An odd little book if I'm being honest. One of the narrators is dead and as ghastly as it sounds I didn't quite understand the purpose of his 'voice' An odd little book if I'm being honest. One of the narrators is dead and as ghastly as it sounds I didn't quite understand the purpose of his 'voice' other than to allow us to listen in to other people's conversation as he drifted from scene to scene. He seemed very detached from his death and how it happened which meant I was also detached from him as a character. I did appreciate how the story explored that some people still equate 'gay' with 'deviant' and I thought this was well tackled in the book.
Great rainbow representation in this YA murder mystery and I loved the premise but there were too many 'reveals' in this one to find it plausible. YouGreat rainbow representation in this YA murder mystery and I loved the premise but there were too many 'reveals' in this one to find it plausible. You know how a writer lays down threads in a story that they then craftily weave together in a way that feels seamless to readers? This felt someone was grasping onto 100 different length and weighted threads and aggressively poking them here, there and everywhere to create a rustic and holey floor rug. I loved the twisted fairy-tale vibe though so kept reading. Just okay for me.
Dear Ashley, Most of the book was really great but that ending was genuinely annoying. Kind regards Claude
Seriously folks. There a few things more annoyDear Ashley, Most of the book was really great but that ending was genuinely annoying. Kind regards Claude
Seriously folks. There a few things more annoying to me than an unsatisfying ending. Now sometimes there are cool endings that your are left shocked or mind-blown. This just felt unfinished. I was actually totally absorbed for most of the book so I will still give it 3 stars. The characters were interesting and although the whodunnit elements were well signposted, I still loved the twists and turns.
Crikey, that was an excitingly tense roller coaster ride! The cold and isolated setting made for a good backdrop to this chilling thriller. T4.5 Stars
Crikey, that was an excitingly tense roller coaster ride! The cold and isolated setting made for a good backdrop to this chilling thriller. The dual timeline was extremely effective in keeping us on the edge of our seats as, piece by piece, the horrors of the past fill in the present day mystery of how a young child came to be found by writer, Wylie Lark, curled up in the snow outside her writing retreat home. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and actually listened to it in one day. The audiobook was really well narrated and heightened the level of stress I felt towards then end. I look forward to reading more from this author.
What an excellent debut, Stacy! When girls start going missing in Baton Rouge, Chloe notices some similarities to a spate of abductions that terroriseWhat an excellent debut, Stacy! When girls start going missing in Baton Rouge, Chloe notices some similarities to a spate of abductions that terrorised her childhood town over a decade ago. However, it can't be the same killer because that man is her father and he is currently in prison. Some good red herrings in here and nice wee twists. I liked how Chloe was fragile and on edge as this created tension and made some of her actions questionable. The result was a growing sense of unease for readers and a degree of uncertainty about which characters were trustworthy. A great murder mystery and I look forward to reading this author's next novel. ...more
I honestly had to dig deep to get through this predictable mystery. I don't know why I held on until the end because I detested the main character, JeI honestly had to dig deep to get through this predictable mystery. I don't know why I held on until the end because I detested the main character, Jessica, with a passion. I wasn't invested in who killed Heather because we didn't really get to know her at all. There was an angsty teen drama vibe despite the dual timeline between them as university students and then adults. I did enjoy how things unfolded in the last 1/4 but overall this was just okay for me....more
Not gonna lie, that was a difficult read. Ansel Packer is counting down the hours until his execution after some brutal murders. I found it quite unseNot gonna lie, that was a difficult read. Ansel Packer is counting down the hours until his execution after some brutal murders. I found it quite unsettling that his story was narrated in second person. It made being with him during his last 12 hours an uncomfortably intimate experience as his inevitable death drew closer. The writing is sublime and the tension palpable.
“You are a fingerprint. When you open your eyes on the last day of your life, you see your own thumb. In the jaundiced prison light, the lines on the pad of your thumb look like a dried-out riverbed, like sand washed into twirling patterns by water, once there and now gone.”
Whilst we see Ansel's point of view, it is actually the women in his life that drive the story and peel back the layers of time so we can build a picture of how such a man came to be. Their voices are powerful and haunting because we as readers know how his life will unfold and the devastation he will bring. Their accounts are raw and they felt like real women, not just characters in a story. This move away from a typical serial killer novel to where the focus lies with the women made the story more absorbing in my opinion. What is equally hard hitting is that we aren't there to hate Ansel. In fact, I felt compassion for the boy left alone. “In most of your memories, your mother is gone. And before she is gone, always, she is leaving.” That mixed with the feelings of revulsion I felt for his actions made for a head and heart spinning experience. After all “No one is all bad. No one is all good. We live as equals in the murky gray between.”
