I'm blown away by the reviews to date....THE GAME CHANGER

Two weeks after publication, and I'm blown away by the fantastic response so far to THE GAME CHANGER....

“The Game Changer is arguably the author’s most ambitious novel to date. Phillips’ capacity for descriptive prose is given full expression…A first class crime writer who can really write - One of the best crime writers in Ireland.” Irish Independent Newspapers

“Clever, subtle and thought provoking, The Game Changer is one of the best books I’ve read this year…” Woman’s Way

“The Game Changer isn’t your ordinary cops and robbers story. It delves into some serious psychological issues. I couldn’t put it down." RTE Radio 1 Arena

“The Game Changer is absolute top drawer crime writing by Ireland’s finest crime writers. Louise Phillips’ fourth novel, The Game Changer, is a psychological thriller that really should demand that a lot of other so-called psychological thrillers give up their false identity….” San Diego Book Review

“Great crime writing is about tone, atmosphere and texture. It’s not just about story…There is a new generation of crime writers and Louise Phillips is at the forefront of this.” Eoin Mc Namee

“You will spend pleasant hours untying the knots of this perfectly tangled plot, and then the real fun starts when you follow the line that leads from the crime to – you.” Writing.ie

“I was gripped by The Game Changer, enjoyed it immensely. Loved the novel, and fascinated by the cult element. It’s great…” Journalist Anne Marie Scanlon

“The Game Changer weaves an intricate mystery involving childhood secrets…all linking to a common denominator, Kate Pearson. Tension builds as secrets unfold…..a cracking read. Phillips is an accomplished stalwart of the crime genre…” The Librarian’s Cellar

“A novel of twists, turns and roundabouts…Phillips is not afraid of shocking her readers. Once again, there is murder and mayhem along the bumpy ride...this is a crime writer who leads her readers off the beaten path...” Bleach House Library

“Cross jurisdictional murder, missing memories and a cult all interweave to create an exceptional in-depth psychological thriller…well-written and if you haven’t read earlier books by Phillips, along with The Game Changer, they are highly recommended.” Cleopatra Loves Books

“Apart from being a crime thriller, the use of group manipulation as a theme (and indeed, the mentions of how groups in the past were manipulated) was both eerie and fascinating…Phillips’ research blended into the story to make this a really fascinating, dark read, and a real page turner.” Lorna Sixsmith Irish Farmerette

“Phillips’ has an incredible writing style and skill which makes you read a book while your heart is pounding and you want to shout at the characters…This book is without doubt a corker…” Kim the Bookworm

By the Book Review ‘Book of the Week’

Easons ‘Book of the Month’

TV 3 ‘Recommended Reads'

Woman’s Way ‘Book of the Week’

Latinos ‘Book of the Week’

Irish Times Bestseller

Number 1 WHS Dublin Airport

Number 4 Trending in Ireland (Twitter)

Women are Disappearing....

FANTASTIC review of THE GAME CHANGER in the Irish Independent....."Arguably the author's most ambitious novel to date....her capacity for descriptive prose is given full expression...A first class crime writer who can really write..." READ FULL REVIEW HERE

THANK YOU!

With the smaller paperback of LAST KISS gradually reaching the shops, I wanted to say a sincere THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed LAST KISS so highly, and especially those who have had their reviews quoted on the back and inside of the novel. It does the writing heart so much good!!! 

Apologies for the pic, but this was the only way I could get them all on one image!!

LAST KISS - New Cover Revealed!! And it's Chilling!!

I LOVE the new cover of the smaller paperback!! There may be a few slight adjustments with layout, but this is the chilling NEW LOOK!!

FOUR of our favourite novelists experiment with a new genre - IRISH INDEPENDENT

I never thought I would be sharing the pages with the wonderful John Boyne, Joseph O'Connor and Sinead Moriarty - Irish Independent WEEKEND MAGAZINE....

A NEW CHAPTER! Click HERE to read full feature

4 of our favourite novelists experiment with a new writing genre......

LAST KISS - Media, author and online sites reviews to date!!

Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed LAST KISS to date on Amazon, Goodreads or any other book related site. I have been overwhelmed by how well the novel has been received, so please keep reviewing. 

I've listed below some feedback to date, and again, many thanks!!!

“Louise Phillips takes you on a journey to the dark side with a story that is as fast-paced and thrilling as a rollercoaster.”

Jane Casey

“A dark and terrifying psychological thriller that grips you from the start and doesn't let you go until the very last line.“

Virginia Gilbert

"Louise Phillips goes from strength to strength.... Last Kiss is superior and takes her writing to another, more intense level. The pace is excellent, the characters familiar and new, well drawn and believable.....flows well and airs skilfully some of the disturbing themes laid bare in Ireland in recent years...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED."

Irish Independent - READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

“There are very few books that I couldn’t put down, but LAST KISS was different. Sex, power, greed and evil combine to a satisfying chilling yet enthralling read that had me turning around to see if I was home alone….”

