Year: 2014

Night Stalker by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter #3)

229x346

My Rating: 5/5

 Synopsis:  An unidentified female body is brought into the Los Angeles County morgue. The cause of death is still unclear. Her body bares no marks; except for the fact that her most intimate parts have been stitched shut. But what shocks the pathologist the most is that the killer had left something inside her. Something so monstrous Detective Robert Hunter, of the Los Angeles Homicide Special Section, has to be pulled off a different case to take over the investigation.

Within days a new body surfaces. Like the previous victim, she’s also been stitched shut and something has been left inside her. Something as ingenious as it is grotesque. And the killer isn’t done yet, not by a long shot.

When his inquiry collides with a missing persons’ case being investigated by the attractive, razor-sharp Whitney Meyers, Hunter suspects the killer might be keeping several women hostage. Soon Robert finds himself on the hunt for a murderer who is much more monstrous than he ever could have expected; a predator whose past hides a terrible secret, and who won’t stop until each of his victims has brought forth the awful truth that lies hidden deep inside them too.

My Review: Well, well, well! Mr Carter has been a treat I have been depriving myself of that’s for sure. It’s been a while since I last read a Chris Carter and I decided with his most recent release that it was high time I caught up. Robert Hunter is the main lead in this series along with his partner Garcia. Having read the two previous books, although Hunter is the clear leader I’m beginning to love his partner Garcia just as much. When this story kicks off it involves a body being brought into the morgue although her cause of death is unclear. It doesn’t take long to realise though that this woman had suffered horrendously as certain parts of her body has been stitched shut. The first thing I must say is that as a reader if you are squeamish then maybe these aren’t the books for you.

Within a few days another body appears and although the stitches are there, her method of death is something else. I have a pretty strong stomach but I must say Mr Carter has an ingenious way with grotesque descriptions that literally have your stomach churning. When Carter’s investigation crosses with a missing persons case an investigator by the name Whitney Myers comes into play. I always kind of hope that Robert may get the chance to have a personal life, but sadly is seems there are too many psychos and not enough time for the man.

The story itself was intriguing and had numerous plot layers going on. The suspense is ratcheted up with each body that is discovered and the pace in turn picks up too. I felt myself experiencing more than one emotion whilst turning the pages from fear to loathing and then back to fear. By the time I had finished my heart was in my mouth and I went straight onto book 4 in the series. I really do feel like Chris Carter is a bit of an unrecognised author. There certainly isn’t enough press about the guy but I am certain that his book deals will continue to get bigger and better until every last reader out there knows about him. A brilliant book that had me gripped and highly recommended.

Continue reading “Night Stalker by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter #3)”

One Kick by Chelsea Cain

226x346

My Rating: 5/5

 Availability: Released 14th August 2014 Kindle, Paperback

Synopsis: Kick Lannigan, 21, is a survivor. Abducted at age six in broad daylight, the police, the public, perhaps even her family assumed the worst had occurred. And then Kathleen Lannigan was found, alive, six years later. In the early months following her freedom, as Kick struggled with PTSD, her parents put her through a litany of therapies, but nothing helped until the detective who rescued her suggested Kick learn to fight.

 

Before she was thirteen, Kick learned marksmanship, martial arts, boxing, archery, and knife throwing. She excelled at every one, vowing she would never be victimised again. But when two children in the Portland area go missing in the same month, Kick goes into a tailspin. Then an enigmatic man Bishop approaches her with a proposition: he is convinced Kick’s experiences and expertise can be used to help rescue the abductees. Little does Kick know the case will lead directly into her terrifying past. 

My Review: I have been reading Chelsea Cain’s series featuring Archie and Gretchen and absolutely love it. However, I had a serious issue with the publishers and their release dates for the last in that series. The last book in the Archie/Gretchen series entitled Let Me Go was released late 2013. However as an avid Kindle reader, I didn’t want to get a big bulky book for my commute. I decided to wait for the Kindle version, and believe it or not I’m still waiting!!! I was so annoyed to learn that the Kindle version wouldn’t be released until over a year later?!? Because of that when I got the new Chelsea Cain book featuring a new character, I put it further down the list than usual out of principle! Of course after trying to convince myself that I was right, I relented and got started on the new one. All I can say is thank god I did!!!

