This was a very pleasant surprise! I definitely enjoyed this book, very engaging and a super fast read. Recommended!

I found myself captivated by both timelines in The Beauty Queen, though I was undeniably more engrossed in the past. The storyline there was layered with twists, and just when it felt like everything was about to be resolved, more revelations and complications would emerge. The unfolding mystery around Jane kept me hooked, especially as the truth came to light—she wasn’t murdered like the others, leaving readers to wonder: would she have been another victim if events had played out differently?

That said, the inclusion of an unrelated murder felt like an afterthought. It was the driving force behind one character’s peculiar behavior, yet it wasn’t explored with much detail, which left me wanting more depth. Similarly, the last victim’s husband disappeared from the narrative after fleeing, which felt unresolved. It might have been satisfying to see his reaction to the culprit being caught and justice being served.

Overall, The Beauty Queen was an intriguing read. While some sections felt overly detailed and drawn out, I found myself eagerly anticipating the final days of Jane’s life and her perspective. Despite its minor shortcomings, the book kept me invested until the very end.

THE BEAUTY QUEEN by Sally-Anne Martyn.
Release date set for the 18th of December.
You can't help but get drawn straight into this book from the very first chapter by the news article.
THE BEAUTY QUEEN is an engaging and a fast paced chilling psychological thriller.

The Beauty Queen by Sally-Anne Martyn focuses on the disappearance of pageant winner Jane 40 years ago in the early 1980s. Told in dual perspectives, the story’s other protagonist is Zoe a reporter and the missing contestant’s sister. Zoe continually tries to unravel the possibly nefarious circumstances surrounding Jane’s mysterious vanishing act so many years before.

The storytelling here is profoundly English, I found myself having to look up multiple phrases of British anachronisms and slang. This didn’t decrease my enjoyment, in fact it helped to cement the imagery of the small, crumbling seaside resort town that plays host to the book’s action. I did guess one of the novel’s mysteries, but there were still plenty of shocking incidents in store to thrill and chill.

Rich with quirky characters, The Beauty Queen gives us a spooky, twisty plot line teeming with thrills and underlying tension. I enjoyed this sharp, fast paced thriller and rate it 4.25 stars for smart dialogue and an equally intelligent storyline. A definitely recommend from me.

I received this advance copy audio from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

Definitely enjoyed this book. Some minor grammatical errors but otherwise it kept my interest. I kept trying to guess the ending but I couldn’t nail it down. The epilogue was great!

I have to admit I got a tad bored reading this book, I guessed who did what far too early. Luckily I was curious enough to want to know the “how” and the “why” so I kept reading. The story had potential but lacked depth, it’s still a decent read, but I’m not sure the author knew where it was going and if the reader will care by the time it got there.

This was an engaging read that shines in it's exploration of ambition and the pressures of perfection. The author brings her characters to life with relatable struggles and emotions. However, the pacing felt uneven at times, and some plot points lacked depth. While the story holds promise, it didn’t quite reach its full potential for me. Still, it's worth a read if you enjoy character-driven dramas with a touch of glamour.

This was a strong psychological thriller novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this novel. It had that tension that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel that I was looking for, the characters were everything that I wanted and was engaged with the storyline going on. Sally-Anne Martyn has a strong writing style and was glad I got to read this.

1982 and teenager Jane is reluctantly entering a beauty pageant in a bawdy seaside town to please her pushy mother.
2022, and her sister, Zoe, is a journalist reporting on efforts to revive the flagging resort. Zoe is haunted by the disappearance of her sister on the night of the pageant in 1982.

This is an exquisite depiction of Northern British seaside life. It's a place peopled by sullen landladies, fortune tellers with roots that need retouching and faded photos of 70s comedians. Martyn has written a compelling mystery story with her signature camp horror vibes.
It's a place filled with claustrophobic misogyny. This is a layered plot that focuses on male violence, sexual abuse and, the objectification of women and how this can become normalised and accepted.

It’s September 1982 and seventeen year old Jane Delway has just been crowned Miss Sunshine Sands. A very pretty, but somewhat shy girl, Jane has been propelled into the limelight by her overbearing, over ambitious and frankly quite awful mother, Marion. Along with her little sister, the family have been staying at the Forget Me Not guest house in Sunshine Sands whilst the competition has been happening. Late the same night as the crowning ceremony, Marion and Jane return to Forget Me Not, which is the last time Jane is seen, the next day having completely disappeared.

Forty years later journalist Zoe Kincade is sent to Sunshine Sands to cover the new talent contest that the town is putting on. Staying at the Forget Me Not, Zoe is soon in the thick of things, trying to discover what did happen to Jane as well as doing her reporting job.

This story is told over two timelines and is an interesting if predictable read. I’m sure no one will be surprised at the ‘discovery’, but its execution and denouement are well done.

The final sentence in the epilogue will certainly raise a smile or two!

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books.

Great chilling thriller! This book had great suspense, murder, mystery, abuse, intrigue, and a few wild twists and turns! The story was very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I highly recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and Joffe books, my fave! For sharing this book with me!