Category: Crime, Thriller, Mystery

Dark Waters by Robert Bryndza (Erika Foster #3)

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Synopsis: When Detective Erika Foster receives a tip-off that key evidence for a major narcotics case was stashed in a disused quarry on the outskirts of London, she orders for it to be searched. From the thick sludge the drugs are recovered, but so is the skeleton of a young child. 

The remains are quickly identified as seven-year-old Jessica Collins. The missing girl who made headline news twenty-six years ago. 

As Erika tries to piece together new evidence with the old, she must dig deeper and find out more about the fractured Collins family and the original detective, Amanda Baker. A woman plagued by her failure to find Jessica. Erika soon realises this is going to be one of the most complex and demanding cases she has ever taken on. 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I came to the Robert Bryndza party late (book 2 to be precise), but having read that and then this latest release I realise why everyone was making such a fuss. First off Erika Foster is a great lead character and the writing is flawless! That’s just for starters, so yes I think we can safely say I am a fully fledged fan now and will be impatiently waiting for each new instalment.

Erika Foster is a Detective working in South London and the book opens with her and a colleague waiting for a team of divers to dredge a disused quarry. What they were looking for was linked to a drugs case, however what they didn’t bank on was the discovery of the body of a young child. Yep, I know it’s certainly not the nicest of stories to read about but with the setting so atmospheric the tension jumps up a few stages in the very first couple of chapters.

Erika quickly establishes herself as being the one who wants this case, but to do that she has to put a few noses out of joint which is not a problem in her world. Erika is an interesting character especially since she lost her husband on the job previously. What it means is that she takes everything extra personally, and you can tell she is constantly battling with herself to always do her best and to not make mistakes. When she finally gets her wish of running the case she has to break the news to the family. Jessica Collins was only 7 when she went missing and Erika is determined to find out what really happened.

The story has multiple layers pretty early on and we see the old case officer Amanda Baker being brought into the story. However Amanda Baker has her own issues and it makes for interesting reading. In addition numerous characters are brought in as potential suspects and the story just keeps building in suspense. The best part was that Erika gets to choose officers to work with and she calls back 2 old colleagues, Moss and Peterson, both of whom I think deserve a place in this series. I read this in 2 sittings and absolutely loved it from the first page to the last. I certainly didn’t see where the ending was going and by the time I got there I was genuinely surprised. As always comes the crashing disappointment of having to wait for the next book but I’m confident it will be worth the wait. If you haven’t read this author, I suggest you give him a try, I doubt you will be disappointed!

Safe With Me by K L Slater

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Synopsis: Thirteen years ago someone did something very bad to Anna. Now it’s her turn to get even …

Anna lives a solitary existence, taking solace in order and routine. Her only friend is the lonely old lady next door. She doesn’t like to let people to get too close – she knows how much damage they can do.

Then one ordinary day Anna witnesses a devastating road accident and recognises the driver as Carla, the woman who ruined her life all those years ago. Now it’s Anna’s chance to set things straight but her revenge needs to be executed carefully …

First she needs to get to know Liam, the man injured in the accident. She needs to follow the police investigation. She needs to watch Carla from the shadows…

But as Anna’s obsession with Carla escalates, her own secrets start to unravel. Is Carla really dangerous or does Anna need to worry about someone far closer to home?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: This is a strange book, in the sense that sometimes while I was reading it I wasn’t sure what was the truth and what was paranoia on behalf of the lead character Anna. Anna lives a very strange and solitary life. At the beginning of the book she witnesses a car accident and is even more shocked that she recognised the driver that had caused the collision. She makes it her mission to befriend Liam, the man injured in the accident so she can garner as much information about the driver Carla as possible.

I have read plenty of books where the lead character is slightly damaged and flawed but Anna seems to take this to a whole new level. At times her logic makes perfect sense, and at others my skin would be crawling with the lengths she was going to, to ensure she was part of Liam’s life. You garner snippets of her past as the story goes along but to say any more would ruin the story for others so I will leave it there. What I will say is that what you feel is obvious as a reader, turns out to be anything but.

Although there were times I felt a little uncomfortable reading this, it was quite a page turner and frankly had the weird and dangerous element to it which makes you want to continue reading. I was surprised where the story went which was welcome in all honesty and by the time I had finished the book I realised that I had thoroughly enjoyed it, albeit in a strangely dark way. I will certainly look forward to future books by K L Slater.

