Category: Book Review

Kiss of Death by Paul Finch (Mark Heckenburg #7)

Synopsis: A Deadly Hunt
DS ‘Heck’ Heckenburg has been tasked with retrieving one of the UK’s most wanted men. But the trail runs cold when Heck discovers a video tape showing the fugitive in a fight for his life. A fight he has no chance of winning.

A Dangerous Game
Heck realises that there’s another player in this game of cat and mouse, and this time, they’ve not just caught the prize: they’ve made sure no one else ever does.

A Man Who Plays With Fire
How far will Heck and his team go to protect some of the UK’s most brutal killers? And what price is he willing to pay?

My Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Kiss of Death by Paul Finch (Mark Heckenburg #7)”

The Holiday Cottage by The Sea by Holly Martin (Sandcastle Bay #1)

51QGCvQEccL Synopsis: Tori Graham is in need of a holiday. Trying to piece her heart back together after losing the love of her life, she escapes to Blossom Cottage, with its picturesque views of the sea. And plans to spend the summer in gorgeous Sandcastle Bay, where her best friend Melody Rosewood lives.

Tori’s not expecting her summer by the beach to be eventful, until she meets handsome and mysterious Aidan Jackson…

Aidan looks after the holiday cottage Tori is staying in. Healing from past hurts, he wants to avoid any further chance of heartache. But could this newcomer be the breath of fresh air he needs?

Finding herself embracing life in the coastal community, Tori starts to fall in love with Sandcastle Bay and its welcoming cast of residents. But that’s not all she begins to fall for, as Tori is swept away by Aidan’s genuine heart and mischievous sense of humour. The attraction between them is undeniable, but will a simple holiday romance be enough?

As Tori’s stay in Sandcastle Bay comes to an end she has a tough decision to make…. Has her heart found a new place to call home?

My Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “The Holiday Cottage by The Sea by Holly Martin (Sandcastle Bay #1)”

The Birthday by Carol Wyer (Natalie Ward #1)

Synopsis: One hot summer’s afternoon, five-year-old Ava Sawyer went to a party. She never came home… 

Two years later, Ava’s body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party …

Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that still keeps her awake at night…

Natalie soon discovers that Ava’s mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she’s sure Ava’s father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she’s not telling Natalie …

Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn’t come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?

Kat’s Rating: 3/5 Continue reading “The Birthday by Carol Wyer (Natalie Ward #1)”

Fatal Promise by Angela Marsons (Kim Stone #9)

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Synopsis: Eeeny meeny, miney, moe. Who lives, who dies only I know.

When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, Detective Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past, but who would want him dead?

As the investigation gets underway, Gordon’s son is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Kim’s sure this was no accident. 

Then the body of a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked. 

With Kim and her team still grieving the loss of one of their own, they’re at their weakest and facing one of the most dangerous serial killers they’ve ever encountered. Everything is on the line. Can Kim keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim? Continue reading “Fatal Promise by Angela Marsons (Kim Stone #9)”

Dying Truth by Angela Marsons (Kim Stone #8)

328x500 Synopsis: When teenager Sadie Winter jumps from the roof of her school, her death is ruled as suicide – a final devastating act from a troubled girl. But then the broken body of a young boy is discovered at the same school and it’s clear to Detective Kim Stone that these deaths are not tragic accidents.

As Kim and her team begin to unravel a dark web of secrets, one of the teachers could hold the key to the truth. Yet just as she is about to break her silence, she is found dead. 

With more children’s lives at risk, Kim has to consider the unthinkable – whether a fellow pupil could be responsible for the murders. Investigating the psychology of children that kill brings the detective into contact with her former adversary, Dr Alex Thorne – the sociopath who has made it her life’s work to destroy Kim. 

Desperate to catch the killer, Kim finds a link between the recent murders and an initiation prank that happened at the school decades earlier. But saving these innocent lives comes at a cost – and one of Kim’s own might pay the ultimate price.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “Dying Truth by Angela Marsons (Kim Stone #8)”

Our Little Lies by Sue Watson

226x346Synopsis: Marianne has a life others dream of. A beautiful townhouse on the best street in the neighbourhood. Three bright children who are her pride and joy.

Sometimes her past still hurts: losing her mother early, growing up in foster care. But her husband, Simon, is always there. A successful surgeon, he’s the envy of every woman they’ve ever met. Flowers, gifts, trips to France: nothing is too good for his family.

Then Simon says another woman’s name. The way he lingers on it, Caroline, gives Marianne a shudder of suspicion, but she knows it’s nothing – she can’t entertain this flash of paranoia.

In the old days, she’d have distracted herself by excelling at work, but Marianne left her glamorous career when she married. She’d speak to a friend, but she’s too busy with her children and besides, Simon doesn’t approve of the few she has left.

It’s almost by accident that Marianne starts to learn more about Caroline. But once started, she can’t stop, because what she finds makes her wonder: is the question she should be asking not ‘should she be jealous’, but… ‘should she be scared?’

