Crime, Thriller, Mystery – Page 49 – Best Crime Books and More

Cold Sacrifice by Leigh Russell (Ian Peterson #1)

229x346

My Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: When Henry’s wife is stabbed to death, he pays a prostitute to give him an alibi. Her body is discovered, strangled, and the police realise they are dealing with a serial killer who will stop at nothing to cover his tracks. While they are hunting for evidence, another prostitute is brutally murdered. On the track of a vicious killer, Ian doesn’t realise he is risking the life of his young colleague, Polly

I have been reading Leigh Russell since book one in the Geraldine Steel series. Something I will point out is that book one in that particular series was a little, shall we say, ‘lukewarm’. However, I could see it being a great series and it turns out I was right. Leigh Russell then went on to create a series that seems to get stronger with each book she writes and is now writing some of her best stuff featuring Geraldine Steel. One thing I mentioned in the early books was the colleague that worked alongside her Ian Peterson. He piqued my interest and I wanted to see more of him. Fast forward a few years and here we are with Ian Peterson featuring as the lead in the first of the series.

The book opening introduces us to Ian Peterson, and as he now works alone (Geraldine having re-located) we get a quick refresh on his colleagues such as Polly. Ian is now a DS but is looking for promotion. Pretty early on in the book we see the first of the murders take place and Ian, his colleague Rob and Polly start investigating the case. The actual crime element of this story wasn’t as good as Leigh Russell usually produces. However, I think that is because this is the first in the series, so some groundwork is put in with the characters.

Ian Peterson as a character could potentially be just as good (if not better than Geraldine Steel). But, with this first book I found him a little bit lacklustre and to be honest he grated on me with all his moaning about his wife Bev. He is also a typical ‘people pleaser’ and seems to bend over backwards for his wife! NOT a good trait for a DS. I am hoping that in future books, we see that side of him change and have a feeling that there are a lot of changes to come for him in the future.

The story was just too average, considering Leigh Russell’s capabilities, but I can understand why that is. I figured out who the killer was pretty early on and I found that as I have read all of her other books I can see a pattern, and feel like this is just the platform for the whole series to take off from. Overall it wasn’t a bad read, but I’ve certainly read better, especially from the lady herself. I really hope that people who are reading Leigh Russell for the first time persevere. If her previous series is anything to go by you certainly won’t be disappointed. I can see this series improving with each book, much like it has for the Geraldine Steel series. I for one will certainly look forward to book 2 and hope we see more of a catchy storyline.

Somewhere To Hide by Mel Sherratt (Estate #1)

217x346

Rated: 4/5

Synopsis: Liz, with her young daughter, runs from her husband. Sixteen-year-old Becky stabs her uncle and makes a run for it. Back in prison after selling her body for drugs, Cheryl will be out soon with no one to turn to. All three are looking for somewhere to stay.

Following the tragic death of her husband, Cathy Mason opens her home to young women who need a roof over their head and a sympathetic ear. But strange things start to happen – malicious notes are posted through her door, her belongings trashed and a homeless teenager is found murdered. Cathy reckons it’s just part of daily life on the estate but when those she cares about most fall prey to violence, she begins to suspect a past mistake is about to catch up with her – and she’s unsure that she’ll ever be ready for it…

Kat’s Review: I recently started hearing more and more about the author Mel Sherratt. Followers to my blog were suggesting I read her and I’m extremely glad I listened to them. Mel self-published her first book in 2011 and went on to become a Kindle bestseller and a best selling book of 2012. It took me no time at all to fall into the pattern and speed of the book and it seems like Cathy Mason has for once bitten off more than she can chew.

Continue reading “Somewhere To Hide by Mel Sherratt (Estate #1)”

The Cutting Room by Jilliane Hoffman

The Cutting Room

My Rating: 4/5

I have read all of Jilliane Hoffman’s books and have never been less than impressed. She has produced two books featuring prosecutor C.J Townsend and two stand alone books. This fifth release is a mixture of the two. We see Assistant State Attorney Daria Bianchi and Detective Manny Alvarez work a case that involves a snuff club. We also see the return of C.J Townsend just before the halfway mark in this book.

Daria and Manny make for fantastic reading as they both have such unique personalities. Manny Alvarez is a veteran cop whose nickname is The Bear and Daria is a hot-headed Italian woman trying to make her mark in the world. They make a great team and at the start of the book we see them clash heads as they uncover what looks to be a dangerous game of men watching women be raped and then murdered in the so called snuff-club.

