Friday, December 8, 2017

The Watcher - Ross Armstrong



Kindle Edition

Publisher: HQ

Published: 29/12/17

Pages: 384

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

She's watching you, but who's watching her?

Lily Gullick lives with her husband Aiden in a new-build flat opposite an estate which has been marked for demolition. A keen birdwatcher, she can't help spying on her neighbours.

Until one day Lily sees something suspicious through her binoculars and soon her elderly neighbour Jean is found dead. Lily, intrigued by the social divide in her local area as it becomes increasingly gentrified, knows that she has to act. But her interference is not going unnoticed, and as she starts to get close to the truth, her own life comes under threat.

But can Lily really trust everything she sees?

My Thoughts


Hitchcock fans would probally love this book but im afraid it did nothing for me and I really struggled to finish it.

From the first chapter I took an instant dislike to Lilly and as the book went on it only got worse. The storyline was obvious, contained no surprises and dragged on until an half decent, if not predictable, last quarter.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Cold Blood - Robert Bryndza



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Bookouture

Published: 20/09/17

Pages: 378

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

She fell in love with a killer, now she’s one too.

The suitcase was badly rusted, and took Erika several attempts, but it yielded and sagged open as she unzipped it. Nothing could prepare her for what she would find inside…

When a battered suitcase containing the dismembered body of a young man washes up on the shore of the river Thames, Detective Erika Foster is shocked. She’s worked on some terrifying cases but never seen anything like this before.

As Erika and her team set to work, she makes the link with another victim – the body of a young woman dumped in an identical suitcase two weeks ago.

Erika quickly realises she’s on the trail of a serial killer who’s already made their next move. Yet just as Erika starts to make headway with the investigation, she is the victim of a brutal attack.

But nothing will stop Erika. As the body count rises, the twin daughters of her colleague Commander Marsh are abducted, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Can Erika save the lives of two innocent children before it’s too late? She’s running out of time and about to make a disturbing discovery…there’s more than one killer.

My Thoughts


Its no secret that I am a massive fan of Robert Bryndza and the Eric Foster series, every book has been a 5 star brilliant read and an absolute must read. Cold Blood is no exception to this. The fifth book in the series and the story is as fresh as the first.
This story felt different from the other four, thats not a bad thing at all and I cant put my finger on what it was that made it feel different. As with the other books in the series the plot is fast paced and characterisation is spot on.

Defiantly in my top 5 books of the year.

Anything You Say - Gillian McAllister



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 19/10/17

Pages: 400

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Joanna is an avoider. So far she has spent her adult life hiding bank statements and changing career aspirations weekly.

But then one night Joanna hears footsteps on the way home. Is she being followed? She is sure it's him; the man from the bar who wouldn't leave her alone. Hearing the steps speed up Joanna turns and pushes with all of her might, sending her pursuer tumbling down the steps and lying motionless on the floor.

Now Joanna has to do the thing she hates most - make a decision. Fight or flight? Truth or lie? Right or wrong?

My Thoughts


I really enjoyed Anything You Say, it was something different with a great plot, great characters and written beautifully, if not a tad repetitive and slow in parts.

If you liked the film Sliding Doors then you will probably like this book. Although I do think its a slightly lazy comparison. The book will make you question how you would react in the same circumstances, not just with the main character but her husband as well. Sometimes I did want to slap the pair of them because of the decisions they made or the way they acted.

For me it was hard to put down and i did think about it a lot inbetween reading, wondering which way the stories would evolve.

Enjoyable book and as I write this it is only 99p on Amazon for the Kindle version, which for a book like this is an absolute steal.

Hide and Seek - Richard Parker



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Bookouture

Published: 31/08/17

Pages: 347

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

The sun is out. Your little boy is smiling. The next time you look… he’s gone.

Lana Cross would do anything to protect her perfect family but on a trip to an adventure park, they slip out of her sight. When she finds her husband, he’s out cold on the forest floor. Then the truth sinks in: Cooper, her four-year-old son, is missing.

No one stopped the man carrying the sleeping boy. The park cameras don’t show where he went. Then Lana receives an anonymous message, telling her to visit a local school with a horrifying history...

This is no random attack. Whoever took Cooper is playing a twisted game, and if Lana wants to find him, she must participate.

How could there be a link between the school and her missing son? And can Lana find her little boy before it’s too late?

My Thoughts


Hide and Seek starts with a fast paced and frantic chapter that had me holding my breath until the end of the chapter. Dont advise it, if your a slow reader you will end up looking like a smurf. Thats not Smufist is it? You have to careful these days who you "offend".

