in some things, like her love for Katie's son and with the complex relationships she had with her ex-husband and her cousin. However, there were times where I didn't really understand where she was coming from, like the fact that she never tried to rebuild her career, why she never wanted children but loved Katie's so much, and in some of the risky actions she took when trying to figure out what happened to Katie. The juxtaposition between some of these things made me feel like I didn't really know her well and thus couldn't always empathize with her.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book- I love a story with surprise twists that I don't see coming, and that moves at this quick of a pace. I also enjoy books that go back and forth between flashbacks and the current time. This book will be a hit with those who like psychological and domestic thrillers as well as mysteries.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There were a lot of surprises in this book, and many people who aren't exactly who they seemed to be. The story did get a little convoluted towards the end, but once I digested that, it all came back together. I thought the loose ends were tied up nicely, but not so perfectly that it seemed unrealistic- there were still some unknowns on which the reader can make their own opinions of what would happen after.
I was torn on whether I liked Dee or not- I thought she was very human and real in some things, like her love for Katie's son and with the complex relationships she had with her ex-husband and her cousin. However, there were times where I didn't really understand where she was coming from, like the fact that she never tried to rebuild her career, why she never wanted children but loved Katie's so much, and in some of the risky actions she took when trying to figure out what happened to Katie. The juxtaposition between some of these things made me feel like I didn't really know her well and thus couldn't always empathize with her.
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book- I love a story with surprise twists that I don't see coming, and that moves at this quick of a pace. I also enjoy books that go back and forth between flashbacks and the current time. This book will be a hit with those who like psychological and domestic thrillers as well as mysteries.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2020
I Could Be You is a book that grabs the reader's attention not just from the first page, but from the very first line when Dee finds her neighbour, Katie, dead in the road and only an empty pushchair where toddler Jake should be. It soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary hit and run as Sheila Bugler takes us on a twisty journey through Katie's dark and mysterious past.
Dee is a former journalist so she's no stranger to investigating stories and sniffing out deep, dark secrets but she's not the only one interested in finding out the truth about Katie; both Dee's ex-husband and her cousin are journalists too. Dee is warned by the police to stay out of the investigation but Katie was her friend and I loved that she put herself in danger in the hunt for justice.
A lot of the story revolves around Katie's past and after her mother disappeared, it's no surprise that Katie was a troubled teen. Her father had a busy job running a pub so he didn't have a big hand in her upbringing and she was left to her own devices, which is when she hooked up with local bad boy, Shane. I felt so sorry for Katie when she was growing up; she was overweight and felt invisible so it's no wonder she grabbed on to the attention that Shane lavished on her, even though she knew that he was using her. I knew this story would end badly, but I didn't realise how many lives would be ruined.
With past and present mysteries to solve, I Could Be You is a definite page-turner. It's full of mystery and intrigue and some eye-popping moments that really did make me gasp out loud. With fast-pacing and a gripping storyline, I Could Be You is a tense and twisty thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Dee is a former journalist so she's no stranger to investigating stories and sniffing out deep, dark secrets but she's not the only one interested in finding out the truth about Katie; both Dee's ex-husband and her cousin are journalists too. Dee is warned by the police to stay out of the investigation but Katie was her friend and I loved that she put herself in danger in the hunt for justice.
A lot of the story revolves around Katie's past and after her mother disappeared, it's no surprise that Katie was a troubled teen. Her father had a busy job running a pub so he didn't have a big hand in her upbringing and she was left to her own devices, which is when she hooked up with local bad boy, Shane. I felt so sorry for Katie when she was growing up; she was overweight and felt invisible so it's no wonder she grabbed on to the attention that Shane lavished on her, even though she knew that he was using her. I knew this story would end badly, but I didn't realise how many lives would be ruined.
With past and present mysteries to solve, I Could Be You is a definite page-turner. It's full of mystery and intrigue and some eye-popping moments that really did make me gasp out loud. With fast-pacing and a gripping storyline, I Could Be You is a tense and twisty thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
January 25, 2020
This story is full of lies, mystery, twists and turns. It didn't take me long to read this edge of your seat mystery. As I wanted to know what the heck was going on and who exactly was the body on the beach.
