BLOG TOUR REVIEW: The Murder Game – by Rachel Abbott #blogtour #RandomThingsTours @annecater

Hello and welcome to my stop of the The Murder Game Random Things Tours blog tour! A huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me to be part of this blog tour. I’ve been meaning to try one of Rachel Abbott‘s books for a while now and this blog tour was a perfect excuse to do so! I had an excellent time with the first book of the series, And So It Begins, last month and I think that I enjoyed the sequel The Murder Game even more. Want to know why? Please join me while I share my thoughts.

Title: The Murder Game
(Stephanie King #2)
Author: Rachel Abbott
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
First published: April 16th 2020
Publisher: Wildfire
Finished reading: April 12th 2020
Pages: 416

“To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

I’ve been meaning to try one of Rachel Abbott‘s books for a long time now and this blog tour was a perfect excuse to finally do so! I had an excellent time with the first book of the series, And So It Begins, last month and I think that I might have possibly enjoyed the sequel The Murder Game even more… I’m definitely fully hooked when it comes to this series now! I’ll try to explain below why The Murder Game ticked all the right boxes for me.

First of all, I love that this series isn’t the typical detective thriller despite having detective Stephanie King as the leading character of this series. Instead, both first two books are dark psychological thrillers first, and detective/crime thrillers second, and this shift in focus is both refreshing, gives the stories a multi-dementional feel and makes the series in general stand out above the rest. While Stephanie is the glue between the books of this series, we won’t actually see her appear until later in The Murder Game and only because body shows up and a detective is needed. This is definitely unexpected and it was a very clever twist to have other characters in the spotlight instead.

The story mainly focuses on three characters: Jemma, Nina And Alex. We get to see the situation from the POV of all three women and not only that, we also have events set one year ago as well as in present. This complex structure really takes story to the next level without obstructing the reading pace or readability in general. The characters themselves might not be all too likeable, but their development is solid and their flaws make them feel realistic. It was also interesting seeing things from the POV of ‘outsider’ Jemma, as she doesn’t know rest of the characters in play until the wedding. Nina is likewise an outsider of course, but she does know Alex and has a different view on things as the case hits closer home. Alex probably most intriguing POV though, both due to her past and the secrets surrounding her…

The structure of the plot is without doubt one of highlights of The Murder Game. Switching back between past an present, the structure allows for plot twists and secrets  to be revealed slowly and they definitely added a healthy dose of suspense and tension to the story. Not knowing what exactly happened to Alex in the past added a level of intrigue as well as an ominous feel… The murder game Lucas wants to play in the present is a brilliantly executed element too and it really gave the story that ‘locked room’ vibe. I also loved the setting close to the Cornwall sea as it added to the darker and ominous atmosphere as well as playing a key role in plot. Furthermore, the eventual appearance of Stephanie in the plot felt natural and her development was another interesting touch. Of course the case she first investigated (the death of Alex) took place a year ago, but it was interesting to see how past and present collided with a new missing person case in the present. The whole detective investigation was not main focus of The Murder Game of course, but it added a little something extra and enabled reaching a credible ending to the story.

There is a lot to love in The Murder Game… Well written, suspenseful, complex, a dark and multi-dimentional plot, an interesting cast of characters, that locked room feel, a Cornwall coast setting… Fans of dark psychological thrillers will be in for a treat!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Abbott began her career as an independent author in 2011, with Only the Innocent, which became a No.1 bestseller on Kindle, topping the chart for four weeks. Since then, she has published eight further psychological thrillers and sold over 3 million copies. She is one of the top-selling authors of all time in the UK Kindle store, and her novels have been translated into 21 languages.

Rachel splits her time between Alderney – a beautiful island off the coast of France – and the Le Marche region of Italy, where she is able to devote all her time to writing fiction.

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ARC REVIEW: Cradle To Grave – by Rachel Amplett #KayHunter @RachelAmphlett

Title: Cradle To Grave
(Detective Kay Hunter #8)
Author: Rachel Amphlett
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: October 6th 2019
Publisher: Saxon Publishing
Finished reading: September 24th 2019
Pages: 370

“Muted sunlight shone through the curtains at the windows, creating a gloom that hung in the air, malevolent and foreboding.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

I’m starting to feel lost for words when it comes to reviewing this series… Why? Detective Kay Hunter has quickly grown into one of my favorite detective series and characters, and it’s getting hard expressing that love without sounding repetitive. This is one of those series that just keeps delivering, and every single book so far has been well written with intriguing plots, interesting and easy to like characters and just the right amount of suspense and plot twists. Kay Hunter is hands down one of my favorite detective characters and spending time catching up with her feels like wearing your favorite sweater or meeting up with an old friend. Cradle To Grave is already book number eight and by no means an exception to this rule. If you are a detective thriller fan and haven’t tried this series yet, you are most definitely missing out!

