Category: Book Review

BLOG TOUR: Sleep Tight by Caroline Mitchell (Ruby Preston #2)

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Synopsis: A killer stalks the streets of East London. All over the area, murdered young women are discovered, their bodies posed into disturbing recreations of fairy tale princesses.

Detective Ruby Preston is determined to hunt down the murderer who is using the women to realise his dark fantasies. But when body parts are found at the home of her lover, Nathan Crosby, Ruby is torn between her job and her heart. 

Convinced that he is being framed, Ruby must catch the killer before Nathan becomes the number one suspect. But as more victims are found, it becomes harder to prove his innocence.

As Ruby starts to close in on the twisted individual, can she stop him before he strikes again? And how well does she really know the man she loves?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: Sleep Tight by Caroline Mitchell (Ruby Preston #2)”

BLOG TOUR – The Promise by Casey Kelleher

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Synopsis: Growing up in squalor with their drug-addicted prostitute mother, sisters Georgie and Marnie Parker have had to endure the very darkest side of life. When their mother is sentenced for brutally murdering a client, Georgie and Marnie’s already precarious lives are blown apart and they now share a terrible secret. Sent to a children’s home, the sisters hope this might finally be their safe haven after years of neglect. But they soon discover they’re in real danger.

Desperate to find a place of safety, Georgie and Marnie run for their lives, but end up in the hands of Delray Anderton. A violent London gangster and notorious pimp, Delray has big plans for beautiful teenager Georgie, seeing her as a chance to make some serious money. Fiercely protective of each other, Georgie and Marnie must escape the clutches of a man who will do anything to keep the sisters for himself. And, they must keep the promise they made to each other – no one can ever know the truth. 

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I love Casey’s books and her last one The Taken was an absolute belter of a book. Unfortunately as much as I enjoyed this latest release I couldn’t help thinking it wasn’t as good as the last book. Josie Parker is the mother of two young girls Georgie and Marnie Parker. Josie has spent her years selling her body and has ended up at the lower end of the market having abused drink and drugs. In all honesty the woman is a mess. Her two young children are forced to look after themselves and as such you can’t help but feel for these two poor defenceless children.

The story is a bit of a slow starter but there is a wide variety of characters to get your teeth into. Javine Turner is a young woman on the lookout for a wealth man and once she sets her sights on someone there is no getting away from her. Although on paper Javine is every mans worst nightmare she is a character I loved and was rooting for her throughout the book. Delray Anderton and his sidekick Lenny are known faces and are making their mark in London with their criminal activities. Both of them are brutal and fierce and widely feared.

When Josie is jailed for the murder of a man, Georgie and Marnie find themselves in their own fight for survival. The second half of the story was fast paced and the story was enthralling. However, I think the overlying reason this book wasn’t an entire success in my mind was that I had absolutely no sympathy for Josie. In fact I would go as far as to say I loathed the woman who was so selfish that her kids had to take care of themselves. By the time I had finished this I knew that it was a great read, and once again Casey Kelleher is firmly stamping her mark in this genre. However, it lacks the full rating down to my intense dislike of both Josie and Delray. That small issue aside this was another solid read and one that fans of Mandasue Heller and Martina Cole will love.

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR – The Promise by Casey Kelleher”

Backstabber by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #5)

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Synopsis: If you don’t face your enemies – they’ll stab you in the back.

One of them has a gun to his head. Who will pull the trigger?

When king of the underworld Vinny Butler goes into business with respected villain Eddie Mitchell, it’s a match made in East End legend. Friends and family are treated like gold, enemies like rats – it’s the life.

Then mysterious packages arrive, dead creatures and threats. Someone is out for revenge. Who the enemy is, nobody knows, anyone could be taking a pop. The gypsies who cursed Eddie, ghosts from Vinny’s past, enemies needing revenge. Even their own flesh and blood? There are some people you should never cross, some who can’t forgive or forget.

Who is the backstabber?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “Backstabber by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #5)”

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!

Witness by Caroline Mitchell

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Synopsis: To Rebecca it was a brave decision that led to her freedom from domestic abuse. To Solomon it was the ultimate betrayal.

It’s been ten years since Rebecca’s testimony saw Solomon locked away. Enough time for the nightmares to recede, the nerves to relax; enough time to rebuild her life and put the past behind her.