Dee Doran, now she was a great character to head up a mystery story. Let's just say she isn't the most reliable of characters. When she found the body outside her house, she was a little bit hungover and can't actually remember much of the previous nights events. She is currently unemployed, and is a little bit lost in life. She definitely doesn't enjoy where she's living and hankers for London life. As her previous job was a journalist, when the investigation into the body on the beach starts to become more twisted and mysterious. Dee uses her skills and contacts (which she has plenty in the journalist world) to uncover the riddle of who is the woman?
This story is told mainly from Dee's point of view in the present surrounding the case. However, we get flashback chapters from Katie, the missing friend (who Dee first thought was lying dead outside her house) from these flashbacks we can start to piece together what has happened to build up to the present day murder.
Along the way we meet a variety of characters that add to the mystery. Believe me you need your wits about you to keep up with Katie's story and realise who is involved.
A tale of infatuation, obsession and jealousy all twisted up into a great thriller that culminates into a thrilling showdown. Perfect reading.
Dee Doran, now she was a great character to head up a mystery story. Let's just say she isn't the most reliable of characters. When she found the body outside her house, she was a little bit hungover and can't actually remember much of the previous nights events. She is currently unemployed, and is a little bit lost in life. She definitely doesn't enjoy where she's living and hankers for London life. As her previous job was a journalist, when the investigation into the body on the beach starts to become more twisted and mysterious. Dee uses her skills and contacts (which she has plenty in the journalist world) to uncover the riddle of who is the woman?
This story is told mainly from Dee's point of view in the present surrounding the case. However, we get flashback chapters from Katie, the missing friend (who Dee first thought was lying dead outside her house) from these flashbacks we can start to piece together what has happened to build up to the present day murder.
Along the way we meet a variety of characters that add to the mystery. Believe me you need your wits about you to keep up with Katie's story and realise who is involved.
A tale of infatuation, obsession and jealousy all twisted up into a great thriller that culminates into a thrilling showdown. Perfect reading.
August 4, 2020
A dead woman lies at the side of the road and her child is missing. Former journalist, Dee Doran, who has problems of her own, is shaken to the core by the death of her friend, Katie. But this is only the beginning of her troubles as she launches her own investigation alongside the local police.
Like any psychological thriller, there are secrets to unravel. The story alternates between Dee and Katie, past and present, to fill in the missing details, little by little. This means the pace is gentle to start with, but the suspense builds and the pace quickens to an exciting climax as the truth emerges.
Or is it the truth?
That’s the question at the heart of this story and it’s in doubt for most of this well-written novel. While I didn’t take to Dee immediately, her tenacity and friendship to Katie drove her over the hurdles and disappointments she encountered. Meanwhile, Katie’s life before she met Dee is beautifully developed and revealed, creating tension, conflict and a few surprises.
I became more engrossed as the story went on, enjoying the setting and the character development. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and murder mysteries as there are elements of both, providing an entertaining and satisfying read.
Like any psychological thriller, there are secrets to unravel. The story alternates between Dee and Katie, past and present, to fill in the missing details, little by little. This means the pace is gentle to start with, but the suspense builds and the pace quickens to an exciting climax as the truth emerges.
Or is it the truth?
That’s the question at the heart of this story and it’s in doubt for most of this well-written novel. While I didn’t take to Dee immediately, her tenacity and friendship to Katie drove her over the hurdles and disappointments she encountered. Meanwhile, Katie’s life before she met Dee is beautifully developed and revealed, creating tension, conflict and a few surprises.
I became more engrossed as the story went on, enjoying the setting and the character development. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and murder mysteries as there are elements of both, providing an entertaining and satisfying read.
February 16, 2020
I read about Sheila Bugler in my local newspaper. She lives in my home town of Eastbourne which is the setting for her books. I enjoyed visualising the area as I read.
A great crime thriller with a plot that draws you in. Great characters, especially Dee, an ex-journalist who becomes more involved than is safe for her.
