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Mona W. Gloss Author

@monawgloss.author

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📚 Psychological Thriller Writer ✍️
😱 The Harrogate Spa Murders ♨️💧🩸
🧠 Your Personal Therapist
☀️ The Last Retreat
👇Discover the Books👇

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📚 September 2026 Reading Wrap Up 📚

What a reading month September has been! 21 books, 6,708 pages and a 3.8 average rating - I honestly don't know where I found the time but here we are 😅

It was a brilliant mix of thrillers, romance, cosy reads and everything in between and I loved the variety this month.

Here are a few of my standout highlights:
🖤 You Killed Me First by John Marrs - possibly the twistiest book I have EVER read, absolutely wild from start to finish.

⭐ Rich Little Liars by AJ Carter - read in one sitting and that final twist got me completely!

😍 When Sparks Fly by Portia MacIntosh - the cosiest autumnal read and my favourite of the Marram Bay series so far.

👑Twisted Tales Anthology Vol. 2 - 8 short Disney stories like you've read before.. what happens if Aurora in Sleeping Beauty knew about her curse?!.. a brilliant different read for me!

The lower rated ones this month just go to show that not every book is for everyone and that is completely normal, honest reviews always from me.

October is already looking very exciting with some brilliant ARCs lined up and more Xmas books so watch this space! 👀

What was your favourite read in September?! Drop it below! 👇

#septemberwrapup #reading #bookstagram #bookreview #currentlyreading

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MINI REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Harrogate Spa Murders by Mona W. Gloss

As someone who lives in Leeds and has had many a spa day in Harrogate, I was immediately intrigued by this one!

The premise is simple but so clever - eight guests check into the exclusive Thorne Spa for a luxury day of treatments and silence, but by the end of the day some of them will be dead and everyone is hiding something.

Such a refreshing change from the usual domestic thrillers I read and a really unique setting. Gripping from start to finish and that final twist was sharp!

Deffo one for thriller lovers - highly recommend!

#theharrogatespamuders #monawgloss #thriller #harrogate #bookstagram

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💙💙 BOOK REVIEW 💙💙

The Harrogate Spa Murders by @monawgloss.author
Publication Date: 19th July

This was a fun locked in thriller. 8 people are guests of the luxurious Thorne Spa in Harrogate. They are there to enjoy the relaxing treatments, but only 6 will come out alive!

The pace of this was fast, with plenty of twists and turns as we get to meet the 8 guests and staff from the hotel. The characters were challenging, some more likeable than others. I felt like I was an outsider, a fly on the wall as we were introduced to each person and find out about their lives.

The writing style was fun too. The story progresses mostly though the dialogue between the characters. It felt almost like I was reading or watching a play, with the beginning and end of each chapter like stage directions before cutting to the conversations between the guests. This really held my attention and it was though I was listening in to the gossip, the side conversations as we progressed through the story and unravel the truth.

As we move between the various treatment experiences with the guests you can feel the tension and heat rising. The conversations change from politeness between strangers to snappy and much more volatile. It is wonderfully atmospheric, psychologically tense with a sense of suspense and dread throughout the story.

A thoroughly entertaining read.

Thank you to Mona for sending me this eARC to review.

#NetGalley #theharrogatespamurders #bookreviewers #mybookreview #thrillerbooks

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📚 And that’s a wrap for August ….

Thinking of Dolly as I review my August reading stats 😢What a lady!

📖 A little of everything this month - cozy mysteries, historical fiction, contemporary, ARC’s, horror, and of course my favorite thrillers.

⭐️ Just two standout 5 Star reads but plenty of 4 stars that I’d thoroughly recommend you add to your TBR.

⁉️ How as your August reading? Tell me your standout read of the month?

#AugustReading #AugustReadingWrapUp #MonthlyReadingWrapUp #ReadingWrapUp #WhatIRead

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MINI REVIEW MONDAY 📚

A little Monday reading roundup for you today. I’ve got a mixed bag of recent reads today, because apparently I can’t stick to just one genre.

From true crime & nonfiction to contemporary fiction, cozy mystery, and mystery/thriller, there’s a little something for every kind of reader.

And the best part is that all of these books are out now and ready to add to your TBR! 📚

Swipe through for my mini reviews and let me know which one catches your eye. 👀

What are you reading today?

#MiniReviewMonday #Bookstagram #BookReview #BookRecommendations #ReadersOfInstagram

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🖋📚 Last @itsthebookparty post!

I took quite a stack of books with me to get signed, and then bought another 4 from the Waterstones pop up to be signed.
Huge thank you again to all the wonderful authors who signed for me 🥰

I also took a stack to the book swap (which had some great choices!) Swipe to see what I chose!

With the signed books, proofs, and swaps, there was a point my boyfriend and I carried a whopping 23 books around 😂
Extremely grateful we were able to drop them back to the hotel before the disco!