Crade To Grave is one of those books you will want to clear your schedule for, because you will most likely end up wanting to read it in one sitting. I was hooked as soon as I started reading, cancelled all plans and just kept reading until I reached that final page… Loving every single minute of the ride. While this story might work as a stand-alone quite easily as well, I personally suggest reading them in order so you can properly meet and get to know Kay and the rest. I really enjoy seeing them develop over time… Also, the little animal visitors Adam brings home always manage to make me laugh and bring some lightness to balance the darker themes. In Cradle To Grave we have a new case that, while initially seemingly simple, soon turns out to be another challenge for Kay and her team. A murder, a missing child and a whole web of secrets and lies just waiting to be uncovered… On top of that, a possible connection in a whole different country, oh la la! The plot in book number eight will definitely keep you on your toes and it will be really hard to guess the final reveals before they happen.

Twists and turns are used to keep the level of suspense steady as well as slowly building that tension towards the grand final… Combine this with excellent writing and main characters you will find yourself once again rooting for, and you won’t realize hours have passed until you read those final words. Cradle To Grave is of that same high quality I’ve become used to when it comes to this series, and I loved spending more time with my favorite team. If you are looking for a detective thriller series that keeps delivering, a plot that will keep you guessing until the very end or simply a very engaging and absorbing read, you will find all those things are covered in every single Detective Kay Hunter book. So go meet her if you haven’t already! Trust me, you won’t regret it…

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WWW Wednesdays #239 – September 25th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m currently reading one of my last pending ARCs this month and a title I’ve been really excited to pick up: The Huntress by Kate Quinn. It’s quite a long read so we’ll see how things go! I also wanted to change genres for a bit and then realized I hadn’t read Julie Buxbaum‘s newest yet, so Hope And Other Punchlines it is!

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Snap by Lilja Sigurdardottir (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 28/09
I admit I went in blind and it was the most fantastic surprise to find such an original plot! Snare wins a lot of brownie points for the drugs smuggling angle alone, but the interesting, well developed and diverse characters also have a lot to do with the success behind this first book of a trilogy I already know will be a new favorite. Snare is without doubt an excellent start of a Nordic noir trilogy with a original, exciting and well crafted plot fans of the genre will love. Recommended!

2. Finding Henry Applebee by Celia Reynolds (4/5 stars) REVIEW 02/10
The three different POVs and flashbacks are woven together into a coherent and moving story and the connection between the different storylines makes it really easy to just keep turning those pages. The main mystery is of course around Henry’s past and what happened to Francine, but we also have the question of the package Ariel was sent to deliver by her deceased mother. More heavy themes as the post-war era, regret, cancer and grief are contrasted with moments of lightness and even humor, turning Finding Henry Applebee into a well balanced read.

3. I Will Make You Pay by Teresa Driscoll (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 10/10
I Will Make You Pay starts out as most regular psychological thrillers, but your attention is soon captured when the main character Alice receives the threatening phone call at the newspaper where she works as a journalist. This phone call marks the start of the so-called stalker plot and definitely takes the story to the next level. I did ended up having some minor issues with it, but overall it was without doubt a solid psychological thriller read.

4. Trap by Lilja Sigurdardottir (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 03/10
I already loved the first book of this trilogy, and the second book is just as good. There are so many different elements involved in this series, and together they make for one hell of a read. The international setting, the drugs smuggling element, crime, family, LGBT, the banking crisis, the characters, the plot… There is so much to love in Trap and I definitely can’t wait to pick up the third and final book.

5. Cradle To Grave by Rachel Amphlett (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 14/10
This is easily one of my favorite detective series and I’ve been waiting impatiently for this newest installment ever since I finished the last book… Kay Hunter is a force to be reckoned with, and Cradle To Grave is without doubt another great addition to the series. I literally read it in one sitting!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

Next up is my second #Orentober read as my blog tour stop is getting close: Cage by Lilja Sigurdardottir. I’m loving the series so far, so I have no doubt it will be another good one! I also need to read this month’s Criminally Good book club read The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup ASAP. I’m not sure if I have time for another read before the month is over, but if I do I will probably either pick up Next Year In Havana by Chanel Cleeton or my latest TBR jar pick The Museum Of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman.