BLOG TOUR: The Girl’s Next Door by Mel Sherratt (Eden Berrisford #1)

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Synopsis: One warm spring evening, five teenagers meet in a local park. Only four will come out alive.

Six months after the stabbing of fifteen-year-old Deanna Miller, someone is coming after the teenagers of Stockleigh, as a spate of vicious assaults rocks this small community. Revenge for Deanna? Or something more? 

Detective Eden Berrisford is locked into a race against time to catch the twisted individual behind the attacks – but when her own niece, Jess Mount, goes missing, the case gets personal.

With the kidnapper threatening Jess’ life, can Eden bring back her niece to safety? Or will the people of Stockleigh be forced to mourn another daughter…?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: The Girl’s Next Door by Mel Sherratt (Eden Berrisford #1)”

THE SUICIDE PLAN BY EMMA CLAPPERTON (PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN #3)

Synopsis: Standing up and welcoming everyone to the spiritualist church is something Patrick McLaughlin does most evenings. Most of the faces in the audience are familiar to him, except one. David Hopkirk walks into the West End Spiritualist church in Glasgow and slits his own throat in the middle of a demonstration. His reasoning? Patrick is only of use to him in death. In this novella, Patrick is once more catapulted into a world which sees the death of a ten year old boy, a failed court case and a family torn apart. He has most of the puzzle pieces in his possession, he just needs to fit them together. 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 

Kat’s Review: This novella by Emma Clapperton forms part of the series featuring Patrick McLaughlin. Now firstly this series is a paranormal series which I know isn’t for everybody, and normally I would include myself in that list. However, there are exceptions to my rule and certain authors manage to hook me with this genre and Emma Clapperton is one of them. Patrick and Jodie McLaughlin are both mediums and Patrick uses his gift to try and pass along messages to people who have lost loved ones. One evening in the spiritualist church where Patrick and Jodie work a man named David Hopkirk arrives and slits his own throat in front of everybody, asking Patrick to help him before he commits this terrible suicide!

Yep, sounds crazy I know but in a weird way although it’s a grisly and violent opening it has the wow factor and you  can’t help but wonder what it is that this man needs help with. Patrick then goes on to delve into the world of David and find out what was driving him so hard to commit suicide and help him. Although this is only 78 pages and a novella/short story (which I normally don’t enjoy) this one hit the spot nicely.

It re-introduces you to Patrick and Jodie and where they are with their lives, whilst delivering a fast paced and enthralling story. All in all this was a cracking book and only made me want to read the next full length book in the series….yesterday! A great book for this genre and a series I will continue to follow.

BLOG TOUR: THE KILLING GAME BY JS CAROL

This new release by JS Carol is also the one and only James Carol who writes the series of books featuring Jefferson Winter which I LOVE. This new book is a fast paced thriller which I promise…you won’t want to put down.

Synopsis: Imagine you are having lunch at an exclusive restaurant, filled with Hollywood’s hottest stars.

 And a masked gunman walks in and takes everyone hostage. 

You must bargain for your life against a twisted individual who knows everything about you.

 He also has a bomb set to detonate if his heart rate changes. 

If he dies. You die.

You have four hours to stay alive.

What would you do? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Continue reading “BLOG TOUR: THE KILLING GAME BY JS CAROL”

I Know Your Secret by Graham Smith

Synopsis: What would you do if your most intimate secrets got into the wrong hands?”

Set in modern day Cumbria, I Know Your Secret is a police thriller in which a priest is found crucified to the stone floor of his church. Fearing more attacks on the clergy, DI John Campbell and his team of misfits race to find the killer before he strikes again.

Meanwhile, DI Harry Evans, spends his days attending the trial of his wife’s rapist and his nights interfering in the investigation. 

Can they catch the killer before he strikes again?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I read the latest in this series with the short story ‘Matching The Evidence’. Although it’s not necessary to read it, I enjoyed having that as a buffer prior to this book as you get a feel for where the team are in terms of work etc. DI Harry Evans runs the Major Crimes Team but at the beginning of the book its clear that he is preparing to hand the reins over to DI John Campbell. Harry is also going through the harrowing task of attending the trial of his wife’s rapist and the man who he believes led to her death and the death of his child.  There are straight away two clear threads and although vastly different each had their place and kept me turning pages. 

