Year: 2017

Right Behind ou by Lisa Gardner (FBI Profiler #7)

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Synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Sharlah Nash knows that the first time her brother killed eight years ago, he did it to save their lives.

Now retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his wife Rainie Conner have offered Sharlah a new life of safety. She desperately wants to believe this is her shot at happily ever after.

Then two people are murdered in their local convenience store and Sharlah’s brother is identified as the killer.

Telly Ray Nash is on the hunt for Sharlah and as the death count rises it becomes clear that nothing and no one, including Pierce and Rainie, will stop him getting to her.

Now, Sharlah has one chance to take control.

She can run for her life… or turn and face the danger right behind her.

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I was THRILLED to hear that Lisa Gardner was bringing back Rainie and Quincy as it’s been at least 8 years. However, having finished the book I was hugely undecided about the rating and was decidedly underwhelmed by certain aspects of this latest release.  I have read all of the books in this series which I think always helps, however you could easily read this as a standalone and have no issue with what is going on. Previous books have always had me on the edge of my seat and this book did too to a certain degree. However, there was a lot of repetitiveness and it felt like going over old ground time and time again.

Sharlah has been living with Rainie and Quincy for some time and they are looking to adopt her and offer her a new life and secure family. Although Quincy is retired he still gets called to work on cold cases as one of the elite FBI profiler’s. When two people are murdered in a local convenience store Quincy and Rainie get dragged in when it soon becomes clear that the main suspect is none other that Sharlah’s older brother Tell Ray Nash.

Okay, irritation point one is the name of the suspect, for some reason it just didn’t sit right with me and grated on me from the beginning. I don’t let things like that bother me too much, but as I started to read there was a certain something missing from this book that was present in her others. It felt like the spark was missing and maybe that was due to the fact there was too long a gap between the last book and this one? The pace was good but the second half was much better and I found myself reading the second half in just one sitting.

I know I mentioned that something was missing which is generally pretty vague I know, but even though the second half was great again it felt like there was something not right. In addition there were elements to characters (such as Cal the tracker) which if I heard one more time I think I might have screamed. I mean how many times do you need to be told that Cal makes cheese??? I know that sounds petty but that, along with the name Telly, as well as feeling something wasn’t quite as it has been in other books just left me feeling a little let down. I am a huge fan of the DD Warren series and those books are amazing and seem to get better with each one released. For me this fell short and I couldn’t honestly say it stayed in my mind for any of the right reasons. A solid read, but far too middle of the road for such an accomplished author!

Death Trap by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #8)

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Synopsis: A SADISTIC KILLER IS ON THE LOOSE IN GLASGOW. Thomas Boag escaped from his first court appearance facing charges on a brutal murder. He’s suspected in the disappearances of two other people. Now he’s out for revenge.

Rosie Gilmour, crime reporter, helped put Boag behind bars. It was her investigation that provided enough evidence to arrest him. Now she’s watching her back.

Rosie tries to distract herself with a new story: refugees trafficked into Glasgow and used as modern-day slaves – or worse. But this investigation soon leads her into dangerous territory as it takes her up against some of Glasgow’s nastiest characters, and all the while, somewhere out there, Boag is laying his trap…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “Death Trap by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #8)”

Meet Me At Beachcomber Bay by Jill Mansell

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Synopsis: Love is in the air in St Carys, but you’d never know it – the people of this seaside town are very good at keeping secrets…

The man Clemency loves belongs to someone else. She has to hide her true feelings – but when she ropes in an unsuspecting friend to help, wires start to get crossed.

For the first time in Ronan’s life his charm has failed him in winning over the woman he wants. Loving her from afar appears to be his only option.

Belle seems to have the perfect boyfriend, but something isn’t quite right. And now a long-buried secret is slowly rising to the surface.

The truth has a funny way of revealing itself, and when it does St Carys will be a very different place indeed…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have been reading Jill Mansell for as long as she has been writing and her books rarely fail to hit the mark. This latest offering certainly ticks the boxes, but for me wasn’t quite as good as her last book. Clemency is a lovely character and the usual descriptive offerings of the seaside town St Cary’s make you want to visit. I especially liked her colleague and friend Ronan. Clemency’s sister Belle also makes an appearance with her new boyfriend Sam in tow. The story is set around the town and many additional characters make their appearances all of which form part of the overall story and add depth to it all. However, although I really liked everybody I didn’t love them and I’m not sure why? Having said that this was certainly a hugely enjoyable book, but it seemed the extra ‘Mansell Magic’ was missing for me in this book.

There are certain more serious elements touched on such as adoption, race and sexuality but all done in a way that is easy to read about and not made too depressing! I read this in two sittings and the writing is as flawless as ever, yet I am not a huge fan of the cover of this book. I’m not suggesting that it affects my review it’s just so unusual as I normally LOVE her covers but this one seems too boring? Overall this was an enjoyable read but for me I felt like a little something was missing, however Jill Mansell is producing first class books and I remain a lifelong fan!