Content warning: I want to give an open warning about the animal harm in this book. None of the harm is on page but there are gruesome descriptions of animal bodies. There is also domestic abuse....more
What a plot twist, Joshua! I like that this author tells his stories through a range of voices and that some of them are unre3.5 stars rounded up to 4
What a plot twist, Joshua! I like that this author tells his stories through a range of voices and that some of them are unreliable narrators. This is a bit of a slow burn but then things become quite tense when the complexity of the problem ramps up a few notches. Crossing boundaries is not one of my favourite tropes as it comes with a degree of annoyance and a side of SERIOUSLY! Overall an entertaining thriller and the last 1/3 was fantastic....more
A good crime and legal drama with some interesting twists and really engaging characters. DCI Mackenzie Jones is investigating a mass shooting at a reA good crime and legal drama with some interesting twists and really engaging characters. DCI Mackenzie Jones is investigating a mass shooting at a remote farmhouse when her case becomes all the more challenging with the arrival of disgraced former colleague turned P.I., Atticus Priest. Whilst they are working on opposite sides of this case I can't wait to see them working together in the future as I think they have incredibly good chemistry. Priest is the kind of character I enjoy as he is at quite a low point in his life but isn't dark and brooding. Instead he is a quirky guy whose Asperger's syndrome and Sherlockian skills of deduction make him a complex and compelling character. I listened to book one and two back to back as I enjoyed this author's writing style, layered plot and fully developed characters....more
This was an incredibly complex story with a huge cast of characters. They came with their own motivations and understandings or versions of the truth.This was an incredibly complex story with a huge cast of characters. They came with their own motivations and understandings or versions of the truth. When a twenty year old case is reopened after the identification of remains from the 9/11 terrorist attack we are thrown right into a supposedly open and shut cold case with a gripping story build up and fantastic writing. There was so much going on that I had a few 'wait, what now?' moments throughout but as the stories began to weave together I was hooked. This is not a light read because of the number of stories you have to keep track of but it is well worth the effort. ...more
An anonymous witness delivers some convenient evidence used to convict a supposed killer but DS Zoe Mayer's instincts lead her to believe that the casAn anonymous witness delivers some convenient evidence used to convict a supposed killer but DS Zoe Mayer's instincts lead her to believe that the case is too clean and too cut and dried. A deeper delve into other similar cases has her wondering if she is dealing with serial killer. A good story line with characters I could get behind. An enjoyable murder mystery. ...more
"A system has been forced on us that is not interested in balance. A legal system transplanted here from 20,000 miles away. A set of laws that exist n"A system has been forced on us that is not interested in balance. A legal system transplanted here from 20,000 miles away. A set of laws that exist not to provide equality and recompense and honour and balance, but to ensure one side flourishes and the other is kept in the gutter. This we have accepted, like lambs."
"The time of the lamb is over."
Chills. Literal chills. This is a sensational novel that explores the impact of colonisation on Māori. We look through the eyes of a killer as they seek to restore balance for past wrongs by exacting brutal and bloody revenge. Set in modern day Auckland, New Zealand, we follow Detective Senior Sergeant Hana Westerman as she grapples with a modern day murder case that has links to atrocities in New Zealand's dark and blood soaked colonial past. This novel is powerful. I had so many moments where I gasped in shock only to then feel utterly devastated that these horrific experiences are not the stuff of fiction but are examples of everyday injustices suffered by Māori at the hands of a system that has not adequately addressed the long term negative impacts of colonisation, and the inequity that still exists in our country. This is probably the first novel I have read that truly examines and provides insight in to what it is like to be Māori in a system designed to keep power out of their hands. I thought the use of Te Reo throughout added to the authenticity of this story. An incredibly gripping murder mystery that will sit with me for a very long time. A must read.
Another brilliantly complex and layered mystery from Fiona Cummins!
It takes a while to settle into this one with its 3.5 Stars easily rounded up to 4!
Another brilliantly complex and layered mystery from Fiona Cummins!
It takes a while to settle into this one with its multi POV initially making for some confusing reading. However, once the voices crystallised for me then the foreboding sense of menace and chills set in. Suspension of disbelief is required because of the crazy collection of characters that 'happen' to be residing within this small zip code. A serial killer nick-named 'The Dollmaker' has been terrorising the neighbourhood and DC Wildeve Stanton and DCI Clive 'Mac' Mackie don't seem to be making any headway with the case. Disaster strikes for the police when one of their own is murdered and immediately the case becomes personal. With so many twisted characters and slippery turns I was genuinely unsure how things would unfold. A gritty murder mystery!...more
Mona is an apprentice baker whose magical powers only extend to doughs and baked goods. Her4.5 Stars
This book is ridiculous beyond belief.
I loved it.
