Oh joyous joy that is Rhiannon Lewis! How wonderful a creation from the pen of CJ Skuse is Sweetpea? I just adore her crudeness, her vulgarity and her self aware brand of insanity. It seems bizarre to state that reading about the depraved and despicable musings of a psychopath had me laughing out loud, but it really did, and quite frequently too. It must be a sign of exceptional writing if an author can get their readers to take a foul-mouthed, immoral murderer to their hearts. I listened to Sweetpea on Audible and could have wept with the pleasure of the book. I approached In Bloom with some trepidation; can the second be as brilliant as the first? Do not fear, CJ Skuse has done us proud. A fabulously, darkly funny tale that deserves the full five stars.

Darkly comic crime sequel to Sweetpea, following girl-next-door serial killer Rhiannon as she’s now caught between the urge to kill and her unborn baby stopping her.

If only they knew the real truth. It should be my face on those front pages. My headlines. I did those things, not him. I just want to stand on that doorstep and scream it: IT WAS ME. ME. ME. ME. ME!

Rhiannon Lewis has successfully fooled the world and framed her cheating fiancé Craig for the depraved and bloody killing spree she committed. She should be ecstatic that she’s free.

Except for one small problem. She’s pregnant with her ex lover’s child. The ex-lover she only recently chopped up and buried in her in-laws garden. And as much as Rhiannon wants to continue making her way through her kill lists, a small voice inside is trying to make her stop.

But can a killer’s urges ever really be curbed?

I loved Sweetpea and expected great things from this book. Unfortunately, I feel very let down. The author seems to make a point and then keeps shoving it down your throat.
It’s well written, and funny at times, but ultimately it was not a book that I enjoyed. 2.5*

This was a good book but it was a direct continuation of the first book. Unfortunately It gives no recap of the previous book and as it was a while ago since I read it, I found it really difficult to get into at first. Great book but I would only recommend it if you have read the first one recently. I would have preferred some recap from the last book to jog my memory

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Stories and CJ Skuse for the chance to read an arc of this novel.

Rhiannon’s back and killing for two……

“If only they knew the real truth. It should be my face on those front pages. My headlines. I did those things, not him. I just want to stand on that doorstep and scream: IT WAS ME. ME. ME. ME!”

After her carefully plotted plan to frame her cheating fiance Craig for the murders she has committed was successful, pregnant Rhiannon Lewis is now finding she’s not as happy as she thought she’d be. While Craig languishes in jail for her crimes, she’s living with his parents on the coast and dealing with early pregnancy, journalists vying for her story and that urge to kill haunting her every thought. Then there’s the unexpected complication of the little voice inside her telling her to stop fulfilling her murderess urges or else! She is frustrated, bored and miserable. Without killing who is she? What is there to make her happy in life? Can Rhiannon give up the thrill of violence and be happy as your run of the mill suburban mum? Can she evade suspicion for her crimes and stop her life crumbling around her as the pressure mounts? Will she ever bond with her baby and is he or she even safe with her as their mother?

In Bloom, the fantastic sequel to the book that everyone’s talking about, jumps straight in where Sweetpea left off. I’d been slightly apprehensive before reading and wondered could it really live up to such a spectacular debut? I needn’t have worried. While there isn’t the shock factor of not having read anything like it this time around, there is again instant tension and dark humour as Rhiannon tries to avoid being caught red handed as the police look for clues against her fiance. I loved being back with this character and even though it was a few short weeks since I read book one I found I’d missed reading her unique, caustic, crude and witty prose.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed about these books is the cultural references that are thrown in at random and regular moments such as “....it’s back like Backstreet”. For me they add to the relatability of the character and make many moments even more hilarious. Putting Rhiannon in the extremely uncomfortable situations of living with Craig’s parents, being pregnant and trying to curb her thirst to kill made it an interesting read that was totally different to Sweetpea, where she’d been in the comfort of her own home, in a job she could do with her eyes closed and in control of who and when she killed. Seeing her become increasingly desperate and overwhelmed as she grappled with where she is now in life, particularly her struggle to bond with her baby and fears about motherhood, humanised her even more. We may not all be serial killers but any mother can recognise that urge to protect your child and worry that you won’t be good enough. The moments of true emotional anguish and turmoil were another unexpected dimension to her character and a flair of brilliance from the author.

