Category: Crime, Thriller, Mystery

Shiver by Karen Robards

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My Rating: 5/5

Released: January 2013 available in paperback and Kindle

Synopis: When she swore off love, he was the last man she imagined would steal her heart.

If driving a tow truck through the seediest part of town with a gun beside her means putting a roof over her son’s head; then single mother Samantha is going to be the best repossession woman on the books. But when she hooks her truck up to a flashy BMW, the last thing she expects is to find a beaten, bloody man in the trunk – or to be catapulted into a terrifying fight to survive.

Daniel knows the drug runners who kidnapped him from protective custody will stop at nothing to see him dead. With his life on the line, his only option is to take his pretty saviour hostage and force her to help him. 

Sam and her four-year-old son are in too deep. With ruthless killers on their trail, she must reluctantly trust this handsome, menacing stranger. And as Sam relinquishes control, she feels an unmistakable desire. But what is the price of falling for a man who operates on the edge of danger – her heart, her life . . . or both?

My Review: I admit it, I had never heard of Karen Robards (shameful I know) and the only thing that caught my eye was the cover. I as once again ploughing through hundreds of books trying to work out how long things had been there and the cover just caught my eye and that was all it took! I read the synopsis and thought I’d give it a go. I can safely say that I’m VERY glad that I bothered to put it to one side.

The book is based around Sam and her four year old son Tyler. Sam is struggling to make ends meet and is subsequently working as a Repo driver. Although that involves driving in the seediest parts of town when her son is in bed, she doesn’t care as it pays for the roof over their head. Her first job of the night should have been a straightforward one. As with any great story, that small detail is the start of a rather bizarre nightmare Sam gets dragged into. What she finds is a man beaten and shot, in the trunk of the flashy BMW.

I guess at this point I was only a few chapters in and I was already hooked. The writing style and type of book this is, reminded me of Karen Rose (who I am a fan of). From that point in the book, Sam goes from being on the outside, to being taken hostage by Daniel in a fight to protect not only him but her and her son. It’s harder than this to detail too much of the storyline as it would become a spoiler, but suffice to say there is more to Daniel than meets the eye.

One thing I need to point out is that this is classed as a ROMANTIC SUSPENSE! FYI there WILL be romance in it! It drives me crazy when I see people complain that books like these aren’t on the right genre blah, blah, Blah! This book is ultimately a suspense/thriller. It does however (much like Karen Rose books) have a rather large portion of romance and steamy scenes going on! (no complaints from me, I love a bit of romance). With the romance aside, this is a very fast paced and action packed thriller that had me reading quickly. I was astonished to find myself at the last chapter on the same day I started it.

Overall I was incredibly happy to have read this and will now find the other 2 books of hers I have and bump them up my ‘to read’ pile. For fans of Karen Rose, if you haven’t read Karen Robards I think you should try her.

Fear Nothing by Lisa Gardner (DD Warren #7)

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Synopsis: My name is Dr Adeline Glen. Due to a genetic condition I can’t feel pain.

All Boston Detective D.D. Warren remembers is walking the crime scene. Next, a creaking floorboard, a voice in her ear… Now D.D. is seriously injured and unable to return to work.

My sister is Shana Day, a notorious child murderer. She has killed more people in prison than as a free woman.

Then a second victim is found with the same calling cards left at the scene: champagne and a single red rose. Only D.D. may have seen the killer, but she recalls nothing from the night that may have cost her everything.

Our father was Harry Day, an infamous serial killer dead for over forty years. The Rose Killer knows things about my father he shouldn’t. All I know is my family still has the power to hurt me.

Now D.D. is back on the hunt. Because the Rose Killer isn’t just targeting lone women, he is targeting D.D. And D.D. knows there is only one way to take him down:

Fear nothing.

RATED: 5/5

My Review: Detective DD Warren is back in a new addition to this series and I was looking forward to catching up with her. The first few chapters actually gave me the chills and before you knew it instead of DD being at the forefront, she is recovering from a serious physical injury which leaves her in no state to work. This was the first thing that was odd, was that the DD of old was no longer physically present so it made for a different type of read. We see DD on the back foot as she desperately tried to piece together her last memories before entering her last crime scene. The crimes in question are themselves chilling when reading about them, and as usual Lisa Gardner has the ability to make you squirm when reading what the latest sick and twisted murdered has done. In this case bodies are turning up along with champagne and a single rose.

