Category: Book Review

One Left Alive by Helen Phifer (Morgan Brookes #1)

Synopsis: A gentle breeze blew her blonde hair across her face, her glazed eyes staring blankly into the sunset. Her small frame looked lost hanging from the large oak tree. On the branch next to her was a worn child’s rope swing. She looked too young and beautiful to be dead.

When the body of a woman is found hanging from a tree in her front garden, rookie Detective Morgan Brookes is first on the scene. But Olivia Potter is past saving. And when her husband and daughters cannot be traced, Morgan knows there is more to this tragedy. And then she finds them. Lying huddled together in the dark basement, each of their faces covered with a small cotton cloth, their bodies cold to the touch.

But as Morgan kneels beside the family, she realises that one of the girls is still breathing. As she holds Bronte’s fragile hand in hers, begging her to hold on, she vows to find out who has done this.

Every day Morgan wakes at 4.25 a.m., her old insomnia now mixed with a new fixation on the case. But every clue about the murdered family leads to a dead end. Until, trawling through old files, she discovers a link to a cold case from years ago. Another family was found murdered, their innocent faces covered with white cloths.

When Morgan returns to the scene of the crime to discover more about this forgotten case, she finds another body. With Bronte still unconscious in hospital, Morgan must act fast to solve this case before the killer returns for the girl left alive…

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: *currently shaking head into hands* You know that feeling when you read one book of a series you haven’t even looked at…and then as soon as you finish you realise that any other book doesn’t stand a chance until you are up to date…yeah that!

In book one of this series we meet Morgan Brookes a rookie copper who while out on patrol answers a call and finds the body of a woman hanging from a tree in her front garden. Made even worse when Morgan discovers the rest of the family locked in the basement, until she realises that one of the daughters is still alive. That alone is a great opener for a book and I was already dragged into the storyline. Morgan is quickly pulled into the team and now works for DS Ben Matthews alongside other members of the team such as Amy.

The storyline was interesting and I really loved all the characters making this a super easy read. I have to be honest and say there were a few times it seemed procedure went out the window for this piece of fiction in comparison to real life, but I guess that’s why I am a book lover (sometimes rules don’t play out as they do in real life). This first book in the series definitely made for an enjoyable and easy first read and in all honesty suspending belief aside I was totally ready for book 2. You can totally expect all of t

Voice of Rage by Kerry Barnes (Rage #2)

Synopsis: First there was the Voice of Reason, but now there is the Voice of Rage Harley Mason, you may love her, or hate her, but never underestimate her. As the Masons settle down to a more normal life following the death of three family members, a shocking discovery of a schoolgirl found dead in nearby woods starts the finger-pointing once again.
Lewis Sanders, the detective on the case, struggles to believe that a teenage girl is capable of such a horrific crime. Yet the discovery of a second body could put Harley Mason in the frame.
Is the evidence staring at him in the face or is there more to it?
Proving a link between the Gemini Gene and higher functioning psychopaths had been Dr Katherine Renee’s sole purpose until she had to discontinue the study. Now, she questions her own sanity.
So, desperate to convince the police that Harley is the killer, is Dr Renee harbouring a dark secret of her own?
Katherine remembered nothing of her childhood, until she was sent to the orphanage and eventually saved by a nun. But now the lost research file has been found, and the truth is out.

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: First off, for anybody that hasn’t read this author I would hugely recommend her. She is a massively under rated author who has some serious talent. It’s been a while since I last read one of Barnes books and picked up Voice of Reason, with this book as the follow on. In my opinion you need to read book one to get a full understanding of all the characters in play, although there is still introduction to those that choose to read this as a standalone.

Harley Mason is a high functioning teenager along with her twin brother Hudson. They are now living with their grandmother and trying to get on with their life as best they can. However, when a young girl is found murdered in the woods Harley seems to be the prime suspect. Featuring heavily along with Harley is the psychiatric doctor Katherine, who has worked with the twins in her study. We also get to see Agnes, Katherine’s housekeeper and long time live in and as such is treated like family by Katherine.

The way this latest story unfolds is certainly shocking in parts, very descriptive but absolutely captivating. This is definitely a departure from the usual type of stories Kerry Barnes writes but I absolutely loved it. This most definitely falls into the psychological thriller category but I would suggest starting with book 1 Voice of Reason and then go straight onto this one. A magnificent read which took me out of the norm and into the slightly disturbing world of the Mason twins.

The Brothers by Kimberley Chambers

Synopsis: MEET THE BOND BROTHERS.

You don’t want to be on the wrong side of this family…

Beau Bond hates fiercely and loves hard. He’ll do anything to protect his twin Brett, and his girlfriend Jolene. Brett is a survivor. He’s always followed his brother’s lead, even if it means he’s lived to regret it.