This book surpassed expectations. It was hilarious, bloody, heartfelt, scathing, emotional and intoxicating. Rhiannon is the best character I've read in years. She’s someone you should really loathe and despise, but instead you find yourself drawn to her and rooting for her. She is the friend with the sharp, quick wit that you’d love to have, bar the murderous tendencies of course. The ending was even more electrifying than in the first book. Now I just have to face the long, arduous wait for book 3 to see what Rhiannon does next…..

Out now.

Darkly irreverent, totally warped and flipping hilarious.

Rhiannon my favourite ever serial killer is back and pregnant, she has the body of her lover to dispose of, raging hormones and a talking bump, the exchanges between them had me crying with laughter. These books really shouldn't be funny they are sick, twisted, gruesome but boy oh boy they are just brilliant - the caustic observations of the people around her, the kill list and her murderous impulses will keep you glued and wondering if she can change for the sake of the baby.

Like Sweetpea (which I'd recommend you read first) if you're likely to be offended by swearing, gore and general crudeness then this isn't the book for you .. me, I relished every word!

Another 5 big fat stars for C.J. Skuse and thanks to NetGalley and HQ stories for the opportunity to read and review - This review contains my honest thoughts and opinion.

“Baby bear might be contented, but Mommas getting grizzly”

Rhiannon Lewis is playing the supporting actress in her own life...fiancé Craig is the star of the national news for crimes she committed, and her unborn baby refuses to let her murder or maim, what’s a serial killer to do?!

Never fear though, there’s still plenty of death and razor sharp comedy in this fabulous sequel to ‘Sweetpea’. Definitely not for those who don’t want gore, swearing and the uncanny feeling that the author has visited your own brain for ideas for Rhiannon’s kill lists....

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my copy in exchange for a review.

#InBloom #NetGalley

Loved this even more than the first one and I think it’s because I knew more what to expect from Rhiannon and the author’s style of writing. It picked up where book 1 had left off and the pregnancy added a different angle to the story and kept things fresh. It shows how well written the book is when Rhiannon does such abhorrent things but you want her to get away with it! Hoping there is going to be a book 3! Thank you to Netgalley, HQ and the author for an advanced copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I was beyond excited when I picked up this book as I totally adored Sweet pea! Did it live up to my expectations? Absolutely!
The story picks up where it left off from sweetpea following the life of Rhiannon who is now expecting her baby to the man who's body she chopped up! This is just such a refreshing change to all the other crime novels out there, it had me laughing out loud throughout, I love how risque some of the thoughts and senarios are. Can not wait to see what happens next! 5 star quality!

What a hoot! I love Rhiannon; having read Sweetpea, I was desperate to get my hands on the follow up, and it doesn't disappoint. Despite being pregnant, Rhiannon is as bloodthirsty as ever and as honest as the day is long. She says what we all think but pretend we don't. The lists of potential victims at the beginning of each chapter make me chuckle. I thought the idea to make her unborn baby the 'moral voice' was inspired; it gave a bigger insight into Rhiannon's psyche. This is a twisted, funny, and sick story - I blinking loved it!

This is dark comedy at its best. I laughed a lot reading this book. I read Sweetpea and really enjoyed it and this book is a worthy sequel. Rhiannon's conversations with her unborn baby are brilliant. The whole plot is very clever and very well put together. This book is definitely worth reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I loved it. As dark and macabre as the novel is, I laughed at terribly inappropriate things. I reviewed the author's first book about Rhiannon Lewis and couldn't wait to read this instalment.

