Category: Book Review

Review of Everything to Lose by Andrew Gross

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My Rating: 3/5

 Availability: Kindle, Paperback, Hardback, Audio, Nook and Kobo

 Synopsis: WHEN YOU HAVE EVERYTHING TO LOSE, YOU STOP PLAYING BY THE RULES

 Hilary Cantor’s life is falling apart. She has lost her job, is about to lose her house, and is running out of money to care for her young son with Asperger’s syndrome.

But when Hilary is first on the scene of a fatal car accident, she finds a satchel full of cash on the backseat – enough to solve all of her problems. Her split-second decision has devastating consequences…

Because the money she takes is at the heart of a conspiracy involving murder, blackmail and a powerful figure who’ll do anything to keep the past buried. They don’t just want their money back: they want Hilary’s life – and that of her son…

My Review: I really struggled over the rating of this book. I am a huge Andrew Gross fan and was dithering between 3/5 and 4/5. Sadly after thinking about it, this latest release just didn’t cut it for me. Although, having said that, this is entirely a personal choice and is also based upon his previous work. Hilary Cantor is the lead character in this book and her life seems to be literally falling apart at the seams. Her son has Aspergers Syndrome and she has been left to deal with that and her mounting debts by her ex.

She is involved in a car accident and as a subsequence ends up making a very costly mistake with somebody else’s money. The fact that Hillary finds and decides to keep the half a million dollars is the start of a pretty obvious story, being that the original recipients want it back. What follows is Hillary’s fight to keep both her and her son alive. The first thing I think I struggled with was the character of Hilary as I just didn’t particularly like her. There are other elements to this story following the major Storm, which involves people losing their homes, and a subsequent plot weave involving gangsters and shady politicians.

The writing is as sharp as ever but for me the key elements were missing. The fact that I didn’t like the lead character is always a negative for me. Add on to that the fact that the story was too far fetched (even by my standards) dropped my opinion even more. I am actually a huge Andrew Gross fan and normally love his books, but this one just wasn’t up to par.

It’s pretty obvious that the book is most certainly readable (I read it in just under a day and a half) and for some they will really love this. For me, I still miss the Ty Hauck books (Andrew Gross series of books), and this just wasn’t as good as some of his other stand alone books. I can only hope that this was just not a good fit for me and his next book is as awesome as some of his others.

Behind The Closed Door by Charles Prandy (Jacob Hayden #2)

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: In his sophomore novel, Detective Jacob Hayden is back. When Jack Smith doesn’t come home from a business trip, his wife, Erin Smith becomes concerned. Before she has a chance to call police, Detective Jacob Hayden and his new partner, Patricia Jennings, show up at the house and Erin immediately knows that something terrible has happened. Days later a body is found in the woods without its head or fingers and it’s determined that the body is that of Jack Smith. Erin Smith becomes the primary suspect. After her arraignment Erin posts bail and without anyone knowing, flees the city. 

 A man named Max leads a group through a string of bank robberies. Each bank robbery leaves the branch manager and their families murdered. FBI Agent Jadyn Davis and Detective Hayden have to find out who’s committing these robberies before more families are murdered. But what they don’t realize is that the bank robberies are only a small part of a larger plot that Max has planned.

My Review: I have to say I really enjoyed the first of Charles Prandy’s books in this series featuring DI Jacob Hayden. I was really looking forward to getting stuck into book 2 to see how he was faring after the trauma in the first book. I mentioned in the first book that there are certain similarities between this series and a certain other Washington DC cop, although I must say that this is a really good contender! Hayden is back and this time he is involved in a complex missing persons/murder case.

The story itself was so easy to fall into, and even if you haven’t read the first book there is enough background and history you don’t feel lost. Jack Smith is the person who goes missing and when Hayden meets the wife Erin Smith, she seems like a typical grieving wife concerned about her husband not returning home. Hayden has a new partner Pat Jennings and they make a good match, although I’m keen to see more of her in the next book. Together they have to revisit Erin Smith upon the discovery of a body and at that point everything changes.

