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Good at Games by Jill Mansell

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Synopsis: Suzy fell for Harry the moment she showed him her husband’s sperm sample. It didn’t really belong to her husband, though, because she wasn’t married. It wasn’t a sperm sample either, it was a drinks carton containing the dregs of her milkshake. But when you’re trying to get off a speeding charge you just have to improvise, don’t you? And it wasn’t actually love at first sight. Still, it was undeniably a healthy attack of lust. And it might just be the beginning of something special..

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have been reading Jill Mansell since my late teens and have always loved her books. Reading this certainly took me back a bit as it was first released nearly 7 years ago. However, with any Jill Mansell book as soon as I started reading I just fell into the story and characters without a problem. Suzy Curtis is a feisty character who makes for incredibly easy reading. She is the ex-wife (number 2) of Rock Star Jaz, and along with him we meet Leo and his brother Harry.

The opening of the book is very funny as we see Suzy get herself in a ridiculous situation that quickly spirals and ends up with her being in a situation she maybe shouldn’t be. As the book progresses we see a story line surround numerous characters and this just adds to the enjoyment of the book. Reading this book some 16 years after it was published certainly made me realise that Jill Mansell’s books have seemingly got better with each year that passes. I felt like this slightly failed to hit the marks if you compare it to her recent releases.

That aside, this really was a typically enjoyable read by Jill Mansell. Funny and lighthearted and very readable. I always find that her books are easy reads and normally a perfect book to take when you go on holiday. Although this wasn’t quite as good as her newer stuff, it was still great and I will as always look out for any new releases she has coming out.

Dead Time by Tony Parsons (Max Wolfe Short Story)

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Synopsis: Not DC Max Wolfe. He is looking out of his loft apartment at the deserted streets below.

A van has just drawn up. Two men get out. Dressed in black and wearing ski-masks, they are dragging something.

It’s a man. Half-naked. Half-dead. But still alive.

Not for much longer.

Soon Max Wolfe is hunting a gang of killers who decapitate their victims

And this time it’s personal …

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I only recently discovered Tony Parsons and although I enjoyed the first Max Wolfe book, I then went straight on and read the second and felt the same. They were good, but something was missing. Stupidly I didn’t realise that this was a short story which I should have read prior to book 2. Not letting that put me off I picked it up at lunchtime and lo and behold finished it by the time my lunch was over. What surprised me more was how much I enjoyed the short story (which I am not traditionally a fan of). I would probably go as far as to say I enjoyed this more that the full length novel!

What I loved about this book was that you get stuck straight in with no warning. With the book being a short story it seemed like Parsons was making the most of each page. Although Max is running the show in this latest book, the fact that it happened so close to his home means he can’t stop himself getting involved. Instead a DCI Flashman of New Scotland Yard has taken the lead, but there is no way Max will let that stand in his way.

This little gem was a fantastic read and full of pace, grit and murkiness. Although I read this in the wrong order, I’m glad I did as it gives me renewed hope for this series. I really am now looking forward to what comes in the next book.

Dead Lucky by Matt Brolly (DCI Lambert #2)

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Synopsis: When a woman is murdered, the twisted killer forcing her husband to watch her slow and painful death, DCI Michael Lambert knows that his next case might be his toughest yet.

And when a second set of killings are discovered, with exactly the same MO, the race is on the find the lethal sociopath before he strikes again.

But Lambert never expected to receive an anonymous call from the killer. This time, it’s personal: if Lambert doesn’t find the murderer soon, his own loved ones will be next…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I’m disappointed I left it so long to read this series, and even more disappointed that I didn’t read the first book in the series. Luckily there is enough background at the introduction of the book to give the reader a feel for the previous books content. Michael Lambert has had a very horrible time of it and the opening of the book sees his trying to speak with his wife who he is separated from. in addition to his separation he is still struggling to come to terms with the death of his daughter. He is now back to work and it seems his first big case is one that is not so straightforward.

