Oh, my giddy Aunt The Mercy Chair without a doubt is the darkest book in the series yet! Mike Craven is a brilliant storyteller, but this time round aOh, my giddy Aunt The Mercy Chair without a doubt is the darkest book in the series yet! Mike Craven is a brilliant storyteller, but this time round and from the off it’s got a very different vibe. The story comes straight from ‘the horse’s mouth ‘ or in this case Poe’s. As he shares his story, an overwhelming sense of unease grows. OMG, does Poe have a story to tell as the themes explored are disturbing, to say the least! I kept wondering why the book is told from Poe’s POV? But as the story progresses, the reason for this becomes clear. If you are as clever or have a mind that’s as twisted as Mike Craven, you may work out some of the subtle but perfectly placed clues within the story.
So not to spoil the read I will keep it simple. Poe and Tilly are investigating a disturbing murder, which leads them to a religious commune and from there on in the plot takes an alarming turn. It’s not only the story that’s told differently, it’s Poe himself in The Mercy Chair. We see a different side to him, a side that will trouble regular readers of this series. The fantastic Tilly continues to entertain with her unfiltered comments. This humour is much needed as it gives the reader time to catch their breath between the more disturbing and intense moments. Mike Craven, without a doubt, is a master of manipulation and misdirection, just as I thought I had it all worked out he threw in the mother of all twists. As for the ending, what a shocker! I am really excited about the next book in the series and can’t wait to see what he has in store for Poe and Tilly next. Definitely one of my top reads this year.
I’m a huge fan of Chris Carters and although I enjoyed it I didn’t love it as much as previous books in the series. The author is known for his graphiI’m a huge fan of Chris Carters and although I enjoyed it I didn’t love it as much as previous books in the series. The author is known for his graphic, gory crime scenes but I thought this book was missing these more graphic scenes. The plot is still very dark and does cover the subject of child abuse which some readers might find disturbing. The plot was an intriguing one though and as usual the author delves into the mind of his killer which is disturbing to say the least, more so when their motive is revealed. Garcia and Hunter are great leads and I love the relationship between the two. All in all I really enjoyed this book and flew through it with its short, snappy chapters ...more
My favourite author on the planet Robert Bryndza has done it again! What an entertaining heart in your mouth read The Last Victim turned out to be. InMy favourite author on the planet Robert Bryndza has done it again! What an entertaining heart in your mouth read The Last Victim turned out to be. In case you have read the Kate Marshall series, this is book five. Yes, you can read it as a standalone, but I would urge you to read the books in order just because they are all so good. The Lost Victim adds a stellar addition to this unmissable series. As always, Robert Bryndza writes with razor-sharp precision, authentic narrative, great characterisation, and a fascinating plot.
Kate’s past comes back to haunt her when Peter Conway The Nine Elms killer’s name is linked to the cold case of School girl Janey Macklin who vanished in 1988. Kate and her partner Tristan are hired to investigate the case. It’s clear from the opening chapter that Janey’s disappearance is unlikely to have a happy ending. I found this added to the tension tenfold as I raced to the story’s conclusion, hoping for a positive conclusion.
Kate and Tristan are intricate and engaging as the crimes they unravel. They are both interesting characters with strengths and weaknesses. With no body, little evidence, and unreliable witnesses, there’s little to go on. But Kate and Tristan are determined to solve the case. Throughout the complex plot, they meet various witnesses. All of them appear to be hiding something with their half truths and lies. With well hidden clues peppered throughout and just as many red herrings, The Last Victim is one that I will guarantee will keep you guessing.
What I particularly like about this series is how original each book has been. The author thankfully has a very vivid imagination, and each story offers something unique, which is why Robert Bryndza continues to be one of my all-time favourite authors. The Last Victim is dark, disturbing and most definitely a gripping read. Highly recommended.