Murders, mystery and twists along the way while we hear both Dee’s and Katie’s stories. Can’t wait to read more by Sheila.
A great crime thriller with a plot that draws you in. Great characters, especially Dee, an ex-journalist who becomes more involved than is safe for her.
Murders, mystery and twists along the way while we hear both Dee’s and Katie’s stories. Can’t wait to read more by Sheila.
May 23, 2020
This was all a bit twisted and icky, and I didn't really warm to Dee. There was an awful lot of wine drunk too...
July 22, 2024
a solid 4 🌟 the twists and turns of this book was very good! couldn’t put it down at all, a very easy read :) 🪞🔪🚗🪪
October 9, 2022
This is the first book I've read that's set in my home town, so I was hoping it would be good 🤞. I wasn't disappointed. It was a great murder mystery and will definitely be reading the rest in this series.
December 30, 2019
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
a gripping novel full of suspense and intrigue....its starts off with a dead body being found and a case of mistaken identity...
this was written in the present and past chapters with plenty of history..the before and after, a convoluted storyline but one that many will identify with....
i lost it a bit in the middle of the storyline but the ending more than made up for that...the tense drama of it all....
will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors work
a gripping novel full of suspense and intrigue....its starts off with a dead body being found and a case of mistaken identity...
this was written in the present and past chapters with plenty of history..the before and after, a convoluted storyline but one that many will identify with....
i lost it a bit in the middle of the storyline but the ending more than made up for that...the tense drama of it all....
will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors work
February 14, 2020
I’ve just finished reading ‘I Could be You’ What a fabulous book. Plenty of unexpected twists and flawed characters. I loved it. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a book that keeps you on your toes. Read it slowly, you don’t want to miss any subtle clues! The bad news is that I’ve finished the book, but the good news is that there are three more books available by the same author.
March 26, 2020
This story was just okay for me. It is a book that is plot-driven with clues sprinkled throughout to enable to reader to follow the mystery along with the main character, Dee. However, I found the big reveal to be very obvious from the beginning (the title doesn't help) so that made the story pretty boring. Most twists were predictable and the outcome was as expected, I just had to slog through some pretty flat storytelling to get there. I found the story lacking in atmosphere and intrigue and the few attempts at misdirection didn't work for me.
February 2, 2020
When a woman is killed in a hit-and-run accident, leaving a small child missing and a best friend searching for answers, nothing is quite what it seems. The setting becomes another character altogether - a small seaside town where a person might go to disappear. But why?
Twisty and atmospheric, I Could Be You is a a great read!
Twisty and atmospheric, I Could Be You is a a great read!
April 10, 2020
Have spent the week in my home town in more ways than one this week:- physically and hanging out with the guys in Sheila Bugler's book. This is an easy moving suspense novel set in Pevensey and Eastbourne (and a little bit of London). I've enjoyed the week reading the story and wandering around the area where the action took place. Will definitely be reading her earlier books now.
July 6, 2020
Excellent read.
Clever story and realistic plot.
Many twists and turns kept me guessing.
Will definitely read more by this author.
Clever story and realistic plot.
Many twists and turns kept me guessing.
Will definitely read more by this author.
June 12, 2025
WOW WOW WOW! I absolutely loved this book and can not believe that I have not read anything by Sheila before. A mistake that I am so glad I have now rectified. I Could Be You is a brilliant read that took my breath away and I was unable to tear myself away from it, which resulted in me devouring it in one sitting.
I was immediately drawn to this book by its stunning cover and after reading the blurb, I knew that this was one book that I just had to read and clearly I was not disappointed. Sheila has definitely delivered with this story and I Could Be You is the perfect example of what I love out of the suspense thriller genre.
Sheila has crafted a thrilling plot that is both haunting and mysterious. Set against the backdrop of a small seaside town, adds to its eerie vibe and is the perfect accompaniment to the story. The characters are strong and hold their own throughout and are very believable. I also enjoyed the structure of the book and how Sheila uses the past and present tense to convey Katie’s background and what ultimately lead to her death.