In addition to this storyline we meet a man named Max who is committing bank robberies with particular brutality. Jacob feels like his return to work has now thrown him in at the deep end and I was completely absorbed by the numerous storylines going on. Towards the halfway mark, things ratchet up a notch and we see numerous plot threads begin to interweave making it much more exciting.

Overall I really liked this book, much the same as the first. Numerous people on Amazon have made complaints about the editing, but as I understand it this has now been rectified and I try not to let that affect my opinion on a book too much. I think that people who start reading this series will soon become attached to it and automatically want to read more; I know I do. It may be nothing new in terms of originality but in my opinion a solid book, with likeable characters and a series that I think will definitely improve with time. I’m now really looking forward to the next one.

The Avenged by Charles Prandy (Jacob Hayden #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

Availability: Paperback and Kindle

Synopsis: Jacob Hayden is a homicide detective with the D.C. Police Department. His life is as great as it’s ever been. He’s married to a beautiful woman and works in a career that he loves. All of that changes when he’s assigned to the murder of Melvin Johnson, a seventeen year-old who was shot in the streets of D.C. Upon arrival, the murder scene looks like the typical drug deal gone wrong, however the clues tell a different story.

A calculating sniper sits on top of a building in D.C. His rifle is aimed towards Dupont Circle’s park. Through his scope he sees people walk by. His finger rests on the trigger, just waiting for the right moment. When he’s ready, he takes in a deep breath, steadies his aim, and squeezes the trigger.

Frank Peters is a nearly retired Superior Court judge with a hot temper. From the outside looking in, Frank Peters appears to be as clean cut as they come. However, when a business associate is murdered, everything about Frank Peters will come into question, which only brings out his rage. The last thing you want to do is be on Judge Peter’s bad side.

Follow Jacob Hayden’s investigations and see how the Sniper and the Judge are linked to an underground operation that ultimately changes Jacob Hayden’s life forever. 

My Review: I liked the synopsis and was looking forward to reading Charles Prandy’s debut novel featuring Detective Jacob Hayden. I must say that the story starts off pretty fast paced and it didn’t take me long to like Hayden. He’s a solid cop with a great career and home life. However, as most fictional Detectives know, that status doesn’t normally last long and the same must be said for Jacob.

The chapters are short and sharp and I couldn’t help drawing comparisons with James Patterson’s Alex Cross series. I can only assume that Prandy has been heavily influenced by these sorts of books. That said, he has also delivered an incredibly good book. It only took me a day to finish and I instantly went on to purchase the second book in the series (both of which were under £1 on Kindle). Hayden is likeable, the story and plot involving what starts out as a simple murder, turns into something much more complex and had various elements which adds to the suspense.

Characters that heavily feature in the story such as Judge Frank Peter’s were sometimes verging on the clichéd, but it certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. There were certain elements which were a little too close to the ‘far fetched’ side of the line, but again it’s Prandy’s debut and I can only see his books improving over time. Although the story and characters are nothing new, there is a certain likeability factor here and the writing also kept me focused and attentive. I think a solid 4 out of 5 is deserved for this book and think the majority of people will really like it. All in all, I really enjoyed this and think it won’t take long for Prandy to gain quite a big following. I can only hope that he continues with a good series and doesn’t become too predictable. This book is certainly for fans of the Patterson type of book and for the price it’s a bargain as well.

The Death Box by J A Kerley (Carson Ryder #10)

My rating: 5/5

 Synopsis: Carson Ryder thought he’d seen everything …

A specialist in twisted crimes, Detective Carson Ryder thought he’d seen the lowest depths of human depravity. But he’s barely started his new job in Miami when called to a horrific scene: a concrete pillar built of human remains, their agony forever frozen in stone.

Finding the secret of the pillar drags him into the sordid world of human trafficking, where one terrified girl holds the key to unravelling a web of pain, prostitution and murder. 