I like DI John Campbell and he was easy to read but there is always a question mark over whether he really is okay or not (if you know what I mean). He is trying to lead a new team, with the shadow of Harry as in the teams eyes there will only ever be one leader! With the crucifixion of a Priest being the tip of the Iceberg things just keep falling upon the team which makes each job that little bit harder. On top of that you have Harry trying to to keep his calm whilst attending court, as well as involve himself in the current case the team are working on the plot threads keep coming fast and furiously. Add in the model who cries rape, along with a bunch of detectives on the team who all have their own quirks and you have an extremely complex and entertaining story.

The book picks up pace towards the second half of the book and to be honest with you I think I finished that section in one go it was so enthralling! There was nothing I could find to criticise at all and thoroughly loved this. I also noticed that on the odd rare occasion that black sense of humour belonging to Mr Smith shines through which I absolutely adored! A great story with numerous plot threads, plenty of twists and fabulously flawed characters. You couldn’t really ask for more!

BLOG TOUR – The Taken by Casey Kelleher

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Synopsis: Saskia Frost’s world is blown apart when her dad dies. Without any family, she’s on her own now and up to her eyeballs in her father’s debts. He owed a lot of money to some very dangerous men – Joshua and Vincent Harper. Before long, aspiring ballerina Saskia finds herself lap-dancing in a London club to survive. A club run by the infamous Harper brothers. Saskia is now their property and they’re going to make her pay every penny back. 

Teenager Lena Cona has fled a cruel and controlling marriage. She arrives in England with her newborn daughter, desperately relying on strangers for help. But she soon learns that not everyone can be trusted as she finds herself caught in the clutches of Colin Jefferies, a twisted individual obsessed by his own sinister secrets. As the sickening truth is revealed, Lena is forced to fight for her life – and her baby’s. 

When their worlds collide, Lena and Saskia form an unlikely friendship. But with the terrifying Harper brothers on their tail, as well as Lena’s vengeful and violent husband, can they escape with their lives? 

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

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

Time to Play by K A Richardson (The Forensic Files #2)

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Synopsis: DI Alistair McKay is still reeling from the ‘one that got away’ but when he is called to deal with a potential murder at the water side, he must put his personal worries aside.

As police diver, Marlo Buchanan, starts pulling bodies out of the water, it becomes clear that something isn’t right. Someone is torturing young girls and dumping them in the local reservoir.

Then the body of a man is discovered and Mackay and Buchanan are pulled into the seedy underworld of human trafficking. As the team race against the clock tensions start to run high. Can they overcome their personal demons to work together? And will they find the killer before he strikes again?

 Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I haven’t read the other 2 books in the North East Police series but that made no difference to this book. However, having completed this book it’s just made me disappointed that I didn’t read them as this one was a great read. Marlo Buchanan is a Police diver and to be honest this career path is one I haven’t seen in a fiction book I’ve read so it made a refreshing change. Her and the team are called out regularly and at first there seems to be no link to the other part of the story.

Elvie is another main character we get to know as we witness human trafficking first hand as the young fifteen year old is brought to England to await her fate. The opening chapters are certainly an eye opener and I feel like there are no holds barred in the descriptive horror that awaits these girls. In addition to Elvie, we meet Marlo’s colleague Connor who is struggling not only with his own secrets, but the fact that his Mum is suffering with Alzheimer’s. I did love the character of Marlo and her colleagues and other team members that form part of the RIB, also subsequently form part of the ongoing story lines which start to thread together as the book progresses.We meet Ali who is another copper whose path ends up crossing that of the Dive Team and Marlo as he investigates his own cases. I liked the back story with Ali and he is an extremely likeable guy.

Due to the fact there are multiple threads going on, at first it seems there is too much much in all honesty it was done exceptionally well and each element to the story piqued my interest. As time progresses it becomes clear that there is a lot more linking all the characters than it appeared at first. The writing was easy to get into BUT I did have one major gripe. I understand that sometimes the use of accents means the author changes wording so it seems more realistic such as using slang etc. But in this book the word ‘gunna’ instead of going to appeared more times than it seemed I’ve had hot dinners. I know that seems like I am being super picky but it grated on me as I didn’t think it fitted with the characters. Also both Marlo and Ali towards the last quarter of the book start calling everybody ‘love’? It came from nowhere and again just wasn’t in keeping with the characters. This was the main reason for me not giving it 5 stars, otherwise it was a cracking read.