Mona is an apprentice baker whose magical powers only extend to doughs and baked goods. Her familiar is a particularly nasty batch of sourdough and she can animate gingerbread cookies to the delight of customers. When a body is discovered on the floor of the bakery her life is flipped on its head as she flees from a sinister figure determined to get rid of all wizards. Think of all the scenes in Shrek that involve gingerbread people and you have a glimpse into this absurdly entertaining, totally charming novel. I feel guilty but I craved bread and gingerbread throughout this even though eating them would have felt tantamount to murder...*whispers*...it did not stop me. I thoroughly recommend this totally quirky and entertaining YA book! I think it would be okay for some intermediate/middle school students who like a little bit of dark but not scary humour....more
And so we return to Nottingham and my favourite duo of Cyrus and Evie. I had high hopes that this book would delve more into Evie's background and theAnd so we return to Nottingham and my favourite duo of Cyrus and Evie. I had high hopes that this book would delve more into Evie's background and the sinister people behind the events of book 2, but I guess this will happen later in the series. This was still a brilliant read but not as 'on the edge of your seat' as books 1 and 2. Another really interesting and complex murder case with a closer look at the tragedy surrounding Cyrus's family running alongside it. I loved the new connections that were formed in this book and all the mixed emotions that came with them. ...more
Two women, world's apart, manage to escape the men who both enchant and manipulate them. Their paths cross in the most tragic of ways when on4.5 Stars
Two women, world's apart, manage to escape the men who both enchant and manipulate them. Their paths cross in the most tragic of ways when one discovers the body of the other. I love that this novel was more about the women and the new chapters they were embarking on rather than the murder itself. The unique point-of-view (the murder victim's spirit) made the story an overwhelmingly intimate experience. However, this POV also made for some uncomfortable moments as we are right there with Alice through some disturbing incidents. Through it all though, is an undercurrent of hope, which seems crazy given we know the outcome. The hope that grows and blossoms through the story is for all women needing to make a fresh start, all women taking control back and writing their own futures, all women who find people to lift them up with love, encouragement and support. A powerful and moving story....more
UPDATE: 7/12/2022 - Still gripping second time around!
UPDATE: 6/12/2022 - Rereading books 1 and 2 in preparation to read book 3!
4.5 Stars
Evie Cormac UPDATE: 7/12/2022 - Still gripping second time around!
UPDATE: 6/12/2022 - Rereading books 1 and 2 in preparation to read book 3!
4.5 Stars
Evie Cormac is the kind of character that captures my heart instantly. A traumatised and damaged child with a steel barrier around them to keep everyone out and protect what little they have left of their love and trust. I want nothing more than to watch their walls come down and for them to find someone to anchor their trust and recovery to, so I read with my heart in my throat as I turn the pages, hoping to see this unfold. Enter, forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven. He is investigating the murder of beautiful and successful teenager, Jodie Sheehan. I did struggle to fit these two stories together as they didn't intersect enough to flow for me, however, in and of itself the murder mystery was really engaging too. I was thrilled to secure book two from the library and will be starting that tonight. It promises to be every bit as fantastic as this book.
CW: (view spoiler)[violent sexual, physical, mental, emotional abuse of child not on page but some description of injuries suffered (hide spoiler)]...more
This was a pretty entertaining YA mystery with good twists and some character development not often seen in this genre. Seasoned mystery read3.5 Stars
This was a pretty entertaining YA mystery with good twists and some character development not often seen in this genre. Seasoned mystery readers will probably pick the ending as there were some subtle references throughout that gave me the 'heads up' on how the story would play out. However, I still got a few surprises with some cleverly done bombshells. There was just enough romance to be engaging but not so much as to detract from the main genre of murder mystery.
CW: gory death scenes, dead animals posed with bodies, suicide, sexual content(view spoiler)[murder staged as suicide, (hide spoiler)]...more
This was my first book by Fiona Cummins and what a twisty little treat it was! We are thrust into a dark story of cruel parents, horrifically abused cThis was my first book by Fiona Cummins and what a twisty little treat it was! We are thrust into a dark story of cruel parents, horrifically abused children, public personas and the ultimate revenge. The shifts in time were brilliantly done. I loved the pacing of the story with the motives behind everyone's actions unfolding in a way that really built up tension. It is so well crafted with shocking truth bombs that force you to rethink your understanding of what has happened again and again. Not an easy read but definitely worth it. I'm off to read another book by this amazing author!
CW: (view spoiler)[stabbing, bloody crime scene, children abused verbally, physically and emotionally, food deprivation (hide spoiler)]...more
That was so twisty and I had my smug rug pulled out from me a number of times! I love dual timeline narrations in this genre as layers are peeled backThat was so twisty and I had my smug rug pulled out from me a number of times! I love dual timeline narrations in this genre as layers are peeled back slowly through the jumps in time. Elena is excellent at creating a feeling of growing unease. Things seem smooth on the surface but you start to get an uncomfortable glimpse at that problems roiling beneath. A good murder mystery and I'll be on the look out for books from this author....more
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