I enjoyed the characterisation of Rhiannon and her in-laws, her attempts to make friends in the small coastal town Jim and Elaine call home, and the dialogue between Rhiannon and her foetus. Even though Rhiannon is a serial killer, I rooted for her to succeed.

Well it is safe to say that if you loved Sweetpea, you will more than likely love this!

In Bloom carries on straight after Sweetpea and Rhiannon is still at her murderous, darkly comedic self, but now with added conscience in the shape of her unborn baby giving its opinions on her actions!

We are still following the story as Rhiannon’s diary and it is really interesting to see how she copes with her urges to kill, along with her new maternal instincts.

After successfully setting her cheating boyfriend Craig up for the murders she committed, Rhiannon is now holed up at his parents house trying to avoid the journalist who are desperate for her story, keeping the police off her scent and hoping that she can survive her in-laws well-intentioned smothering without snapping!

I especially enjoyed the introduction of some new characters. Rhiannon’s nicknames and descriptions for the members of the local women’s church group had me crying laughing, mainly because I think we all know at least two or three of these colourful characters ourselves!

Brilliantly rounded off and I am so glad to hear that there is a third book in the pipeline and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

Dark, twisted and laugh out loud funny. If you enjoyed Sweetpea I think you’ll love this. If you’re easily offended or don’t particularly like swearing or violence in your books I’d maybe steer clear.

I’ve been a big fan of C.J. Skuse for a few years now and I probably enjoyed Sweetpea way more than I should when I read it last year. Needless to say I was very excited about getting my hands on a copy of follow up In Bloom and it did not disappoint. It’s every bit as dark, twisted and funny as the first book.

I’ve always kind of described these books as a combination of Bridget Jones Diary and Dexter. The story is told in the form of journal entries as MC Rhiannon describes her day to day life, her relationships with family and friends, and those people she’s met who she either wants to kill or has killed in a brutal and bloody fashion for some real or perceived misdemeanor (or just because they annoyed her).

This time however it’s a little more Bridget Jones Baby than Diary as Rhiannon is up the duff as the story begins. Rather than the focus being on her relationship with her fiance (who was having an affair with one of her co workers) and the guy she was cheating on him with, this time it’s all about the horrors delights of pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnancy unfortunately doesn’t seem to agree with Rhiannon, mostly because the side effects (lethargy, morning sickness, hearing the voice of your unborn child in your head) interfere with her acting on her murderous urges.

To make matters worse, as she murdered the baby’s father and framed her fiance for murdering a few other people she killed, she’s having to keep a fairly low profile and ends up staying with her almost in laws, something that could drive the most calm and collected person off the deep end.

I really loved how Skuse moved the story forward with this book. I have to admit I was worried it was going to be more of the same and by the end of the first book the joke was beginning to wear a little thin but that was not the case at all. There are still a lot of the elements I loved, the kill lists at the start of every chapter (I’m tempted to start doing them myself) and Rhiannon’s often spot on observations of what we’re all probably thinking (it’s not just me is it?) and incredibly dark humor but it felt like her character really grew and developed.

I loved how brutally honest she was about being pregnant and the associated discomforts, the pressure put on you by everyone to eat the right things and do the right things and to fit in with all of the other mummies. How your body is no longer really your own and how the attitude of others changes towards you. It was wonderful to see Rhiannon within a different social circle and living with Craig’s parents. Some of the interactions between them were laugh out loud funny but so familiar.

I have to confess though that this time around I struggled a little with the serial killer, side of the story. When I read the first book the brutal and bloody murders didn’t bother me too much (not sure what that says about me) but this time it felt a bit nastier and a little more uncomfortable to read. I guess the author had to step it up a bit to keep the shock value but this seemed a lot more gruesome and bloody. I consider myself pretty shock proof but there were definitely a few reading through the fingers moments even for me and there was one death in particular that I found especially hard to read.

Other than that I very much enjoyed this book. I thought it maybe drifted a little in the middle but otherwise the pacing was spot on and that ending was perfect.

Not one to read of you're easily shocked. Skuse tells it like it is! Loved Sweatpea, wasn’t sure it’d be topped, but this one does it for me. Big fat 5 stars!

