Category: Crime, Thriller, Mystery

The Follow by Paul Grzegorzek (Gareth Bell #1)

81iRUGWgOEL.SR160,240_BG243,243,243

My Rating: 5/5

This latest book was a self-published book by Paul G (the surname is too long to keep typing!) and had been in my `to read’ list for months and months. I finally got around to it recently and at only a few chapters in I was regretting not having read it sooner. The first thing that struck me is how similar it was to Peter James books. Not in a bad way, but that great feeling you get when you start a James book knowing it’s going to be good!

Gareth Bell is a copper in Brighton and is working with the Drug Squad. The job is run of the mill for him until his partner gets stabbed by the psychopathic dealer Quentin Davey. The case then becomes personal for him. Added to the fact his partner was stabbed, Davey walks away from court without so much as a slap on the wrist. Gareth decides then and there to take matters into his own hands.

Gareth is an incredibly likeable character, and although he’s a copper he’s pretty ‘normal’. Don’t get me wrong he can handle himself but he’s not a walking talking killing machine like many other characters you can read about! It made a refreshing change to see a character that is a bog standard copper doing what I think many coppers would love to do, but wouldn’t risk their career for!

The story itself had me hooked in and the writing style was easy to get sucked into and I found myself irritated that not only had I not read it sooner, but that he doesn’t yet have a second book out (very disappointed)! The one thing that was maybe a little different with this book to others is the sheer detail at what police have to endure. You can tell that Paul speaks from experience and it makes the reading experience that little bit better. It was almost like I did a bit of work experience with Brighton police.

This book is an absolute bargain at just over a nicker and a half (£1.50 for those that will no doubt ask) on Amazon for the Kindle. If you are a Peter James fan you will love this book. My only disappointment is that a Publisher has not snapped him up and demanded he write a follow up immediately if not sooner. First class debut!

The Dead Won’t Sleep by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #1)

51gBlJaQ2GL._SY346_

My Rating: 5/5

I keep getting told by FB followers that I MUST read Anna Smith and that her books are brilliant. Sadly, my to read list is stupidly long which means authors whose books I have on my Kindle, can sometimes sit there `undiscovered’ for months! Anna Smith is one such author. What an idiot I felt once I’d finished this book, her debut novel. As soon as I was finished, I immediately downloaded her second book, and have her third release firmly in the calendar (31st Jan 2013 for anybody interested!).

The synopsis sounded great before I had even started the book, but once I got going I was in for a treat. It’s Glasgow in the 1990s and when the body of a young girl washes up on a beach, people don’t pay much attention. It’s just another dead junkie, except the media gets hold of the fact that the victim Tracey Eadie was just 14 years old and was meant to be in the safety of a children’s home. The first few chapters had me hooked and from then on, things got put on the back burner (such as dinner!).

The main character in this book is the journalist Rosie Gilmour. Rosie is certainly not whiter than white, but comes across as a little bit vulnerable too. One of the things that struck me about this book is the language, and I don’t mean swearing. My husband family are from Glasgow so I am very well adjusted to the way they talk and their accent. Anna Smith manages to get across the accent and the way in which the Glaswegians talk, which translates on paper (if that makes sense?!?). In my opinion it gives the writing a real edge and you get a real feel for the way they speak which I really loved.

The plot was what really kept me gripped, and the shocking part about it, is that it is 100% believable. It was gritty and particularly dark in places, covering subjects that won’t be everybody’s cup of tea but done with sheer brilliance. I am now obsessed with finding out what Rosie does in the future (yippee for book 2) and thought that she was such a solid character. All in this entire book had me totally and utterly enthralled from start to finish. It’s already been recommended to all my friends and family, and now I’m recommending it to you lot too.


Don’t put it off a moment longer and grab yourself as copy, you’ll love it!

Did You Miss Me by Karen Rose (Baltimore #3)

download

My Rating 5/5

I have read nearly all of Karen’s books and rarely read one that I don’t love. When her newest book landed on my doorstep a few days ahead of publication (thanks to the Publishers) I was excited as I ripped open the package. However, my excitement was replaced with shock as even by Karen Rose standards this book was a humdinger at 544 pages. With the synopsis read in seconds I poured myself a brew and immediately got stuck in.