The first thing you need to know about this latest release is that the characters are the furthest thing you can get from the ordinary. I don’t say this lightly and I know it’s a bold statement to make but it’s true. Kick Lannigan is the star of this latest book and she is possibly the most damaged, off the wall and disturbing character I have read in a long time. Of course I absolutely loved her and from the very start I knew this book would be different. Kick is actually a survivor, having been abducted at the age of 6 and found alive 6 years later. Now being in her early twenties we get to see a woman who has some serious issues (obviously) but which makes an absolutely compelling character to read about.

Now Kick is older she has spent her teenage years learning how to protect herself. However, her obsessive and compulsive traits mean that when two children go missing it’s like a trigger for her behaviour to turn a little wild and off key. Add to the mix another intriguing character, meet John Bishop. Initially he approaches Kick to ask for her help in locating the missing children. These two meeting is like putting lit matches in a Firework box, you never quite know what the outcome will be.

One thing to note is that this book will definitely not be everybody’s cup of tea. It’s a little like Marmite me thinks, you either love it or hate it. I absolutely loved it and read it in a matter of hours. The characters had my hairs standing on end, the crime scenes had me cringing in horror and the story, plot and pace were pure magic. I’m chomping at the bit to know when the second book will be released, although I may have to sulk (momentarily you understand) regarding the last Kindle release of CC’s which was a bit of a disaster! That aside a class read which I for one will be putting high on my list of reads from 2014!!

Cop Town by Karin Slaughter

226x346

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Atlanta, 1974. As a brutal killing and a furious manhunt rock the city, Kate Murphy wonders if her first day on the police force will also be her last. For life is anything but easy in the male-dominated world of the Atlanta Police Department, where even the other female cops have little mercy for the new girl.

Kate isn’t the only woman on the force who is finding things tough. Maggie Lawson followed her uncle and brother into the ranks to prove her worth in their cynical eyes. When Maggie and Kate become partners, and are side-lined in the search for the city’s cop killer, their fury, pain, and pride finally reach boiling point.

With the killer poised to strike again, will Kate and Maggie have the courage to pursue their own line of investigation? And are they prepared to risk everything as they venture into the city’s darkest heart? 

My Review: I was surprised to realise that this was a stand-alone novel by Karin Slaughter. I was also quite excited at the synopsis as she has gone for the same geographical setting but in the 1970’s. It features Maggie Lawson and Kate Murphy as our two main characters. It took me a little longer than her usual books to settle in, but I wasn’t surprised as this wasn’t part of a series that I had become familiar with over time. As police officers in the Atlanta are in the seventies things are certainly not easy on them. Karin Slaughter has made the book authentic and believable from the outset. I certainly realised very quickly that working in this line of work back then, was tantamount to being a wanted criminal.

Out of the two characters Kate is introduced as the new girl to the police force. With Maggie having experience as well as having her brother and Uncle on the force, she is naturally the one Kate looks to for advice. Maggie seemed initially like the force to be reckoned with but Kate developed as a character and by the end of the book I found myself hoping that Karin may well continue this theme on featuring both these women.

The main storyline features the Atlanta police force launching a massive manhunt for a killer known simply as The Shooter. There are some absolutely awful characters featuring in this story but I guess for that era they were pretty much the norm! What this latest Slaughter novel does is highlight the serious issues that were around back then such as racism, sexism and homophobia. That aside the story is weaved with intellect and keeps the reader guessing until the later part of the book.

Although I wouldn’t say this was my favourite KS book, it kept me intrigued with its setting, characters, story and pace. As ever she has shown how versatile an author she is and has given her readers another set of characters that they will no doubt want to see more of (I can always hope). A great read which I think many fans will be pleasantly surprised by.

Don’t Look Back by Gregg Hurwitz

My Rating 3/5

 I was really quite excited when I received an early review copy of the new Gregg Hurwitz. The synopsis had all the key ingredients to make a perfect Hurwitz belter. Daniel Brasher is a counsellor who lives a reasonably ordinary life. His job dealing with affected individuals who are usually on parole keeps his day to day work interesting. His longer term plan is to jack in the public stuff and start his own private practice. With that in mind, he aims to enjoy his last few weeks with his current group. As he leaves work one evening he finds a letter in his pigeonhole, only it’s not for him. It’s too late as Daniel has already read the note which declared that the recipient has until midnight on November 15th to admit what they have done or they will bleed for it.