WOW HOLY MOLY!!!! I can’t believe Guilty Mothers is the 20th book in the Kim Stone series! And yet here we are! Twenty books in and you would expect sWOW HOLY MOLY!!!! I can’t believe Guilty Mothers is the 20th book in the Kim Stone series! And yet here we are! Twenty books in and you would expect some repetition, or even a dud book now and then in the series, but not in the more than capable hands of Angela Marsons. God, this woman knows how to write! She always brings something fresh to each book she releases, which makes this series such a MUST read.
Three women are brutally murdered, and the investigation leads Kim and her team to the controversial and toxic world of Children’s Beauty Pageants. If that wasn’t enough for the reader to get their teeth into, there’s a subplot involving Tiff investigating the death of a man found dead in a nearby lake. Tiff is a welcome addition, and I’m hoping she’s going to become a permanent member of the CID team. Both cases explore the complex themes of motherhood, the good, the bad and the downright ugly, so it’s understandable that Kim and her team find themselves reflecting on their own relationships with their mothers during childhood.
I always find it amazing that Angela Marsons can address dark themes, and yet she can inject just the right amount of humour to lighten the mood. The banter between Kim and her team is one of the highlights of this series, as are the team themselves. Each character fits into the team like a pair of well-worn gloves. They look out for each other; they lean on each other and work tirelessly to bring the victims of murder justice. I have loved seeing how their characters have grown and developed.
I’ve always felt uncomfortable seeing young girls being paraded on stage like mini adults, but after reading about the jealousy, rivalry competitiveness, and the damage they can do to impressionable young girls, I’m definitely in the ‘against them’ camp! The sporadic chapters, told from an unknown source, are desperately sad and highlight the lengths to which some mothers will go to satisfy their own narcissistic needs. They also add a sense of dread to the overall plot. As you would expect, the plot gains momentum and the suspense never wavers. And DAMN Angela Marsons (in a good way) as once again I stayed up way too late reading since I couldn’t put down this addictive read. Guilty Mothers is another stellar addition to this unmissable series, and it’s one I would highly recommend to all crime thriller junkies.
A short story that lacks a punch. If you haven’t read any of the Kim Stone series it’s a great introduction to Kim who’s a real kick ass! She doesn’t A short story that lacks a punch. If you haven’t read any of the Kim Stone series it’s a great introduction to Kim who’s a real kick ass! She doesn’t suffer fools gladly and that’s what I love about her. ...more
Karin Slaughter ramps up her storytelling skills to explore a family’s dark past in This Is Why We Lied. From the start, she wastes no time in presentKarin Slaughter ramps up her storytelling skills to explore a family’s dark past in This Is Why We Lied. From the start, she wastes no time in presenting the reader with a complex plot that’s twisted and extremely dark. Will Trent and Sara Linton investigator and medical examiner are on their honeymoon at McAlpine Lodge: a remote mountain getaway. Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the lodge, is found murdered following a family argument where she threatens to expose long buried secrets, turning the honeymoon of Will’s dreams into his worst nightmare.
Anyone who has read a Karin Slaughter book will know she doesn’t shy away from exploring dark themes. This Is Why We Lied is no different as it explores drug addiction, child cruelty, domestic abuse, and alcoholism. The plot relies on a closed circle of suspects which in the wrong hands could have made the narrative somewhat predictable. Thankfully, This Is Why We Lied is far from predictable. Set in an isolated location, the plot feels intense and claustrophobic from the off, which adds to the overall tension.
Marcie’s family brings a whole new meaning to dysfunctional! They’re the worst kind of humans, users, abusers, manipulators, liars and the list goes on and on... Karin Slaughter pulls no punches in sharing Mercy’s tortured life with the reader. I felt a desperate sorrow for how her so-called family and husband treated her so badly. Their lack of empathy for her death made my blood run cold. This Is Why We Lied is the perfect title for this book, as there are so many betrayals and dark secrets shrouded in lies and half truths!