With Richard Parker, Bookouture have added yet another fantastic thriller writer to their fold.
This fast paced thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout and no matter how many things you have to do this book will call to you as you walk past it on the way to do the ironing, shouting "just one more chapter, go on." and you will give in, 4 chapters later the ironing is still in the basket and its time to pick up the kids from school.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

The Chalk Man - C.J Tudor



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 11/01/18

Pages: 352

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Looking back, it all started on the day of the fair and the terrible accident. When twelve-year-old Eddie first met the Chalk Man.

It was the Chalk Man who gave Eddie the idea for the drawings: a way to leave secret messages between his group of friends.

And it was fun, to start with, until the figures led them to the body of a young girl.

That was thirty years ago and Ed thought the past was behind him. Then he receives a letter containing just two things: a piece of chalk, and a drawing of a stick figure. As history begins to repeat itself, Ed realises the game was never over . . .

Everyone has secrets.

Everyone is guilty of something.

And children are not always so innocent.

My Thoughts


With storytelling this good its hard to believe that this is a debut Novel. This book is being touted as one of the must read books of 2018 and I normally dont buy that kind of hype but sometimes the publicists are right. This book could and should be a big one.

Some reviews are comparing it to Stand By Me crossed with The Goonies but I dont think thats fair, it has its own place and deserves it.
Told between 1986 and 2016 we get to be part of the lifes of Eddie, Fat Gav, Hoppo, Metal Mickey, and Nicky for the summer of 1986 and the consequences of that summer 30 years later.

The writing has everything you could want from a story, characterisations, Plot and outcome all faultlessly brilliant. It left me yearning for those childhood summer days of adventure but with out the ending.

Highly recommended.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Unforgivable - Mike Thomas



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Zaffre

Published: 27/07/17

Pages: 400

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Bombs detonate in a busy souk, causing massive devastation.
An explosion rips apart a mosque, killing and injuring those inside.
But this isn't the Middle East - this is Cardiff . . .

In a city where tensions are already running high, DC Will MacReady and his colleagues begin the desperate hunt for the attacker. If they knew the 'why', then surely they can find the 'who'? But that isn't so easy, and time is fast running out . . .

MacReady is still trying to prove himself after the horrific events of the previous year, which left his sergeant injured and his job in jeopardy, so he feels sidelined when he's asked to investigate a vicious knife attack on a young woman.

But all is not as it seems with his new case, and soon MacReady must put everything on the line in order to do what is right.

My Thoughts


The book starts of with an all too real terrorist(?) attack quickly followed by another attack on a mosque. Whilst everyone else is trying to find the bomber MacReady is sidelined after he is asked to investigate a knife attack.
As with all my reviews I will not spoil it for anyone by giving the plot away but needless to say everything is not how it seems.

Unforgivable is a thriller that twists and turns the reader through interconnected story lines that lead to a fantastic ending. Its one of those books that you really want to get to the end of but when you do you are so disappointed that its finished you want to read it again.
The story felt so real, I felt totally immersed into the book I was there dodging the shrapnel and listening to the briefings standing next to Will MacReady.

Really loved it and cant recommend it enough. From one expat living in Portugal to another a massive 5 stars.

Saturday, August 26, 2017

The Missing Girls - Carol Wyer



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Bookouture

Published: 17/09/17

Pages: 389

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

One girl found dead. Another girl gone...

Long shadows danced on the tin walls. Inside the trunk lay Carrie Miller, wrapped in plastic, arms folded across her ribcage, lips sealed tight forever...

When a girl’s body is found at a Midlands storage unit, it is too decomposed for Detective Robyn Carter to read the signs left by the killer.

No one knows the woman in blue who rented the unit; her hire van can’t be traced. But as the leads run dry another body is uncovered. This time the killer’s distinctive mark is plain to see, and matching scratches on the first victim’s skeleton make Robyn suspect she’s searching for a serial-killer.

As Robyn closes in on the killer’s shocking hunting ground, another girl goes missing, and this time it’s someone close to her own heart.

Robyn can’t lose another loved one. Can she find the sickest individual she has ever faced, before it’s too late?

My Thoughts


This is the third book in the DI Robyn Carter series and boy does it pack a punch on every level.

I have reviewed the previous two books in this series this year and loved them both. The second book Secrets of the Dead is one of my favourite books of this year, surely The Missing Girls couldn't match that? Well, Yeah, and some.