The first part of the book was typical Hurwitz with descriptions of each of his group, and the discovery of the note. It’s all pretty high tension stuff and you realise that Daniel is in a pretty awkward position. However, when he informs the police what is going on and they intervene, it seems like they just miss the killer each and every time. It seems that with each note Daniel receives, he has to figure out the puzzle. Who is the victim and what have they done. I admit that the first few chapters flew by and I was totally engrossed, and then something weird happened. The book sort of took on a weird, disjointed kind of air to it. I felt like the middle of the book hit a bit of a stumbling block and I struggled to get through the pages.

However, having read and loved many of his books I carried on. Towards the last third of the book, the pace picked up again and once again I was taken down the smooth road of taut and tense scenes created by Mr H. Towards the end of the book I was still none the wiser about who the murdered was, but when all was revealed I kind of felt like there was a major piece of the puzzle still missing from the book. This review may sound slightly strange, but in all honesty that’s kind of what the book was like. If I read it not knowing the author I might have guessed it was a new author who had it 60% right?!?

Overall it was an average read, but for Gregg Hurwitz it definitely wasn’t up to his usual standard. I have no idea if this was due to maybe the mood I was whilst in reading it, or whether other people will agree? I just feel like there was something missing that his books never normally miss. I will always look forward to reading a Hurwitz book and can only assume that this story just wasn’t for me, of maybe it just isn’t as good as his others? Either way, I still eagerly await the next book.

Avenged by Jacqui Rose

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: You make a deal with the devil; you pay your dues…

Franny Doyle has always known that her father Patrick has been up to no good. After all you don’t become one of London’s number one gangsters without ruffling a few feathers along the way. Still, she adores her dad and she knows that he would lay down his life for her – she is his number one girl and he has taught her everything she knows.

But when something terrible happens to Patrick, Franny realises that he has some very dangerous enemies. Delving into Patrick’s past, Franny becomes involved in a high-stakes game. She’s not afraid. Patrick has taught her to be a fighter and she’s determined to make him proud, even if it means paying the ultimate price – her own life.

My Review: I think Jacqui Rose has taken a slight step in a new direction by setting the opener of her latest book in Ireland in the late 1970’s. When I started reading I was taken straight back to that time as we met Patrick Doyle as a young boy. I was initially thrown as the synopsis and prologue were set in present day. However a few chapters in and I wasn’t going anywhere. She has done a stellar job of taking the reader back to that time when religion played a huge part in the community and people’s lives were guided by their priests. I don’t want to delve too much into this element of the story (for fear of spoilers) but this was by far my favourite part of the book. Patrick’s childhood and how he came to meet his friend Cabhan Morton take up at least 35% of the book. This section of the book like I said is set in the late seventies in Ireland and in addition to Patrick and Cab, we also meet Father Ryan and Donal O’Sheyenne both whom play an important part in this book.

Just under halfway in and we are fast forwarded to just over 30 years later. 30 years on we get to know Franny Doyle as an adult. Her relationship with her father Patrick and Uncle Cab is the first thing that the reader identifies. Now at this point in the book I felt a crashing disappointment. I really felt like Jacqui Rose had found a new setting in Ireland in the seventies and I really didn’t want to leave that era. I felt like the jump from past to present was too quick and there was something that just didn’t sit right with me.

That aside we then see Franny Doyle start to make dangerous enemies. As we are now in present time the book falls slightly back into the standard ‘gangster’ genre. Don’t get me wrong there is absolutely nothing wrong with that (I myself am a fan of that type of book). However, the second half of the book although enjoyable, just didn’t compare to the first half. I think Jacqui Rose just proved how skilled a writer she is, because I literally didn’t put the book down. The realism of the characters and what they would have had to endure was just first class. Obviously she has a knack of taking you back without missing a beat.

Overall by the time I had finished I was (as usual) a little upset I had finished so quickly. This latest book of hers was a cracking read, but to be honest I so wish she would have maybe jumped between the late 70’s and maybe the 90’s rather than present day (everyone does present day). To have the skill as a writer to make the reader be able to imagine themselves alongside these characters is something special, and Jacqui Rose has that skill! I will await the next no doubt brilliant book from her, and would highly recommend this to people.

Angel of Death by Ben Cheetham (Missing Ones #1)

51-jr6h5EVL._SY346_ Synopsis: 1997. Fifteen-year-old Grace Kirby kisses her mum and heads off to school. It’s a day like any other, except that Grace will never return home. Fifteen years have passed since Grace went missing. In that time, Stephen Baxley has made millions and now he’s lost millions. Suicide seems like the only option. But Stephen has no intention of leaving behind his wife, son and daughter. He wants them all to be together forever, in this world or the next.

