Category: Helen Phifer

Synopsis: The beam shines around the dark room, lighting up the woman in sky-blue pyjamas lying on the couch. But she doesn’t wake under the bright glow, she isn’t sleeping at all…

When a concerned neighbour reports a woman missing, Detective Morgan Brookes squeezes through the stiff front door to find the woman dead. At first, the case appears unsuspicious, but something about the scene unsettles Morgan. Every clock in the house has been stopped, every mirror covered, and the woman seems physically unharmed except for one missing lock of hair.

Shirley Kelly was loved by her friends and hated by her ex-husband and his new wife, but they have an iron-clad alibi, and Morgan is certain that the scene-staging holds a vital clue. She’s devastated to be proved right when another woman is killed, and her home arranged in the same way. The only difference is that the second victim has been stabbed, using a knife from Shirley’s own kitchen…

The team can’t find a connection between the two women, but Morgan is sure that there is a deadly pattern to the killer’s actions. She hunts through each woman’s past until she finds the link: years ago, they both worked for a woman called Evelyn Reynolds, before tragedy struck her young family. But what has made them targets now? Morgan knows this twisted case is far from over, can she find the final clue before the clock stops for the next name on the killer’s list?

My Rating: 3/5

My Review: Mmmmm, with book 6 now under my belt I was a little underwhelmed by this latest book for a few reasons! First of all as it states this is book 6 in the series and I am not sure how I would fare if I had picked this book up without reading the previous ones. I think you need a little history of the story and characters to build up to this part of the series. In addition the personal and relationship side for Morgan seems to have jumped a book or two, and buy that I mean the reader is just made aware of Morgan’s living situation from the offset with no storyline surrounding how that happened…it just did!

The scene that Morgan and her boss Ben attend is odd and it seems that with mirrors covered and clocks stopped there is clearly a meaning behind this woman’s murder. When a second woman is killed the team are finding it almost impossible to link the two people which makes finding the killer that much harder. In addition to the case they are working we see chapters thrown in from a young boy in the 80s living with his grandmother. I liked this element of the story with the chapters being threaded throughout the book.

Although I am still really enjoying this series this latest book felt a little flat for me and with the added irritation of Morgan’s love life being left out for the reader it ended up feeling a little flat. Not to be deterred I am straight on to book 7…

Synopsis: The tent door flutters in the warm breeze, opening towards the silent woods beyond. A silk eye mask lies on top of the empty sleeping bag, blood-red spots ruining the cream fabric…

When a woman disappears from Forest Pines campsite, Detective Morgan Brookes scrambles a search party. Sara Fletcher has never missed a lunch date with her best friend and when Morgan finds a large rip in Sara’s tent, she knows that something terrible must have happened. About to lose hope after hours combing through the acres of dense forest, the excited bark of a tracker dog leads Morgan to female remains, partially covered by leaves and dirt – but the bones don’t belong to Sara.

Morgan trawls through missing persons files until she finds three cold cases with chilling similarities – three other victims dating back twenty years who were taken from campsites while they slept, by a killer the police called the Travelling Man. The post-mortems indicate he kept them alive for 72 hours, meaning every second is crucial to find Sara alive.

Morgan’s team is terrified that this twisted murderer has returned. But Morgan also can’t ignore the fact that a merciless killer from her own past has recently escaped from prison… Could they be chasing the wrong man? If she’s correct, how deep will she have to dig to save Sara and other innocent women like her before time runs out for them all?

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: I am now on book 5 of the series having read them back to back and wasn’t sure which was this next book would go. This time around a woman Sara Fletcher, disappears from Forest Pines campsite. Her friend reports her missing and when Ben and Morgan show up and see the rip in Sara’s tent they fear the worst. When sniffer dogs get to work they come across female remains but they don’t belong to Sara…and so the case is off and running.

Once they start working on the current missing case, alongside the case of the remains they soon get wind of a retired detective that is convinced this is the work of a killer he named The Travelling Man. That unravels a whole new avenue for they to look into and the possibilities are endless. During the investigation a third murder of an older woman keeps them all on their toes and worrying that they wont catch the person responsible.

I have said that in previous books not EVERY storyline can involve Morgan being the link to it all. Although this isn’t necessarily the case in this book we see an element of her personal life be played into the story which totally made sense. This latest book was very fast paced and I absolutely loved it. We see the return of all my favourite people and the end of the book meant there was no time to waste and I just had to move onto book 6!

Synopsis: Morgan shudders as she leans out of the window and takes in the familiar blonde curls and clear blue eyes of the fallen girl below. She knows this woman, and she realises with sickening certainty that her friend is now gone forever…

When Detective Morgan Brookes is called to the scene of a suicide, she’s devastated to recognise the young teacher sprawled out on the grass like a broken doll. She hasn’t seen Brittany for years. Not since the tragic death of Morgan’s high-school boyfriend ripped their friendship group apart. But when witnesses describe Brittany’s erratic behaviour and jumbled speech that morning, Morgan is convinced the fearless, life-loving girl she once knew didn’t jump of her own accord.

Traces of poison found in Brittany’s blood prove Morgan’s theory right, but no one can find the source. Then Morgan uncovers a distinctive jar in Brittany’s home filled with toxic herbs, and the sight of it turns her blood to ice. She has a jar just like it, a handmade gift from her aunt. Is this a coincidence, a set-up, or could the only person she’s ever trusted with her damaged past be capable of murder?