I shall certainly be reading her future work as the book was fantastic, I will just cross my fingers in the hope she is ‘gunna’ change the characters wording in future to slightly fit their mould more.

Girl In Danger by Leigh Russell (Lucy Hall #2)

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Synopsis: Chasing a story, reporter Lucy Hall plunges into a desperate fight to save her own life.

Lucy Hall’s first summer in Paris promises to be idyllic. She’s fallen in love with the city and enjoys her new job as an investigative reporter. When her friend Nina comes to stay, the girls look forward to a wonderful summer. But Paris is a city of contrasts and Lucy is about to experience its dangerous side.

When an anonymous source promises her a scoop, Lucy can’t resist the chance to make her name. The deeply unsettling meeting with her informant indicates that there may be more at stake than she’d suspected. Returning home with questions instead of answers, Lucy finds her apartment ransacked and Nina gone.

Lucy knows her friend is in danger, but the police are unwilling to help. When her informant is found dead, she realises she may be next. Lucy has something the killer wants and he’ll do anything to get it back…

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: I read the first in the Lucy Hall series and enjoyed it, however they are certainly not the same as Leigh Russell’s series of books featuring Geraldine Steel. These are more mystery type of books and seem to be somewhat a slower pace. The first book in the Series Journey to Death I enjoyed and I thought it was a good introduction to Lucy. However, when we meet her in the second book she has moved to Paris to start a career as an Investigative Journalist. It becomes apparent pretty quickly that she is very new to it all and she takes every tip seriously in her quest to break into reporting. Her friend Nina visits her, however following an anonymous tip, when she returns home she finds her flat ransacked and her friend missing. 

The story moves along and she meets a man who seems willing to help her but Lucy can’t help but be wary as she isn’t sure who she can trust. We also see the story from Nina’s point of view, along with the main man who runs the criminal world in Paris. The reason I felt so indifferent with book 2 is that there were times it all felt a little repetitive. Although Lucy is a newbie, things fitted a little too neatly for her to ‘bag the story of her career’ and the subsequent chain of events lay just the wrong side of believable for me. 

Although I liked Lucy as a character I didn’t feel as connected to her in this book as much as I did the last one. Things seemed too well planned and this made me feel more indifferently about her than I did previously. The story was enjoyable enough and I think is probably a good alternative to those who don’t want hard hitting, gory or violent crime novels. For me I just couldn’t connect and as such didn’t feel it was one of Leigh’s stronger books.

Strangers by Paul Finch (Lucy Clayburn #1)

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Synopsis: Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life.

As PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is.

But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there’s no other option – and these murders are as brutal as they come.

Lucy must step into the line of fire – a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line.

And, unknown to Lucy, she’s already treading it…

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: My name is Kat and I am a ‘Heck’ a-Holic’…with that in mind I was a little anxious starting a book by Paul Finch which didn’t feature my beloved Mark Heckenburg. However, I am now ‘fan girling’ over a new character so I can rejoice that I can stave off my Heck fix for a while with the new girl of the hour PC Lucy Clayburn.

PC Lucy Clayburn is introduced to us in a somewhat disastrous view of an assignment, and following on from that I wondered what on earth she would be doing. Well, it turns out that being a PC and making some hard earned collars on the streets meant she was a waling candidate for a new task force put together to catch what seemed to be a prolific female serial killer.

That in itself is quite an unusual scenario, as is the state of the bodies by the time this maniac woman has finished with them.

Enter Detective Superintendent Priya Newal who wants Lucy on the team. Priya makes for another strong lead female character and I like the fact that she is a firm but fair influence over Lucy. With Priya’s backing Lucy forms part of the team and goes undercover. Because of her previous assignment it seems she is even more determined to make an impression which means ultimately putting herself in danger.

From start to finish the book packs a punch, filled to the brim with dangerous individuals, strong lead and secondary characters and a pacy and thrilling story line. You can’t really ask for too much more can you? Paul Finch seems to have quite the knack of creating lead characters that stay with the reader. I know that Heck is my favourite as the series is a few books in and although Lucy is in second place, if he continues to write like this…who knows! I was so thrilled to have read and loved this book as much as I did, and I can certainly recommend it to people. All I need to do now is cross my fingers and hope I don’t have too long a wait to see Lucy again.