As Beau and Jolene get hitched, their feuding families must put their differences aside. But the brothers have a dark secret that could cause a war between both sides … and what better place to reveal all than at a wedding…

When their past sins resurface to threaten those closest to them, will the brothers still have each other’s backs?

STAR RATING: 4/5

MY REVIEW: The Family Man I have only just read however this actually was the last book KC released I believe three years ago. For me moving on to this book was a great thing but for others I imagine its been a long time coming. The Family Man I enjoyed but in some respects I didn’t care too much for the characters so I was interested to see how this latest book fared.

Brett and Beau Bond the twins in the family are the main focus this time around and we get to see more of Beau and his new wife Jolene. Once again the writing and storyline for me is still just as good and shows why KC can tella good yarn, however my feelings about the characters remained. In all honesty I enjoyed this second book slightly more than the last but still though the whole Bond Family are characters I just don’t care too much for.

The small niggle aside this book has all you could want and expect from a KC book and I think her fans will absolutely love it. A solid read by a great author, here’s hoping I like the next lot of characters more.

The Magnificent Mrs Mayhew by Milly Johnson

Synopsis: Behind every successful man is a woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.

Sophie Mayhew looks like she has the perfect life. Wife of rising political star John F Mayhew, a man who is one step away from the top job in the government, her glamour matches his looks, power, breeding and money. But John has made some stupid mistakes along the way, some of which are threatening to emerge. Still, all this can still be swept under the carpet as long as Sophie ‘the trophy’ plays her part in front of the cameras.

But the words that come out of Sophie’s mouth one morning on the doorstep of their country house are not the words the spin doctors put in there. Bursting out of the restrictive mould she has been in since birth, Sophie flees to a place that was special to her as a child, a small village on the coast where she intends to be alone.

But once there, she finds she becomes part of a community that warms her soul and makes her feel as if she is breathing properly for the first time. Sophie knows she won’t be left in peace for long. Now she must decide: where does her real future lie?

STAR RATING: 5/5

My Review: The last MJ book I read I think I ended up either not finishing of feeling disappointed with which is highly unusual. However, when scrolling through my endless to read list I noticed this one and decided my last attempt must have been a one off, and I am thrilled that I was right.

Sophie Mayhew is our main lady and she is married to John who is a rising political star. It’s totally clear from the first few chapters that John Mayhew and the whole family (including Sophie’s) are just vile people that only care about John’s rise to fame. Sophie on the other hand is a woman that you can just adore, and it’s very clear that she is the backbone of what John has built. When sordid secrets hit the press of course the spin doctors working for John plan what they all need to say and Sophie is due to stand alongside her husband as his pillar of support. Sadly for all of them they had just no idea of what was going to happen, and it seemed neither did Sophie.

As she stood on the steps with all the cameras facing her she did the complete opposite of what was expected of her and subsequently flees from John and the rest of the family. She ends up in a small village near the sea close to the School she once loathed as a child. This story is pure warmth from your head to the very tip of your toes. Sophie is a wonderful character, as are the people she meets when she moves away and is in hiding. This whole story was an absolute joy to read and everything about it made me want to make sure I had no other hidden gems from this author lurking in my unread pile.

A Gift for Dying by M J Arlidge

Synopsis: Nothing surprises Adam Brandt anymore. As a forensic psychologist, he’s seen and heard everything.
That is, until he meets Kassie.
Because she claims to have a terrible gift – with one look into your eyes, she can see when and how you will die.
Adam doesn’t believe her.
But then a serial killer starts wreaking havoc across the city, and only Kassie seems to know where he’ll strike next.
Against all his intuition, Adam starts to think Kassie might be telling the truth.
He just doesn’t realise how dangerous this trust might be .

My Rating: 3/5

My Review: Mmmm this is a very strange one for me. I am definitely a fan of this author especially the Helen Grace series, however this stand alone has left me wondering where I sit with this standalone book. Our main character Adam Brandt is a forensic psychologist and he sees all sorts of patients and feels like nothing much surprises him anymore. That is until he meets Kassie the other lead character in this book. According to Kassie all she has to do is look into somebody’s eyes and she can see how and when they die. That in itself makes me a little bit detached from the storyline as it’s not really my cup of tea. However, you can’t knock it until you try it so I continued.

When a serial killer starts attacking and killing people it seems only Kassie knows where they will strike next. The actual writing and storyline was as good as other books MJA has written but there was something I just couldn’t get along with in this book. I don’t even think it’s the storyline itself, more so the characters. I just didn’t care than much about them and to be honest I didn’t really like any of them? This certainly isn’t a bad book and its written in such a way you need to find out what happens next…but…for me it just didn’t hit the spot so I am giving it a middle of the road rating.