A woman is murdered, however her husband a seasoned Crime Journalist survived her having been made to watch her brutal murder. It’s not long before a second set of killings are discovered and Lambert and his team are trying to track down who is responsible. Having no previous knowledge of recurring characters I had no expectations but was pleased that Lambert’s colleague Kennedy and his boss Tillman made an impact and helped the story line along its way too.

The story is layered and you do get a glimpse of what I felt was ‘real’ police work which includes the drudgery of hunting down and chasing leads. I liked the fact that you get to see a glimpse of Lambert’s personal life including his strange sleep problems. Although I didn’t have the history with book 1, I really felt I understood where some of Lambert’s issues lay and I think there is so much scope there for his character to go either way.

I read this in just two sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was great, well plotted and well paced. The characters were likeable and the crimes were intriguing yet absorbing. I was so pleased when I finished this. Yes, I know that sounds strange but I mean I am glad I feel like I am up to date with the characters and series and am really looking forward to book 3.

One Hot Summer by Kat French

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Synopsis: Being married to a celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when that celebrity has a very public affair with his co-star…

Alice McBride is determined that the one thing she won’t lose in her marriage breakup is Borne Manor, her beloved home, but she gets more than she bargained for when she rents it out for the summer and a sexy cowboy comes to stay.

Country music star Robinson Duff has had his own share of heartbreak and needs somewhere quiet to hide out for the summer. Neither Alice nor Robinson are in any position for romance; the timing is terrible and they’re both rebounding like out of control frisbees.

Can a holiday romance help mend their broken hearts. Or will it just make things even worse when the long hot summer comes to its inevitable end?

Kat’s Rating: 6/5..oops sorry, I mean 5/5

Kat’s Review: Okay here’s a fact for you. I read a LOT of books, maybe not as much as some but certainly more than your average reader. Yes my preference is Crime, Thriller or Mystery but you need to break it up and I love nothing more than a good ol’ romantic fiction, especially if it’s funny. It’s why I’m a huge fan of people like Sue Watson. However, I admit when I started to read this and saw the cover I didn’t bother with the synopsis as I figured it would be ‘par for the course’ in this genre. Oh my, how wrong can one person be. Have you even been in a good old fashioned greasy spoon, and by the time you have finished your meal you are convinced it should be Michelin starred? Well, that’s kind of what happened to me with this book!

Alice McBride and her husband Brad start the opening chapters of this book and we see Alice sling Brad out of her beautiful marital home Borne Manor due to his wandering hands. So far so normal, except even at this point there was just something about the characters and the setting. It was so easy to read and Alice was just so normal and likeable. Seeing as her husband Brad is a reasonably well known Actor, her split is not easy and as she is recovering from it all she realises that she refuses to lose her home, so decides on a Summer Rental.

Enter Robinson Duff, the country music star that’s had his own share of heartbreak and is getting away from it all. Now I know that so far it seems like your ordinary romantic comedy but believe me it is SO much more. The additional characters which make up the village cast had me howling at times. It contains naked painters, ex porn stars and practising witches are just the tip of the iceberg. Now don’t get me wrong it’s predictable to a point, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Kat French has created the man of (I would have thought) every girl’s dream. I am convinced that if women created men and they were made like Robinson Duff, the world would be an easy place to live in!

If you want some fluffy, romantic, amazing writing and eye watering funny scenes then look no further. I haven’t enjoyed a book this much since I first discovered Sue Watson’s (in particular Love Lies and Lemon Cake). It is the perfect remedy to reading too much crime, a depressingly bleak British Summer and the drudge of every day life. Everything you could want and more in a book of this type and I think many will LOVE it. I know I certainly did and I will be eagerly scouring Amazon for when her next book is due. It’s official, I am now a Kat French Fan Girl!!!

The Caller by M A Comley and Tara Lyons

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Synopsis: The first gripping book in The Organised Crime Team series by NY Times bestselling author of the Justice series, M A Comley and co-author Tara Lyons, author of In The Shadows.