The thing that makes me love these books are that they are so believable, The plot, The characters all of it. Carol Wyer has yet again created a rather disturbed yet lucid killer and the plot has been so well thought out and executed that you get dragged right into the world that has been created and I really didnt want to leave. At the end of the book I felt like Sam Tyler from Life on Mars (and what a series that was by the way.) when he finally woke up, he missed the world his mind had created and jumped off a building to get back to Gene Hunts world. Turning my kindle round and round hoping to find a portal to the world of Robyn Carter was unfortunately a waste of time as this being a rather boring real world where nothing exciting happens, I couldnt find it, guess I will have to wait for the 4th book instead.

Now I know I havent really told you much about the book, I never really do, because I dont want to ruin any of the story for you. I mean I could do an essay with accompanying Power Point presentation covering all the plot points but why would you want to read the book after that?

What I will say is that the ending is totally unexpected and left me open mouthed and very excited for the next book.

Fantastic book that quite rightly shoots its way well into my Top 12 books of the year.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Holding - Graham Norton



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Atria Books

Published: 04/08/17

Pages: 310

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled. Sergeant PJ Collins hasn't always been this overweight; mother of two Brid Riordan hasn't always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn't always felt that her life was a total waste. So when human remains are discovered on an old farm, suspected to be that of Tommy Burke - a former love of both Brid and Evelyn - the village's dark past begins to unravel.

As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret.

Darkly comic, touching and at times profoundly sad. Graham Norton employs his acerbic wit to breathe life into a host of lovable characters, and explore - with searing honesty - the complexities and contradictions that make us human.

My Thoughts


Who would of thought a celebrity could write a good book. Surely no one could beat the brilliance of Katie Price and her fantastic contribution to the fiction world?
Well surprisingly, for me anyway, Graham Norton has done just that. Holding isnt my normal type of book, I like fast paced in your face Serial Killers, so Holding couldnt have been more differnt.

The chapters are told through different people making this a more character based thriller than a plot driven one. Some people may find it a bit slow and the ending felt a tiny bit forced but that aside its a good book that I enjoyed and would read more of Mr Nortons books.

Perfect Pray - Helen Fields



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Avon

Published: 26/07/17

Pages: 465

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Welcome to Edinburgh. Murder capital of Europe.

In the middle of a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach. He dies minutes later. In a crowd of thousands, no one saw his attacker.

The following week, the body of a primary school teacher is found in a dumpster in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf.

D.I. Ava Turner and D.I. Luc Callanach have no leads and no motive – until around the city, graffitied on buildings, words appear describing each victim.

It’s only when they realise the words are being written before rather than after the murders, that they understand the killer is announcing his next victim…and the more innocent the better.

My Thoughts


There are lots of Thriller series, some are better than others; The D.I Callanach series is without doubt one of the best.

Undeniably my favourite series at the moment. The two lead characters in D.I Callanach and D.I Ava Turner are superbly written the chemistry between the two really works and rarely seems forced. Although I did find Ava in the background for a large amount of the book, but I suppose that was the point.

As with the first book I found the story unique and fasinating. I do wonder what kind of a mind the Authour has to come up with such gruesome and dare I say clever ways to commit murder. The whole story was well thought out kept me reading and wanting more. Sleep who needs it?
As with all my reviews I wont go into the plot for fear of giving anything away but I was getting very frustrated with Avas behaviour and couldn't work out which way it was going, but I was so relieved by the end of the book.

A Fantastic plot with fantastic characters, Highly recommended and I cant wait for book 3.

The Lying Game - Ruth Ware



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Vintage Digital

Published: 15/06/16

Pages: 372

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

The text message is just three words: I need you.

Isa drops everything, takes her baby daughter and heads straight to Salten. She spent the most significant days of her life at boarding school on the marshes there, days which still cast their shadow over her now.

Something terrible has been found on the beach. Something which will force Isa to confront her past, together with the three best friends she hasn't seen for years, but has never forgotten. Theirs is no cosy reunion: Salten isn't a safe place for them, after what they did.

At school the girls used to play the Lying Game. They competed to convince people of the most outrageous stories. But for some, did the boundary between fact and fantasy become too blurred?

And how much can you really trust your friends?

My Thoughts


I enjoyed a previous book by Ruth Ware so I thought I would give this a go. Unfortunatly I found very little I liked about the book.

The story is told from Isa’s perspective and the chapters alternate between the past and present and Isa's need to feed her daughter. Inbetween feeds we find out about that the girls have a secret that keeps them connected and after 17 years their lies and secrets look like being uncovered. This is a slow burner of a book, too slow for me. I got bored with the flowery descriptions and by the time it did warm up, around 3/4 of the way in, I had guessed the outcome and didnt really care by that point as the book had lost me way before.

More Chick-lit than Thriller.