The re-introduction of C.J and the serial killer on death row Bill Bantling aka `Cupid’ had me reading a lot quicker that I thought. As it has been a while since I read the CJ books I worried I would lose the thread but the plot is re-covered for the benefit of those having not read previous books. As I read on I remembered why Jilliane’s books always had me hooked. They are extremely dark reading and I always find myself feeling the fear as much as the characters as we see the chase for the suspects who are cursed with these sick and perverted minds.

The story has a lot going on and there are numerous threads that are woven in to the story including past crimes committed and the involvement of Bill Bantling, the serial killer on Death Row. At around the ¾ mark the pace picks up considerably and I continued reading until I was done. I was both shocked and pleased by the time I had finished. Shocked at the outcome of one particular thread in the story and pleased that JH was just as good as I remembered. It was good to have some conclusions in the last part of the CJ trilogy and although this took me longer than usual to get in to, it was no less thrilling than her other books.

I have to say overall that her last stand alone book slightly holds the edge for me but this book was clever and thoughtful making for a gripping read that had me checking my windows at night.

The Killing Game by J A Kerley (Carson Ryder #9)

My Rating: 3/5

So it’s been two years since the last JA Kerley release of a Carson Ryder Book. For those that don’t know, or have never read a JA Kerley book before, the books feature Police Detectives Carson Ryder and his partner Harry Nautilus. I haven’t read the early books from the series but picked it up from book 3 I think. In one sense, each book can be read as a standalone but I much prefer to have the history of characters from as early on as possible.

After a humiliating encounter with a cop, Romanian immigrant Gregory Nieves launches a vendetta against the Mobile Police Department, Alabama. Nieves can’t fight a department, so he selects one man who symbolizes all men in blue: Carson Ryder, the MPD’s specialist in bizarre and twisted crimes. From early on the reader knows who the killer is, but in a bizarre shift in books, it seems that it takes the majority of the book for Carson and Harry to figure it out. I would almost go as far as saying they seemed rather secondary to the main character; the killer!

I am really a fan of Kerley and this series, but couldn’t help feeling that we see less of Carson and Harry and too much insight into a sociopath! Don’t get me wrong, I am as interested as the next reader into how these people have no conscience and why, but this time around I felt like it was overdone. Also, there was only fleeting mentions of both Jeremy, Carson’s wacko but shockingly intelligent brother; and Harry’s niece Rein. Both of these characters’, I feel have earned places in the books and I kind of missed them both in equal measures.

Overall, the story was a decent enough one, but I missed the camaraderie between Harry and Carson, I missed other characters and felt like this time around the book was lacking its normal ‘oomph’. The ending gave way to a nice little opener for the tenth book in the series due in December 2013. I will as always really look forward to the next instalment. I just wish this latest book would have given me a little more than it did.

The Keeper by Luke Delaney (Sean Corrigan #2)

download (1)

My Rating: 5/5

Luke Delaney published his debut novel Cold Killing back in March 2013. I finally got around to reading it in May of the same year and literally couldn’t put it down. When I received an early copy of the second in this series featuring DI Sean Corrigan I couldn’t resist putting all my other books on hold. Sean Corrigan is a brilliant lead character. It’s hard to describe his ‘gift’ that he has for being able to walk in the killer’s shoes. His imagination lets him think just like the people he is chasing. In this current book, women start disappearing from their homes in broad daylight. Sean and his team need to work around the clock, and possibly against a crazy man’s timetable before women start turning up dead.

The first few chapters re-acquaint the reader with Sean and his team. DS Sally Jones is dealing with her own demons following the last case they worked on, and DS Dave Donnelly is as usual Sean’s right hand man. Both of these characters feature heavily in the book and they have both demanded my attention from book one. This follow up is no different, and each of the characters plays their part extraordinarily well. I’m surprised that this is only Delaney’s second novel. To those that maybe didn’t know you might assume he has been writing years. I think the authors previous years in the force has enabled him to put more experience than research into the book; and it shows!

From the very beginning we know who the killer is, there is no hiding from it. What the reader is treated to is the rather warped and sick world of Thomas Keller. What I really like about this book, is that although there are no surprises as such (like I said we know who the killer is), you instead feel like you are actually in the depth of a huge Murder Investigation. The added bonus about this book is Sean Corrigan himself. His character has a very dark side. Throughout this whole book you have that horrible feeling that he is teetering between good and evil. Is his ability to ‘recreate’ the killer’s thoughts and feelings pushing him closer to their world? From the beginning to the end it’s the pure chase that kept me hooked. It didn’t matter that I knew who was doing what, it still had me reading until late in the night.

I think Luke Delaney is set to be a big name in the crime genre. If he keeps this up, he will be on Peter James tail quicker than you can say Roy Grace. This latest instalment had me thoroughly gripped from start to finish. Yep, it scared the living daylights out of me (especially as the area it’s set in I live near to), but I truly am hooked and am eagerly anticipating the next one.

