Pack a thriller in your suitcase

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As well as your bikini, toothbrush, and sunglasses, if you are heading away on holiday this summer, be sure to pack a poolside thriller in your bag.

Offering something a little edgier than chic lit, psychological thrillers have seen a rise in popularity in the past couple of years and there is no end of choice when it comes to great reads.

The Perfect Friend by Barbara Copperthwaite is a truly dark story about the turn Alex’s life takes when her husband leaves her and her children won’t talk to her. All she can do is to turn to her best friend, Carrie, who knows all her secrets and is the only person she can truly trust. Carrie would she’d never let her down, or would she???

Following her divorce, Ali goes out on a date with a new man on Saturday night, but on Sunday morning, she wakes up alone with no memory of what happened to her. And when she looks in the mirror, she doesn’t recognise the face staring back at her. If you loved The Girl on the Train, then The Date by Louise Jensen is for you, and if you haven’t read The Girl on the Train – where have you been?

For a ‘one session read’, it has to be The Dead Ex by Jane Corry. A terrifying attack leaves Vicki suffering from epilepsy and without a husband after he runs away with his mistress. When a call comes to say he’s missing, she starts to believe in karma, but when evidence suggests he is dead, things get real and she needs to prove her innocence.

The Girl Before by JP Delaney is a tense tale full of page-turning twists and turns. When Jane moves into One Folgate Street, she falls in love with her beautiful minimal new, despite the bizarre rules it comes with. As the landlord, and the house, become increasingly strange, Jane becomes curious about Emma, the girl who lived there before her and starts to fear for her safety in her gripping quest to find the truth. Tip, don’t read this if you are home alone, but definitely, do read this.

Secrets in families are never a good idea and that is what is at the heart of Don’t Close Your Eyes by Holly Seddon. Twin sisters Robin and Sarah were separated at a young age and now, in their 30s, one is agoraphobic and lives alone, while the other seemingly has the perfect family and perfect life. When Sarah is accused of something terrible, she needs to track down her twin sister to put together the pieces. A gripping story that will keep you on the edge of your seat right to the very last word.

Back to the husband and wife scenario, and in What Alice Knew, debut author T. A. Cotterell, takes you on a journey of complex web of lies that will have you turning the pages in fear. From the outside, Alice has everything, that is until her husband goes missing one night. After receiving a sinister call, she faces making a tough choice that has her questioning right and wrong and wondering just how far she can go to protect those she loves.

While Then She Was Gone, by best-selling author, Lisa Jewell, isn’t new on the shelves, it is oh so worth a read. Laurel is trying to piece her life back together, 10 years after her daughter, Ellie, disappeared and seven years since her marriage fell apart. When she meets a charming man in a café, their flirtation develops into something deep, fast. Before she knows it, she’s meeting his daughters, and all those unanswered questions that have haunted her about her own child come flooding back.

Pop along to your local bookshop and buy your books before you go away and let us know what you think.

Team Pure Beauty

Stocking Fillers for the Men in Your Life

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These days, beauty for men is big business. No longer seen as something that only women indulge in, more and more men are taking care of their skin and investing in decent products to use instead of just nicking whatever is in the bathroom cabinet! Dermalogica, Decleor and Elemis all offer some fabulous products for men, so we thought we’d suggest a few which would make great sticking fillers for the coming festive period.

Elemis Smooth Result Shave and Beard Oil

It’s hard not to notice how trendy beards have become in recent years so it makes sense to invest in products which can be used both for keeping beards in good condition AND for shaving. This oil from Elemis can be used to prep the skin before shaving and also for keeping beards smooth, soft and smelling great. It has a masculine, herbal smell and leaves the skin moisturised and supple.

Dermalogica Shave System Kit

This kit from Dermalogica helps you to cover all of the bases, by including miniatures of Dermalogica Daily Clean Scrub, Dermalogica Pre Shave Guard, Dermalogica Soothing Shave Cream, Dermalogica Post Shave Balm and a sample of Dermalogica Daily Defense Block. Perfect for someone who travels a lot, or just for getting an idea of which of the products they like before buying the full-size version.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream for Men

The women’s version of this cream is Elemis’ most popular product, so it stands to reason that the man in your life will love it too. It’s clinically proven, formulated especially for men to hydrate, firm and help improve the appearance of wrinkles. Skin is left looking smooth and feeling replenished, and smelling great too!

Decleor Triple Action Shave Perfector

Shaving is probably the single biggest stress on a man’s skin, causing rashes, sensitivity, dryness and even ingrown hairs. This oil from Decleor helps to prepare and soften the skin before and after shaving, improving razor glide and reducing the risk of ingrown hairs. Added clove oil can help to reduce regrowth, reducing the amount of shaving that you need to do in the future.

Elemis Deep Cleanse Facial Wash

Keeping your face clean is the key to a good complexion, which is why Elemis created this deep clean facial wash, formulated for use on men’s skin. It contains oak bark, spearmint and peppermint in a unique milk protein base, which helps to remove impurities, decongest the skin and prevent ingrown hairs.