Don't shout at me, but I read 'In Bloom' without reading the prequel to this, 'Sweetpea'. I know, I know - I'm bad!  Thankfully I was able to read 'In Bloom' perfectly fine without reading the previous novel, however, I would recommend reading 'Sweetpea' as there were references to the flower in this book and I had no idea how or why Rhiannon was associated to them. 

Having heard so much about 'Sweetpea', I was so excited to delve into C.J.Skuse's latest novel. I didn't really have any expectations in mind before I started reading, but even if I did, they would have been completely blown out of the water anyway!

I couldn't help laughing out loud throughout the entire novel, and I couldn't help feeling quite bad about my laughter considering the nature of the storyline! Please note - I wasn't laughing at the theme's, I was laughing at how Rhiannon was portrayed, her actions, as well as the stuff that flew out of her mouth. I would say that I have found a new favourite line, but I think that may be a spoiler. It does contain several 'fs', so I will leave it up to you to find that line in the book yourself. Put it this way, I was glad I put my cup of tea down before I turned the page otherwise I would have spat it out laughing!

'In Bloom' is blooming hilarious and it really shouldn't be, but it is, and it works! Don't get me wrong, the antics of several of the characters was very cut throat, gruesome, and rather, ermm......twisted, but the way in which C.J.Skuse delivered those actions in such a hilariously dark, gritty and fiery manner, made me feel less guilty for laughing at axe's and things....

Like I said above, I had no expectations regarding 'In Bloom' at all. I had a feeling that I would need to read the book with an open mind after what I had seen on social media, so I did and, because of that, I was able to appreciate the storyline in its entirety without any preconceptions of the contents.

There were moments whilst reading this novel where I felt like I shouldn't be liking it as it is everything that I'm not, however, that is also the reason why I really did enjoy 'In Bloom' as it IS unique. It IS memorable. It IS one of those books that you will either love or hate, bit like marmite and seeing as I love marmite, I am so thrilled that I ended up loving this book.

'In Bloom' is a novel that, if you had given it to me several years back, I would have said that it was completely out of my comfort zone. But now? I can honestly say that this is an outrageously hilarious, twisted, dark, shocking novel which left my sides aching with laughter and my mind going 'what the begonia did I just read?!'.

I have everything crossed that Rhiannon comes back again as I have a feeling that her story is far from over!! What a book!

Oh wow, what a book, a great second book, full of suspense and sweetpea didn't disappoint.

All the quirkiness of book one was still there but now sweetpea is with child which she is finding hard and not mixing well with others. The story develops well and is very well written with updates on how the baby is developing by number of weeks and days. I enjoyed it and will look out for more from this author as love this style of writing

In Bloom by C.J.Skuse is a gripping contemporary psychological thriller that draws the reader in from the start. It is a sequel but I had not read the previous book and I followed the action just fine.
The book follows a pregnant vigilante, very reminiscent of the Charles Bronson character in the 1970's Death Wish films. The action alternates between the very ordinary and the extraordinary psychotic episodes. Written in the first person, the reader enters the killer's mind. She is very personable and highly amusing. With contemporary cultural references the reader finds the lead character easy to identify with in some ways... but not others. Her lists of who should be on her death wish were rather amusing and could be seen as tongue in cheek for the reader... but not the character! I am not normally a lover of anything gruesome but In Bloom had me glued and entertained throughout.
Not having read the first book, I do not know what kicked off the vigilante spree but we all have heroes whom we emulate, so I am speculating that this is the case.
I must urge caution if you are easily offended... then this book is not for you. There are scenes and language that some readers may not like.
Love and care motivates action. With a huge heart to protect the vulnerable and innocent, and a sense of loyalty, the lead character springs into action but has a warped sense of judgement.
The ending had me perfectly poised for the next book. I shall be eagerly awaiting to see what happens next.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

'In Bloom' is the sequel to C. J. Skuse's first crime novel 'Sweetpea' and is part of the series of the same name. I don't feel this works as a standalone novel as it relies heavily on the happenings from the first book. As a result, I recommend reading 'Sweetpea' before embarking on this one. This book starts immediately where the last one concluded.