Tell No Lies by Gregg Hurwitz

My Rating 3/5

I was really quite excited when I received an early review copy of the new Gregg Hurwitz. The synopsis had all the key ingredients to make a perfect Hurwitz belter. Daniel Brasher is a counsellor who lives a reasonably ordinary life. His job dealing with affected individuals who are usually on parole keeps his day to day work interesting. His longer term plan is to jack in the public stuff and start his own private practice. With that in mind, he aims to enjoy his last few weeks with his current group. As he leaves work one evening he finds a letter in his pigeonhole, only it’s not for him. It’s too late as Daniel has already read the note which declared that the recipient has until midnight on November 15^th to admit what they have done or they will bleed for it.

The first part of the book was typical Hurwitz with descriptions of each of his group, and the discovery of the note. It’s all pretty high tension stuff and you realise that Daniel is in a pretty awkward position. However, when he informs the police what is going on and they intervene, it seems like they just miss the killer each and every time. It seems that with each note Daniel receives, he has to figure out the puzzle. Who is the victim and what have they done. I admit that the first few chapters flew by and I was totally engrossed, and then something weird happened. The book sort of took on a weird, disjointed kind of air to it. I felt like the middle of the book hit a bit of a stumbling block and I struggled to get through the pages.

However, having read and loved many of his books I carried on. Towards the last third of the book, the pace picked up again and once again I was taken down the smooth road of taut and tense scenes created by Mr H. Towards the end of the book I was still none the wiser about who the murdered was, but when all was revealed I kind of felt like there was a major piece of the puzzle still missing from the book. This review may sound slightly strange, but in all honesty that’s kind of what the book was like. If I read it not knowing the author I might have guessed it was a new author who had it 60% right?!?

Overall it was an average read, but for Gregg Hurwitz it definitely wasn’t up to his usual standard. I have no idea if this was due to maybe the mood I was whilst in reading it, or whether other people will agree? I just feel like there was something missing that his books never normally miss. I will always look forward to reading a Hurwitz book and can only assume that this story just wasn’t for me, of maybe it just isn’t as good as his others? Either way, I still eagerly await the next book.

Dead Man’s Time by Peter James (Roy Grace #9)

14 Dead Mans Time

My Rating: 4/5

<Big sigh>, Peter James and Roy Grace, where do I begin? I have read all of the books in this series and am normally gripped by each and every book I read. When I read the synopsis for this one I really wasn’t sure. I was (as usual) to be proved wrong. This latest Roy Grace novel starts out with a vicious robbery at a Brighton Mansion and millions of pounds worth of antiques taken. It also leaves an elderly woman, Aileen McWhirter, fighting for her life. Roy Grace and his team lead the enquiry when the woman dies from her injuries and her brother Gavin Daly gets involved. There is one item that is absolutely invaluable to Gavin, and although he is now well into his nineties he is still a force to be reckoned with. The invaluable item is a specific watch and the story, believe it or not, all revolves around the watch. I’m not one for major spoilers so will go no further with the story line or plot.

What I will say is that Peter James is an awesome writer, however, there is one thing that is driving me insane. If, like me, you follow the series there has been an element to each book regarding Roy’s first wife Sandy who has been missing for over 10 years. This is the thing that is the cause of my angst. I really think the story line concerning her needs to be dealt with and then finished, or dropped altogether. I feel like it has gone on for far too long and to the point where it’s lessening my enjoyment of the book. This particular book tells the story of Roy Grace and his team now, and the past concerning Gavin Daly and his family which forms part of New York’s gangs in the 1920’s. This alone, was done with skill and the story had me gripped from start to finish. However, every time Sandy get’s mentioned I feel like hurling my book into a wall.

Okay, I know some of you may think that’s extreme but when you have read a certain story line for years (8 years in the case of the Roy Grace novels) certain elements are key. Sandy is now NOT key in my opinion, and the more I hear about it the more it grates on me. Do I want answers, yes! Do I want snippets each year, No! Deal with it and let’s move on?!? Anyway, that aside this is actually a brilliant story and as usual Peter James shows off his skill with style. I think the majority of fans will love this book and newcomers should definitely read from the beginning of the series (although not an absolute necessity). Once again, we wait another year to see what is next on the agenda for Roy and his family and friends.