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ARC REVIEW: The Friend Who Lied – by Rachel Amphlett @RachelAmphlett

Title: The Friend Who Lied
Author: Rachel Amphlett
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
First published: June 9th 2019
Publisher: Saxon Publishing
Finished reading: June 11th 2019
Pages: 362

“Not one of them thought to ask if what was printed was the truth. They never do.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

I think most will know by now that I’m a huge fan of the Kay Hunter series… I’ve been so ever since I finally read Scared To Death and first met the character last year. So it’s easy to understand that saying I’ve been excited to see if my love for her first step into the psychological thriller genre would be just as great would be an understatement. Guess what? I discovered Rachel Amphlett definitely has more than one genre under her belt! Be ready for another bout of raving rambles, because I’m not sure if I can write an unbiased review for The Friend Who Lied.

My brain had to cool off a few days before I was able to start writing a somewhat coherent review… What a read! My love for the psychological thriller genre is great and I tend to read a lot of them during the year, but I can already feel that The Friend Who Lied is a serious contender for my 2019 favorites list. What made this story stand out from the rest? It’s a combination of different elements actually, but let’s see if I can unravel my feelings for this review. The first thing that made this story so successful for me was the writing style. Sharp, well executed and engaging, The Friend Who Lied will manage to grab you from the very first page and doesn’t let go until you reach the last. You will forget about your surroundings, you will forget about the time passing, instead concentrating on Lisa’s story and what really happened that day in the escape room. And there we have another element that leaded to success: the well known amnesia or memory loss angle. While it’s true that this element has been used a lot in psychological thrillers in recent years, when done right it can add a healthy dose of suspense and intrigue to the plot. And guess what? I definitely loved how this element was incorporated into The Friend Who Lied. Having the main character Lisa waking up from surgery not remembering how she got there or what happened before she ended up at the hospital is simply fascinating… And the amnesia is not just an easy way out to adding more suspense either, as it is explained later why Lisa doesn’t remember anything in the first place and the reason is key to the overall plot.

Talking about the plot… We have the past and the present and a couple of different POVs to play with. While the main focus of the story is on Lisa, we will hear from her other friends as well as needed, and they will help slowly unravel secrets of both the past and present. The main question is of course what happened in the escape room that day, but trust me, that won’t be the only secret at play in this story. Oh no, The Friend Who Lied will uncover a whole web of secrets and lies before you reach that final chapter. The characters are each both well developed and feel realistic. The fact that Lisa just had to go through a kidney transplant is fascinating and plays an important role in the plot as well… It was intriguing reading about how she is trying to cope with the surgery as well as the memory loss and questions about the circumstances around Simon’s death. Not all characters are all that likeable, but each has its role to play in the plot and together they take the story to the next level. And that final reveal! I definitely didn’t see the full truth train coming before it hit me at full speed. If you are wondering what your next psychological thriller should be, you have just found your recommendation. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed when you pick up The Friend Who Lied!

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WWW Wednesdays #226 – June 12th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m currently reading The Weight Of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore, a title I’ve heard lots of wonderful things about and I’m definitely curious how I’ll react to the magical realism this time around. I’m also starting My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing; there’s been a lot of hype around this one so fingers crossed I won’t get an unpopular opinion review for it. 😉 Aaaand… I’m finally reading my Dutch read of the year! (Yes, don’t expect a second title as I’m struggling to finish one as it is haha.) I’ve picked the Dutch version of Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman, which is a short story collection and makes it so much easier to read in small bites… I do plan on finishing it in the next two weeks or so.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. The Confectioner’s Guild by Claire Luana (3/5 stars) REVIEW
The fantasy world, the many many baking references, the mystery around Kasper’s death and Wren’s past, the existence of the Gifted… Oh yes, there were a lot of interesting ingredients in play. The Confectioner’s Guild reads quite fast at first and part of this has to do with the writing, which starts out engaging and interactive. It’s true though that things start slowing down a bit after a while and the initial flame peeters out mostly… I think a lot of it has to do with the introduction of sappy romance in the plot, which distracts from the murder conspiracy and delicious baking elements. I ended up having mixed thoughts about The Confectioner’s Guild, because while I loved certain elements, there were others that failed to convince me including the ending.

2. The Woman In Our House by Andrew Hart (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW
While I can’t deny that this story is what you call a slowburner and it took me some time to warm up to both the characters and the plot itself, things speed up as we get closer to the final reveals and the ending is without doubt intense. I did feel the story tried to incorporate too many different elements into the plot, with Oaklynn’s secrets and past, Josh’s secrets, Anna’s job and novel fragments and the home life of the Klein family among other elements fighting for the spotlight. Having to juggle all those different elements slowed down the pace and made it harder to keep track of everything, although all secrets and connections will be revealed before you reach the final page.

