C.J. Skuse Books In Order
Book links take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.Publication Order of Alibi Books
The Alibi Girl | (2020) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Publication Order of Sweetpea Books
Sweetpea | (2017) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
In Bloom | (2018) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Dead Head | (2021) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Thorn In My Side | (2023) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
The Bad Seeds | (2024) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Publication Order of Standalone Novels
Pretty Bad Things | (2010) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Rockoholic | (2011) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Dead Romantic | (2013) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Monster | (2015) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
The Deviants | (2016) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
CJ Skuse
C. J. Skuse was born in Weston-super-Mare, England in the year 1980. She has first class degrees in Writing for Children and Creative Writing.
Aside from writing novels, she works as a freelance children’s fiction consultant, and lectures at Bath Spa University in Writing for Children.
She hates carnivals, coughing, and hard-boiled eggs. She loves Gummy Bears, Masterchef, and murder sites.
The movies “Ruby Sparks”, “Titanic”, and “My Best Friend’s Wedding” were each most likely based off of her ideas, however she just wasn’t able to write them down in time.
Before she dies, she would like to try clay-pigeon shooting, go to Japan, and have Ryan Gosling present her the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
CJ is the giggle at the funeral, as in life she laughs at everything. If she can help it, she takes very little seriously. She really enjoys comedians that light fires, like Bill Hicks, Ricky Gervais, and Frankie Boyle.
CJ’s debut novel, called “Pretty Bad Things”, was released in the year 2010. Her work is from the young adult fiction and mystery genres.
“Pretty Bad Things” is the first stand alone novel and was released in the year 2010. Sixteen-year-old twins in a Candy-store crime spree. Paisley and Beau Argent, twins, have made headlines once more. The last time, they were “wonder twins”, when they were found as six year olds in the woods after they were missing for three days after their mom died. They had been spending those three days trying to find their dad.
Now that they are sixteen, life is not so rad. Outcast and getting exploited by their money-hungry grandma, they are still totally clueless about where their dad is. Until they locate an old letter from him. That is when they decide to go on the road. Here is where they make the headlines again. Holding up various fast-food joints may seem pretty extreme, however if they are able to get on the news and tell their dad that they need him, they may get that dream reunion that they thought was possible.
“Sweetpea” is the first novel in the “Sweetpea” series and was released in the year 2017. The last person that called her “Sweetpea” wound up dead. Rhiannon has not killed anybody for three years now and she thought when she did it again she would feel bad about it. Like an alcoholic that takes a sip of whiskey. Nope. Nothing. She slept blissfully that night. Didn’t even wake up once. No bad dream either, for once. This morning she feels balanced. Close to sane, for once.
Rhiannon is just your average girl next door, settled in with her little dog and boyfriend, however she has one killer secret.
Even though Rhiannon’s childhood was haunted by a famous crime, her life is normal now that her celebrity has died down some. Her day job as an editorial assistant is unsatisfying and demeaning. By evening she listens dutifully to her friend’s plans for babies and marriage whilst she ssecretly makes up a list. A kill list.
From the driver that cuts her off on her way to work, to the guy on the Lidl checkout that always mishandles her apples, to those that have it coming, she is ready to get her revenge. The girl that everybody overlooks could be able to get away with murder.
Readers found this to be an outstanding and unique read. The novel works because Rhiannon is strangely endearing and relatable. She is funny and smart, and for some, she is the funniest psychopath that some have read. The novel is gruesome, dark, exciting, and funny, and has a story that is fun and exciting to follow. Here is a twisted and dark read sure to have you well and truly gripped from beginning to end.
“In Bloom” is the second novel in the “Sweetpea” series and was released in the year 2018. If only they knew the truth. It should be her face on those front pages, Rhinannon thinks. Her headlines. She did those things, not him. She wants to just stand on that doorstep and scream that it was her.
Rhiannon Lewis successfully tricked the world and framed Craig, her cheating fiance, for the bloody and depraved killing spree she committed. She should actually be ecstatic that she remains free.
Except for a tiny problem. She is pregnant with her ex-lover’s kid. The same ex-lover she just recently chopped up and planted in her in-laws garden. As much as Rhiannon would like to continue kill her way through her lists, there is a tiny voice inside her that is attempting to make her stop. Can a killer’s urges ever really be curbed?
CJ goes more in depth while she develops these characters and you get to have a deeper look into Rhiannon’s mental state and her mind. The ending of this novel is highly sinister and extremely satisfying.
“The Alibi Girl” is a novel that was released in the year 2020. Joanne Haynes has some secrets. That isn’t her real name. There is a ton more. Her cats aren’t hers, nor are her flats. Even her hair isn’t actually hers.
Nor is she any of the other women that she pretends she is. Not the pregnant woman in the dental surgery. Nor the bestselling romance novelist that buys her morning snack from the doughnut van right on the seafront. Nor the chemo patient in the supermarket for whom the cashier feels so sorry for. They are all just alibis.
In fact, the only thing that is real about Joanne is the fact that no one can actually know just who she truly is. Somebody has gotten too close. It would appear as though her alibis have started to run out.
The book is very funny, with a dark and sarcastic sense of humor, which made some laugh out loud the entire way through. The novel is brilliantly written, and this is an engaging and original novel. CJ delivers a novel that is impossible to predict, heart-wrenching, and entirely absorbing.
Book Series In Order » Authors »
I want to say firstly, to C.J. Skuse-I loved reading your book “Pretty Bad Things” and reading it made me love rereading books, it had been a while since I last cried reading honestly–I hope you continue your story on the Wonder Twins and their Pa Buddy.
Love your humor. Please continue. Your writings leave me so tired that I have to go back repeatedly and reread especially for the humor. Reading a book through the night makes me a tired happy camper. Thanks for your riotous flow of words. Looking forward to your next audiobook. Your books are so unbelievably believable. Like a butterfly on the wind headed for a front grill of a car. You see it coming but still hope for a peaceful outcome. Love love love a good read and you deliver each time. Your mind is a scary place thanks for making sense of it and putting it all on paper. You words can be so blatantly disturbing and shocking but I’m hooked and keep reading. That makes me pause and question myself. Hey what can I say, I’m a fan.