Then one day a phone rings in her bedroom—but it’s not her phone. Solomon has been in her home, and has a very simple message for her: for each of the ten years he has spent in jail, Rebecca must witness a crime. And, to make matters worse, she has to choose the victims.

Fail to respond and you get hurt. Talk to police and you die. Ready to play? You have sixty seconds to decide… As the crimes grow more severe, the victims closer to home, Rebecca is forced to confront a past she had hoped was gone forever.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Rebecca has taken a brave decision and testified against her husband Solomon. With him safely tucked behind bars, she moves on with her life until ten years later when a phone rings in her bedroom. That phone call changes everything and her life and sanity are pushed to the edge. This is a departure for Caroline Mitchell as she normally writes paranormal thrillers so it was nice to see a slight change. The stand out thing for me was the gritty realism in terms of how you felt for the character Rebecca.

Domestic violence is not a nice thing and to manage to convey that all encompassing fear is no easy feat, however this author has done it with ease.

Rebecca finds herself in the middle of a sick and twisted game where she has to decided who the victim is of a chosen crime, and the worst part is that she has less than a minute to decide. As each threat is given you can almost feel the spiral for Rebecca as she battles to maintain her normal composure. It rapidly descends into a situation where even as a reader you are questioning her sanity. It’s extremely;y dark but exceptionally written in a way that draws you in and leaves you feeling anxious and bewildered. Maybe not the easiest reading subject but done in a way where the hackles on the back of your neck rise and you almost feel the tension, which  for me is an awesome experience as a reader.

The story is very fast paced but dark, terrifying and in short is the perfect psychological thriller. Mind games galore and a superbly written dialogue creates a need to turn pages faster than is possible. Although I absolutely love the other series Caroline Mitchell writes, for me this is her genre. She has created a genius book that had all the perfect ingredients and I sincerely hope we see more where this came from. Highly recommended by me!

Little Girl Lost by Carol Wyer (Detective Robyn Carter #1)

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Synopsis: A perfect family hiding disturbing secrets. A killer who wants the truth to be told. A little girl in terrible danger.

A teacher goes missing under suspicious circumstances and a man is murdered at a local reservoir. For Detective Robyn Carter, there’s no obvious link between the cases. But as she starts to delve into them, her investigations lead her to Abigail, perfect wife and mother to beautiful little Izzy. What was Abigail’s connection to the victims? And why is she receiving threatening messages from an anonymous number? 

But as Robyn starts to inch closer to finding the killer, Izzy is abducted. Unless Robyn gets to the twisted individual in time, a little girl will die …

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Well, well, well…..there is certainly more to Carol Wyer than the last release she has which was a romantic comedy. I LOVE this cover which is always a plus and the synopsis was pretty intriguing too. I started the book and found that the story was quite meaty and it didn’t take long to get involved in the plot and various threads trailing. However the beginning of the book also reveals a dark scenario which took place clearly a few years ago and it adds to the disturbing feel of this book.

Robyn Carter is the main character in this (hopefully) series of books and she is due to go back to policing having taken a stint away from work due to a bereavement. She has spent her time away working for her Cousin Ross Private Detective agency. I really liked her Cousin and the relationship between them works well. I wondered how that would work when she eventually makes it back to the police force but it was done in a away where Ross still featured in the story which I liked. As for Robyn, I liked her but felt that this first book just skims the surface and I am hoping we get to see a bit more in book 2.

When a teacher goes missing it lands on Robyn as her first job back in the force. In addition  a man is found murdered and Robyn begins to wonder what the link between the two is. This leads to another main character Abigail. On the surface she has it all, a wonderful husband Jackson and a daughter Izzy. However, when the story progresses it becomes clear its not as cut and dried as it first seemed. There were some moments in the book where I questioned whether I was reading the story correctly as it seemed impossible to imagine the reason for the things that were happening.

I certainly enjoyed this and although a massive departure for Carol Wyer, a smart one! This was an engaging read and has a certain edge to it which I liked. For a first book in this genre it was excellent and if the books get any better I can see them being the type of books you just HAVE to read in one go. Can’t wait to see what is next for Robyn Carter!

Blood Lines by Angie Marsons (Kim Stone #5)

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Synopsis: How do you catch a killer who leaves no trace?