Just What Kind of Mother Are You? by Paula Daly

My Rating: 4/5

I received a copy of this book from the publishers some time ago. I actually took it on holiday as I thought it sounded a little bit different. The synopsis is probably most parents’ nightmares come true. Imagine leaving your child in a friends care, and then your child disappears? Who would you blame? Well this is exactly what happens to Lisa Kallisto the lead character in this book. As a debut novel from Paula Daly, I went in with an open mind, and by the time I had finished I was certain that I will read her future work!

Lisa Kallisto is an easy character to empathise with. She is a normal working mother with kids that have constant demands, a job that needs her attention and a husband to try and keep happy. When her daughter’s best friend Lucinda wants to stay the night she see’s no problems. The next morning when she goes off to work leaving the girls to their own devices, she has no idea that in a few short hours Lucinda will have vanished.

I really liked Lisa and her husband and from the very beginning could see that she was just an overworked Mum like thousands of other parents across the world. This book was set in Cumbria, which makes it all the more disturbing to read, as history has shown us what child abductors will do in the UK. We also meet the Detective on the case Joanna Aspinall who is a key character in the story. I think my main opinion of this story is that it is unsettling from start to finish. The thought drifts through your mind frequently that this could happen to you, or somebody you know.

The story is revealed in layers and we see Lisa start to unfold as the panic for Lucinda intensifies. I was really caught up in the story and loved the way it played out gradually. By the time I had got to the last quarter of the book I finished it in one sitting. This was an incredible book for a debut and I will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for her next book.

Unseen by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent #7)

226x346 (1)

My Rating: 3/5

Kat’s Review: Okay first off I need to point out that I am a HUGE Karin Slaughter fan and have been since the beginning. That’s not to say that every book has left me thinking it was a 5 star read, but the vast majority have been. Her last book Criminal was an absolute corker of a book so I was eager to get going with this latest offering. Not only do we see both Will and Sara, but also the return of Lena Adams. For those that haven’t followed the series in order, it may be worth going back to the beginning and not reading this review (as inevitably there will be spoilers if you haven’t read the others!)

Will Trent is back and is working undercover and is trying to break down a drug trafficking operation. Although this was the main focus of the story, it was weaved in with events involving Lena Adams. Sara and Lena have a continuous feud going on following the death of Sara’s husband, which she blames Lena for. At the beginning of the book I felt the tension ramp up and prepared myself for another corker of a book. Sadly, every time we see Lena’s story unfolding from a few days previously you kind of lost the momentum.

We certainly see a different side to Lena in this story though as her, and her husband Jared, try to work through some difficulties. That said, I still felt that every time we revisited the few days previously it felt like a chore. I almost felt like the main story which involved Will, was very much playing second fiddle to Sara and Lena’s history with each other. As soon as I got the chance to delve back into the main story, I did with relish. Sadly this time around, I just felt like this book wasn’t the typical Slaughter book I would normally read.

Towards the end when both stories seemed to merge, it improved greatly but by the time I had come to the end I couldn’t help feeling a little bit disappointed. Although this wasn’t one of Karin Slaughters best, it is still a good read. In my eyes it just wasn’t as good as her books usually are. I will as always eagerly await the next instalment and hope that the next one is just as brilliant as Criminal was.

Fallen Idols by Neil White

311x500

My Rating: 3/5

My sister has been working through the Jack Garrett series of books; and with each one exclaims that I am missing out. After her last time of telling me I caved and pushed Neil White up to the top of the pile. Jack Garrett is a journalist who although originally from Lancashire is now living in the heart of London. The book starts out with a bang when a Premiership footballer gets shot dead in the street. DC Laura McGanty is put on the case and immediately knows that the murder is more than it first appears.

It was easy to fall into both characters lives and I immediately liked both Jack and Laura. Laura is a single mum and we see her try to juggle both her career and home life. Jack is also an easy guy to read and like as he is pretty laid back apart from when it comes to a story. It’s clear from the outset that both Jack and Laura have feelings for each other but this is put on the back burner in favour of a very fast paced read.

Before I knew it I was over halfway with the book and there was all sorts of mayhem going on. Jack is convinced that the murder is nothing to do with the fact that the victim is a celebrity. While Laura investigates, Jack decides to go back to his hometown of Turners Fold which is where the victim grew up. We get to meet Jack’s dad who I immediately liked. As Jack delves into the goings-on in Turners Fold, he gets dragged right into the middle of it. I found myself reading larger and larger chunks each time I picked it up, and in the end resigned myself to finishing it in one sitting.

I wouldn’t say this was the best book I have read recently but is certainly one that hooks you on to the series. I found myself getting nearer and nearer to the end and wondering if I should just go straight onto book 2. Sadly my to read list is huge, so book 2 will have to wait. It was a solid debut novel and am really looking forward to getting stuck into the next book.