The story has a few layers to it and we meet Dr Adeline Glen, who is a somewhat oddity to the norm as she has a condition meaning she feels no pain. The secret she holds is that her sister is a notorious child killer and is serving the rest of her natural life in prison. In addition to that their father was an infamous serial killer, and although dead for many years still has a rather sick cult like following. There seemed to be no room to breathe when I was reading this, as no sooner had one thing happened, the story took you to a different element and drew you straight back in.

I was thoroughly engrossed from start to finish and although I had a sneaking suspicion (which proved correct) about who was doing what, the suspense and writing itself kept me hooked from beginning to end. Lisa Gardner has consistently produced great crime thrillers and this latest one is no exception. There is plenty of action, plot twists and suspense to keep you up until the early hours. She has once again left me swallowing the bitter pill that I now have to wait a whole year for the next instalment. Other than my ridiculous impatience, a first class book which shows just how talented Lisa Gardner is. This one is highly recommended.

Gone by James Patterson (Michael Bennett #6)

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Forced into hiding from a mass murderer seeking vengeance, Detective Michael Bennett must decide whether to stay and protect his family, or hunt down the man who is hunting them.

When Bennett arrested Manuel Perrine, he thought he had brought an end to the drug cartel boss’s reign of terror and would get justice for the murder of his best friend. But then, during the trial, Perrine escaped.

In a bloody shoot-out, Bennett killed Perrine’s wife. Now he wants nothing more than to make Bennett suffer, to make him pay.

The whole family are moved to a safe-house in California. But as Perrine’s attacks on US soil become more vicious and more daring, it’s clear there is a war coming.

No one, anywhere, is safe.

My Review: Well, at last it seems that James Patterson is returning to form, or is it Michael Lledwidge that’s responsible for that? Who knows, but I for one am extremely glad. The Cross series, the Women’s Murder Club and some of the stand alones have been woeful of late (although the latest Cross was much better). Thankfully the Michael Bennett series also seems to be staying strong. Michael Bennett, his nanny Mary Catherine, Seamus and his ten kids make for an unusual family set up. However, if you have followed the series from the beginning it will be perfectly normal!

This story picks up from where the last one left off, meaning the Bennett’s are actually living in Protective Custody. For the 13-strong clan this means living in the back end of beyond which is quite a struggle to get to grips with. It is nice however, to see more of the Bennett kids, each with their own difficulty in the adjustment to life in the countryside. The reason for their situation is that the big drug cartel boss Manuel Perrine has escaped, and Bennett is his number one target.

The story has pretty reasonable pace from the very beginning as we see the brutal crew who work for Perrine start to make attacks. I was caught up in the story and knew it wouldn’t be long before Bennett had to come back into play. As predicted Bennett is landed once again back in the thick of it and between Bennett trying to help the case, and his kids trying to lead normal lives things heat up in no time. Although this is still a far cry from JP’s early books, this series is fast becoming my preference over Alex Cross. I like the characters and the story always seems to follow along at a good level. Overall I enjoyed this latest Bennett book and will actually look forward to the next one. I can only hope that this series doesn’t suffer the same fate as the Alex Cross and Women’s Murder Club has!

Cross My Heart by James Patterson (Alex Cross #21)

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Alex Cross’s whole world is crashing down around him.

He has been hunted, stalked like prey, his predator priming himself for the kill.

Cross has devoted his life to protecting others. Now he’s unable to protect even those closest to him.

As a police detective, he has made many enemies, but never like this.

Everything he loves is being taken from him.

Soon he will have nothing and no one left.

My Review: I am guessing that if you are reading this review you know about James Patterson and his infamous Alex Cross series of books (who doesn’t?). I will be honest and say that I am extremely critical when it comes to JP, and for good reason. In one respect he is the King of this genre and has been in this game for many years, however it seems like in recent years, myself along with a growing number of fans are getting tired of the book churning going on. According to Forbes his earnings were $91 million as of 2013, so it seems his success is certainly paying off. However, to earn that sort of money and be so successful over so many years he HAS to have the talent, surely? Well, if this book is anything to go by we see glimpses of why he has got to where he has. However, I think MANY fans feel like they have been ripped off as the book itself ends on a major cliff-hanger meaning you HAVE to buy the follow on to find out what becomes of one of the most well known fictional characters in recent times.