Angel is on the brink of suicide too. Then she hears a name on the news that transports her back to a windowless basement. Something terrible happened in that basement. Something Angel has been running from most of her life. But the time for running is over. Now is the time to start fighting back.

At the scene of a multiple shooting, DI Jim Monahan finds evidence of a sickening crime linked to Grace Kirby. Then more people start turning up dead. Who is the killer? Are the victims also linked to the Grace? Who will be next to die? The answers will test to breaking-point Jim’s faith in the law he’s spent his life upholding. Continue reading “Angel of Death by Ben Cheetham (Missing Ones #1)”

Love, Lies and Lemon Cake by Sue Watson

163x250

My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Faye Dobson has lost her sparkle. Living on film star fantasies and vague memories of a marriage that once was, she can’t help feeling that life is passing her by. She dreams of being whisked to Paris for dinner, making three wishes at the Trevi fountain and having sex under the stars. But the wrinkles are multiplying, her husband’s passion is for plumbing, and the nearest she’ll get to Rome is a take-away pizza.

So when Faye meets Dan the gorgeous Australian surfer guy working in the local deli she can’t help but wonder what it would be like to see the world. He is blonde, tanned, ten years younger and bakes the most amazing lemon cake. Unlike her husband Dan actually listens to Faye, his smile makes her feel fizzy inside, and when he smiles… Oh. My. God.

But is Faye being silly? What would Dan see in someone like her? Even if he did have feelings for her, could she give up everything to be with him?

My Review: I read Sue’s last book Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes and made an instant decision when finished. Not only was I going to recommend it, I was absolutely convinced that if Sue Watson met me she would become my BFF! As it turned out we have since struck up an online friendship and she is one of the funniest women I have met recently. Her personality and humour shone through in a major way with her writing and had me laughing out loud. When I realised she had a new book out, I decided it would be a good time to get started.

With a rather lug cuppa and a few Jaffa Cakes I started to read. I need to point out that my week wasn’t going so well and at this particular point I felt like I could cry. Nothing was going right and murdering my husband had crossed my mind more than once! I figured that reading could let me escape for a few hours. What I hadn’t planned on was this book literally turning my rubbish mood into a great one. Faye Dobson, the lead character, opens the book describing a rather saucy scene involving a sun lounger in the sun washed hills of LA and a rather suave looking Ryan Gosling attending to her every need, before being rudely interrupted by her husband Craig. I knew without a doubt that this book was the perfect tonic. Faye was a brilliant character, and instantly I loved her. Her life has become somewhat mundane what with her eldest daughter Emma now living away from home and her life that remains involves looking after her husband and working.

Some of the scenes and one liner’s that emerged from just the first few chapters had me belly laughing. Sue has a wonderful knack of telling it just how it is. Faye’s dreams have along the way got lost with her day to day chores and responsibilities. Luckily for Faye a new Deli has opened up just down the road from the hairdressers and it has the most delicious man serving behind the counter. Dan the deli man as a character is just the sort of man that most women would love to have as a distraction first thing on a Monday morning commute (shame I’m not a hairdresser). In addition to Dan we meet Faye’s boss Sue who is just desperate to find a new man after her husband ran off with somebody younger, and the absolutely hilarious young girl Mandy who has all manner of ideas for Faye to try (including a legendary Vajazzle incident!).

This book is the modern day Shirley Valentine with a much funnier main character. Although it may not be everybody’s cup of tea it was certainly mine. Sue’s latest release is a wonderful journey packed full of just what the title says, Love, Lies and Lemon Cake. One of the funniest book I have had the pleasure of reading, this is a real must buy and one that I think the majority will love. The only criticism I have is that seeing as Sue is meant to be my new best friend, where was my ‘rushed early copy’? Sue…I may need to re-think your status as my new best friend!

BROKEN DOLLS BY JAMES CAROL (JEFFERSON WINTER #1)

My Rating: 5/5

Availability: Kindle, Paperback, Audio, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis: Ex-FBI star profiler Jefferson Winter is no ordinary investigator. An eccentric genius and self-described geek with a passion for Mozart, he is haunted by the legacy of his notorious serial killer father . . . and not likely to admit this may be why he has such a phenomenal insight into the psychology that drives the criminals he hunts.

 The former G-man is now a sought after freelance consultant, jetting around the globe helping local law enforcement agencies with their toughest cases. When Detective Inspector Mark Hatcher calls from Scotland Yard about a particularly disturbing case, Winter leaves his native California for the chilly streets of London to help track down a sadistic serial kidnapper.