I really love Sheila’s style and how she was able to trap me in the pages where I could not pull myself out from until the end. It moves at a fast pace and I was so caught up in this story as the tension and suspense was built throughout, that when I came to the end, I was disappointed it was over. I had one hell of a book hangover after finishing this one and I can’t wait to see what Sheila has in store for her readers next.
I Could Be You is a highly addictive read that will pull you into its web of lies and deceit as you work with Dee as she tries to uncover the truth from Katie’s past. With a strong and intriguing plot, great characterisation, a perfect setting that is all told through writing that is so vivid that you feel like you are part of the story, I Could Be You is a first-class suspense thriller which I cannot recommend highly enough.
Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and Sheila Buglar for allowing me to read an advanced copy of I Could Be You which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I was immediately drawn to this book by its stunning cover and after reading the blurb, I knew that this was one book that I just had to read and clearly I was not disappointed. Sheila has definitely delivered with this story and I Could Be You is the perfect example of what I love out of the suspense thriller genre.
Sheila has crafted a thrilling plot that is both haunting and mysterious. Set against the backdrop of a small seaside town, adds to its eerie vibe and is the perfect accompaniment to the story. The characters are strong and hold their own throughout and are very believable. I also enjoyed the structure of the book and how Sheila uses the past and present tense to convey Katie’s background and what ultimately lead to her death.
I really love Sheila’s style and how she was able to trap me in the pages where I could not pull myself out from until the end. It moves at a fast pace and I was so caught up in this story as the tension and suspense was built throughout, that when I came to the end, I was disappointed it was over. I had one hell of a book hangover after finishing this one and I can’t wait to see what Sheila has in store for her readers next.
I Could Be You is a highly addictive read that will pull you into its web of lies and deceit as you work with Dee as she tries to uncover the truth from Katie’s past. With a strong and intriguing plot, great characterisation, a perfect setting that is all told through writing that is so vivid that you feel like you are part of the story, I Could Be You is a first-class suspense thriller which I cannot recommend highly enough.
Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and Sheila Buglar for allowing me to read an advanced copy of I Could Be You which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
February 15, 2020
I Could Be You by
Sheila Bugler
is a thrilling story of mistaken identity, lies, secrets, and revenge culminating in murder near the shingle coast on the outskirts of Eastbourne, England.
Retired journalist Dee Doran finds the crumpled body of her neighbour, tenant and friend, Katie Hope at the roadside, the apparent victim of a hit-and-run. Katie and her little boy, Jake, have been a light in Dee’s otherwise bleak life – now a woman is dead and her son is missing. As Dee begins to help the police with their enquiries, she soon realises that Katie isn't the person she believed her to be. Katie has been keeping secrets for a number of years. She fell for someone; a person who was in love with somebody else. When jealousy and desire led to a horrific event Katie hid the truth, and has been pretending ever since.
This is my first book by author Sheila Bugler, and I was blown away by the twists which started from the first chapter. Told in present day and in flashbacks, the reader is fed nuggets of information relating to Katie, however, right from the outset, the reliability of the narrator is highly questionable, resulting in a magnificent story full of doubt and uncertainty. A myriad of secrets and some very solid misdirection guaranteed my devoted attention right until the perfect denouement.
I Could Be You is a fascinating, explosive and compulsive read that has inspired me to check out more of this gifted author's work, starting with Hunting Shadows, the first in her 'DI Ellen Kelly' series.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Canelo via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
Retired journalist Dee Doran finds the crumpled body of her neighbour, tenant and friend, Katie Hope at the roadside, the apparent victim of a hit-and-run. Katie and her little boy, Jake, have been a light in Dee’s otherwise bleak life – now a woman is dead and her son is missing. As Dee begins to help the police with their enquiries, she soon realises that Katie isn't the person she believed her to be. Katie has been keeping secrets for a number of years. She fell for someone; a person who was in love with somebody else. When jealousy and desire led to a horrific event Katie hid the truth, and has been pretending ever since.
This is my first book by author Sheila Bugler, and I was blown away by the twists which started from the first chapter. Told in present day and in flashbacks, the reader is fed nuggets of information relating to Katie, however, right from the outset, the reliability of the narrator is highly questionable, resulting in a magnificent story full of doubt and uncertainty. A myriad of secrets and some very solid misdirection guaranteed my devoted attention right until the perfect denouement.