For this that maybe haven’t read any Karen Rose books this book, along with any other can be picked up and read in any order as a stand alone book. For those that have previously read Karen’s books, you will see familiar faces from previous books. IN Karen’s last book PI Paige Holden is the main character along with State Attorney Grayson Smith. Both Paige and Grayson return in this book but as the background characters to both State Attorney Daphne Montgomery and FBI Agent Joseph Carter.

What I loved about starting this book was not only being introduced to Daphne and Joseph, but seeing what other characters were up to in their lives. Daphne’s son Ford Elkhart is actually the main focus of this book and he is kidnapped and only recalls what happened when he wakes up on a cold dark floor and realises he is tied up and being held. The book takes an immediate dive into the kidnapping and we see many chapters start to form threads. I was totally and utterly engrossed and found myself being drawn back to the book every time I attempted to put it down.

There are numerous threads and people to keep track of and at the halfway mark I had to take a breather as I realised I needed to get it all straight in my head?!? I had block read at least 250 pages and felt like I had overdosed on crime! Luckily a good nights’ sleep sorted that out and the next day I resumed reading the rollercoaster ride of a book! The characters Daphne and Joseph each have their own demons and skeletons and as the story progresses we see the layers of their pasts slowly peeled back. I liked the suspense you are kept in, even though I am the most impatient person. As usual the actual crime scenes are written vividly leaving a somewhat sour taste in my mouth at times, but by no means put me off!

Joseph and Daphne are both characters I really liked but the two that really pulled at me were Clay and Stevie. They were only in the book for small periods of time but I SO want to find out what happens there (I just know I’m going to have to wait on that front!). The plot itself had plenty of twists and turns and kept me guessing until the very end of the book. The one thing that stood out this time round was the sex! Yep, that’s right people I did say sex! Karen Rose is a great crime writer, but her genre (if people care to check) is romantic suspense. It irritates me when people grumble about this in her books because it’s what she does, and believe me when I say it’s what she does best. Karen Rose surprised me this time round and at times I wondered if I had inadvertently picked up a Jackie Collins (not a bad thing in my book!).

All in all, this book, although long even by her standards, was an absolute cracker. Karen Rose is first class at these sorts of books and this one didn’t disappoint. As usual, you are in for a bumpy ride which will have you reading from morning until night. Highly recommended.

Kill You Twice by Chelsea Cain (Sheridan & Lowell #5)

51fHjN8-dtL._SY346_

 My Rating: 5/5

My Review: I started Chelsea Cain’s Archie Sheridan books at book 3 (entitled Evil at Heart) and have slowly caught up. I was really looking forward to this latest release which is now the fifth in the series. Archie Sheridan is a character that I am now all too familiar with. He is a Detective who worked on the Beauty Killer Task Force which meant tracking down and catching Gretchen Lowell. For those of you that haven’t read the series, you may need to start at the beginning to get a real idea of how the relationship between Gretchen and Archie has developed. Having said that you could probably gain enough insight to pick up and read the book anyway.

In this latest book Archie is called to a murder scene where a corpse is found in Mount Tabor Park. Before long, he receives a call from the mental hospital where Gretchen Lowell is held, informing him that she has information on the current murder. Archie has to find out whether Gretchen really does have the information, or whether she just wants to get close to him. As usual with a Cain book it takes next to no time to get absorbed by the storyline. One thing that she certainly manages to do is turn your stomach a little bit!

As with the other books in the series, we get to see other characters, only this time in more detail. We see a lot more of Henry (Archie’s partner) as well as Susan (a freelance reporter who has an unusual relationship with Henry), and Susan’s mother Bliss. I actually loved the fact that they were all more involved in this book and found that there were a lot more threads to the story that you need to follow.