Fire Damage - Kate Medina



Kindle Edition

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 24/03/16

Pages: 362

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

To find a killer, she must unlock a child’s terror…

The first in an exciting new crime series featuring psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn – a brilliantly complex character who struggles with a dark past of her own. Perfect for fans of Nicci French and Val McDermid.

A traumatized little boy

Four years old, terrified, disturbed – Sami is a child in need of help. Now it’s up to psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn to find the cause of his suffering and unlock his darkest memories, before it’s too late.

A psychologist with a secret

Meanwhile Jessie is haunted by an awful truth of her own. She works alongside former patient, Captain Ben Callan, to investigate a violent death – but the ghosts of her past refuse to leave her.

A body washed up on the beach

When a burnt corpse is found on the Sussex coast, Jessie begins to uncover a link between her two cases – and a desperate killer will do anything to keep it buried…

My Thoughts


A year ago I wouldnt have got half way through this book but at 45 and finally having learnt the important life skill of patience I am glad I am a year late reviewing this fantastic book.

The story is full of messed up and traumatised people and probably the most in need of a psychologist is Jessie Flynn herself. Throughout the book we find out about her background and what has made her into the person she is.

Jessie is trying to help 4 year old Sami who appears to be suffering from PTSD after seeing his father, a burns victim in Afghanistan, for the first time after his injury. Jessie is also asked by a former patient and equally as messed up Captain Ben Callan to help with a case he is working on of a soldier dying in suspicious circumstances in Afghanistan. Add to this a washed up decomposed body that was killed by severe blunt trauma to the back of the head being investigated by Bobby "Marilyn" Simmons and we have an exciting slow burning thriller of a book that although seems a bit confusing and complicated really isnt.

The pay off at the end is worth it and really left me wanting to read the next book in the series.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

A Room Full Of Killers - Michael Wood



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Killer Reads

Published: 17/02/17

Pages: 373

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Eight killers. One house. And the almost perfect murder…

Starling House is home to some of Britain’s deadliest teenagers, still too young for prison.

When the latest arrival is found brutally murdered, DCI Matilda Darke and her team investigate, and discover a prison manager falling apart and a sabotaged security system. Neither the staff nor the inmates can be trusted.

The only person Matilda believes is innocent is facing prison for the rest of his life. With time running out, she must solve the unsolvable to save a young man from his fate, and find a murderer in a house full of killers…

My Thoughts


Starling House is a secure unit for young offenders, not your average everyday offender, Killers. When a new inmate arrives he is murdered within 2 days, a few days later another inmate is murdered. DCI Matilda Darke has the job of finding out who did it. Not only does she have to solve the mystery but she also has a feeling that one of the inmates is innocent and goes off piste to try to prove his innocence or not.

The story is interspersed with the stories of the inmates and their crimes. I loved these chapters, thought they were fantastically well written and gave the book another dimension, something different. The story reminded me of an updated version of the old fashioned Whodunits that would have been on a Sunday early evening when I was a child, which is a good thing.

Oh and I loved the very ending of the book really wasnt expecting it and what a fantastic way to end a fantastic book.

Highly recommended.

Monday, August 7, 2017

The Serial Killer's Daughter - Lesley Welsh



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Bookouture

Published: 14/06/17

Pages: 336

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Charmer, liar, father… Killer.
Suzanne’s life changes forever the day she receives a visit from Rose Anderson, the woman who has been living with her estranged father, Don.

Don is dead, but Rose wants Suzanne to have his possessions – including a series of intimate diaries and a mysterious collection of photographs of women.

To Suzanne’s shock, one of the photos is of her friend Sophie, who died ten years ago in an unexplained and devastating fire.

But Don only met Sophie once, on an unsettling visit he paid Suzanne just days before Sophie’s death... So why did he have a picture of her?

Unable to let Sophie’s memory alone, Suzanne begins to dig into her father’s life. What horrors is she about to unearth in his journals? And who is it that’s out there, watching her every move?

My Thoughts

What it says about me im not sure but I love books about Serial Killers in both real life and fiction.
The character of Don is a grubby, dark, disturbing and possibly one of the most hideous of Killers.
I felt physically dirty reading him, I am no prude but found that the conversations Don had with his daughter about sex with her mother very hard to read. What makes this book even harder to read is knowing that there are real people like Don.

But what about the story?
Well its a well written steady paced story that will have your emotions in turmoil, not so much a rollercoaster of twists and turns but then with such well written characters it didnt need to be.


Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Face Behind The Mask - Helen Phifer



Kindle Edition

Publisher: HQ

Published: 14/04/17

Pages: 224

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

he greatest show on earth may pose the greatest danger…
1950: Tufty the clown is a circus favourite, drawing fans from miles around. But behind the painted white face, the upturned red lips and bouncy wig, there lurks something far more sinister…

Present Day: When Walter discovers an old clown suit, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to it. Putting on the suit feels electric, but that’s when the voices in his head get louder, and suddenly, he finds himself acting in ways he never would have imagined.

Police officer Annie Ashworth is enjoying her maternity leave spending time with baby Alfie. Until there is a new serial killer on the loose in Barrow, which might explain the cold presence she senses in her house. She’s sure a spirit needs to be put to rest, and she’s always been right in the past. But who is the man in the mask who haunts her nightmares? And why is he wearing a clown suit…

My Thoughts

Hard for me to review this book as I didnt realise it was part of a series and so as I started reading I felt like I had just walked into a party late without a clue who was who, what had happened or why. The first few chapters had so many names and people and references to other stories that I lost interest pretty quickly. Also didnt realise it was a paranormal story, which in my opinion very rarely make good books.

Obviously this is down me not reading the blurb or doing my research on the book before requesting.

Just not for me

The Fourth Monkey - J.D.Barker



Kindle Edition

Publisher: HQ

Published: 27/06/17

Pages: 421

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Brilliant. Complicated. Psychopath.

That’s the Four Monkey Killer or ‘4MK’. A murderer with a twisted vision and absolutely no mercy.

Detective Sam Porter has hunted him for five long years, the recipient of box after box of grisly trinkets carved from the bodies of 4MK’s victims.

But now Porter has learnt the killer’s twisted history and is racing to do the seemingly impossible – find 4MK’s latest victim before it’s too late…

My Thoughts


I love a good serial killer and the 4MK is certainly that. A well constructed book with some great twists and some great characters that make it a fantastic read which you will fly through. The book is written across 2 time frames, the present with Sam Porter continuing his 5 year chase of the 4MK Killer and a undetermined time frame of the killers diary. This book will be a huge hit and doubtlessly sell millions and deservedly so. My only gripe was the diary segments, not nearly as good as the hunt for the killer and rather "hammy", I had Mr Burns from the Simpsons as my narrator reading those chapters.

Enjoyable book. Recommended.

Friday, July 28, 2017

The Mayfly - James Hazel



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Zaffre

Published: 04/05/17

Pages: 432

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

A mutilated body discovered in the woods. A murderous plan conceived in the past.
A reckoning seventy years in the making . . .

When lawyer Charlie Priest is attacked in his own home by a man searching for information he claims Priest has, he is drawn into a web of corruption that has its roots in the last desperate days of World War Two.

When his attacker is found murdered the next day, Priest becomes a suspect and the only way to clear his name is to find out about the mysterious House of Mayfly - a secret society that people will kill for.

As Priest races to uncover the truth, can he prevent history from repeating itself?

My Thoughts


June was a very poor month me reading wise I only managed one book. This month however I seem to have caught the reading bug again. Not only has my reading been more prolific this month but all the books, so far, have been outstanding. Mayfly continues that streak with aplomb.

Mayfly is James Hazels first book a fact that I find hard to believe such is the quality of the writing, characterisation and storytelling. From the first page until the last I was totally absorbed by the story and the characters, in the Protagonist Charlie Priest we have a Flippant, Socially inept rouge with his heart in the right place and a character that can be as well known as Jack Reacher in the future.
The story is told over 2 timelines , 1945 and present day it has obviously been well researched but at no time was it overkill or superfluous and unlike this review the ending wasn't a let down either.

A fast paced, humorous, thrilling read that drags you in and wont let you go until the last page. Highly recommended.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Last Seen Alive - Claire Douglas



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 13/07/17

Pages: 389

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

She can run
Libby Hall needs to hide, to escape from everything for a while. Which is why the house swap is a godsend. The chance for Libby and her husband Jamie to exchange their tiny Bath flat for a beautiful haven on the wild Cornish coast.

But she can't hide
But before they can begin to heal their fragile marriage, Libby makes some disturbing discoveries about the house. And soon the peace and isolation begin to feel threatening. How alone are they? Why does she feel watched?

Because someone knows her secret
What is Jamie hiding? Is Libby being paranoid? And why does the house bring back such terrible memories? Memories Libby's worked hard to bury. Memories of the night she last saw her best friend alive . . . and what she did.

My Thoughts


This is the third book from Claire Douglas and the second I have read. The first was Local Girl Missing which I loved and gave 5 stars. So I was more than eager to read Last Seen Alive.