In 'Sweetpea' we met serial killer and girl-next-door, Rhiannon, who was ultimately bored with her unsatisfying life. Little does anyone know but she has a kill list featuring everyone from the Lidl checkout worker who mishandles her apples to the driver who continually cuts her off on her way to work. What this confirms is that Rhiannon is barely sane and is highly unpredictable, not exactly the best combination in someone with a penchant for violence. This time around things are a little different for Rhiannon and she is torn between wanting to commit further murders and striving to make sure that when her unborn baby arrives she grows into the role of perfect mother. Having successfully framed her fiance for her brutal killing spree, she is now living with her prospective in-laws and is planning exactly how to dispose of her lovers body. One police officer appears to be suspiciously interested in her but so far she has managed to get away with it. Can Rhiannon continue to escape justice for her crimes? Is she still able to kill despite being heavily pregnant? Can she find a way to suppress her craving to kill?

I really love that Skuse has built a niche for herself and the contrasts between the dark/black humour and the vicious killings works very well. A lot of the story is tongue-in-cheek and the characterisation is incredible - Rhiannon is a complex character who certainly appears to have lost touch with reality a long time ago. If you are willing to consider taking the risk of murdering someone for how they handle your shopping you really have lost the plot, not that you should consider killing anyone! Despite her somewhat unhinged personality she does have a habit of saying exactly what she thinks and I feel many people will be able to relate to her in some of the highly amusing things she comes out with. One of the aspects I loved most was Rhiannon's first-person narrationwhich works particularly well here as it gives the reader access to her thoughts, so even when she isn't voicing her opinion you know what is going through her head at any given time. It isn't too often you come across female serial killers so kudos to Skuse for creating such a fabulous character and an intensely gripping series.

All in all, a fantastic read that is engaging and very, very funny! Fast-paced and executed well, with intriguing characters. It's even better than the series opener. I look forward to Skuse's future books and pray we have more adventures with Rhiannon to come!

Many thanks to HQ for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve been having a bit of a reading slump lately and struggling through books, but I absolutely devoured this book. Rhiannon is back and she’s killing for two. In Sweatpea we were welcomed into Rhiannon’s murderous world and In Bloom picks up right where Sweatpea left off, but this time there’s a little voice in her head (well, stomach) acting as her conscience. This book had all the dark, foul-mouthed hilarity of the first, and so much more.

Everyday dull situations immediately become 100 times better with Rhiannon narrating, hell I’d read about watching paint dry if it was Rhiannon narrating it. She’s one of those characters you hope you don’t have too much in common with, but the more you read the more you realize that there’s just too many similarities for comfort (for me anyway. Minus the murder of course). I lived with my in-laws for a while, so those parts of the book definitely stood out as a highlight to me and had me laughing out loud (and reminiscing bitterly).

Wonderfully written, a real page-turner, with some great new characters introduced – some for the long haul, some just to be killed off a handful of pages later

I desperately hope there’s more to Rhiannon’s story, I definitely want more of her. Overall a great follow up to Sweatpea with all the delightfully dark humour, wit, and some added touching moments thrown in. Definitely not recommended if you’re easily offended!

Thanks to HQ & Netgalley for a copy of this book.

Feisty, foul-mouthed serial killer, Rhiannon, is back and she is still just as rude, crude and dangerous to know as she was in the first book. As before, there is plenty of inappropriate, gag inducing humour though this time the story-line is perhaps a little more serious (not that murder isn't always serious) and emotional. I actually got rather teary at one point.

I'm not going to rehash the synopsis here but anyone thinking of reading this book really ought to read Sweetpea first as In Bloom picks up immediately after the shocking events at the end of that first book and there is very little recapping throughout. So, is there going to be a third book? I bloody hope so.