The Girl in The Dark by Zoe Sharp (Blake & Byron)

Synopsis: The woman falls. Her body begins to shake. Her brown eyes turn upwards, showing a mix of panic and desperate hope. She takes a deep breath and says one ‘Blake.’ Then her eyes close, her face pales, and she goes still forever…

The victim: Shannon, a woman who went out of her way to help the lost and hopeless, left abandoned to die by the side of the road. Where was she in those last few days before her death, and why was she so frightened?

The avenger: Blake Claremont, who knows only too well how it feels to be alone on the streets of a big city. Blake survived, thanks to Shannon. She’s determined to find out who killed her friend, and why.

Before she died, Shannon was searching for answers. She knew that people were going missing… never to be seen again. Now, with the help of Detective John Byron, Blake must take up Shannon’s investigation. She knows these streets and the predators who walk in the darkness. She will follow in Shannon’s footsteps until she finds her target: the ruthless men and women who steal people’s lives and will do anything to protect their secrets.

And then, they will pay.

MY RATING: 4/5

MY REVIEW: I recently read the first new book in this series and thoroughly enjoyed it so was pleased to be able to pick up where we left off and see what happened next! The two characters couldn’t be more different and that’s what makes them very enjoyable to read about. Blake Claremont is a young woman who in book one reappeared at her family home following a long period of being away. She is a feisty character that really does have her own mind and trust literally about two people! This latest book sees her living on the streets, which at first I didn’t understand but it soon all became clear.

Blake is determined to find out what happened to Shannon who was one of the few people that made sure Blake was okay. Now Shannon is dead and Blake feels an intense sense of loyalty to find out what is going on and why. On the other end of the spectrum Detective John Byron is now working in a specific role looking into potential police corruption.

This latest book delves into a world where the homeless are being victimised in a terrible way but with Blake not giving an inch, god help them all! Both Blake and John are brilliant characters and I especially love Blakes friend Lex Vaganov! Between Lex and John’s old boss Shamshi Daud they make an awesome team. This whole book and storyline I thoroughly enjoyed and I cannot wait to see where the series goes.

The Last Time She Dies by Zoe Sharp (Blake & Byron)

Synopsis: She came back on the day of her father’s funeral, ten years after she vanished. But she can’t be who she says she is… When Blake disappeared as a teenager, on a cold dark night, her father never reported her missing. She is presumed dead.

Now, ten years later, a young woman with white-blonde hair sits comfortably in the family living room and smiles at the shocked faces around her.

“Don’t you recognise me?” she says. “I’m Blake.”

Detective John Byron isn’t sure whether she’s telling the truth. But as he investigates, he soon realises no one is happy to see her. And the people who should be welcoming her back with open arms know she can’t be Blake. Because they killed her the night she vanished…

Didn’t they?

MY RATING: 4/5

My Review: Finally! I am a big fan of the Charlie Fox series by Zoe Sharp and its been way too long so when I realised I now had two books in a new series by her to read I eagerly started with this one the first featuring ‘Blake & Byron’ as the title suggests. So the Byron in this duo refers to John Byron a copper with the Met who is currently on leave from work. The reader has no clue why he is on leave or what happened but it’s pretty clear from the outset he is up in Derbyshire for his boss looking into something through unofficial channels. The first thing that struck me was how ‘old school’ this book felt and that isn’t mean in a derogatory way at all! It had a real mystery air to it and that ‘who dunnit’ feel going on which I loved.

On the opposing side of the duo is Blake, a young woman who returns to her old home following the death of her Father. Gideon Fitzroy was a British MP and had a good standing in the community. When his long since missing daughter re-appears after the funeral a lot of eyes are raised including those of her step mother and half brother and sister. I admit that the first few chapters it took me a little while to get into the writing and story itself, but as the book progressed I could totally understand the reasons behind the slow burn of the unfolding storyline.

I don’t want to rehash the synopsis as that seems a pointless exercise, but what I will say is that following completion of book 1 I can totally appreciate the groundwork that went into building these two characters and leaving the reader wondering what next. I read this book over a couple of days and frankly slowly fell in love with both Byron and Blake, two very original characters with some wonderful character traits, best shown off over the span of the book! It’s very hard to describe what I mean (after all I am a reader and not a writer) but I guess overall this was a hugely enjoyable book featuring characters I definitely want to read more of, and that being the case would 100% recommend this as I think this could be an absolutely fantastic series.