I was expecting a compelling, well written story, what I wasnt expecting was a book that fooled me not once but 3 times. As an avid reader of Mystery/Thriller/Crime books I would like to think that I can pretty much guess the outcome of most or get pretty damn near, Not with Last Seen Alive. I got nowhere near.

Libby has had a tough time of it lately so when a letter is posted through the door enquiring about a possible house swap, Libby,her husband Jamie and Ziggy the Dog jump at the chance of a break in Cornwall. At this point Libby seems to be a little bit paranoid with a few trust issues and Jamie seems to hiding a secret or two of his own. Of course things are never what they seem. The book is split into 3 parts Cornwall,Thailand and Bath told by Libby and Beth what happens over the next 389 pages has more twist and turns than a ride on the Helter Skelter at the Grand Pier in Weston-Super-Mare but not as expensive.

A Psychological Thriller that hits the nail firmly on the head and then some. Exceptional reading.

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Dead Souls - Angela Marsons



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Bookouture

Published: 28/04/17

Pages: 408

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

The truth was dead and buried… until now.

When a collection of human bones is unearthed during a routine archaeological dig, a Black Country field suddenly becomes a complex crime scene for Detective Kim Stone.

As the bones are sorted, it becomes clear that the grave contains more than one victim. The bodies hint at unimaginable horror, bearing the markings of bullet holes and animal traps.

Forced to work alongside Detective Travis, with whom she shares a troubled past, Kim begins to uncover a dark secretive relationship between the families who own the land in which the bodies were found.

But while Kim is immersed in one of the most complicated investigations she’s ever led, her team are caught up in a spate of sickening hate crimes. Kim is close to revealing the truth behind the murders, yet soon finds one of her own is in jeopardy - and the clock is ticking. Can she solve the case and save them from grave danger – before it’s too late?

My Thoughts


Dead Souls is the 6th instalment in the DI Kim Stone series and for my money is by far the best. I absolutely adored this book, everything about it was just right. The books are all must reads for crime fans but this one blew me away.
Kim is taken away from her comfort zone, in fact all of the team are and the results make for a superb story that had me gripped all the way through. There was not one superfluous word throughout the book, just full on brilliant story telling. The story revolves around Hate Crime and whilst the team are all working on separate cases they all come together to a fantastic crescendo of an ending.

If you have read Kim Stone before you will love this, If you havent I am envious of you because you have 6 books to catch up on whilst I have to kick my heals waiting for the 7th. So what are you waiting for? its a no brainer, £1.99 on Kindle is a steal. Buy it.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Secrets Of The Dead - Carol Wyer



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Bookouture

Published: 30/05/17

Pages: 316

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Three murders. Three innocent victims. What secrets did they share with their killer?

A bottle of bubble bath and colourful, plastic boats were scattered in small puddles on the floor. In the bathtub lay Linda Upton, fully-clothed, her lips a shade of blue, and her bloodshot eyes wide open.

When a young mother is found drowned in the bath, clutching a receipt saying ‘all debts paid’, Detective Robyn Carter knows it’s just the beginning of a harrowing case. She recognises the signs of a serial killer, and when a second victim with a receipt is found, her worst fears are confirmed.

With the local press whipping the public into a frenzy, Robyn is under pressure to solve the crime yesterday. But her team can’t find a link between the two bodies, and the cracks are starting to show.

Just when her leads have dried up, Robyn discovers an unsettling clue she thinks could unlock the case. But as she chases across the plush carpets and manicured lawns of the wealthy elite, honing in on the killer’s shocking motive, one of her own is put in terrible danger.

The press call him The Leopard for his stealth, speed and brutality. Can Robyn stop the most twisted killer of her career before it’s too late?

When you’re about to die will your secrets even matter?

My Thoughts


The second book in the DI Robyn Carter series and what a great read it was. The book is fast paced and kept me wanting to read just that little bit more every time I thought about putting it down. Took me 2 days to read, which for me is virtually unheard of. I honestly couldn't get the book out of my head I was totally engrossed in the world of DI Carter that Carol Wyer has created. The main characters are fantastic and develop from the last book without being repetitive. The killer is one hell of a nut job and although I did work out who they were and why they were doing it pretty early on in the book it didnt detract from my enjoyment.

One of my favourite book of 2017 so far and I cant wait to read the next.

A fantastic read and one I highly recommend.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Trust Me - Gemma Metcalfe



Kindle Edition

Publisher: HQ Digital

Published: 10/03/17

Pages: 209

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

One phone call. Two lives. Their darkest secrets.