I Could Be You is a fascinating, explosive and compulsive read that has inspired me to check out more of this gifted author's work, starting with Hunting Shadows, the first in her 'DI Ellen Kelly' series.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Canelo via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
January 26, 2020
Wow this book starts right in the middle of a very graphic in your face scene of an accident and let me tell you from then on in you are hooked.
With a killer twist at the start you are left confused and wondering what is going on. It doesn’t help that the narrator is introduced to us with a serious hangover and has no idea what has previously happened.
51 years old and with a dead alcoholic for a mother, an ex husband who is a complete waste of space and no job she has retreated to her parents old house and made friends with Katie who lives in her parents other property next door.
Katie and her son Jake were the only good thing she had left so she is determined to find Jake and work out the answers around the hit and run. Being an ex journalist Dee uses her contacts to investigate.
Told in present day and in flashbacks you are fed little snippets of information on Katie and you learn that alcohol seems to be a common denominator in both Kate and Dee’s lives. I really liked Dee although she has questionable morals this flaw only serves to make her seem human and relatable. It was also really nice to read about a woman in her 50’s rather than the usual 20 something protagonists.
The pace was steady with a good build up of tension and the use of a narrator who you are not sure is reliable worked well. Lots of secrets and some solid misdirections kept my attention and a perfect denouement. Did I work it out? Now wouldn’t that be telling……
With a killer twist at the start you are left confused and wondering what is going on. It doesn’t help that the narrator is introduced to us with a serious hangover and has no idea what has previously happened.
51 years old and with a dead alcoholic for a mother, an ex husband who is a complete waste of space and no job she has retreated to her parents old house and made friends with Katie who lives in her parents other property next door.
Katie and her son Jake were the only good thing she had left so she is determined to find Jake and work out the answers around the hit and run. Being an ex journalist Dee uses her contacts to investigate.
Told in present day and in flashbacks you are fed little snippets of information on Katie and you learn that alcohol seems to be a common denominator in both Kate and Dee’s lives. I really liked Dee although she has questionable morals this flaw only serves to make her seem human and relatable. It was also really nice to read about a woman in her 50’s rather than the usual 20 something protagonists.
The pace was steady with a good build up of tension and the use of a narrator who you are not sure is reliable worked well. Lots of secrets and some solid misdirections kept my attention and a perfect denouement. Did I work it out? Now wouldn’t that be telling……
February 13, 2020
A life has been taken. But whose life is it?
On a stifling hot day, former journalist Dee Doran finds the crumpled body of her friend at the roadside. Katie and her little boy, Jake, have been a light in Dee’s otherwise desolate life – now a woman is dead and a child is missing.
Katie has been keeping secrets for a long time. Years earlier, she fell for the wrong person. But he was in love with someone else; who he couldn’t have but couldn’t keep away from. When jealousy and desire spilled over into murder Katie hid the truth, and has been pretending ever since.
As Dee assists the police with their enquiries she’s compelled to investigate too. She realises Katie wasn’t who she claimed to be. Lies are catching up. Stories are unravelling. Revenge is demanded and someone must pay the price. The question is: who?
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
I was utterly gripped throughout and could not put it down.
Can't wait to read what the author does next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
On a stifling hot day, former journalist Dee Doran finds the crumpled body of her friend at the roadside. Katie and her little boy, Jake, have been a light in Dee’s otherwise desolate life – now a woman is dead and a child is missing.
Katie has been keeping secrets for a long time. Years earlier, she fell for the wrong person. But he was in love with someone else; who he couldn’t have but couldn’t keep away from. When jealousy and desire spilled over into murder Katie hid the truth, and has been pretending ever since.
As Dee assists the police with their enquiries she’s compelled to investigate too. She realises Katie wasn’t who she claimed to be. Lies are catching up. Stories are unravelling. Revenge is demanded and someone must pay the price. The question is: who?
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
I was utterly gripped throughout and could not put it down.