When The Caller rings… what would you do?

The Organised Crime Team is a newly-formed unit with one of the toughest tasks in London. Led by DI Angie North, their first investigation is a cold case that has foxed several officers in the Met for months.After Angie holds a TV appeal regarding the case, a number of similar aggressive attacks are brought to her attention. The team call on their contacts on the street for help. Their interest is sparked when several local names surface.

To bring the criminals to justice a member of the Organised Crime Team is asked to risk their life in a dangerous covert operation.

Kat’s Rating: 3.5/5

Kat’s Review: Okay so I have read books by both Tara Lyons and Mel Comley and was looking forward to seeing what they produced as a team. The Organised Crime Team (OCT) is run by a really likeable character DI Angie North, her team are pretty likeable too. They are tasked with findng the people responsible for a cold case of robberies and attacks. We get a glimpse of the people behind it from early on in the book and I actually liked this element as there was something of a cat and mouse play going on between them and the OCT.

The pace is okay although in all honesty not the fastest pace but certainly enough to keep me hooked on reading it. What I really like in this book is the fact that as a reader you feel like you are really getting to know the team. Each member is explained and it gives you a fantastic base for the follow on books.The storyline makes it clear that the basis for these robberies is a very simple thing, which in real life wouldn’t be that difficult to imagine (scary). As the book continues Angie and the team have to find enough evidence to nail the people responsible but that means putting a member of the team deep in the heart of it all and potentially at great risk.

There were certain things in the book I felt were too easy for the team and I though weren’t plausible enough (hence the drop from a 4 star read). That said, the characters were really likeable and the writing flowed well and was so easy to become immersed in.Overall I think this a brilliant base to a series, and I could see myself quickly becoming attached to the characters and wanting to see where it goes

The Slaughter Man by Tony Parsons (Max Wolfe #2)

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Synopsis: On New Year’s Day, a wealthy family is found slaughtered inside their exclusive gated community in north London, their youngest child stolen away.

The murder weapon – a gun for stunning cattle before they are butchered – leads Detective Max Wolfe to a dusty corner of Scotland Yard’s Black Museum devoted to a killer who thirty years ago was known as the Slaughter Man.

But the Slaughter Man has done his time, and is now old and dying. Can he really be back in the game?

And was the murder of a happy family a mindless killing spree, a grotesque homage by a copycat killer – or a contract hit designed to frame a dying man?

All Max knows is that he needs to find the missing child and stop the killer before he destroys another innocent family – or finds his way to his own front door …

Even the happiest of families have black, twisted secrets that someone is ready to kill for…

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I really wanted to like this, and there were certainly elements I enjoyed but…yes there’s a but. There are major things missing in this book and it almost feels like a puzzle with some key pieces missing. I read the first book in this series and felt rather middle of the road about it. This time around the story was certainly engaging but I couldn’t gel with Detective Max Wolfe. There is a large lack of description for the characters which irritates me as I like to build up a picture in my mind. I have reads numerous books between the last one and this one so I still have no idea what he should look like in me head which is never a good sign.

The story line in this one seemed a lot more engaging and kept me more entertained than the last, but again there seemed to be some rather key elements to the story line either missed or overlooked. I really feel like there is potentially a really great series lurking behind these pages, but certainly things need to improve for me to continue on with the series. Even the supporting characters such as Max daughter Scout and his colleagues did little to leave an impression on me. This book was readable, but not memorable and these reasons can certainly be changed with future books.

The Rule of Fear by Luke Delaney (Jack King #1)

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Synopsis: The new novel by Luke Delaney, ex-Met detective and author of the terrifyingly authentic DI Sean Corrigan series. Perfect for fans of Mark Billingham, Peter James and Stuart MacBride.

Sergeant Jack King is back on active duty after months off following a violent encounter. On the Met’s promotional fast-track scheme, King is headed straight for the top, but policing the streets is where his heart truly lies.