The flip side of that is that although it ends on a major cliff-hanger, the story itself was a LOT better than many recent additions to the Cross series. It almost felt like Patterson was trying to give the series a boost by switching the table on Cross and instead of him being the hunter, he has become the hunted. As usual the short sharp chapters were in abundance and there seems to be two main plot threads running through this book. I found myself enjoying the story and actually liking the fact that for the first time in a while we are reading something new with Cross being on the receiving end. We also see the usual suspects alongside Cross such as his partner John, wife Bee and the rest of his family.

The last part of the book was better than the first half but when I realised where Patterson was heading with the ending I had mixed feelings. When I say he ended it on a cliff-hanger I mean it! There is no glimpse into whether Alex has any light at the end of the tunnel. However, from past experience, and feeling cheated with some of his ‘co-written’ books I made a decision a while ago to not rush out and buy these books pre-publication. Now I sit back and wait until the price comes down or the mood takes me. I think many people (myself included) would actually prefer James Patterson to announce that he is planning on only publishing one or two books a year. People would be pre-ordering until the cows came home. Myself, I would rather wait a whole year for one amazing book, than buy and read 4 or 5 that are mediocre. Thankfully this latest Cross was a vast improvement, but get the impression a lot of people are unhappy at the ending. I thought the series felt a little bit refreshed and the writing was certainly leaning more towards his original style. However, there is still a long way to go before we see the return of the old style writing Patterson used to do. I’m going to cross my fingers and hope that the next book shows me just that!

The Toy Taker by Luke Delaney (Sean Corrigan #3)

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My Rating: 4/5

 Synopsis: Your child has been taken…

Snatched in the dead of night from the safety of the family home. There’s no sign of forced entry, no one heard or saw a thing.

DI Sean Corrigan investigates.

He needs to find four-year-old George Bridgeman before abduction becomes murder. But his ability to see into dark minds, to think like those he hunts, has deserted him – just when he needs it most.

Another child vanishes.

What kind of monster is Corrigan hunting? And will he work it out in time to save the children?

My Review: Ever since the Publishers sent me the first book (which I didn’t even get around to reading for at least 10 months) I was blown away by Luke Delaney. As soon as I had finished his debut novel featuring DI Sean Corrigan (entitled Cold Killing), I had to read the second one almost immediately. With the third release due out February 2014. I was absolutely itching to get my hands on it. Luckily for me the Publishers sent me an early review copy (YAY).

The book starts out as the previous two have by throwing you headfirst into DI Corrigans world. He, along with his colleagues Dave Donnelly and Sally Jones are being relocated to Scotland Yard to become part of the newly formed Special Investigations Unit. As such they get landed with the worst crimes, which involve the disappearance of children. The thing I love about these books is not only the characters but the writing style too. I would say under normal circumstances that this author has clearly done his research. However, Luke Delaney (not his real name) was in the Met Police, followed by the CID. It is clear that Mr D clearly gets the experience and realism from his old day job!

Sean Corrigan is a character who is so interesting. He has a dark side which enables him to have remarkable insight. No, not in the sense of being psychic, just an inner strength to see things from the perspective of the killers he chases. In this latest instalment Sean’s life is topsy-turvy and the pressures of every day life are making him lose this ability. This gives the edge back to the book as the one thing that makes him better than the rest is ‘his edge’. Once again Delaney has crafted a magnificent book, which had my toes curling in fear as I almost felt like I was in the killers mind. We also get to see Sean’s personal life a little more in this book. His world is rocked with the pressures of his working and home life and we see him make some hasty decisions!

I think the first two books slightly held the edge over this one, but just in terms of story. The first two I seemed to hold my breath a lot more! 🙂 I still stand by what I previously said; Luke Delaney is one to watch. I have a feeling this guy will in a few years be up there with the long time best sellers like Lee Child, Harlan Coben and Peter James! I absolutely love this series and cannot wait for the next one. The fact that LD uses a Pseudonym makes me even more curious than usual about the author, but I guess with his past job its just something he cant do (Damn it!). Trust me on this, if you haven’t read one of his books I think you should make sure you add this to your must read list.

Merry Christmas Alex Cross by James Patterson (Alex Cross #19)

My Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: On the night before Christmas, Detective Alex Cross is at home celebrating with his family. But when Alex’s phone rings, he knows that this won’t be a merry Christmas.

A father has taken his children and ex-wife hostage. Armed to the teeth and high on crystal meth, Henry Fowler is dangerously unstable. The lives of everyone in that house are hanging by a thread.