Then another woman from Morgan’s past is found, close to the scene of that fatal teenage party. Has Morgan been looking at this all wrong? Are these deaths connected to that deadly night? And how could someone from her own family possibly be involved?

With her aunt’s freedom and more innocent lives at stake, Morgan must dig deep into her painful memories for answers. Who else was there that night, and what exactly did they see? She must stop this twisted killer before any more of her old friends become new victims – but at what cost?

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: Having read all three of the series back to back I was ready for book 4 and was pleased to say this one started off very well with a strange and gruesome scene. Detective Morgan Brookes is called to the scene of a suicide and is devastated to realise that she knows the victim. Morgan’s school friend Brittney it seems had taken her own life but listening to how this happened Morgan along with the team agree things aren’t as they appear at first glance. Before long the team discovers traces of poison in Brittney’s system and the case changes direction.

Once again Morgan’s personal life is never far from this series especially when they find that Morgan’s aunt may well be involved in selling the herbs that may well contain the poison. There is a part of me that absolutely loves the fact that Morgan is consistently pulled into cases, however I am wondering for how many more books we can see Morgan be the focus of it all. I love the other characters and think there could be some more storylines which don’t involve Morgan directly whether that be a family member, or a friend…

Again this book was well paced and I certainly still enjoyed it so I will definitely move straight onto book 5. I would also like to see more development with Ben and maybe Amy…

Synopsis: The little girl peers down the dark alleyway. She isn’t supposed to take this shortcut, but it’s raining and all she wants is to get home quickly. She steps forward. But she never makes it home…

When nine-year-old Charlotte Standish goes missing from her street, it sparks a media frenzy in her small Lake District town. Her distraught parents are desperate to have their little blonde darling back, and Detective Morgan Brookes leads a frantic hunt for the girl. But Charlotte seems to have vanished into thin air.

Chasing up a lead at Charlotte’s school, Morgan is chilled to learn that another girl disappeared from the same street fifteen years ago. But the moment she begins to investigate the link, another local child goes missing. Ten-year-old Macy loves chocolate, her mum and her dog in that order, and Morgan’s heart twists at the thought of anyone harming this precious child.

The missing girls all lived close to each other so Morgan is sure that someone in this tight-knit community must know something. Going door to door, she is closing in on the truth when she gets a call that fills her with guilt; Charlotte’s lifeless body has been found in a local park, with distinctive scratches on her pale arms. Morgan has let one girl down, but she cannot give up on Macy and she’ll tear this town apart to find the final clue in her disappearance. But can Morgan solve this case before any more innocent lives are taken?

Rated: 4/5

My Review: The Hiding Place is the third in this series and I have so far read the books back to back which for me gives me a real insight into the characters. Detective Morgan Brookes is of course back with the team and this time around they are investigating the young girl Charlotte Standish who has gone missing. It seems its not the first time a young child has disappeared from these streets with the previous case being nearly 15 years prior. Charlie along with her boss Ben Matthews are back alongside other team members I have come to know and enjoy reading about such as Amy, Des and Cain.

The main plot line to one side we also see a young journalist Fin Palmer arrive in town and show an interest in Morgan which makes for interesting reading. The plot is well paced and the the storyline moves along well enough to keep you interested in it as the reader. The characters are what always keep me coming back though. Although many readers say that these storylines in this series go outside the realms of possibility (and I don’t disagree) they don’t do it enough to put me off at the moment. I certainly enjoyed this installment and will once again move onto the 4th book in the series to keep the momentum going.

Synopsis: The little girl reached for her mother’s face with one pudgy hand. But the eyes stayed closed, and the blood continued to trickle across the floor.

When the body of a young woman is found, tied to her bed and the victim of a brutal attack in her own home, Detective Morgan Brookes is sickened by what she finds as she searches the house. And unprepared for the nightmares it inspires about her childhood.

When the DNA collected gives a positive ID, Morgan can’t wait to put the attacker behind bars. But the person it matches to is already in prison. How could the DNA of someone who has been locked up for over twenty years have shown up in Morgan’s crime scene? And then they make another close match. To Morgan herself.

Faced with the impossible proof that she is somehow connected to this case, Morgan delves deep into the crimes of a killer who stalked the Lake District two decades ago. But distracted by the old case, she misses the signs that he has found a new victim. And when he strikes close to home, Morgan finally realises that she has been living on borrowed time. To find this killer, it’s clear she must confront the nightmares in her past…

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: Having read the first book in the series and engaging with the characters I was keen to read the whole series and play catch up. Morgan Brookes is part of the team run by DS Ben Matthews and although at 23 she young and relatively inexperienced she has fit right into the team.

When the body of a young woman is found Morgan attends the scene and shockingly the DNA found at the scene links to a killer already but he is already behind bars and has been there for 20 years? It becomes clear very quickly that the DNA also links to Morgan somehow.

Once again this book is well written with short sharp chapters that keep you hooked. There are once again issues if you prefer your fiction to be by the book like it is in real life. For me it’s a minor issue and the story and characters mean more so for me I enjoyed catching up with the team and how the relationships developed among them. The only downside for me was that I saw where this was going early on but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book, so it’s straight onto book 3 for me!

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