Can't wait to read what the author does next.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
February 20, 2020
Former journalist Dee discovers the body of her friend Katie, a victim of a hit and run. Or so it seems…
The police soon discover that the body is not Katie’s but a woman who looks a great deal like her and was wearing her clothes and pushing her buggy. Where has Dee’s friend gone and has she taken her missing son?
Dee uses her journalist connections and talents to investigate Katie’s life and finds out secrets that have caused her to hide away for years and explain her current disappearance.
The plot is split into the viewpoints of Dee in the present and Katie in the past. In Part 2 of the book (the final quarter) it also shows us Ella’s perspective.
I really liked the way that author Sheila Bugler gives us Katie’s story but doesn’t sugar coat the nastiness and selfishness of her character. Any initial sympanthy I felt towards her was quickly diminished by her relentless jealousy of Ella and manipulation of Shane.
Dee’s determination to find her friend is a powerful plot focus but we also have the strands of her own personal life to make her more human: the alcoholic husband she has divorced, the grief at the death of her mother, the hint of a romance with the lead detective whilst also being pursued by her married neighbour.
I Could Be You was a hugely enjoyable psychological and crime thriller, cleverly written with twists and suspense to keep us readers on our toes!
The police soon discover that the body is not Katie’s but a woman who looks a great deal like her and was wearing her clothes and pushing her buggy. Where has Dee’s friend gone and has she taken her missing son?
Dee uses her journalist connections and talents to investigate Katie’s life and finds out secrets that have caused her to hide away for years and explain her current disappearance.
The plot is split into the viewpoints of Dee in the present and Katie in the past. In Part 2 of the book (the final quarter) it also shows us Ella’s perspective.
I really liked the way that author Sheila Bugler gives us Katie’s story but doesn’t sugar coat the nastiness and selfishness of her character. Any initial sympanthy I felt towards her was quickly diminished by her relentless jealousy of Ella and manipulation of Shane.
Dee’s determination to find her friend is a powerful plot focus but we also have the strands of her own personal life to make her more human: the alcoholic husband she has divorced, the grief at the death of her mother, the hint of a romance with the lead detective whilst also being pursued by her married neighbour.
I Could Be You was a hugely enjoyable psychological and crime thriller, cleverly written with twists and suspense to keep us readers on our toes!
March 3, 2020
I try to get my reviews online as soon as possible after finishing the book so that its fresh in my mind. But also, so I am clear on how I did or did not enjoy the book. I have this fear that if you don’t review an unenjoyed book for a few days you with the time in between finishing and reviewing the book may begin to improve.
With this book I had to leave a couple of days to catch up on my sleep and take a breath. This book absorbed me. So much that I woke up at 230 am, which is not uncommon for me, but started a quick half hour read of my book, to spend the next 2 hours reading to get it finished.
Dee’s friend Katie is a victim of a hit and run, and her friend Dee finds the body. But Katie had her buggy with her, and the buggy was empty. Where was Jake who would have been in the buggy?
Goodness me this novel goes everywhere. Back through Katie’s little-known life before she came into Dee’s life. And my goodness what a life. What emerges is a tangled web of jealousy, obsession and lies.
I loved, loved, loved this and am giving it a fairly rare 5star review. Switch your phone off, put on the fire and make sure you have enough teabags as this really is a race to finish this novel and find out what exactly is going on.
With this book I had to leave a couple of days to catch up on my sleep and take a breath. This book absorbed me. So much that I woke up at 230 am, which is not uncommon for me, but started a quick half hour read of my book, to spend the next 2 hours reading to get it finished.
Dee’s friend Katie is a victim of a hit and run, and her friend Dee finds the body. But Katie had her buggy with her, and the buggy was empty. Where was Jake who would have been in the buggy?
Goodness me this novel goes everywhere. Back through Katie’s little-known life before she came into Dee’s life. And my goodness what a life. What emerges is a tangled web of jealousy, obsession and lies.
I loved, loved, loved this and am giving it a fairly rare 5star review. Switch your phone off, put on the fire and make sure you have enough teabags as this really is a race to finish this novel and find out what exactly is going on.
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