There’s just one problem: Ryder’s not the only one chasing the girl. And the others will kill to keep the secret safe.

My Review:  I’ve been reading about Carson Ryder since around the halfway mark with book 5 (this is book 10 in the series). Carson Ryder books are incredibly readable (if you know what I mean). They may not be books that have a major impact at the time, but there is something about this series which keeps me (and plenty of others) coming back for more.  This book however is by far my favourite and was an absolutely fantastic read. Carson is a pretty cool character and his old partner Harry was also a favourite of mine. However, Carson has moved on and is now in a new town down in the Florida Keys. It almost has a ‘fresh start’ feel to it, which certainly makes the book seem fresh even though this is now the tenth book in the series.

With Harry no longer by his side, I wondered whether anybody else would make an appearance. Sure enough when Carson gets drafted into a new Specialist team he is paired up with the least likely of people. Ziggy Gershwin appears to be a nerdy college type of kid that initially seems fresh out of nappies. Thankfully the pairing worked brilliantly and I found myself hoping this is the start of a new pairing. Carson and Ziggy end up getting drafter into a case that takes them into the very dark world of human trafficking. The bad guys were suitably bad, the storyline twisted enough to keep you turning the pages, and the characters are now so real to me I feel like I need to meet them!!!

Something seems to have shifted with this latest book and it’s all good. If you haven’t read any of the previous books, although not necessary I think it helps give you the background of Carson and his brother Jeremy. I can’t say too much (for fear of spoilers), but for those who have kept up with the series, we only see Jeremy for the briefest time. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that Jack Kerley has special things planned for book 11! I find it hard to believe that many people haven’t heard of J A Kerley, and if you are one of those people, yu may want to take notice. Kerley is a very talented author who has created a fantastic series that keeps you interested. The storylines are all great and there is no ‘padding things out’ just for the sake of word count. I am so pleased that I am up to date with the series and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. A brilliant read that I didn’t want to put down.

The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: When Josh Strachan, newly returned to his home in north Cornwall from sunny California, first meets Sophie Wells, he’s immediately smitten. Sophie’s pretty, she’s funny, she has lots of friends and she clearly loves her job as a photographer, despite the sometimes tricky clients. There’s just one problem: Sophie has very firmly turned her back on love. It’s nothing personal, she tells Josh, but she just doesn’t do dates. And no one – even Sophie’s scatty best friend Tula – will tell him why. Josh is sure Sophie likes him, though, and he’s just got to find out what’s put her off romance. And then put things right…

My Review: When I received this latest offering by Jill Mansell I was a little surprised. The book itself looked like it was a little smaller than previous offerings. After a little scout on Amazon I saw that it was actually only marginally shorter than her two latest books. Not deterred I started the book and within the first few pages was once again transported into the wonderful fictional word Jill created. Sophie at first glance appears to be the main character but in this book, by the end I felt like there were maybe 5 or 6 ‘main’ characters. Initially Sophie wasn’t a character that I immediately liked. She seems like a friendly girl who lives in Cornwall and is trying to build up her photography business. The thing was she was such a closed book it was really difficult to warm to her that much. Shortly after we meet Sophie’s friend Tula who is somebody who is an open book and a character you like almost from the off. In addition to them, we see Dot who is running her hotel in Cornwall jointly with her Grandson Josh. Josh has recently moved back to the UK and in addition to seeing him work around the hotel we meet his friend Riley. Now do you see what I mean about the characters?

Jill Mansell has a magical ability to transport you into the worlds she creates and by the end of the book I found myself wanting to go and visit the hotel in Cornwall and meet the characters she has lovingly created. Each character has its own flaws and the most major one, seems to be Sophie. As the story unfolds we see everybody’s issues start to jump to the forefront and as time went on and I realised what Sophie’s issues were it made me like her even more. There were plenty of plot threads going on too, but I can assure you this wasn’t overdone and the characters all made their own mark on me.