As this suburban nightmare is unfolding, another far greater threat is approaching. It will be a terrorist attack like Washington DC has never seen, and when nobody expects it.

My Review: When I read the synopsis, I immediately thought “is that it?”. The synopsis just seemed a bit ‘bleugh’ if you know what I mean. Sadly this latest Cross novel left me feeling exactly the same way. As ever with any JP book, the chapters are short and sharp meaning it’s incredibly easy to read. Sadly a few chapters in, and I just had that dreaded feeling of “I’ve been here before with this character”.

The Henry Fowler character takes his children and ex-wife hostage and as usual Alex Cross is called in, but it happens to be Christmas morning. The story started to pick up pace and I thought we may well have been in for a treat, but I was to be disappointed as that part of the story finished rather abruptly. The reader is then briskly rushed onto the next part of the story involving a terrorist plot. I don’t recall how far into the book this happened but it all just felt a bit disjointed.

The second plot of the book involving the terrorist plot certainly had all the right elements. However, it just seemed to lack any real feeling. I have been reading James Patterson for years and I took the time to pull my older reviews up today. It seems like my opinion of mediocrity has been recurring for a few years now and it seems like I am not learning my lesson. It feels like a huge number of us Patterson readers keep reading through both loyalty, and the hope that he will once again create brilliance like his early days.

Overall, it’s a book that would keep you entertained for a few hours, but that’s it. It shows how my interest is waning when I wait nearly a year from publication to read a Cross book. No doubt I will swiftly move onto the next book (book 20 in the series entitled Alex Cross Run). Overall, not a terrible read, just not like some of his earlier books.

Stay Alive by Simon Kernick (Scope #2)

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

ONE WITNESS: You’re on a trip with your family, miles from anywhere. A shot rings out – and your whole life changes in an instant.

ONE SECRET: A woman is racing towards you, chased by three gunmen. Although you don’t know it, she harbours a deadly secret. She’s in terrible danger. And now you are too.

NO ESCAPE: You’re running, terrified, desperate to find safety. You know that the men hunting you have killed before. And if they catch you, you’ll be next .

My Review: Holy Shit! You know that feeling you get when you’re watching some really intense thriller and the music gets a bit slower, and the tension mounts…..that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach…do I watch? Do I turn away? Yep that one! Well this started from page 1 and finished pretty much when I had finished. If you haven’t read Simon Kernick before (first of all where on earth have you been) then you can compare his work to one of those movies! Sometimes SK books are hit or miss for me, some people (I agree occasionally) think that they are too unrealistic. Other times they are amazing. To date my favourite read has always been Relentless, until now! Although it may be a joint winner this latest book is certainly up there with his best stuff!

Amanda Rowan finds herself in a dangerous situation and is forced to flee her home. When she moves away she figures that her life is relatively safe and she can go about her normal day to day life. When she realises that this couldn’t be further from the truth she inadvertently drags a family into her mess. Jess is the elder sister up visiting her sister when Amanda Rowan drags her and her family into her dangerous world. From the moment this part of the story begins my heart was racing even faster than it had been up until that point. Mike Bolt makes a welcome return, although in my opinion we didn’t see nearly enough of him. Having said that I was so wrapped up in the story I soon forgot that!

Kernick has certainly exceeded my expectations and has produced an absolute heart thumping page turner. It was a book that I literally couldn’t put down. Every time I picked it back up that all too familiar sick feeling in the pit of my stomach returned. You almost feel like you are taking the journey with them. Every chapter throws up new danger, violence and more twists and turns than the best rollercoaster in the world! The pace was bordering on frenetic but the story had me gripped from the outset. Towards the end I thought I knew where the book was headed but boy was I wrong! I finished with a real feeliong that I may be visiting a cinema to see the movie version as this book has MAKE ME INTO A MOVIE written all over it. This latest Kernick is a true delight that his fans will be itching to get their fingers on!

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!

Watch Your Back by Karen Rose (Baltimore #4)

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My Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:UNFORGETTABLE

Stevie Mazzetti knew she would never get over the murder of her husband and son. But with their killer behind bars, she was able to move on with her life, if only for her daughter’s sake.

UNIMAGINABLE

Now, eight years later, the Baltimore detective always fights for the victims she meets and when she learns that her ex-partner may have miscarried justice, Stevie’s determined to right the wrong, even if it means she is in danger.