The actual crime element of the story was done in true Cain style, with more stomach churning moments than I care to remember, however they certainly make it a lot more authentic that’s for sure! There were a few plot twists which I enjoyed, however I have that nagging sensation going on in my head. As much as I loved this book, how much more of Gretchen Lowell can I take? If I’m being 100% honest I’m really not that sure. I’m sincerely hoping that book 6 in this series is just as gripping as this one, but that it also features the demise of Gretchen as I think I might otherwise get tired of her. The one thing I am sure about is that if this series is overdone it would be awful because Chelsea Cain is an absolutely awesome writer. Fingers crossed that in the next book we see the demise of Gretchen, and the opener for another sick and twisted serial killer! (never thought I’d put that in a sentence!)

The Life by Martina Cole

download

My Review 3/5

Martina Cole, a legend in her own right. However, the question of whether she still 2has what it takes” is something that’s bandied around a lot recently. As much as I am loathed to admit it, I can see why the negative comments come around. The problem with us readers is that we are a finikity bunch, who expects authors to continually churn out a 5 star read every year without fail. When you actually stop to think about it Martina Cole has been writing since 1992 which is an astonishing 20 years. Martina’s last two releases were middle of the road for me. If you compare her current books to her earlier work such as books like The Jump, her newer material is nowhere near as good.

I think that as such a talented author, she is going to once again create an absolute corker of a book and somehow I always end up being a little disappointed. Whether that’s because I feel like the bar is set a bit higher for her, or just because the competition is just too good now, I really don’t know. This latest release The Life certainly has a good synopsis that’s for sure. The Bailey brothers are gangsters determined to make their mark on the world (sounding familiar), yet the two brothers are complete opposites. When their sons join the business, it seems like nothing can stop them. When Lena Bailey gives birth to a girl, she is determined to shield her from The Life. When a tragedy occurs, it changes everybody and their life as they know it.

I started reading this book with high hopes (as usual) and to be honest one thing you cannot fault is Martina’s writing style. The lady has some clear cut talent and it’s an unmistakable style that draws you in to the characters and their lives. This book was easy reading for me and pretty soon I felt drawn into the Bailey world and was reading chapter after chapter. On the down side, at around the halfway mark it just seemed like too much hard work. The story was okay, but sadly it was just the same old, same old. I knew where Martina was taking the story and characters and felt like this fell into the same category of been there and read it!

The book took me three days to read and to be brutally honest it was probably at least 100 pages too long. I feel a little sad to say but I wonder whether Martina should carry on with this type of book. The competition out there, especially with newer writers emerging all the time, is making Martina’s work look poor in comparison. I think at this stage what I would love to see is something completely different from Martina Cole. She truly is an author with a gift for writing, but she just needs to get out of the `tried and tested’ formula she keeps using. Maybe steer away from the East End Gangster type of book and try a new direction. I truly believe that with her huge following and legions of fans, that they would welcome something fresh and new from one of the ultimate British female crime writers.

The Vanishing Point by Val McDermid

download (1)

My Review: 5/5

I was very excited when I received an early copy of Val McDermid’s new book from the Publisher, especially since the cover looks so inviting! When you read the synopsis I was even more drawn to the story and hearing that Stephanie Harker travels through security in the USA only to watch her boy get snatched from under her nose had me itching to start.

The first couple of chapters are usually slow burners with a majority of books as the authors go about explaining the characters or settings. None of that happens with this book and it takes a mere few pages for us to meet Stephanie and the five year old Jimmy as they go through security at the airport. With Stephanie watching Jimmy go through the metal detector she follows him and promptly gets stopped. She has no idea that as she gets stopped her life will change forever and she watches in disbelief as somebody in uniform comes along and leads young Jimmy straight out of the door. Within the first couple of chapters I was already at the edge of my seat and reading in disbelief as things go wrong very quickly for Steph.

As Stephanie gets led away be airport security to be questioned the story starts its real journey. It becomes clear pretty quickly that Stephanie is innocent and she is trying to explain to airport authorities that Jimmy has been snatched and they need to act immediately. As the FBI get involved and start to question her Stephanie sits back and tells the story of `how it all began’. We are taken back to the beginning by Stephanie herself as in small bursts we see her history and how she meets Jimmy’s mum who is a famous TV reality star.