I was so engrossed in this book that by the time I finally got around to starting it (two weeks later than planned)! I finished it the same day. Jill’s last two books were 5 star reads and this one is no different. I found myself totally absorbed, and this book gives you everything you could want from a book in this genre. It has fantastic characters and an interesting storyline that takes you straight into their world without pausing for breath. In my eyes, Jill Mansell is a legend! I kid you not people; the lady has been writing books for over two decades and the only way I can describe her (in the nicest possible way) is like a fine wine. She just gets better with age! Do yourself a favour and pre-order this one, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

The Killer Next Door by Alex Marwood

51EXQZ2ESdL._SY346_ Synopsis: No. 23 has a secret. In this gloomy, bedsit-riddled South London wreck, lorded over by a lecherous landlord, a horrifying collection quietly waits to be discovered. Yet all six residents have something to hide. 

Collette is on the run from her ex-boss; Cher is an underage children’s home escapee; lonely Thomas tries to make friends with his neighbours; while a gorgeous Iranian asylum seeker and a ‘quiet man’ nobody sees try to keep themselves hidden. And there for them all is Vesta, a woman who knows everything that goes on in the house – or thought she did. 

Then in the dead of night, a terrible accident pushes the six into an uneasy alliance. But one of them is a killer, expertly hiding their pastime, all the while closing in on their next victim…

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: I read Alex Marwood’s debut novel and as much as I enjoyed it, it made me feel uncomfortable. This second book made me feel uncomfortable but on a whole new level! I was bloody gripped from start to finish and felt like I was playing the world’s most twisted game of Cluedo (when you read it you’ll get what I mean)! The characters in this book I really liked as they all have their own dark secrets which have brought them to No. 23. Collet, Cher and Vesta made the core women and an additional 3 men plus the landlord make up the weird motley crew living there. From the outset I liked all the women, but the men…mmm well I just wasn’t sure.

As the story progresses you learn a little bit more about each tenant and how they have come to be at the house. The most vile character was the landlord and he had my skin crawling from the very beginning. When an ‘incident’ happens at the house, the 6 tenants become united and things take a turn for the worse. The second thread aside from the individuals within the house is that of the killer. We see the killer perform his rituals and the question becomes, which one of them in the house is responsible. I must say that I do have a strong stomach and tend not to be too bothered about violence and gore. However, Alex Marwood has managed to describe the killer and their actions in such details that it made my stomach turn on more than one occasion.

I played the whole game of thinking I knew who was responsible and got it totally wrong. This in itself is always a surprisingly pleasing element when reading a book like this. What did throw me was the ending, I certainly didn’t see that coming, yet the last 2 pages threw me because of the absence of one particular character (a question for the author me thinks). This book was slightly warped, very graphic, yet a compelling and utterly gripping book. I think Alex Marwood is one to watch, especially at night in a dark alley…any writer that does that good a job must get those ideas from somewhere. This one’s out on the 5th December 2013 and is an ideal present for somebody who wants a book that will have them gripped!

Younger, Thinner, Blonder by Sue Watson

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Tough talking, ball busting, TV talk show host Tanya Travis is at the top of her game. For fifteen years she has steered The Truth With Tanya Travis to be a ratings winner, solving the problems of Britain’s great drug taking, shagging, DNA testing unwashed. But underneath the designer exterior, Tanya’s life isn’t so rosy. She is hounded by the press, who are desperate to prove her boyfriend’s infidelity, and her closest relationships are with her crazy Brooklyn agent and her sweet faced (but foul mouthed) cleaner. When reality TV show Celebrity Spa Trek comes knocking, Tanya turns them down flat, believing that her image and credentials as the Darling of Daytime raise her above participating. However, she may be forced to re-think when her carefully constructed life starts to come apart at the seams. With her relationship in crisis, her career on the line, and her finances in dire straits she may have to join the desperate gaggle of C-List wannabes trekking round Nepal after all…. 