UNDENIABLE

Clay Maynard has always wanted Stevie and when she is targeted by a vicious psychopath, he believes that protecting her may give him the chance to have her in his life forever. Clay will do anything to keep Stevie safe but with a killer on her tail who has everything to lose and a secret to hide, will they stay alive long enough to find happiness?

My Review: For me this book was a perfect wrap-up of all the events that have taken place in past books. But the first thing I feel like I need to point out is that you should probably read previous books first. If you haven’t the sheer amount of plot lines going on and the reasoning behind them may take longer to grasp. I also need to say that if you are planning on reading previous books please don’t continue reading this review as it will inevitably have spoilers. Having read nearly all of Karen Rose’ books I was itching to get this latest one and as soon as it was ready to go on my Kindle I eagerly started.

Stevie Mazzetti is a ballsy woman, however she is also a woman that has spent 8 years grieving the loss of her husband and son. With the killer behind bars she has a path to follow and is desperate to rectify some things. Her ex-partner turned out to be a dirty cop and as Stevie starts to dig cases up, it seems her life as well as her daughters are now in danger. The danger levels are pretty high up from early in the book and to be fair don’t drop until the very end making for a fast-paced and pretty tense read.

The additional characters that are involved in this story could take a while to detail, but the main player being Clay Maynard the PI who wants to protect Stevie and her kid. Clay is a great lead character and although he is the main lead in this story we see the return of many other characters from previous books. One of the things I love about the Karen Rose books is that the characters are not forgotten. They may appear frequently or just the once but you get to see glimpses of people from previous stories and how they link to the current characters. Some people may wonder how they can even work out who belongs where, but check out Karen Rose Website as there is a place there that explains the relationship between people and books (which is a bloody great idea if you ask me). Check it out as http://www.karenrosebooks.com/krose-relationships.php.

Back to the story, there is a lot going on and that is by no means an understatement. There are numerous plot threads and just when you think that things are coming to a close, something else pops up. I have to say that at nearly 600 pages this is a humdinger of a book, even by KR standards. Even so, once again Karen Rose has produced a first class thriller that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. I for one will be eagerly awaiting the next book, as it seems Karen Rose is hitting the jackpot with each and every book.

Respect by Mandasue Heller

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My Rating 4/5

 Synopsis: Chantelle has everything going against her. She’s a good student who only wants to pass her exams and find a way out of the sink estate in Manchester where she grew up. But now her feckless mother has taken off for Spain with her latest boyfriend and she’s single-handedly raising her tearaway nine-year-old brother Leon. She thinks her worst problem is the debt collectors at the door. But Leon has made some new friends: teenage gang members who have given him a mobile phone a knife – and some drugs to hide in her flat. A part-time job seems to be the answer to Chantelle’s prayers. But the violence is about to come home to her -with a vengeance. And the only person who’s offering any help seems to be just as bad as the people she’s trying to escape from . . .

My Review: As always I was chomping at the bit to get the new Mandasue Heller book and was very pleased when my prayers were answered, and a preview copy landed on my doorstep. I had read the synopsis and was looking forward to getting stuck into another gritty crime book and I wasn’t disappointed! Chantelle and her brother Leon live with their sad excuse for a mother on one of the estates in Manchester. It took me only a matter of pages to adore the studious and sensible young girl, and lead character Chantelle. Her brother Leon is on the edge in terms of friends and the sort of people he hangs around with and trouble is lurking from the early pages.

One thing that struck me as different is that this book doesn’t go from standard crime to real dirty, gritty, crime (if you know what I mean). I got the real sense of a story that maybe isn’t that far from some people’s real life situations. Here are two young kids, being raised by a woman that isn’t fit to be a mother; and trying their best to make it work. When Chantelle’s mum does a bunk with her latest bloke, Chantelle has no other choice than to lie about her age and find part time work. At this point in the book we see the threat of danger slowly creep up.

Chantelle soon realises that things with Leon are getting out of hand and isn’t sure what to do. In addition to that she has no idea that she herself will bring danger to their door. Chantelle and Leon take centre stage in this latest book along with a few additional characters such as one of Chantelle’s acquaintances Anton. Although this didn’t have the same feel as some of MH’s other books there was something a little bit refreshing about it. I know, I know, I’m not the best at explaining but that’s the best I can say right now. Her favourite title of mine was Lost Angel and I’m afraid it still takes the title but this was still a first class read and one that I loved from start to finish. As always I was sad to finish this book and am even sadder I have to wait a whole year for another of her instalments.