Crime, Thriller, Mystery – Page 51 – Best Crime Books and More

Living on A Prayer by Sheila Quigley (Seahills #3)

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My Rating: 4/5

Well it’s been a while since I have read about Lorraine Hunt in Sheila Quigley’s series. I decided it was high time I re-acquainted myself with them. I am very glad I did and as ever can’t wait to read the next one in the series. In the 3rd book in the series we meet up with the Detective Lorraine a few weeks before Christmas.

It begins with the tragic apparent suicide of a young lad named Richie Stansfield who is found hanging from a tree at the Seven Sisters. The beginning of the book was a brilliant re-introduction to everybody for those that haven’t read any other books in the series. We once again meet Lorraine’s collagues Luke as well as Carter and Jacobs (who I despise by the way!).

Before long the apparent suicide seems to be too sut and dried when Richie’s friends appear to be holding something back. This particular story takes on a very sinister feel when there are rumours of cults but the story is fed in pieces really building up a picture of horrifying possibilities. I really like Lorraine as a charchter and the relationship she has with her Mum and her Mum’s best friend brings a lighter hearted side to the story, which I enjoyed.

Having read the first two I certainly wouldn’t put this down as my favourite so far, but there are certain developments with Lorraine that made it a lot more interesting. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me occupied, especially when it came to Luke and his past!!! I also loved seeing the return (albeit brief) of Jacko who featured in a previous book. Overall this book seemed to have a much darker theme that previous ones but it made it no less enjoyable. I would highly reccomend these books as they are brilliant. Really looking forward to the next one:-)

Screams In The Dark by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #3)

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My Rating: 4/5

I only read Anna’s first book in October but as I knew her new one was due out at the end of January I figured I’d better catch up with Rosie and how she was doing. In Anna’s second book To Tell the Truth we start off by seeing Rosie on holiday. She’s taking a well earned break, but as usual nothing stays quiet when Rosie is about. In a scene that is hauntingly similar to a news story a few years back, a young girl is snatched from a beach in the Costa del Sol.

When Rosie realises the huge news impact she speaks to her boss and she decides to cover it herself. Rosie’s boss McGuire sends out Matt to help her cover and between them they start the task of trying to get to the bottom of what’s happened.

The same as her last book, Anna doesn’t mess about, and throws the reader straight in at the deep end. I really love Rosie and after reading this current one I love her even more. As usual, she likes to get involved irrelevant of the danger and this case is no different. Rosie knows from the off that the mother of the missing girl is covering up for what really happened that day, and in addition she is approached by an illegal sex worker with information about the abduction.

The pace is full speed pretty much from start to finish and with this book and the last there is a certain frenetic energy about the books which I love. The only other author who I can think of that has that same kind of pace is Simon Kernick. What I also loved about this book is that although we see Rosie completely absorbed in the case we still see glimpses of her personal life and her real vulnerability. A friend of Rosie’s named Adrian made a brilliant addition to this story and I would love to see him appear again at some point. Towards the ending I dismissed dinner, TV and phone calls just to make sure I finished it. I cannot believe I didn’t read her books sooner, but having said that I am pleased that I can get straight onto book three entitled Screams in The Dark.

Anna also added a wee bit of a question mark right at the end of this book with regards to Rosie’s personal life. All this made me do was groan “For GODS SAKE!” but in a good way. I would say in all honesty that her first book held a slight edge for me, probably just in terms of story. Other than that I loved this book. Absolutely itching to get started on book three and cannot recommend her highly enough. If you haven’t read an Anna Smith before, you may want to start now!

Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner (Tessa Leoni #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

I am a pretty big Lisa Gardner fan, especially of her DD Warren series. Her newest release Touch and Go is due for release in February 2012 but I was fortunate to receive an early reader copy. Her latest book features Tessa Leoni (who also appeared in Love You More) who is called in after the Denbe family are abducted. Upon arrival at Justin and Libby Denbe’s home, there are no signs of a break in, and there is no ransom demand. It seems like the couple and their teenage daughter have vanished into thin air. The more Tessa digs, the more it seems a little too perfect. To the outside world they are the perfect couple, with Justin running a very wealthy and successful company and a beautiful home.

As usual the pace is pretty frenetic from the very beginning. Justin and Libby are on date night when then enter their home and are taken by surprise. As the reader we see both sides of the story, both from the family’s perspective and the Detectives as well. As the story progresses we also meet Sergeant Wyatt Foster who participates in the case with Tessa. Having read the book Love You More I was familiar with Tessa’s history, however if you haven’t read it there is certainly enough background for readers to understand her past. I really loved Tessa and Wyatt working together and thought they made a good team

From the very early stages, although we see what is happening to the family (can’t say too much for fear of spoilers) we also see the police trying to solve the puzzle. With no clear cut motive it means examining every person who is close to the family. I found myself constantly changing my mind on who I thought was culpable, and thankfully it only became clear towards the very end (which is always a bonus in my eyes). The family were easy to read about and part of that attraction was seeing them crumble under the immense strain they are put under in their kidnapping situation. Layers are peeled away to reveal a family far from perfect and this makes the story even more interesting than the bog standard murder novel.