Tasked with cleaning up the notorious Grove Wood estate, King is determined to rise to the challenge. But it’s not just drug dealers and petty thugs his team have to worry about. Someone on the estate is preying on children, and they need to find the culprit, fast.

Soon King finds himself over his head: the local residents won’t play ball, his superiors want results yesterday, and he’s refusing to admit that he’s suffering from PTSD. As the pressures combine, the line between right and wrong starts to blur and King finds himself in a downward spiral. Only he can save himself – but is it already too late?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I felt very torn both reading and reviewing this book. First of all this is Luke Delaney’s first novel not featuring DI Sean Corrigan. I am a huge fan of this series but it’s always nice to see what authors do outside of the norm. This book is a very stark story and one that is all too chillingly possible. With Luke Delaney being ex-copper I would imagine his experience and knowledge plays a large part in the sort or things that a copper has to go through. This story follows Sergeant Jack King as he returns to work following a brutal and extremely violent encounter.

The opening of the book is where the reader meets Jack and we see him experience his violent encounter immediately. There is no fluffing this up, and to be truthful its exposed in all its horrifying glory. When he sets himself the task of returning to work he has no idea that he will be placed in the notorious Wood Grove Estate. He and a team of 3 others are tasked with cleaning up the Estate and this may well help Jack move up the ladder quickly as he is part of an accelerated promotion programme.

Jack is not necessarily a likeable character but one that I think people can empathise with. He is seriously damaged and as he and his colleagues take on their new task he slips further down the hole of PTSD. This book, although brutal still have Delaney’s excellent writing skills, and its certainly an easy to read book. However, it makes for extremely uncomfortable reading at times. To watch a person slip and make more and more mistakes is not a nice thing to do, although it no doubt happens. The story itself I would say isn’t a fast paced thriller, more like a real eye opener as you delve into an individuals mind and see how they begin to decline in things such as the decisions you make.

I ended up finishing the book with a bitter taste in my mouth which made me question how to review and rate it. I’m not normally stuck on reading and reviewing, but this book left me feeling uncertain. I certainly didn’t hate the book, I just hated the circumstances, the result and ultimately the position that one man ends up in due to an illness that was forced upon him because he was doing his job! Ultimately I felt like I cannot give it less than 4 stars, because Luke Delaney has done his job and done it spectacularly. However, for me personally it was just too bleak and soul destroying, but that said it was just my emotional response to the story line. This book is, as Delaney has shown previously, was an excellent story with his usual writing skills on display. It won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, and I for one cant wait to see the return of Sean Corrigan. Having said that it is still a quality piece of writing which some people will no doubt love and some people will loathe!

Outside Looking In by Michael Wood (DCI Matilda Darke #2)

51-x44K35eL._SY346_ Synopsis: The second book in Michael Wood’s darkly compelling new crime series featuring DCI Matilda Darke. Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid.

When elderly George Rainsford goes to investigate a suspicious noise one night, the last thing he expects to find is a bloodbath. A man has been killed and a woman brutally beaten, left for dead.

The victims are Lois Craven and Kevin Hardaker – both married, but not to each other. Their spouses swear they knew nothing of the affair and, besides, they both have alibis for the attack. With nothing else to link the victims, the investigation hits a dead end.

The pressure is on for investigating officer, DCI Matilda Darke: there’s a violent killer on the loose, and it looks like her team members are the new targets. With no leads and no suspects, it’s going to take all Matilda’s wits to catch him, before he strikes again.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Outside Looking In by Michael Wood (DCI Matilda Darke #2)”

‘SUMMER AT OYSTER BAY’ BY JENNY HALE

Synopsis: They say falling in love is easy. But what if you know it’ll break your heart?

For Emily Tate, returning to her charming childhood home Oyster Bay is like coming up for air after the fast pace of her city life. At the farm her grandfather built, surrounded by sister Rachel’s chatter, Gram’s butter biscuits and the soft, white sand, Emily is reminded exactly who she is and what she holds most dear.