Woman’s Way

“My God, what a book. I just couldn’t put it down. This is a book YOU MUST READ – Fantastic…”

Sunshine Radio

"Phillips is superb at suspense, at conjuring up a dark menacing atmosphere, but her underlying humanity stops it from becoming too bleak..."

Sunday Independent - READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

“A deliciously dark thriller that leaves a bitter aftertaste, like a great dark chocolate or superior claret. The writing is truly spectacular…I didn’t think the author could get much better…she is set for great, great things….Top notch crime thriller which deserves its place at the top of bestseller lists, not just in Ireland, but worldwide.”

Writing.ie

“LAST KISS is the best one yet...loved this. You are immediately sucked in. Once you start reading, you have to keep going. Phillips deserves to be known well beyond these shores. This is not just an Irish Crime Thriller-it’s among the best crime writing in the world- top notch thriller."

BBC Radio Ulster

"The blend of first and third-person narratives gives the story great pace...Phillips is exploring the dark matter of damaged sexual identity…. the abiding impression is of the empathy Phillips evokes on behalf of her lethal but fragile anti-heroine."

Irish Times - READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

“This book is superb! A chilling and original storyline about nature versus nurture, it has you hooked right from the very first page - It has an ending that you just can't see coming, even if you do manage to work out who the killer is. Highly Recommended” 

Eurocrime

“I can certainly validate that Phillips is an equal to James Patterson, Sara Paretsky, Patricia Cornwell or any other authors of cracking good police procedurals…”

By the Book Reviews

“I couldn't put Last Kiss down…It was dark, it was deep, it was scary, it chilled me to the bone. It was brilliant!”

Kim the Bookworm

“I loved both the previous books in this series…and this book easily matches…and maybe even surpasses them in terms of the depth and complexity of the plot. This is a dark book with the inclusion of the S&M and Tarot cards so that when the killer and their motives are unmasked, it left me with a feeling as if this were all somehow more than just fiction.”
Cleopatra Loves Books

“The fact the killer is female adds to the novel, it’s unusual for a woman to be so brutal and as she shares her thought processes with us, it almost feels like we are waiting to be discovered too even though we’re also in the dark - very clever - a well written, clever and dark novel - enjoy.”

Irish Farmerette

“The only problem we are left with is what to read next. Last Kiss is impossible to follow and is Phillips best novel so far.”

Carousel Creates 

“This is a page turning, gut wrenching thriller which will undoubtedly earn Phillips further accolades and hordes of new fans. This book will appeal to fans of Sophie Hannah, Arlene Hunt, Erin Kelly and Claire McGowan.”

Lisa Reads Books

"I was holding my breath – Last Kiss is a brilliant,dark,deep,scary,chilled to the bone novel-superb!"

Siren FM

"It’s dark, devious and totally gripping with interesting and engaging central characters, a good use of the contrasting locations, and more slippery than an eel covered in Vaseline. Thanks to Phillips for restoring my faith in the psychological thriller and in some style!"

Raven Crime Read

“This is Louise Phillips third crime fiction novel and I believe it may be her best…The narrative is strong, very strong. A combination of love and hate, desire and disgust, murder and malice, the tension so well described that I felt myself wanting to shout " look behind you…cannot recommend enough”

Bleach House Library

“(Last Kiss) I became totally caught up in it to the extent of a couple of late nights when I didn’t want to stop reading, wanting to learn more about the killer and to understand the whys and wherefores of the elaborate crime, with twists and tensions building up the history..”

Landing Tales

“This is Louise Phillips's third novel - amazing, definitely her best one yet. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to be on the following pages, devouring it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes psychological thrillers; a well-crafted book that takes you on a thrilling journey, full of twists and turns.”

Celeste Loves Books

Talking with Edel Coffey of the Irish Independent!

JUST A KISS BUT IT'S DEADLY!

JUST A KISS BUT IT'S DEADLY.....Irish Independent review of LAST KISS

...."Louise Phillips goes from strength to strength.... Last Kiss is superior and takes her writing to another, more intense level. The pace is excellent, the characters familiar and new, well drawn and believable.....flows well and airs skillfully some of the disturbing themes laid bare in Ireland in recent years...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED."

DEADLY EFFECT!

THE PAST AND PRESENT COLLIDE WITH DEADLY EFFECT - 

Myles McWeeney Irish Independent

 

THRILLER - THE DOLL' S HOUSE

 

 

 

When Dublin businessman Adrian Hamilton died in what appeared to be a drowning accident 35 years ago, the event had a devastating effect on his family. His now adult daughter Clodagh Mc Kay, a recovering alcoholic, decides to visit a hypnotherapist in an effort to fill in the huge gaps in her childhood memories and come to terms with herself.