Hard Power by J B Turner (Jon Reznick #12)

Synopsis: Hard Power ―the follow-up to the electric Hard Exit ―is a riveting new thriller from bestselling author J. B. Turner. When Amy Chang, partner of NSA hacker Trevelle Williams―a friend of Jon Reznick―is found dead on a Manhattan subway, everyone says it was a suicide. But Trevelle knows that someone had been watching Amy’s every move, and he isn’t about to let them slip away. Trevelle calls on Jon Reznick to help him uncover what happened to Amy and protect Amy’s brother, Kevin Chang, a Hong Kong student-activist living in New York. Before long, two government organizations are hunting them, forcing the trio to go on the run. Will Reznick be able to pull himself out of another mess, or have things finally gone too far? As his pursuers close in, Reznick reaches out to Martha Meyerstein, FBI assistant director, for help―but with so many political forces at play, people are not always who they seem to be. With friends’ lives on the line, Reznick will have to summon all his black-ops skills, tradecraft, and killer instincts to keep both Trevelle and Kevin alive…but he might have to sacrifice his own life to do it.

MY RATING: 5/5

My Review: I absolutely love this series and this latest release is no exception. Jon Reznick’s friend and hacker Trevelle is the one who calls Jon for help this time, a far cry from the norm. However, the situation Trevelle finds himself in is far from the ordinary. Trevelle’s girlfriend Amy Chang is found dead and he is convinced, along with Amy’s brother Kevin, that it was no accident. Although Jon has no jurisdiction he as per the norm sticks his nose in to try and get to the bottom of what has gone on. It becomes clear pretty quickly that the situation Jon, Trevelle and Kevin find themselves in proves the theory that all is not right!

There is plenty of action pretty much from the off with this latest book and as usual Jon is determined for the truth even if it means falling out with the FBI assistant Martha (which he does plenty of)! I was a little on the fence with how the Jon and Martha relationship has played out but a part of me also understands the need for it. That aside I loved the pacing of the story and there was plenty of corruption and action top keep you entertained. Although there is a slight swerve into the arena featuring Chinese politics, I can forgive it as it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I just hope we don’t see the author going politics heavy in future books.

Overall this is a fast paced and action packed story with a character you can’t help but love. A great series which I am thoroughly enjoying and would happily recommend.

Sleep by C L Taylor

Synopsis: Seven guests. Seven secrets. One killer. Do you dare to SLEEP? All Anna wants is to be able to sleep. But crushing insomnia, terrifying night terrors and memories of that terrible night are making it impossible. If only she didn’t feel so guilty…

To escape her past, Anna takes a job at a hotel on the remote Scottish island of Rum, but when seven guests join her, what started as a retreat from the world turns into a deadly nightmare.

Each of the guests have a secret, but one of them is lying – about who they are and why they’re on the island. There’s a murderer staying in the Bay View hotel. And they’ve set their sights on Anna. Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One deadly lie.

My Rating: 2/5

My Review: Recently I have been selecting books that are the oldest on my to read list and this was one of them. I have read a few CL Taylor books and largely enjoyed then however this one for me was a bit of a miss. Anna is the lead character and we see her starting a new job in a remote area of Scotland, an Island named Rum. She is helping run a guest house in the hope that following a horrific accident she can get away and start again.

First up Anna was just annoying as a character, yes she had experienced trauma but she just grated on me and I don’t even know why (I seem to have a problem connecting with characters lately). The general premise is that there are 7 guest and they get trapped there because of bad weather an all sorts of things start happening. I got the impression this was maybe meant to be a little creepy but I just got irritated by the characters. I finished the book but in all honesty I didn’t care much because it all became a little bit unbelievable.

We Can See You by Simon Kernick

.Synopsis: You have it all. Success, a beautiful home, a happy family. Until, in a heartbeat, it’s gone. We’ve kidnapped your daughter, and we know everything about you. Including the dark secrets from your past you thought were forgotten. We tell you not to contact the police – and that we’ll know if you do. Because we can see you. And now you know this is no ordinary abduction. It’s worse. Within hours you’re on the run, with only one thought in your head:That you will stop at nothing to get your daughter back

My Rating: 3/5

My Review: I have to start by saying that I am a big fan of Kernick especially books such as Relentless and The Last Ten Seconds however this….not so much. The synopsis felt like a departure from my expectations of a Kernick novel so I was excited to try something a little different. Brook Conner is on her way home and is excited to see her daughter Paige. When she arrives she just knows something is off as her housekeeper Rosa is not there with Paige but her car is. Confused she calls Rosa to no reply followed shortly thereafter to her husband. It becomes all too clear that her daughter has been kidnapped.

Now right out the gate I admit I did not warm to any of the characters in this book. Brook, her husband, her lawyer, literally everybody! The storyline also bordered on the ridiculous. Don’t get me wrong I have nothing against stretching the realms of reality for a story, but it has to be a good story for me to be on board with it! I managed to trudge my way through this but it felt like a chore. Every now and then you can read a book by an author you love and just not gel with the book and this is one of those times.