When I got to the end I was not entirely shocked at the outcome but thought that the book was another great read by Lisa Gardner. Admittedly I still favour DD Warren, but I think Tessa Leoni could be the star of another series. If she is I can only hope that Wyatt Foster goes along for the ride. Not my favourite Lisa Gardner book, but an awesome read that will keep you guessing until the end.

To Tell The Truth by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #2)

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MY RATING 4/5

Rosie’s boss McGuire sends out Matt to help her cover and between them they start the task of trying to get to the bottom of what’s happened. The same as her last book, Anna doesn’t mess about, and throws the reader straight in at the deep end. I really love Rosie and after reading this current one I love her even more. As usual, she likes to get involved irrelevant of the danger and this case is no different. Rosie knows from the off that the mother of the missing girl is covering up for what really happened that day, and in addition she is approached by an illegal sex worker with information about the abduction.

Cannot believe I didn’t read her books sooner, but having said that I am pleased that I can get straight onto book three entitled Screams in The Dark. Anna also added a wee bit of a question mark right at the end of this book with regards to Rosie’s personal life. All this made me do was groan “For GODS SAKE!” but in a good way. I would say in all honesty that her first book held a slight edge for me, probably just in terms of story. Other than that I loved this book. Absolutely itching to get started on book three and cannot recommend her highly enough. If you haven’t read an Anna Smith before, you may want to start now!

Broke by Mandasue Heller

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My Rating: 4/5

I have mentioned in previous reviews that although I consider myself a fan, I don’t LOVE every MH book I read. Having said that her last book Lost Angel was absolutely brilliant. With that in my mind I was really looking forward to reading the new release Broke. The story centres on Amy who at a young age and with a baby on the way marries Mark. Within the first two chapters I had the urge to slap Amy around the face and ask her what she was playing at. The character Mark is an absolute idiot and one that I loathed from the very beginning. A few years later and with another child in tow Amy and Mark find themselves stuck in the doldrums. When Mark loses his job and his gambling gets out of hand he makes the major mistake of borrowing money from the local loan shark Lenny Yates.

From that point on the story takes a rather sinister and dark turn. Lenny Yates decides that Amy can pay off Mark’s debts his way. For fear of giving plot spoilers I don’t want to divulge any more of the story, but hence to say things are not particularly nice for Amy and her children. As Amy’s world takes a turn for the worse, her situation spirals and becomes almost unbelievable. The one thing I would say is that Mandasue touches on many subjects that are hard to deal with. Although Amy’s situation made me feel sympathetic towards her, I also felt irritated by her as a character. The fact that her life is all about Mark and nobody else grated on me, and at times it seemed like her children came second although at the end this seemed to have done a 360 degree turn? That was my only real bugbear about the book.

Other than that, the story drew me in and I went through quite a few emotions from pure rage at reading what characters were doing to sheer irritation at how stupid they can be! I managed to read this in just under 4 hours which is a record even by my standards. It’s certainly written in a way that makes you want to keep reading. Although I really liked this book her previous book Lost Angel was outstanding. That and the fact that Amy irritated me so much means it’s only a 4/5 read from me, but still a great read. Can’t wait for the next one.

The Executioner by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter #2)

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My Rating: 4/5

I read the Chris Carter’s debut novel The Crucifix Killer before starting this one. I was so taken with it and the characters (Det. Robert Hunter and his partner Garcia) that I immediately started on book 2. With Carter’s history of studying psychology and criminal behaviour there is a real authenticity to his books along with characters that are extremely likeable. Robert Hunter and his partner Garcia start this book with attending a crime scene inside a Los Angeles church. Very early on it became clear that this book was going to be a lot more gruesome than the first. As you read Hunter and Garcia’s take on the murder scene my stomach started turning as each part of the scene was explained with frightening clarity!

Initially it looks to be a ritualistic killing but of course within another few chapters the appearance of another body puts paid to that theory. Once again Hunter and Garcia are chasing a serial killer. Although I really like Hunter and Garcia, it seems like we are too early in the series to get a real sense of their personal lives. I like to get to know characters to make sure they can stand the test of time, so on that front this was a bit lacking in this current book, but I expect that to improve with books 3 and 4!