Paradise Prison by Faith Mortimer

Synopsis: During a huge row, Gillian stands up to her abusive boyfriend. The consequences are horrendous and far-reaching. Terrified, she flees her home, seeking anonymity abroad while coming to terms with the outcome of her actions.

In Portugal, Gillian meets Harry, a yachtsman, needing crew for his Atlantic Ocean-crossing. She applies for the job. Half-way into the journey, after confessing to her crime, Harry offers her refuge on an uninhabited island in the Caribbean which he says he owns.

Confused and depressed, Gillian imagines this is the answer to her problems. She needs time to lie low and consider her options; confront the authorities or live in obscurity? Harry is offering the perfect hiding place…or is he? When things start going horribly wrong, she asks herself if she is alone on the island. But maybe the biggest question of all is why she gets the gut feeling Harry wants to keep her there at all costs? What happens when she says … no.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I read a lot of books and the majority of the time you get a real feel for the way a book is going. I also find that sometimes if I read too much of the same type of story, you attention wanders so having finished a decidedly fluffy and romantic book I decided to get stuck into this book which is the first of Faith Mortimer’s I have read. When I started reading I thought I knew where the book would go, however not only was I hugely incorrect in my assumption I was kind of blown away with where it did go. I won’t say too much as I don’t want to spoil it for anybody reading it for the first time as I was.

Gillian is our lead character and in the opening of the book we see how terrified Gillian is whilst in an extremely abusive relationship. When Gillian stands up to her boyfriend, she has no clue just how much she has changed the course of her life and she then decides to do the only thing she can…run! While in Portugal she meets Harry, who is a Yachtsman needing crew hands. Gillian manages to bag herself the ideal job and once aboard her and Harry get along famously. He then offers her the opportunity to spend time at an island in the Caribbean and it seems to be the answer to her prayers.

The book held my interest from the very beginning and the most striking thing was how original it was reading it. Partly down to great timing and having not read anything of this type for a while, as well as excellent writing skills and characters that were certainly memorable. Gillian was such an interesting character to read about and I think that was part of my real intrigue with this book as she was written in such a way that she was so readable. She has had some seriously damaging incidents in her past and I was rooting for her, with that added edge of wondering what sort of life she will end up leading.

There is a VERY dark edge to this book and I think although that edge was there from the beginning it crept up on me and as the book progressed I was pretty gripped. I felt like I was watching a film where you know the main character shouldn’t be going into a dark basement, especially when they start playing the music to accompany something terrifying happen. However, even though you have that sinking feeling you just HAVE to carry on watching, and this book manages to capture that feeling to a tee! This book really took me by surprise and I really loved it, and I would definitely recommend it for people wanting something a little bit different. I wouldn’t say its for the faint-hearted mind you, but it’s a cracking read!

I only have one minor criticism about this book and it’s the cover. The cover is not good enough to convey how great the book is. Even though we are in an age where everything is digital I still think covers are a huge part in books, and think that with a different cover it may well appeal to more readers.

Always With Love by Giovanna Fletcher

Synopsis: Sophie’s got used to being the girlfriend of Billy Buskin, the biggest movie star in the world. Sort of.

But when she and Billy take a trip to visit his family in Los Angeles, she quickly discovers she’s totally unprepared for the chaos of Hollywood, the paparazzi and Billy’s controlling mother.

And when Billy extends his stay in LA, leaving Sophie to fly home to Rosefont Hill alone, it seems there’s more than just miles between them.

Now Sophie must decide if they can overcome their differences for good. Because not every love story lasts the distance . . .

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review:I quickly realised when reading the synopsis that you really needed to read Billy & Me which was released in 2013. I quickly rectified that and as I enjoyed it so much I was keen to get going with this sequel. I was so pleased that I did as I really enjoyed it! This can certainly be read as a standalone, but is so much more enjoyable having the back story of these two. Billy and Sophie when we last left them had settled into life in a rural countryside setting in Kent and when we return things seem about as perfect as you could ask for. However, when Billy arranges a trip to visit his family in Los Angeles, Sophie realises things are going to be chaotic once again!

Billy’s parents and siblings are not what I expected and although Sophie is made to feel welcome she soon realises she is a little out of her depth when it comes to understanding the sort of fame and life that Billy has over there. When Billy is offered the chance to stay on a while, she realises that the distance between them will be the biggest test for their relationship. As Sophie returns to the UK and her little tea shop, she realises that the distance isn’t the only thing that will pose a problem (but I will say no more on that front).

The story flows well and I loved both Billy’s family as well as the return of all the villagers in Sophie’s home town. There were also some old fashioned elements in this story such as the decision for Billy and Sophie to go back to some of the old traditions and write to each other. The book picks up pace as both Sophie and Billy are pushed to the limits whilst desperately trying to make things work. There were certain things that felt a little unfinished and in all honesty I was surprised we didn’t get more insight into Billy’s family’s characters. That aside, this is an easy read with characters I really like and as such I thought it was a great sequel.