My Review: Sue Watson’s debut novel Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes was released in 2012 and was an absolute winner with me. I was really excited and getting to read an early review copy of her new book and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed. If there are people out there that wants to read a thoroughly meaningful book with morals and meaning, then please don’t read this and then grumble. If, however, you are looking for an extremely humorous fictional take on what it’s like to be a failing celebrity then this will be a winner!

Initially I found it hard to get to grips with the lead in the book Tanya Travis and the beginning felt a little bit ‘bitty’. Luckily that lasted no more than a few chapters and I began to really like Tanya Travis. Yes, she is a daytime talk show and has the boyfriend, lifestyle and money to match; but we also get to see the normal side to this quirky and OCD inflicted character. Within the first quarter of the book the humour was ramped up and I found myself wondering why Sue Watson hasn’t been writing for longer. In addition to Tanya, we meet Tanya’s slightly eccentric and crazy agent Donna and the absolute legendary cleaner she employs, Astrid. One thing I will say is that in both of her books, there have been characters that haven’t necessarily taken the led but which you absolutely fall in love with, and Astrid is most certainly one of them!

When Tanya’s career takes a serious nosedive her life falls apart in front of the general public. With her life and career on the verge of crumbling, she manages to let her agent persuade her to take part in the reality TV show Celebrity Spa Trek. BY the second half of the book I didn’t want to put the book down. The cleaner Astrid had me in hysterics, and Tanya’s behaviour matched the hilarity. The section of the book where she takes part in the reality show doesn’t dominate the book, but certainly adds the extra layer in terms of characters. There were some brilliant characters and I couldn’t help making real life comparisons (which makes it even funnier).

I certainly guessed where the book would go towards the end, but am glad that it was written the way it was. I only have one criticism about this latest book and that is the cover! I know people may think that’s a trivial matter, but for some reason I just don’t think the cover is enough to make people want to pick it up if they were in a bookshop. The cover certainly doesn’t do justice to the book itself, that’s for sure.With the cover issue aside, I can honestly say that if you want a really funny book to transport you from everyday humdrums, and lift your mood then this is the book for you. This was an outstanding second book by Sue Watson which does exactly what it says on the tin. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

Heartless by Casey Kelleher

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Free from prison… but still trapped in a nightmare…

Having been locked up for a murder that she didn’t commit, Sophia O’Hagan is now determined to take back what’s hers. Sophia has been robbed of eight years of her life: a life that she should have spent with her beloved Tommy. Now, Tommy has gone and Sophia’s family has been torn apart. She knows that she will never know true freedom until she confronts the painful ghosts of her past.

Kat’s Review: I was extremely excited to get an early copy of the new release (due out 7th September 2013) by Casey Kelleher. The synopsis was enough to whet my interest, but within a few chapters I needn’t have worried as the story completely drew me in.  The beginning starts us off with Tommy and his twin brother Jonathan as youngsters. At around the same time, young Sophia is battling with her current home situation. One situation is what enables the three to meet, but they have no idea how much them meeting will change all their lives.

Casey Kelleher seems to be improving her talent with each book she writes and it seems that this current book has taken her into the next league of her career. The story instantly drew me in and the one thing I really noticed was the difference in the characters. Casey has self-published up until now, but with this latest one it puts other (currently published) authors to shame. She has managed to depict the ‘evil’ characters as just that, pure evil!

There was only one thing that I think could have helped the book and that is a timeline. We see Sophia as a young girl and then many years later as a young adult. Although the timeline would have helped, this certainly didn’t detract from the story. The plot kept winding up the tension and I literally didn’t want to put this one down. After reading this book, I can honestly say that Casey Kelleher has now placed herself firmly in the world of British Crime Authors; one which I think is totally deserved. 

The characters are brilliant and although this book does have a conclusion, I can actually see a second book coming from this (maybe that’s wishful thinking). Overall, this book is everything you want from a gritty British Crime book and I don’t think any of her fans will be disappointed. I for one will b crossing my fingers and excitedly waiting for the next one. 