The characters aside, the story is what really grips you by short and curlys. As more and more bodies pile up it appears that this serial killer is making people suffer. All of his victims die from the one thing that they are scared to death of. As each body is found the gore and violence ratchets up a notch. It’s not to say it was too bad to read, but this certainly isn’t for the weak stomached. I found myself feeling a little bit like I was being watched when I was reading late and night, and to be frank it gave me the ‘heebie jeebies’. I took this as a good sign and continued reading to the conclusion in the early hours of the morning.

Overall, this was slightly more graphic than the first book, but as stories go was just as good. I like the two lead characters but definitely want to see a bit more of their persona lives to see if they can stand up to the competition, and to the test of time. Certainly an author I’m looking forward to reading more of!

The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: When the body of a young woman is discovered in a derelict cottage in the middle of Los Angeles National Forest, Homicide Detective Robert Hunter finds himself entering a horrific and recurring nightmare. Naked, strung from two wooden posts, the victim was sadistically tortured before meeting an excruciatingly painful death. All the skin has been ripped from her face – while she was still alive. On the nape of her neck has been carved a strange double-cross: the signature of a psychopath known as the Crucifix Killer.

But that’s impossible. Because two years ago, the Crucifix Killer was caught and executed. Could this therefore be a copycat killer? Or could the unthinkable be true? Is the real killer still out there, ready to embark once again on a vicious and violent killing spree, selecting his victims seemingly at random, taunting Robert Hunter with his inability to catch him?

Hunter and his rookie partner are about to enter a nightmare beyond imagining.

My Review: My sister has been raving on about Chris Carter for some time now and I have seen him appear more and more on Amazon. I had two of his books sitting on my Kindle for months and decided it was time to give one of them a go. Chris Carter has released a total of 4 books and they all feature the main character Detective Hunter and his partner Garcia. I picked up the crucifix Killer this morning. It may give you an indication how much I enjoyed it that I am writing the review today!

As many people who read my reviews know I’m a sucker for a series and knowing that Carter has produced 4 in this series gives me plenty of time to catch up. When I first started reading I decided early on that I liked Hunter and his ridiculous IQ. Here was a character that new the most random of things, and managed to get his PhD in his early twenties and has now ended up a Detective…what’s not to love? His new partner Garcia is a little green but before long the pair of them are thrown into a case Hunter thought he would never have to deal with again. Two years ago the Crucifix Killer was caught and executed, yet to Hunters horror, it seems the wrong man was put to death.

By around the halfway mark I was baffled, enthralled and occasionally slightly queasy. Chris Carter certainly has a way with words and some of the crime scenes were very descriptive (probably not the best choice of book with my lunch!). I had no clue who was behind it all but found myself totally caught up with the storyline. The writing was absolutely spot on and I felt like I was reading a book written by an author that’s been writing a while, certainly not a debut novel that’s for sure.

When I had finished the book I went back and read Chris Carter’s bio and discovered why some parts of the book seemed so authentic. Carter studied psychology and criminal behaviour and went on to be a part of the Michigan State District Attorney’s Criminal Psychology Team. In English, this means he spent a lot of time interviewing and studying a lot of criminals, some of whom were serial killers. I finished this book in just over a day, and I realised how much I liked it when I went straight onto book 2 in the series (not something I do often!). I am now halfway through book 2 and this is just as good if not better that this one. I should have paid more attention to my sister and started reading these a lot earlier.

For those of you who like authors such as Karin Slaughter and want to try somebody new, Chris Carter fits the bill perfectly. Give this first book a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed; although you may want to skip eating while you’re reading:- ).

Lock and Load by Sean Black (Ryan Lock Short Story)

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Fresh from a stint undercover in Pelican Bay Supermax prison in Northern California, close protection operative Ryan Lock and his business partner, Ty Johnson, are in Los Angeles, tasked with protecting a young Hollywood actress from an abusive movie star boyfriend who refuses to accept that their relationship is over. But as Lock knows only too well, and Ty is about to learn, keeping someone safe from harm can be harder than it looks, and damage can come in unexpected forms.

My Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: People who have read my previous reviews will know that I have a bit of a character crush with Ryan Lock the man featured in the series of books written by Sean Black. I discovered his books from the first release and have not been let down once since then. His series of books featuring Ryan Lock and his partner Ty are absolutely brilliant. Sean Black has managed to integrate himself with the other major Crime players out there such as Coben, Lee Child etc. When I realised that he had released a short story in the Lock series I immediately downloaded it onto my Kindle.

