Crime, Thriller, Mystery – Page 17 – Best Crime Books and More

The Choice by Kerry Barnes (Mike Regan #3)

516abDhS88L Synopsis: Mike Regan and Zara Ezra believe the so-called Governor is safely locked away – in Zara’s hangar.

But less than twenty-four hours later, the Governor is loose and out there, wreaking havoc.

After what Zara made him do to his own son, she knows he’ll be back with more than murder on his mind.

Moving the families to a safe place was all the firm could do to protect them. But now one of the boys goes missing. It can only mean one thing – the Governor has started his revenge.

Zara is faced with an unimaginable choice just as she forced the Governor to make his – only this time, it could cost the man she loves his life.

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: Oh. My. God. What an ending to this trilogy and a pretty amazing one at that! This was merely the cherry on the cake with this trio of books and my recommendation would be to buy all three. They are definitely making it into my top ten reads in this genre for the year!!! If you do plan on reading them in order, it’s probably best not to read on because there will inevitably be spoilers.

We return to Zara and Mike Regan along with Willie, Lou and Staffie. Alongside them we see their kids and we return to Ricky’s dilemma following his stay in hospital. From the very start of the book the action takes a front seat and pretty much stays there the entire book. Considering this is the last in the trilogy this didn’t surprise me as there is a lot going on.

The story line doesn’t need to be repeated in my review but I was surprised at a few events that unfolded. Having said that there wasn’t a moment in this book I didn’t enjoy. This is a prime example of what a British Crime writer should be doing, and boy has Kerry Barnes got it right! I was enthralled with this latest book but luckily I realised I have yet to read another of her books Deceit so I am off to start that!

The Innocent Ones by Neil White

51+5dZjEMkL Synopsis: Three lives cut short. Two decades of silence. One evil secret.

By day, the park rings with the sound of children’s excited laughter. But in the early hours of the morning, the isolated playground is cloaked in shadows – the perfect hiding place to conceal a brutal murder.

When London journalist, Mark Roberts, is found battered to death, the police quickly arrest petty thief, Nick Connor. Criminal defence lawyer, Dan Grant, along with investigator Jayne Brett, are called to represent him – but with bloody footprints and a stolen wallet linking him to the scene, this is one case they’re unlikely to win. Continue reading “The Innocent Ones by Neil White”

The Darkness Around Her by Neil White (Dan Grant Trilogy #2)

See no evil . . .

When Lizzie Barnsley is murdered along a canal after escaping her abusive boyfriend, Dan Grant is called in to represent her alleged killer, Peter Box. The evidence is strong, but did he actually do it? He didn’t know Lizzie, so why would he kill her?

Hear no evil . . .

As Dan and his investigator, Jayne Brett, begin their case, they discover a number of murders and disappearances along the canals, including the brutal killing of fourteen-year-old Rosie Smith ten years earlier. Rosie’s stepfather Sean had been accused of her murder, but then Dan finds out that Peter tried to confess to that crime as well and was ignored.

Speak no evil . . .

With a client who won’t tell anyone what really happened, Dan and Jayne have their work cut out, but when it becomes clear that Peter Box can’t have been involved in every murder and disappearance, they realise that they may have stumbled on to something far more sinister.

But the clock is ticking and time is running out for the next victim . . . Continue reading “The Darkness Around Her by Neil White (Dan Grant Trilogy #2)”

The Woman Next Door by Sue Watson

Synopsis: Lucy has a kind and adoring husband, a job she loves as a teacher, and a house on Mulberry Avenue with floaty curtains and the softest bed linen. After her troubled childhood, she knows life will never be perfect, but it’s pretty close.

She’s also got Amber, right next door. They never run out of things to talk about. Even if Amber’s life – with her high-profile job and handsome, wealthy boyfriend – is more glamorous than Lucy’s.

But then Amber starts to hint that her life isn’t all it seems, and when she comes to Lucy, terrified, saying that she’s getting threatening messages, Lucy promises to protect her. Continue reading “The Woman Next Door by Sue Watson”

Death Rope by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #11)

Synopsis: Mark Abbott is dead. His sister refuses to believe it was suicide, but only Detective Sergeant Geraldine Steel will listen.

