The Ties That Bind

July 1, 2018
Mark Richmond and his wife, Sophie, would have split up long ago if it weren't for their little girl, but it's now clear that their marriage is over. To escape the constant tension, Mark books a holiday. Arriving at King's Cross station to catch his train, he's hailed by an attractive young woman who seems to have been waiting for him impatiently. Before he can figure out what's going on, he's on a train to a family reunion with his new friend, Helena Crawford. Helena admits it's a case of mistaken identity; she was supposed to meet a man who had agreed to play the role of her fianc� for a week. Intrigued by Helena and thinking a family reunion will be a bit of a lark, Mark agrees to pretend he's the fianc�. What could go wrong? As it turns out, the Crawford family seems extraordinarily prone to mishaps, scandal, and even death. Mark finds himself increasingly drawn into the family dramas while at the same time learning important lessons about himself. Fraser is an excellent storyteller, and her latest domestic thriller doesn't disappoint.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

August 1, 2021
A meaty family saga combined with a suspenseful murder mystery make for an enjoyable read from the always-reliable Fraser. Family relationships, surrogacy, infidelity, and the potentially devastating consequences of revenge and deception are key themes in the story. The numerous characters and complex plot could be challenging in the hands of a less-capable writer, but Fraser's ability to weave a gripping story should keep readers engaged from start to finish. The plot focuses on the Barlow and Tempest families, with the main story line concentrating on Jess Tempest and her shocking discovery of a dead body in the flat she shares with another woman. Who is the dead man and how did his body end up in Jess' flat? There's also a heartbreaking plotline about Jenny Barlow and her struggles to conceive a child. When she opts for surrogacy, she and her husband have no idea that the consequences will nearly destroy not only their own family but also another family as well. Relatable characters, authentically depicted family interactions, skillful writing, and a satisfying conclusion make this an appealing read for fans of multiple genres.

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July 12, 2021
Since Rose Linscott, the matriarch at the center of this straightforward standalone from British author Fraser (Sins of the Fathers), is highly critical of her grown children and their offspring, they keep certain family secrets from her, most of which are relatively trivial and, once revealed, easily resolved. One of Rose’s adult granddaughters, Jess Tempest, who recently ended her engagement, is renting a flat in Bristol, England, with Maggie Haig, whom Jess has just met. When Jess unexpectedly returns to her flat before leaving on a trip, she finds a dead man on the living room floor. After hearing someone outside the flat, she hides and hears two unrecognizable people talking in low voices. When she emerges, the body is gone. Convinced her family and the police will think she’s either guilty or crazy, she keeps this grim discovery to herself, until the body washes ashore and makes front page news. The dead man, no surprise, turns out to have a relationship to Maggie, and nabbing the killer proves as simple as resolving the various family issues. Fraser is unlikely to win new fans with this one. Agent: Juliet Burton, Juliet Burton Literary (U.K.).

June 1, 2021
An exciting stand-alone by the creator of the Rona Parish series, including Sins of the Fathers (2018). Jess Tempest is the oldest daughter of Fleur and Owen Tempest, who are throwing a big party for their middle daughter Cassie's 18th birthday. Jess' cousin Patrick can see that something's bothering her, but he has no idea how serious it is. Before the party, Jess had returned to her flat in Bristol for a book, found a dead man on the floor, then hid in a closet while two unknown people came into the apartment and spirited the body away. In the meantime, the party is dampened by the fact that Fleur's brother, Justin Linscott, and his wife, Kathryn, are going through some rough waters that even their son, Patrick, who's madly in love with globe-trotting Tasha Crombie, notices. Family friend Jenny Barlow, her husband, and their two children are also on the verge of a nasty domestic crisis. Now that a corpse identified as an Australian has washed up on the shore, Jess is afraid she'll be in danger if the killers know she heard them at work, so she tells the police only that she saw the man entering her building. Although Tasha recognizes both the dead man and Jess' flatmate, Maggie Haig, as people she'd met in Australia, it's some time before, urged on by Patrick, Jess finally tells the police the truth, a decision that puts her in a dangerous position. A page-turner showcasing how lies from the past can create turmoil and peril in the present.

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