Yesterday lunchtime I settled with my lunch and began to read. It took me less than a chapter to be thrown back with Lock and Ty. This short story features them protecting a young Hollywood actress from her rather violent and abusive Movie star boyfriend. As usual Lock and Ty fall into their usual banter and it was like seeing old friends again. This book does however (I am almost positive) go back in time a little bit to just before Gridlock. People who have been reading the series will probably have noticed this too. Don’t get me wrong it didn’t make the story any less enjoyable, it just threw me slightly!

The only problem I had with this, and it’s a major problem for me, is that it was finished by the time my lunch break came to an end! For this reason alone I was not a happy bunny. I do believe Sean that you are a bit of a tease! How dare you flaunt my favourite lead male character and then whip him away again!?!? All I can do is console myself with the fact that a new book in the series should be due next year. For all those Lock fans this is a little teaser, and people that haven’t read the series, a cheaper way to try before you buy if you like. I don’t think you will be disappointed! <sighs heavily> I guess I will wait with baited breath until the next release before I get too excited again.

Stop Dead by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #5)

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My Rating: 4/5

I couldn’t believe it was yet again time for another Geraldine Steel instalment and I was even more excited than usual thanks to getting an early review copy of it. I must say the first thing I loved about this book was the cover; they are brilliant and most certainly eye catching. Geraldine Steel is a Detective Inspector who has recently relocated to London. In the last book (Death Bed) she was thrown straight into a murder investigation and this book picks up a few weeks later. Geraldine is only just getting over the paperwork involved in her last case when she is thrown straight into a new one.

It all starts with the discovery of a successful businessman being found dead in his car. His death is particularly brutal and Geraldine has a lot of work on her hands. The businessman’s wife was involved in an affair so instantly becomes a suspect, as does her lover. As soon as Geraldine gets stick into the new case, the original murder victim’s business partner winds up dead although the two cases don’t seem to be related. They discover DNA which leads them only to a woman serving life in prison, and another woman who is dead.

In the last book, I felt like I was getting to know a whole new host of characters what with Geraldine’s relocation. This made this current book a little easier, as we see the return of Geraldine’s colleague Sam. Although Sam is featured quite heavily, I still miss Ian Peterson who was a colleague of Geraldine’s before she moved. The last book for me focused more on Geraldine as a person and this one was the polar opposite. At the halfway mark I had decided who was the murderer, and then subsequently changed my mind at least three times! This latest Russell novel was what I would call a real murder mystery. It was all the things a mystery should be, intriguing, enthralling, tense and utterly absorbing!

Although I loved this book it still wasn’t quite as good as book 3 (Dead End). There is one major sticking point for me which is the storyline regarding Geraldine’s birth mother. I’m not one for plot spoilers but I am getting impatient to find out more!!! Other than the fact that I miss Ian Peterson and her old colleagues, this latest Steel instalment was great. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am now eagerly awaiting the next one.

Rise & Fall by Casey Kelleher

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My Rating: 4/5

After reading Casey’s debut novel Rotten to The Core I was really looking forward to her second book. Her first and second books were self-published and after her debut novel sold more than 20,000 copies (I’m not surprised there) she was `snapped up’ by an agency (yay). Her first book was really good and you could tell that she was aiming for the same type of feel to her books as some of the bigger British Crime legends such as Mandasue Heller, Kimberley Chambers and Martina Cole. The writing was good, the story was great and overall it took me now time to finish.

When I started her new book I have to be honest and say I wondered if she could produce second good book. Was it a one off her original book, or would she rise to the occasion. Thankfully <clapping hands in glee> Casey Kelleher has produced a book that is better than the first! Jamie Finch is a fifteen year old that leaves home and tries to make it on his own. He approached Gary West and a few years later we see him as an integral part of Gary’s firm. Sadly for Gary and Jamie, Jerrell Morgan is the new kid on the block and he is causing havoc. Being born and raised in Jamaica, Jerrell has come to London to take out other firms and lead it all his was. He has no issues with doing things the hard and violent way and makes this known to everybody.

I have to say that I immediately loathed Jerrell and got a real sense of the danger lurking behind his personality. I found myself a few times leaning forward and turning my pages with a bit too much haste (I get like that when things get a bit tense)! The characters Casey has created are very believable and I liked the fact that we got to see the nicer side ti both Gary and Jaime. There was plenty of action and lots of dramatic events. One word of warning though, Casey does touch on a pretty sensitive subject in the book (hard to say what without spoilers) so if you are of the sensitive nature, please don’t moan about it because I have warned you! Having said that, it’s in keeping with the story and to be honest it just made me want a certain type of outcome even more!

Overall, I am thought this book was even better than her debut and think it won’t be long before Casey can join the ranks amongst some of the other legends of British crime such as Lady Heller, Kim Chambers and Martina Cole. Casey, just keep `em coming and your fans will follow, just hurry up and get the next one written!!!