When other members of Mark’s family disappear, Geraldine’s suspicions are confirmed.

Taking a risk, Geraldine finds herself confronted by an adversary deadlier than any she has faced before… Her boss Ian is close, but will he arrive in time to save her, or is this the end for Geraldine Steel?

My Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “Death Rope by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #11)”

BLOG TOUR: Dead Inside by Noelle Holten

Synopsis: When three domestic abuse offenders are found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.

The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered. And he is Lucy’s husband.

Now the finger of suspicion points at Lucy and the police are running out of time. Can Maggie and her team solve the murders before another person dies? And is Lucy really a cold-blooded killer?

Rated: 5/5

My Review: Okay so I have to be completely honest here and say that I know Noelle as she first became a reviewer on my Blog, and not long after that we became firm friends. When she mentioned she would like to write a book, little did I realise that here I would be years later reading her debut novel. I also have to confess I was nervous going in, because all my friends, and some followers as well as authors know I am always honest about books. I mean what if I didn’t like it and had to say as much in the review? Well I was so busy worrying about all that I didn’t consider how I would feel if I started reading, and then realised that I hadn’t put the book down because it was so good? Thankfully, it seems the Universe has aligned Noelle with the job she was meant to do as her debut novel was written like she was a seasoned pro.

Lucy Sherwood is our main character and what a character she is. Instantly you are drawn into the story as it becomes very apparent that Lucy has two very separate lives. Her work life as a Probation Officer was genuinely authentic (and Noelle’s previous career knowledge shone through there) and she was a likeable character. However, then there is the issue of her home life which is nothing short of harrowing.

On the other side of the fence is DC Maggie Jamieson who is investigating the murders of 3 men with a history of violence and domestic abuse. Sadly for Lucy all three men had her as their Probation officer. When Lucy’s husband becomes the fourth victim all eyes turn to Lucy!

I really thought I would be able to pull some criticisms from this but I truly couldn’t. It kept me gripped from start to finish and fits the bill perfectly for what a true psychological thriller should be. I would absolutely recommend this to people, the only thing I would say is that it obviously does touch on domestic abuse and some of it is not easy to read. I would suggest if the subject matter is something you are sensitive to then this may not be to your taste, but I felt it was dealt with extremely well. I am thrilled that Noelle is finally writing as it’s pretty clear that this is what she should have been doing for a career! An amazing debut novel!

Hard Hit by J B Turner (Jon Reznick 6)

Hard Hit Synopsis: He’s fighting for justice while she fights for her life.

With his daughter lying in the hospital, struck down in a reckless hit-and-run, the only thing Jon Reznick can do is wait—and plot his revenge. Not satisfied with the slow-moving police investigation, he starts his own manhunt.

He discovers that the car belongs to a high-ranking diplomat whose interests are closely tied to those of the United States government, and this man may not be what he appears. The FBI wants Reznick to back down, but the more information Jon digs up, the more questions he finds. Was it a simple accident, or is there more to it? How many young women’s lives has this man ruined? Lauren’s life hangs in the balance, and Jon must get answers, no matter the cost—to him or the government.

With the help of a dedicated NYPD detective who has suspicions of her own, as well as FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein, Jon Reznick will have to fight for his daughter while she fights for her life.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Hard Hit by J B Turner (Jon Reznick 6)”

The Deep Abiding by Sean Black (Ty Johnson Series)

Synopsis: The winner of the 2018 International Thriller Writers Award returns with what readers are calling his ‘best book yet.’
Retired US Marine Ty Johnson is hired as the bodyguard for a young reporter investigating the brutal, decades-old murder of a young African American woman in the Florida Everglades.

The town where the murder took place is idyllic, and the people welcoming, but something sinister lies beneath the surface. It’s not long before the facade begins to crack and Ty finds himself plunged into a living nightmare that will test the very limits of his endurance as he battles to protect the idealistic young journalist

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: I am a HUGE Lock fan and must admit when I saw that this instalment was more about Ty, I was a little unsure. However, Mr Black has shown his skill by producing an amazing story which frankly is one of his best books in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong Mr Lock didn’t feature in it nearly enough for my liking but frankly Ty shone all on his own.