The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood

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MY RATING: 3/5

Alex Marwood is a pseudonym for a journalist who has worked in the British press for many years. Wicked Girls was her debut novel and I was looking forward to reading it. If I am totally honest the synopsis seemed pretty dark but I still eagerly started it on my way into work. Two young girls at the age of 11 were imprisoned for the murder of a four year old girl. They weren’t even friends, having met that very day. Once inside prison they both have separate experiences and eventually get released and move on with their lives.

In the present time we meet Kirsty Lindsay, a journalist who is reporting on a number of attacks on young women in the seaside town of Whitmouth. We also meet Amber Gordon who is a cleaner at a funfair and is introduced to us when she is unfortunate enough to come across a dead body. Sadly when the two women meet they realise that this is just the beginning of their living nightmare

 The story was really well constructed and I liked the way the story jumped between the present day and the past. The story of the two women as young girls and how the events unfold that terrible day are done slowly. The layers are peeled back as at the same time the reader sees what is happening in their lives currently. It seems like these two women have no chance to redeem themselves as once again their lives clash in the worst possible way. The thing that I did enjoy was the writing style, it was easy to get into and the story was well paced. I did however have that uncomfortable feeling while reading this book, which was more to do with the subject matter than the author’s talent!

This particular book certainly has lots going on, and it certainly doesn’t shy away from dealing with the difficult subject of child killers. I think although the book kept me interested and I certainly didn’t take long to finish it, I just didn’t feel all that comfortable reading it. I failed to empathise with the characters even though I think this is just another viewpoint about the ifs, buts and maybes in cases like these. I will certainly look forward to reading what Marwood produces next but just felt that this book wasn’t for me. Having said that it certainly shows the authors talent and I think many people have and will love this type of book. Overall a good read but just not for me.

Review of No Way Back by Andrew Gross

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My Rating: 5/5

I first discovered Andrew Gross as he co-writes with James Patterson. Following on from those books I picked up his novels …written by him alone and featuring Ty Hauk (major character crush going on there!). I have since read all of his books that he has written alone and with the exception of one have enjoyed all of them. His last release ’15 Seconds’ was a “hang on to your seat” kind of book and I was hoping his new one would be just as good. Thankfully Mr Gross has come up trumps once again with this newest release of No Way Back.


One thing I would point out (although minor I know) is that some people may mistake this book for his last as the covers are similar at a glance. I know this is minor but can’t help but feel it may make some people skim past it online, thinking they have already read it, which I certainly wouldn’t recommend! Wendy Gould and Laurita Velez are the two main characters in this new book and their worlds will become terrifyingly dangerous as the book starts as a pretty fast paced read from the get go!

Wendy Gould was an average mother, however now she’s the sole witness to the murder she’s being framed for. The first few chapters see Wendy in a hotel bar, and the shocking thing is that it could be any woman out there. Her situation is one that many people could have been in that day, only Wendy (thankfully fictional) was the one that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It takes mere three or four chapters for me to realise that this latest Gross book is no less thrilling than the last.

Lauritzia Velez is a suburban nanny with a tragic past and a terrifying future. After another attempt on her life, she once again leaves everything she loves behind to go on the run. Both women know too much and have no idea just how much their worlds will clash. Both characters drew my attention from the early days and as both women find their worlds becoming more and more dangerous, I found myself reading quicker. Having started this book yesterday morning, I finished it by the time I had to go to sleep. It was a book that was full of threads that have you questioning who is involved and why.

I found myself having to pay close attention in the latter part of the book as there are so many potential characters involved and different threads that are all intertwined. The book held my attention from start to finish and there were plenty of twists turns and surprises that I thoroughly enjoyed each and every page. I almost feel like the more Andrew Gross writes, the better he gets. This is certainly a thriller that has all the right ingredients, and one that will keep you up into the small hours reading. I still await the return of my character crush, with a new book featuring Ty Hauck, but until then am keeping myself occupied with his fantastic stand alone novels. Highly recommended!