 

As Clodagh’s hypnotherapist helps her peel away the barriers her subconscious has erected to block out many of her childhood memories, it is clear that a dreadful tragedy had happened in the Hamilton household just before her father’s death… As her childhood memories begin to take shape, her old brother Dominic and husband Martin, close friends since childhood, become increasingly alarmed and try to suggest she is having a mental breakdown.

 

Clodagh’s regression sessions happen to coincide with a series of bizarre murders, including that of prominent television personality Keith Jenkins, that are being investigated by Garda Inspector O’Connor and criminal psychologist Dr Kate Pearson. As Pearson and O’Connor investigate the background of each of the victims, it becomes evident the victims were friends are youngsters and that someone is eliminating the group in an effort to cover up something that happened in the past.

 

As Kate delves deeper into the history of the Hamilton family, she realises that it is more than likely the methodical killer may be targeting Clodagh….

 

Dublin-born Louise Phillips scored a solid hit with her first psychological thriller Red Ribbons. Published last year, it was an instant bestseller and was shortlisted for Best Irish Crime Novel of 2012. In The Doll’s House Phillips has delivered a sequel that betters her debut – a gripping, suspenseful story peopled with well-drawn characters.

EXTRACT FROM MYLES MCWEENEY - IRISH INDEPENDENT

Mothers & Babies Feature Irish Independent

For anyone who missed yesterday's feature!

Changing Times

The kidnap of children is a rare occurrence but parents can help allay their fears by talking openly to their children

Article by Linda Daly of the Irish Independent Mothers & Babies Supplement, discussing the research behind RED RIBBONS, and how we each need to plan ahead.

In her novel RED RIBBONS, Dublin author Louise Phillips tackles the issue of child safety during that pre-adolescent transitional period. The book opens with the abduction and murder of two 12-year-old girls. "I picked that age because something happens when children reach pre-adolescence and forge their own independence. It's a very vulnerable time for you as a parent and for them as young adults," she says.

In Red Ribbons, Phillips, herself a mother of three and grandmother of one, details the worst fears of any parent. "I didn't set out to write the book to scare people but I wanted to give a good emotional insight into something like this. It's almost a subject we don't talk about," she says.

"When I was growing up, we played on the street. As time is going on, there's less of that happening. To an extent, our children are missing that interaction with the street. That can be a good thing in some ways but it can also be a bad thing, especially when they're taking that leap to meet friends."

In the course of her writing Phillips did a lot of research, working with detectives in Rathfarnham and Tallaght garda stations in Dublin. She says she discovered the importance of parents putting certain safeguards in place. "For example, if a child, elderly person or someone with a disability goes missing, straight away they are assigned to category one, which is high risk," says Phillips. "These are grouping that are more susceptible to something going wrong."

PLANNING AHEAD

Phillips acknowledges that child abduction isn't something that happens every day, but says it is important that parents and children plan for the unforeseen. "Sit down with your children and discuss a plan. Know all the mobile and landline numbers of their friends, and know where they are going to be and what time they're due back," she says.

"When a child or a young adult goes missing, every second counts, especially those moments directly afterwards. The closer you are to pinpointing that moment, the better. You don't want a situation whereby you're ringing Mary to find out Jane's mobile number. You need to have those things in place. When you're frantic, it's not the time to be looking for all those pieces of information."

Phillips says it's important to let children know that the 'boogie man' may not look dangerous. "People who do bad things don't display clues. They can be charming, inoffensive, friendly, helpful, and very capable of manipulation. They tend to plan or have thought about their actions for a protracted period beforehand, and will actively endeavour to gain the trust of another, to manipulate and coerce."

She says communication with your child is key to ensuring their safety."Talk openly and honestly with your son or daughter about the very thing you want them to avoid, becauses sometimes facing our fear can be the best way of avoiding it."

Red Ribbons is now available in paperback at bookstores nationwide, as well as Tesco and Dunnes Stores. Phillips' second novel, The Doll's House, is due for release in August.

REDUCING THE RISK

Phillips has the following tips on keeping your children safe.

• Keep in touch with your child even if you think you know where they are.
• Know the times they are due back.
• Know who they are with.
• Ensure you have a list of phone numbers of each of their friends and their friends' parents.
• Have their friends over often or engage with them in their external activities.
• Watch out for tell-tale signs. If your child's behaviour changes, there is usually a reason. Finding out why can make all the difference.
• A mobile phone could be one of the most valuable forms of protection your child can have.
• Despite giving you the impression that they think you know nothing, they do listen to what you say - it is vital to recognise and acknowledge this.

Mothers & Babies - Talking RED RIBBONS 4th July!

For all 2 or 3 of you out there who might be interested, if you pick up a copy of the Mothers & Babies magazine of the Irish Independent this Thursday, 4th July, I'll be chatting with the lovely Linda Daly about my research for RED RIBBONS, and about how we can each make a difference in the protection of our children.