Ty is looking after journalist Cressida King while she journeys down to the town of Darling to investigate a cold case murder from the seventies. Almost from the first page the characters gel amazingly well as Ty tries to keep his focus on his keeping her safe while Cress seems hell bent on involving herself in the heart of the rumours in the town.

From the get go it’s clear the town is stuck in their ways and in their eyes there is no place in their town for people of colour. This enrages Cress to the point that she is prepared to take chances. Unfortunately for her, also being with Ty who is an African American standing at well over 6 feet tall they don’t go in-noticed. The trouble starts almost instantly for both of them and it produces a real page turner of a book.

A few chapters in and I didn’t care that Ryan Lock didn’t feature and when he briefly appears in the story I almost wanted him to not get involved because this was Ty’s story to solve and fix the problems. I admit I was surprised just how much I loved this book, it was a fresh take on an old school problem done with class and finesse and showing how a page turner of a book is done! An outstanding book in this series and although this worked I thing Ty and Ryan work best together and produce magic so am looking forward to the next book hugely!

The Paramedics Daughter by Tara Lyons

Synopsis: Paramedic Abi Quinn is hailed as a hero by the patients she saves with the London Ambulance Service; but a secret she’s kept since she was a teenager now threatens to shatter that perfect illusion.
When her daughter Rose goes missing while studying at Brighton university, and ghosts from her past return to haunt her, Abi’s caught in a race against time to untangle the web of lies she set in motion over twenty years ago.

Everyone has something to lose.
Everyone is trying to protect themselves.
Everyone is broken.
But what lengths will they go to in order to stop the truth from being exposed?

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: Woahh okay I kind of didn’t expect this book to be what it was…so let me explain. So Tara is somebody I met a few years ago and we talked about her book she had released etc. However we also became firm friends and I can tell you now for a fact I have at various points on reading a book of hers actually picked up my phone and messaged her to say I hated something. She knows I will never write a fake review and will always be completely honest about it so I am going to try and do both. What happened was, I began to read her series of books featuring DI Hamilton, I started out liking them (not loving them) but her latest release with Denis Hamilton was awesome and a smashing 5 star read. When I picked this up I assumed it was another in the series. I was wrong, but a few chapters in realised I actually didn’t want to stop reading. However, there were things I didn’t like about the book but I still had that overwhelming urge to continue.

I read quite a few chapters the first time around and then the next time I picked it up, well… I finished it in one sitting. On one hand this was a TRUE psychological thriller and on the other there were things I just couldn’t gel with. Even after having negatives about this book I absolutely refuse to give it anything other than the full 5 out of 5. I didn’t want to put the thing down and was totally and utterly absorbed in the story line. My main gripe was the lead character Abi, I just didn’t like her. She felt a bit too much like a neurotic Mother for my liking. However, even though I didn’t like her it was pretty clear there were quite a few sinister things going on from the very early stages of the book.

Her daughter Rose appears to have gone missing and it becomes apparent that Abi’s own secrets may well have played a part in her disappearance. The first quarter of the book was a little slow as it felt a little bit like listening to a Mother harping on about her child constantly, but the last three quarters literally took my breath away. Just when I thought the story couldn’t get any better I reached the last chapter….and all I can say is I was a little in shock! An absolute belter of a book that is a must read for psychological thriller fans!

Stolen by Paul Finch (Lucy Clayburn 3)

Paul Finch Stolen

How do you find the missing when there’s no trail to follow?

DC Lucy Clayburn is having a tough time of it. Not only is her estranged father one of the North West’s toughest gangsters, but she is in the midst of one of the biggest police operations of her life.

Members of the public have started to disappear, taken from the streets as they’re going about their every day lives. But no bodies are appearing – it’s almost as if the victims never existed.

Lucy must chase a trail of dead ends and false starts as the disappearances mount up. But when her father gets caught in the crossfire, the investigation suddenly becomes a whole lot more bloody…

My Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “Stolen by Paul Finch (Lucy Clayburn 3)”