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Our Little Lies by Sue Watson”

The Forgotten by Casey Kelleher (Byrne #3)

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Synopsis: Nancy Byrne might be the head of the notorious Byrne crime family, but she’s determined to give her little daughter, Scarlett, the best start possible.

After the death of her beloved father, the notorious gangster Jimmy Byrne, nothing’s stopping Nancy from making money on her own terms – even if she has to combine motherhood with providing for her entire family. But with enemies at their door, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones.

But then comes the day when Scarlett goes missing, snatched by a stranger during a trip to the local park, and Nancy’s world is torn apart. Amidst the terror of losing her precious daughter, Nancy is sure of only two things. Someone has taken her daughter … and when she finds them, there’s going to be hell to pay.

Can she find Scarlett – before it’s too late? Or will Nancy’s life of crime come back to haunt her in the worst way possible?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “The Forgotten by Casey Kelleher (Byrne #3)”

The Deep Lonely by Sean Black (Ty Johnson Novella)

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Synopsis: Ty Johnson has made the transition from the US Marine Corp to a succesful career as a private security specialist. But not all of his former comrades have been so lucky.

When the news of an armed siege at a nearby emergency room flashes on screen, Ty recognizes Pete Green, one of his old Marine buddies. Ty knows that he has to move fast if he’s to save his friend’s life.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Okay people, if you haven’t read the Ryan Lock and Ty Johnson series by Sean Black then there is seriously something wrong…this is one of the best series of books written and is hugely under-rated. I am not necessarily a lover of the short novella type books (in this case a 17,000 word short book) but for these guys…I make an exception.

Not a lot to say about this particular little nugget of a book except that it’s brilliant and will give you an insight into the sort of guy Ty Johnson is. I already know what sort of guy he is along with his partner Ryan Lock and this seems more like something to whet the appetite until the next full length novel comes out (which I think is October). I would highly recommend people read not only this novella but the whole series as it’s awesome! One thing I will say is that Ryan Lock gets more airtime and it’s great seeing Ty get all of the attention. I would always read a book about either character but their strength is when they work together!

The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent #8)

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Synopsis: With the discovery of a murder at an abandoned construction site, Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is brought in on a case that becomes much more dangerous when the dead man is identified as an ex-cop.

Studying the body, Sara Linton—the GBI’s newest medical examiner and Will’s lover—realizes that the extensive blood loss didn’t belong to the corpse. Sure enough, bloody footprints leading away from the scene indicate there is another victim—a woman—who has vanished . . . and who will die soon if she isn’t found.

Will is already compromised, because the site belongs to the city’s most popular citizen: a wealthy, powerful, and politically connected athlete protected by the world’s most expensive lawyers—a man who’s already gotten away with rape, despite Will’s exhaustive efforts to put him away.

But the worst is yet to come. Evidence soon links Will’s troubled past to the case . . . and the consequences will tear through his life with the force of a tornado, wreaking havoc for Will and everyone around him, including his colleagues, family, friends—and even the suspects he pursues.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Something VERY strange happened when I started reading this book. So I picked it up, read a couple of chapters and put it down. This happened on three occasions and with many months in between picking it up again. For some reason I just couldn’t seem to engage, and then finally I just forced myself to continue reading. By the time I had got past those first few strangely non-engaging chapters (for me anyway) I was away as per normal. It was incredibly strange as I am a huge fan of this author, maybe I wasn’t in the correct mindset the first few times. However, I am so glad I pushed on through my initial reluctance as this ended up being another cracking book in this brilliant series.

Will Trent is a very likable character, as is his current girlfriend Sara. However his wife Angie is a different kettle of fish. I actually love reading about her but despise her as a character. However this time around she seems to be front and centre with this latest  story line. A dead cop’s body is found and when Sara, Will and his partner Faith and their boss Amanda are at the scene it becomes apparent that all the blood there is not from just the victim.

I absolutely love this series and it wasn’t until the story starts to unfold that I was reminded of just why I love it so much. Sara and Will are a good match but I love the fact that Will has SO many issues one of which is his evil and manipulative wife Angie. In addition I’m a huge fan of Amanda and it was so great to catch up with all of them. The story (once past the first few chapters) was full of pace and grit and its usual dark and disturbing content all of which made me totally an utterly engrossed. This was another cracking book in the series and I am looking forward to reading another Karin Slaughter book.

The Chosen Ones by Howard Linskey (DI Bradshaw #5)

51nB1qhyJXL._SY346_Synopsis: Eva Dunbar wakes in a large metal box. She has no idea who has taken her. She has no way out . . 

Eva isn’t the first young woman to disappear. Detective Ian Bradshaw, leading the search, has no leads – and precious little time.

When at last a body is found, the police hope the tragic discovery might at least provide a clue that will help them finally find the kidnapper.

But then they identify the body – and realise the case is more twisted than they ever imagined . . .

Kat’s Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “The Chosen Ones by Howard Linskey (DI Bradshaw #5)”