3. The Marriage Betrayal by Shalini Boland (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 13/06
It’s true I’m a bit biased when it comes to Shalini Boland‘s work, as I’ve been a fan ever since I had the chance to read The Girl From The Sea back in 2016. Every time I pick up a Shalini Boland story, I know I have to clear out my schedule beforehand and make sure nothing will disturb me while I read… Because it’s a garantuee I won’t be wanting to stop reading before I reach the final page if it can be helped. The Marriage Betrayal turned out to be another one of those reads. The building up is a bit slow and fans of faster psychological thrillers might struggle a bit with the first part of The Marriage Betrayal as there is more focus on the characters and mundane daily activities. I can promise you things WILL escalate and this story has quite a few shocking surprises for you lined up. And trust me, the ending will be a total shocker.

4. Queens Of Geek by Jen Wilde (4/5 stars) REVIEW 17/06
Queen Of Geek is an absolutely adorkable read. So cute! So fluffy! I love my geeky characters and you will get a whole lot of them as basically every single one of the main characters fits the description. The story is set at the Supacon convention after all, so this doesn’t come as a surprise… The setting plays a key role during the whole story and is without doubt one of the reasons this story is such a success. The characters are supereasy to like and it won’t be long before they steal your heart and run away with it. It’s true that there are quite a few cliches involved, both romantic and otherwise, but somehow the characters and story itself were able to get away with it. I did feel there were almost too many inspirational messages included (don’t get me wrong, I loved those messages and applaude positivity, but it started to come over as a bit preachy after a while). Still, I had a wonderful time reading Queens Of Geek and its characters will definitely stay with me for quite some time.

5. Wolves At The Door by Gunnar Staalesen (4,5/5 stars) BLOG TOUR REVIEW 16/06
Look out for my thoughts during my stop of the blog tour this Sunday June 16th!!

6. The Friend Who Lied by Rachel Amphlett (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 20/06
I think most will know by now I’m a huge fan of the Kay Hunter series… So saying that I’ve been excited to see if my love for her new psychological thriller would be just as great would be an understatement. Guess what? It is! Be ready for another raving review, because The Friend Who Lied simply blew me away.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m finally up to date with the most urgent ARCs so that means I finally get to read my own books for a while! First up is a title for a challenge: Cut And Run by Mary Burton. Then I’m finally picking up my copy of The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews, which I’m super excited about. I also want to read Us Against You by Fredrik Backman… It’s time I dive into another story by one of my favorite authors. And I’m hoping to finally get around reading my TBR jar pick The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout as well.

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WWW Wednesdays #225 – June 5th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m currently reading one of my last pending June ARCs The Woman In Our House by Andrew Hart. It’s still early days, but it seems like a fast read and I’m hoping ot finish it later today. I’ve also started The Confectioner’s Guild by Claire Luana for a challenge… I’m looking forward to the change of genre. I’m also about to start The Marriage Betrayal by Shalini Boland, a title I have been looking forward to as she is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool (2/5 stars) REVIEW
The mix between historical fiction and adventure sounded absolutely fascinating and right up my alley, and with so many high ratings I was confident I was going to enjoy the story as well. Somehow, I turned out to be wrong in the end. Warning: unpopular opinion rambles ahead! So… Why wasn’t Navigating Early for me? I can’t pinpoint the exact reason, but there is one thing for sure and that is that I couldn’t connect with this story at all. I know I’m in the minority here since most people seem to love it, but despite the historical setting, WWII references, maths references and the promise of an adventure, basically I couldn’t care less what was happening to the main characters. Both Jack and Early were unable to win me over at all, which is strange especially in the case of Early as I normally love my quirky and complicated characters. I’ve tried really hard connecting to both these characters and this story in general, but I feel I should have just given in and DNFed it instead.

2. And The Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness (4/5 stars) REVIEW 07/06
Now I’ve had the chance to read And The Ocean Was Our Sky, I still believe the illustrations are the true power behind the story. They really take the writing to the next level and turn this story into something special; it wouldn’t have been the same without them. As for the story itself: I admit things can get a bit confusing and sometimes it felt more magical realism than a fantasy retelling, but overall I really liked how Patrick Ness turned the original Moby Dick story into something completely new and original. The idea of the whales and men both roaming the seas and hunting each other is fascinating.

3. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (4/5 stars) REVIEW 07/06
I’ve been meaning to pick up The Thirteenth Tale for years now, but it was simply one of those titles that kept slipping between the cracks of my enormous TBR mountain… I’m glad I was finally able to dig it out and read it though. It was my first experience with Diane Setterfield‘s work and I already know it won’t be my last. What a wonderful and atmospheric way of describing the setting and characters! It’s true that the pace can be considerably slow at points and there are parts where nothing much is happening, but the power of The Thirteenth Tale is in the different characters, their development and their role in the story of famous author Vida Winter.

4. Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 11/06
I’ve been meaning to read Six Stories for a long time now, ever since I kept seeing those fantastic reviews when it was first published. I knew it was a pretty safe bet I was going to enjoy the story, and I definitely won that round. What makes this story stand out from the rest is the format; the way the story is told in six different stories and podcast episodes. I bet Six Stories would be fantastic as an audiobook! The writing drew me right in and made it easy to fully focus on the mystery around Tom’s disappearance and death. The suspense is subtle rather than constant, fed with a little folklore and a monster story, only to punch you in the gut just before you think things are being wrapped up rather blandly. I definitely didn’t see that suckerpunch coming!

5. We Are Never Meeting In Real Life by Samantha Irby (DNF at 42%; 0 stars) REVIEW 13/06
Give me a cat on a cover and I’m immediately intrigued, and a promise of a potentially funny memoir and consider me signed up for the challenge. I’ve been looking forward to pick up We Are Never Meeting In Real Life despite the mixed reviews and despite the fact I hadn’t heard of the author before. Maybe I should have checked out her blog to see if her writing style would be for me, because there is one thing for sure: her writing and me definitely didn’t get along. The humor was definitely not my cup of tea and felt forced… The writing itself too self-important and sex-centered to add anything interesting to the mix. Without doubt not the reading experience I was hoping for.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I have a blog tour stop coming up so I will probably pick up Wolves At The Door by Gunnar Staalesen next. I also can’t wait to finally read my ARC of The Friend Who Lied by Rachel Amphlett!! That will by my last ARC for a little while as well as I’m going to try and only read my own books for the rest of June… I’m ready for a little break. I’m probably reading Queens Of Geek by Jen Wilde soon for Pride month and my TBR jar pick is still The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

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ARC REVIEW: Bridge To Burn – by Rachel Amphlett @RachelAmphlett

Title: Bridge To Burn
(Detective Kay Hunter #7)
Author: Rachel Amphlett
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
First published: January 13th 2019
Publisher: Saxon Publishing
Finished reading: December 25th 2018
Pages: 360

” ‘Two steps forward, one step back,’ said Carys. ‘It’s like the murder investigation version of bloody tango,’ said Barnes.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

Detective Kay Hunter has quickly grown into a new favorite series and character of mine this year. I’m sure you’ve seen me mentioning this series numerous times during 2018, and I’m sure this won’t stop in the future. Why? Every single book so far has been a complete hit for me, of a consistent quality and well written story after story after story. Bridge To Burn is already book number seven and trust me, if you are a detective thriller fan and haven’t tried this series yet, you have been seriously missing out. Bridge To Burn is yet another winner and I loved every single minute of it. Make sure to have your schedule clear, because you will want to read it in one sitting if possible! Kay Hunter is one of my favorite detective characters and reading about her adventures is like returning to and old friend. The writing is excellent, the plot was once again intriguing and the main characters will win over your heart all over again. There are lots of twists and turns to consider and Bridge To Burn has just the right dose of suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. And honestly, this series in general just has it all.

WARNING: Possible spoilers! Please don’t read this summary if you haven’t read the first six books of this series yet. I’ll keep the summary super short but it’s impossible to keep it completely spoiler-free…

When a mummified body is found in a recently renovated building, detective Kay Hunter and her team are called in to discover what happened and who was behind the crime. It turns out to be a far more complicated investigation than initially expected… And includes men who will do anything to protect their business interests. Kay Hunter and her team will have to tread carefully to discover the truth before it’s too late…

It’s always a wonderful feeling meeting up with an old favorite again, and that is exactly what I feel every time I get to spend more time with detective Kay Hunter. This series has quickly become one of my favorites and I can highly recommend it to any fan of the genre. If you enjoy reading detective thrillers, getting to know Kay Hunter is a must! Every single book so far has been well written with intriguing plots, interesting and easy to like characters and just the right amount of suspense and plot twists. What is not to like? Trust me, you don’t want to miss out…

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