Already so excited for next years party 🥳🩷

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#itsthebookparty #thebookparty2026 #bookswap #signedbooks #bookhaul

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The Book Party 2026📚💃🕺

The most wonderful bookish evening filled with chatting, dancing and of course, karaoke🎤✨

It was so lovely to meet/see everyone!!💕

I ran out of tags, so please do shout in the comments if you see yourself!!🥰

~~~~~

#thebookparty #bookishevents #bookfun #booksbooksandmorebooks #ukbookstagrammer

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📚 More Books Monday @itsthebookparty edition

Here is my absolute HAUL from The Book Party! (Well, some of it😅)

❤️Proof goodies:
These tables were full of incredible sounding titles, it was so hard to choose!! (my partner kindly donated his 2 to me!)
•Between Yesterday and Tomorrow by Luan Goldie
•Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly
•American Fantasy by Emma Straub
•If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle
•A Creative Compass by Emma Gannon
•Witches hat, jelly beans, stickers and bookmark to promote Jessica Elisabethauthor Bloodline Of The Coven
•Sample chapters from Chrissie Harrison

🩷Waterstones pop-up buys:
•The Baby Group by Jade Lee Wright
•Murder In The Dressing Room by Holly Stars
•Trouble Maker by C.R Westbrook
•The Harrogate Spa Murders by Mona Gloss (my boyfriend brought me this as an early birthday gift and it was a special edition exclusive to The Book Party 🤩
Thank you all for signing these for me! 🩷

Signed books and book swaps will come in yet another post 🙈😂
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#thebookparty #thebookparty2026 #bookpartyhaul #morebooksmonday

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So that's my third @itsthebookparty in the bag (literally, I am loving my growing collection of bold-coloured party totes! 😍) And I have to thank @bookswithvic and @ajwestauthor for pulling off a brilliant night once again, including some unexpected karaoke! (I did NOT get up and sing 🤣)

There was a bit of a miscommunication regarding the Waterstones pop up shop but it all worked out as I put my big girl pants on (and had a large white wine) and went and chatted to readers and managed to sell my books directly myself!

I am so proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone, not only because I managed to sell ALL my books(!) but because I met so many lovely people I simply wouldn't have had the guts to talk to ordinarily.

Special shout out to these lovely people who all made my night better in some way 😊

@monawgloss.author
@alex._.franklyn
@a_vet_nurse_and_her_books
@authorrhiannewilliams
@chaptersonthehill
@jadeleewrightauthor
@emberandstellar
@sj_bookshelf (I hope this is the right acc 😅 apologies if not 🤣)
@wsmbookclub
@hollywstars

Oh and an explanation of my haul...

Proofs from the goodie table:
If Books Could Kill by @kateeberleauthor
All she burns by @charlotteessex1

FREE from the author:
My Sister's Downfall by @smthomas_author

From the #bookswap
The Spotlight by @nicolamartinwriter
Lets make a scene by @lauracwood
Book Lovers by @emilyhenrywrites

❤️

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🥳📚 The Book Party

What an incredibly wholesome night @itsthebookparty 🥰
Thank you so much to Vic (wont let me tag you sorry!) and @ajwestauthor for organising such a fantastic event and being so welcoming and helpful all night!

Met so many lovely authors and book friends, joined a coven, brought the Welsh out of @ruthironsauthor, caused chaos on the dancefloor and came back with way too many books 🙈

Highlight was getting to meet @tmpayneauthor and her wife Susie, who were absolutely wonderful, especially at karaoke 🎤

Special thank you goes to my wonderful boyfriend for buying our tickets, accompanying me, being chief book holder and photographer for the night 📸 🩷

Book haul photos to come!
See you next year 🫡
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#thebookparty2026 #thebookparty #thebookpartyweston

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Harrogate ... where do I even begin? 💜

Also ... I'm very behind on posting everything from the festival, so thank you for bearing with me while I slowly catch up on all the photos, stories and wonderful memories.

What a few days.

Every year, this festival reminds me why I love crime fiction so much, but this year somehow felt even more special.

There were so many pinch-me moments that I'm still not entirely convinced they actually happened. John Marrs wants to read The Harrogate Spa Murders ... and yes, my hand was shaking while I was signing a copy for him. That definitely wasn't on my 2026 bingo card.

It was such a joy to see Lisa Jewell again, as always, and to finally spend time with the wonderful Louise Swanson, whose kindness, encouragement and advice meant so much. Chatting with Adele Parks, Jo Callaghan, T.M. Logan and so many other incredible authors whose books I've loved over the years was another reminder of just how welcoming this community is.

One of my favourite parts, though, was catching up with everyone from Bookstagram and BookTok. Some friends I only knew online, others I've met before, but every conversation felt like meeting up with old friends.

I also had so much fun hiding signed copies of The Harrogate Spa Murders around the festival ... and I was absolutely delighted to hear they'd all been found! I hope everyone who discovered one enjoys the story.

Brilliant panels filled with inspiration and insights. Endless conversations about books. Proof copies. Bookshops. Publishers. Readers. Writers. More books than anyone could possibly carry home.

I loved every minute of it.

Harrogate has become such a special place for me. Every year I leave feeling inspired, motivated and incredibly grateful to be part of this amazing crime fiction community.

Until next year... 💜

#bookstagramuk #crimefiction #theakstonscrime #authorlife #thrillerbooks

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The most selfies I’ve ever taken …

Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival , or Ella’s Selfie Fest 😅

All the authors I’ve met were so lovely.
I was super nervous before I went and as soon as I walked up to the Old Swan, that nervousness went away.

Have a scroll to see all the fabulous authors that got pestered by me for selfie 😅

@theakstonbrewery , @harrogatefestivals , @ed.pr

#theakstonscrime #harrogate #yorkshire #bookishlife #bookstagram

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