Will and Sarah remain two of my favourite characters in a crime series they complement each other perfectly. Thankfully Karen Slaughter never takes the obvious path and as the plot gains momentum, it takes a dark twisted turn that I never saw coming. Although I guessed who had killed Mercy, when the ‘why’ was revealed, it surpassed anything my imagination could conjure up, in terms of horror! This Is Why We Lied is everything a thriller should be: dark, multilayered, suspenseful. Highly recommended.
I absolutely adore this series created by Christie Barlow. Every time I pick up a book in the Love Heart Lane series, it feels like I’m meeting up witI absolutely adore this series created by Christie Barlow. Every time I pick up a book in the Love Heart Lane series, it feels like I’m meeting up with old familiar friends. I was torn in reading The Vintage Flower Van On Love Heart Lane, on one hand I wanted to delve straight in, but as it’s the final book in the series so I wanted to savour it as I knew once I reached the last page I would feel grief-stricken at having to say a final ‘goodbye’ to the characters I have come to love and admire.
The last book features florist Florrie Appleton. When her beloved Aunt Ada passes, Florrie finds herself reeling as she receives an eviction notice and is told to vacate Rose Cottage, and shut down her Vintage Flower Van business. But Florrie won’t give up without a fight even if that means taking on developer Tom Houston, the man who broke her heart at university. With the whole of Heartcross behind her, there’s nothing the tiny Scottish hamlet can’t accomplish when they band together.
Each character is larger than life, the idyllic village of Heartcross so perfectly described that I’m convinced it’s an actual village! Don’t think for one minute these books are a ‘just a fluffy’ read. I love the depth of each story and how the author takes real-life problems that the reader can relate to and turns them into emotional, beautifully told stories that break me at every read. To offset the more serious issues are scenes that bring smiles and laughter.
I adored Florrie and Tom’s story despite the lows, the tears, and the pain the important message is ‘friends are there for you no matter what’ and the treasured memories you can make when you have genuine friends. I will be the first to admit I shed tears at a fitting end to a perfect series. And yes, my heart shattered as I said a ‘final goodbye’ to the most amazing characters who have made me laugh and cry as I’ve followed their journeys. It’s obvious that Christie Barlow puts her heart and soul into each book as once again she’s weaved her magic and written a mesmerising, emotionally filled story, that’s ultimately a heartwarming, ‘feel good’ read. Highly recommended.
WOW what a spellbinding debut this turned out to be. Crow Moon is a menacing and darkly sinister modern gothic thriller steeped in Scottish folklore. WOW what a spellbinding debut this turned out to be. Crow Moon is a menacing and darkly sinister modern gothic thriller steeped in Scottish folklore. Set in the fictional village of Strathbran Suzy Aspley has created a village that has a powerful effect on the story and adds to the dark, mysterious, and fearful atmosphere tenfold.
After the death of her twin sons in a tragic house fire, Martha Strangeways, an ex-journalist, is consumed by grief. Dougie is Martha’s teenage son, whose friend Fraser is found murdered with a creepy poem about crows tattooed on his back. Retired journalist Martha founds herself drawn into the investigation. The characters in the story are well-drawn and diverse. I particularly liked Martha, who doggedly plants herself in the middle of the investigation.
In the small claustrophobic community, paranoia and distrust become intertwined as the number of potential suspects for the murder increases and long buried village secrets are revealed. The sense of foreboding amplifies with every page turn as another of Dougie’s friends vanishes.
Suzy Aspley grief and long term psychological damage both have a large part to play in this sorrowful tale. Crow Moon is a wonderfully atmospheric and compelling novel and a MUST read for gothic thriller fans. Personally, I can’t wait to see where the author takes Martha next.
Ever since I’ve read The Echo Man and The Twenty by Sam Holland I’ve been anticipating The Puppet Master which is the third book in the Major Crimes sEver since I’ve read The Echo Man and The Twenty by Sam Holland I’ve been anticipating The Puppet Master which is the third book in the Major Crimes series. If like me you like your crime fiction to have a deliciously dark plot, one that’s laden with tension, featuring the most twisted and disturbing protagonists, then this may just be the book for you.