 A victim killed with a single, precise stab to the heart appears at first glance to be a robbery gone wrong. A caring mother and social worker lost to a senseless act of violence. But for Detective Kim Stone, something doesn’t add up.

When a local drug addict is found murdered with an identical wound, Kim knows instinctively that she is dealing with the same killer. But with nothing to link the two victims except the cold, calculated nature of their death, this could be her most difficult case yet.

Desperate to catch the twisted individual, Kim’s focus on the case is threatened when she receives a chilling letter from Dr Alex Thorne, the sociopath who Kim put behind bars. And this time, Alex is determined to hit where it hurts most, bringing Kim face-to-face with the woman responsible for the death of Kim’s little brother – her own mother.

As the body count increases, Kim and her team unravel a web of dark secrets, bringing them closer to the killer. But one of their own could be in mortal danger. Only this time, Kim might not be strong enough to save them…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “Blood Lines by Angie Marsons (Kim Stone #5)”

Death Note by Caroline Mitchell (Ruby Preston #1)

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Synopsis: Twenty years ago you were forced to give your daughter up. Now she’s back. Or is she?

Women who’ve had to give up children for adoption are being killed. A knock at their front door begins a nightmare from which they will never wake up.

Detective Ruby Preston and her team must hunt down a disturbed individual before someone else is taken. But just when they think they’ve made a breakthrough, Ruby receives a sinister email, and the case takes a terrifying personal twist.

When bodies start turning up, staged in perfect, domestic scenes, Ruby realises they’re chasing the most frightening serial killer she has ever faced.

Can Ruby catch the killer before they strike again? Or will her troubled past catch up with her first?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “Death Note by Caroline Mitchell (Ruby Preston #1)”

The Christmas Cake Cafe by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: As the Prosecco chills and Bing Crosby croons, Jen Barker just knows that her long-term boyfriend is about to propose. But instead of a diamond ring nestled in her champagne flute, Jen finds cold flat rejection. Her once perfect life and dreams of a husband and family seem even further from reach.

A working holiday to the Swiss Alps with her younger sister Jody might not be the Christmas Jen had it mind, but it offers her the chance to recharge her batteries and recover from heartbreak.

When Jen meets handsome ski instructor Jon Zutter her hopes for a happy-ever-after seem within her grasp again. Jon is kind and gorgeous and as they bond over Sachetorte at the picturesque Cake Café, Jen thinks he might just be her perfect man. But a relationship with him comes with a catch – and there are some things even cake can’t fix.

As the snow falls and Christmas approaches, could this be the place that restores Jen Barker’s faith in love?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Thank goodness…another Sue Watson in her usual humorous style, it feels like forever since I have read one like this! I admit I am a bit of a Sue Watson fan, and always know that her books will cheer me up and make me laugh like a drain. Thankfully this book was no exception and once again it cheered me up immensely! However (yes there is a however) I did find the main character a bit annoying in the beginning (hence the 4 stars and not 5)!

So Jen Barker is the main character in this Christmas book and as she is planning her wedding in her mind, she had no idea she is about to be unceremoniously dumped. So a year after  her disastrous break up she finds herself facing another Christmas alone with just her cat (named Mrs Christmas) for company. Her half sister Jody decides enough is enough and manages to convince Jen to take a working holiday with her and her friends over Christmas at a Swiss Alps ski resort. 

In the beginning I didn’t instantly like Jen, in fact I would go as far as to say she was a bit of an annoying woman that thought her whole life was over and she was only 41!!! Thankfully as Jen embarks on a new chapter, her sister and new friends make sure she starts to change her ways. Thankfully the whingeing became less and finally she becomes a woman that starts to take some risks.  There are some extremely funny moments in the book which normally revolved around Jen’s choice of clothes, or comments from her new friends. 

Jen’s life seems to roll from one hilarious disaster to another when she is in Switzerland and with the addition of a rather handsome Ski Instructor named Jon things get so much better and I found myself laughing and hoping for the best for her. The last quarter of the book was fabulous, pure magic and a great end to the book. It certainly has all the right elements for a Christmas stocking filler and is a great feel-good read. For me I mark every book of Sue’s against her book ‘Love, Lies and Lemon Cakes’ which to this day is still one of the funniest books I have ever read. Thankfully Sue always delivers a feel good book with the humour thrown in so this was still a great read (but Sue, can we PLEASE have a less whingey woman next time)!