 Four victims, all young women, all tortured and then lobotomised. None of them able to tell the police the name of their attacker. None of them able to live normal lives again. Just broken dolls, played with then discarded.

When another young woman goes missing, Winter has to race against the clock to identify the attacker and find the latest victim before it’s too late.

Continue reading “BROKEN DOLLS BY JAMES CAROL (JEFFERSON WINTER #1)”

Wanted by Emlyn Rees (Danny Shanklin #2)

326x500

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Hunted by 9 international Intelligence Agencies for a terrorist atrocity he did not commit, hostage negotiator Danny Shanklin is now the world’s most WANTED man, with a reward of $10,000,000 being offered for his capture dead or alive.

Trapped in a deadly race against the clock, as well as protecting his family, Danny’s got to track down the terrorists who framed him. And stop them before they get their hands on 6 lethal smallpox formulations, any one of which could trigger a global pandemic, which would leave only 1 in 3 people alive.

With just a 7 foot Ukrainian mercenary and a ruthless female assassin hell-bent on avenging her father’s death to help him, Danny soon finds himself being forced into becoming both predator and prey as he desperately tries to win the fight of his life.

My Review: This latest book by Emlyn Rees is the second in the Danny Shanklin series. I liked the first book and the writing is fantastic, but…I had the sinking feeling with book one of “I’ve been here and read this before”. I had high hopes with the second book, and although it was a solid read I found that by the end it just felt like that special something was missing. Having said that it was still an incredibly fast paced book that kept me turning the pages.

Danny Shanklin is on the run, following a terrorist atrocity, which he was framed for. From the very beginning you go in at full pelt with more than one thread to follow. Danny has to follow the threat of a deadly virus falling into the wrong hands. In addition to this a ruthless and evil killer who goes by the name The Director is also chasing Danny. I absolutely loved Danny’s sidekick named Spartak and thought he added to the story in a big way.

The other really great thing about this book is that it keeps you thinking about the next turn and there are plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing. I finished this book in a day and a half and it has that high octane kind of energy about it. I’m trying to really pinpoint what it is I thought was missing and I really cant work out what it is. The writing is first class, and I really like the character of Danny Shanklin. The stories are always well thought out and well paced, so in all honesty I can’t explain why I feel like that. I think that with the addition of more books in this series they can only get better. It really was an enjoyable book and certainly one for fans of the Simon Kernick kind of books, so definitely recommended.

The Burning Girl by Mark Billingham (Tom Thorne #4)

219x346

My Rating: 3/5

Availability: Hardback, Paperback, Kindle, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis: A MAN WHO KILLS FOR MONEY

X marks the spot – and when that spot is a corpse’s naked back and the X is carved in blood, DI Tom Thorne is in no doubt that the dead man is the latest victim of a particularly vicious killer.

A BRUTAL VENDETTA

This is brutal turf warfare between north London gangs. Organised crime boss Billy Ryan is moving into someone else’s patch, and that someone is not best pleased.

A COP WHO IS PLAYING WITH FIRE

And when an X is carved on DI Tom Thorne’s front door, he knows the smouldering embers of this case are about to erupt into flames…

 My Review: I have thoroughly enjoyed the Thorne series up until now, however I have to be honest and say that I struggled a little bit with this latest book (the 4th in the series).  The writing itself is still great although in this particular book I found it more difficult to get into the story. When corpses appear with an X marked into their skin, Thorne is as usual tied up with the case. Enter the organized crime Boss Billy Ryan and the stage is set. However, for some reason the booked lacked the spark that previous books have had.

Recurring characters such as Chamberlain and Tughan appeared but I just felt like they didn’t go anywhere. I’m actually struggling to review this book as although it was far from terrible, it almost felt like it was written in a hurry or without any real spark, which is certainly a world away from the usual Billingham style. The chapters flowed relatively well but the overall feeling was that it was failing to spark any real interest, beyond completing another stage of the Thorne books.

I’m still certainly a fan of Chamberlain and hope we continue to see her in future books. However, I was disappointed with the lack of characters featured such as Holland and Hendricks. It may sound like I am being really picky and I promise you I’m not. I’m sadly failing to be all that articulate either, but I think you get the gist. Overall, it seems like this book was solidly written but lacked it’s usual oomph! Having said that I will eagerly move onto book 5 as soon as my ridiculously long reading list allows!