Cara and her team are called in to investigate what appears to be a gruesome suicide. It soon becomes clear to Cara that these random suicides are anything but. It was great to catch up with Cara and her ‘misfit’ team. Many of the characters are dealing with the aftershocks from the previous books. Which impacts on both their professional and working lives. The plot is a chilling one driven by manipulation, a constant sense of unease bubbles from the pages.
The Puppet Master is definitely not one for the faint-hearted, because of its graphic crime scenes and shocking killings throughout. There were definitely quite a few scenes which made me want to sleep with the light on after reading them. I appreciate it when an author immediately catches the reader’s attention. I much prefer to be thrown into the action than a slow burn build up. Sam Holland does exactly this with a shocking opening chapter that propels the reader onwards into a dark, troubling tale that’s shrouded in suspense. Without a shadow of a doubt, Sam Holland is a natural born storyteller with a very vivid and disturbing imagination! The Puppet Master made for an addictive read and one I raced through. Fans of the series are going to love it. I can’t wait to see what comes next. Highly recommended.
The Brothers is a follow on from The Family Man and follows twin brothers Brett and Beau Bond. What a cracking read this turned out to be. Kimberley cThe Brothers is a follow on from The Family Man and follows twin brothers Brett and Beau Bond. What a cracking read this turned out to be. Kimberley chambers has a natural gift for creating very colourful characters, that are larger than life, by the time you get to the end of The Brothers you feel like you know them all personally, flaws and all (and believe me they all have plenty of them!). I loved catching up with the wayward Bond brothers, and as you would expect there's plenty of violence and treachery along the way.
In my opinion Kimberly Chambers is the queen of the gritty, criminal tale she manages to take the reader on a dark and twisted journey deep into the criminal world. This book has all the ingredients the authors legion of fans have come to love and I’m sure they won’t be disappointed, it has shocks and “OMFG” moments galore, it’s another amazing page turner and one that will certainly be heading for the bestseller spot. Highly recommended and roll on the third book in the series.
I absolutely adore the Love Heart Lane Series with its characters and its picturesque setting. Each book can be read as a standalone but honestly readI absolutely adore the Love Heart Lane Series with its characters and its picturesque setting. Each book can be read as a standalone but honestly reading the WHOLE series will be a joy. Another reason I love this series is the fact Christie Barlow addresses real life issues with a great deal empathy, so who books are much more than a ‘fluffy’ read. It’s the characters that draw me back each time, I finish one book and immediately miss the characters so pick up the next book in the series.
When Dr Ben Saunders meets the new doctor Dr Katie O’Neil he can’t believe she is going to be working with him in Peony Practice because they were rivals at medical school. In Heartcross retired vet Stuart Scott’s wife Alana who has been diagnosed with dementia finds her condition worsening and decides on a fundraiser for the charity. Katie comes up with the idea of a boat race. I found this book such an emotional read as Christie Barlow has shown insight and empathy to this devastating disease. But there are lighter moments that make this book a delight to read, there’s laughter, tears, and humour that ultimately make this series a must read. ...more
I’m a huge crime thriller and it takes a lot for me to switch genres. I absolutely adore the Love Heart Lane Series with its characters and its perfecI’m a huge crime thriller and it takes a lot for me to switch genres. I absolutely adore the Love Heart Lane Series with its characters and its perfect setting. Each book can be read as a standalone but honestly reading the WHOLE series will be a joy. Another reason I love this series is the fact Christie Barlow addresses real life issues with a great deal empathy, so who books are much more than a ‘fluffy’ read. It’s the characters that draw me back each time, I finish one book and immediately miss the characters so pick up the next book in the series.
Molly Mckendrick. Is a vet who lives in Glenshiel not far from Heartcross. She bumps (literally!) into heart throb Cam in a hotel, she knows it’s love at first sight. But true love is never straight forward and there are many bumps in Molly’s journey to find true happiness ...more
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