Lana needs to sell a holiday, fast. Stuck in Tenerife, in a dead end job, she never expected a response quite like Liam’s.

Thousands of miles away a phone rings. Liam never intended to pick up, he’s too busy choosing the quickest way to die. But at least someone should know the truth before he goes, even if that someone is a stranger.

As time runs out both are drawn to the other, expressing thoughts they never imagined they would share. When you’re about to die will your secrets even matter?

My Thoughts

If this book is anything to go by Gemma Metcalfe is going to have a bright future in writing.

I really liked this book, two stories rolled into one with the two main characters telling each other their own story over the phone. Both stories are compelling and contain a good few twists that will keep you reading. I read this in 2 days which is pretty are for me. The story lines arent signposted for you and could have gone in many directions.

Both Liam and Lanas stories could have been real life true stories that you read in Womans Weekly or such like, the dialogue was well written and flowed well, no clunky stereotyped nonsense in sight.

The ending to both of their stories were great and the very end was surprising for all the right reasons.

Its an absolute bargain at 99p. This book is better than a lot of best sellers that are 10 times that cost.

Great book highly recommended.

Monday, July 10, 2017

Each Little Lie - Tom Bale



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Bookouture

Published: 29/06/17

Pages: 408

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

One split second can destroy your life forever

Single mother Jen Cornish is just trying to hold things together for the sake of her seven-year-old son Charlie. Until the day when she does an impulsive good deed to help a neighbour, setting off a terrifying chain of events that quickly spirals out of control…

When she is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit, Jen quickly starts to wonder if someone is playing a cruel game with her - or is she losing her mind?

Desperate to clear her name with the police, she must first untangle a chilling web of lies. But someone is watching her every move – and it isn’t just Jen who is in danger.

They’re watching her child as well.

My Thoughts


I have been extremely slack with my reading for the last few months and have a massive TBR pile, I am finding it hard to get out of bed let alone read a book. Whilst browsing Twitter not so long ago I came across a post that Tom Bale was publishing a new book so straight away this jumped to the top of my TBR Pile.
Tom Bale is one of my favourite writers, his books are consistently good and I really do enjoy them, in fact See How They Run is amongst one of my favourite books I have read. The writing instils in you the feelings the characters are going through on the page. I am constantly going through an emotional roller coaster of Panic, Fear and Relief.
Each Little Lie is no different. Yet again Tom Bale takes a "normal" everyday person and puts them into a brilliant adrenaline packed adventure.

As with all my reviews I wont go into details (thats what the blurb is for) of the story through fear of spoilers and laziness but this is a story full of characters of dubious nature that think they can do whatever they like regardless of the law to people who they deem beneath them, and get away with it. Bit like the Conservatives. The protagonist of the story is Jen Cornish who is a normal everyday person, a single person who lives for her son. She does one kind thing for a neighbour and her whole world changes

Great book, highly recommended.

Monday, June 5, 2017

Book Of The Month - May

My book of the month for May is the fantastic Gone Too Far by Steven Suttie.


My review is HERE

Friday, May 26, 2017

If You Knew Her - Emily Elgar



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Sphere

Published: 26/01/17

Pages: 384

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

The perfect life?
Or the perfect lie . . .

When Cassie Jensen arrives on the intensive care ward in St Catherine's hospital, Alice Marlowe the chief nurse, is fascinated by this young, beautiful woman who strikes her as familiar and yet she doesn't know why. But then Alice is astonished to discover something about Cassie that she has been keeping secret from everyone, including her devoted husband and family; a secret that changes everything.

Frank is a patient on the same ward who has locked-in-syndrome, so can hear and see everything around him but cannot communicate. Soon he comes to understand that Cassie's life is still in danger and as the police continue to investigate what really happened to Cassie, only Frank holds the truth, which no one can know and he cannot tell . . .

My Thoughts


A debut Psychological thriller that is told by various characters.
Alice who is a Nurse, Frank who is a patient with locked in syndrome and Cassie who is the victim of a hit and run.

Unfortunately I found the book to have a very slow build up to a rather poor ending for a Psychological thriller. The book is mostly set in medical surroundings with in Alice , probably the most unprofessional nurse, constantly breaking patient confidentiality. The story moves along wellish but despite the few Red Herrings thrown in, it wasnt a hard to work out who the culprit was.
Didnt enjoy this im afraid.

One Of Us Is Lying - Karen M. McManus



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 01/06/17

Pages: 358

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

Yale hopeful Bronwyn has never publicly broken a rule.

Sports star Cooper only knows what he's doing in the baseball diamond.

Bad body Nate is one misstep away from a life of crime.