When Emily starts work at elegant Water’s Edge Inn, Charles Peterson, the handsome new owner, asks for her help. He wants to expand and needs Emily to teach him the local ways, so he can convince the planning commission. Emily vows to make him fall in love with her hometown, just the way it is.

At work, Charles is reserved and serious, yet once Emily has him kicking off his shoes in the sand and sailing across glistening Chesapeake Bay, she sees another side to him, and their easy rapport feels like the start of something big.

But when it becomes clear Charles’s plans for the inn involve bulldozing Oyster Bay, Emily is heartbroken. Will she lose her home and Charles all at once, or can she save Oyster Bay, and give true love a chance?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have read three other Jenny Hale books which I really enjoyed so I was looking forward to reading this newest release. Thankfully Jenny has once again delivered a beautiful and heart-warming tale set in what sounds like somewhere I need to go! Emily Tate is returning to her home in Oyster Bay following 3 years living in the City. Luckily she is going to live with her Grandmother (Gram) at her childhood home and pretty soon gets to integrate herself back with family and friends. She is lucky to have secured a job at the elegant Inn at Water’s Edge and when she meets the new owner Charles Peterson the story takes a turn.

Emily is incredibly likeable, as are her Gram and sister Rachel, niece and Brother In Law Jeff. Jenny Hale has an incredibly talented way of making you feel like you are right alongside these characters in this beautiful yet small town place. Charlie Peterson is so likeable although at first he comes across as a little aloof. The other characters that feature such as Rachel, Emily’s sister also have their own story interwoven within the book which makes for another interesting take on the family.

Overall, this book has everything you could want. I found myself completely immersed and finding out more about Emily’s family really made for an absorbing and compelling read. I could see the way the story was going towards the end, but that’s exactly where I wanted it to go and I was so pleased that Jenny Hale finished the book as she did with a beautifully well fitted Epilogue. Overall I am finding Jenny Hale to be a ‘go-to’ author. One that you know you are guaranteed a great story. I cannot wait for her next book!

The Night Stalker by Robert Bryndza (Erika Foster #2)

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Synopsis: In the dead of a swelteringly hot summer’s night, Detective Erika Foster is called to a murder scene. The victim, a doctor, is found suffocated in bed. His wrists are bound and his eyes bulging through a clear plastic bag tied tight over his head.

A few days later, another victim is found dead, in exactly the same circumstances. As Erika and her team start digging deeper, they discover a calculated serial killer – stalking their victims before choosing the right moment to strike.

The victims are all single men, with very private lives. Why are their pasts shrouded in secrecy? And what links them to the killer?

As a heat wave descends upon London, Erika will do everything to stop the Night Stalker before the body count rises, even if it means risking her job. But the victims might not be the only ones being watched… Erika’s own life could be on the line.

KAT’S RATING: 4/5

KAT’S REVIEW: The Night Stalker is the second novel in this series featuring Detective Erika Foster. Now stupidly I didn’t get around to reading the first one but it wasn’t a problem and it took me less than 2 chapters to be completely involved in the story. Erika is an easy character to like and although pretty headstrong and independent, it’s certainly not overdone. I also really liked the fact that the story is weaved with a little history of Erika’s personal life as well as her family. It certainly didn’t deter me that I hadn’t read the first book but am kicking myself now as this second book is fabulous.

The story itself is centred around the murders of single men with very closed personal and private lives. The story is well paced from the outset and the writing was wonderfully easy to fall in with. There was no effort required as you felt immersed from very early on. I really liked all of Erika’s colleagues and I always think secondary characters are sometimes just as important. There is certainly plenty of suspense and Bryndza has done a terrific job of creating a very well paced, well plotted and absorbing read.

I can see that many people reading this series will quickly become fans (myself included). I am so annoyed at myself for not making the time to read the first book, but I am going to rectify that by reading it next. This is certainly a fabulous read and I am really looking forward to getting book one read, and then getting ready for book 3. This is certainly an author I will be continuing to follow and would certainly recommend you give this a try as I don’t think you will be disappointed.