Prom queen Addy is holding together the cracks in her perfect life.

And outsider Simon, creator of the notorious gossip app at Bayview High, won't ever talk about any of them again.

He dies 24 hours before he could post their deepest secrets online. Investigators conclude it's no accident. All of them are suspects.

Everyone has secrets, right?

What really matters is how far you'll go to protect them.

My Thoughts


What a fantastic debut book. Sometimes when I choose books I kind of dont pay much attention. Maybe I get a email advertising it or see something on Twitter.
I cant remember how I came across One Of Us Is lying but I am glad I did. It wasnt until after reading it and looking it up on Goodreads that I realised it was a Y/A book. Didnt feel like it as I read it. The story is told by the four main characters,Bronwyn, Addy, Nate and Cooper. It was a joy to read, the story telling flowed at a quick pace and was a joy to read.
There are a multitude of stories within the book, Love, Hate, Sexuality, Regret and Friendship and its all perfectly wrapped up in a mysterious death.

The story was engrossing and fast paced and most of all enjoyable. Although I did work out what was going on quite early in the book it didnt detract from the quality of the story.

Highly recommended for the adult market just as much as the YA.

Friday, May 19, 2017

Last Breath - Robert Bryndza



Kindle Edition

Publisher: Bookouture

Published: 12/04/17

Pages: 362

Amazon Uk Link: Here

GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley


The Blurb

He’s your perfect date. You’re his next victim.

When the tortured body of a young woman is found in a dumpster, her eyes swollen shut and her clothes soaked with blood, Detective Erika Foster is one of the first at the crime scene. The trouble is, this time, it’s not her case.

While she fights to secure her place on the investigation team, Erika can’t help but get involved and quickly finds a link to the unsolved murder of a woman four months earlier. Dumped in a similar location, both women have identical wounds – a fatal incision to their femoral artery.

Stalking his victims online, the killer is preying on young pretty women using a fake identity. How will Erika catch a murderer who doesn’t seem to exist?

Then another girl is abducted while waiting for a date. Erika and her team must get to her before she becomes another dead victim, and, come face to face with a terrifyingly sadistic individual.

My Thoughts


Without coming across like a gushing Fanboy, I love the Erika Foster books. Robert Bryndza is well on his way to becoming one of the best writers in this genre. As with the other books in the series the story flows at a good pace at leaves you wanting more. It took me longer to read this one as I kept stopping because I just didnt want it to end. What I really liked about this one was the characterisation of the killer, it was spot on. The balance between the two narratives made the book a genuine page turner. How these books havent been snapped up for TV yet I dont know, they are perfect for it.

In all honesty I cant fault this one at all, everything was perfect from beginning to end.

Highly recommended.

Saturday, May 13, 2017

The Gift - Louise Jensen



Kindle Edition
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 16/12/16
Pages: 320
Amazon Uk Link: Here
GoodReads Link: Here

Given for an honest review via Netgalley

The Gift - Louise Jensen

The perfect daughter. The perfect girlfriend. The perfect murder?

Jenna is given another shot at life when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. Eternally grateful to Callie and her family, Jenna gets closer to them, but she soon discovers that Callie’s perfect family is hiding some very dark secrets …

Callie’s parents are grieving, yet Jenna knows they’re only telling her half the story. Where is Callie’s sister Sophie? She’s been ‘abroad’ since her sister’s death but something about her absence doesn’t add up. And when Jenna meets Callie’s boyfriend Nathan, she makes a shocking discovery.

Jenna knows that Callie didn’t die in an accident. But how did she die? Jenna is determined to discover the truth but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.

So we kick off the new year with another Bookouture author and yet another 5 star review for a truly great book.

I can only imagine what it must be like to be given another chance at living because someone else has died, although you may have been gifted the chance to live, the physical and psychological side effects must be life changing. The daily reminder that you have someone else inside you would be enough but to then suffer from Cellular Memory, giving you flash backs and memories from the organs donator would be enough to drive you mad.
Wether or not Cellular Memory is real or not, Being the skeptic that I am I have my doubts, doesn't really matter and Louise Jensens writing is so persuasive that if she wrote to me telling me the world was flat or a Businessman and reality TV star was President of the USA, I would believe her.

Its a brilliantly crafted story that had my emotions and thoughts all over the place. I changed my mind over and over undecided on what had happened and who could of done it. Was Jenna Psychotic? Was it Murder? Was it important to get some sleep or feed the kids or just read one more chapter?. The ending was perfect for me. Totally unexpected. The Book has also made me think about Organ donation and I have now signed up to the NHS Organ Donation Register