As Steph tells the story of how she came to meet Scarlett Higgins things start to make a little more sense. Scarlett is only famous for being famous and with a very strange upbringing she is determined to make a successful career out of her short reality TV stint. She then contracts cancer and begins her battle to keep her public image up, raise her son and generally gets the most out of life. As we fast forward to Steph trying to help the FBI to track down who may have taken Jimmy Higgins, and then back to the time before she had him you begin to question what everybody in Steph’s life is up to, and whether they have an ulterior motive.

The layout and way the story is told certainly rings a few bells and had some ring of truth to it, especially in regards to a famous reality TV star who fought cancer in this country! But that aside, the way the story was told and the fact that each time we revisit Steph during her interview with the FBI you feel the tension rise. I literally couldn’t put this book down. Towards the end I thought I had it all figured out and was irritated to see there was still quite a bit left, what more could there be? Turns out I was completely wrong and the ending threw me sideways, I certainly didn’t see that one coming! All in all a book I couldn’t put down and thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended!

NAMELESS BY KESSIE KEANE (RUBY DARKE #1)

My Review: 5/5

 *Sighs and scuffs feet* Why? Every time I buy a Jessie Keane I promise myself I will take my time. But no, who am I kidding? I do what I always do, get thoroughly engrossed and then race through the book only to feel disappointed that I have again finished a JK book and now have the long wait until the next one! When I realised that Jessie Keane was introducing a new character I was pretty excited. Having said that, I wasn’t sure whether they would live up to the fantastic characters that feature in the Annie Carter series

In this book we meet Ruby Darke who is a mixed race girl being brought up in War torn London by her abusive father and two elder brothers. While her two elder brothers get involved in the criminal underworld, Daisy works in the family shop and tries her best to keep everybody happy. When she is encouraged to lead a secret life she goes along not knowing that she will be swept off her feet by the dashing aristocrat Cornelius Bray. When she finds herself pregnant and gives birth to twins she is forced into giving them away. What happens next is that the book tells us Ruby’s life story. We see her become a success in business but forgo love because of her desperate desire to never be hurt again.

I was truly engrossed from the very first few pages. Ruby Darke is a young girl with real spirit and you really get a feel for how she is treated in the 40’s for being mixed race. Her family are nothing short of awful but it made me feel like I had to keep willing her on in my mind because she was such a likeable girl. Every few chapters there would be a slight time change and the years start to progress and we see how each passing year changes things for her.

We see some absolutely blinding characters emerge and they all form part of the story in different ways. Michael Ward is a pretty central character and I really liked him from the get go, along with many other characters that just add to the authenticity of the story. Jessie Keane has an uncanny knack of taking you back to that time and really making me feel like I could grasp a little more what the street s of London were like around the war. As the years progress I got more and more caught up in the story and as more shock twists were thrown in I wondered what on earth else could happen. One particular part of the ending shocked me (not impressed) but the other part had me shrieking towards the ending as I wanted to see what happens next.

All I can say is that Jessie Keane is a force to be reckoned with in the crime genre now. Not only has she produced a great series (Annie Carter) she has also written some absolutely blinding stand alones. With this latest addition, Jessie Keane is quickly proving herself to be un-stoppable. Nameless has only made me want to read more (I sincerely hope this is going to have a follow up!) and as usual Jessie Keane does not disappoint. BLINDING!!!

Rotten To The Core by Casey Kelleher

51f5h-iyAPL._UY250_

My Review: 4/5

It seems these days that to be a successful author you don’t necessarily have to go through a publishing house, which is why we have seen a sharp rise in people self-publishing. With hard work and determination (as well as a good book), many authors are doing it for themselves! Casey Kelleher is one such person and she published Rotten to The Core in 2011. The reviews posted on Amazon were promising and I was looking forward to giving another new author a go! One thing that I instantly loved was the cover of this book, very eye catching with a beautiful woman holding an apple on the front, I would certainly have been drawn to this cover in a Bookshop.

Jay Shaw is living the life his father taught him which was wheeling and dealing and generally thinking about only himself. When Jay’s dad was murdered he had a pretty good idea who was to blame but kept that to himself. Billy O’Connell is the man in the house and the only one who looks out for his sister Kate. Since their Mum passed away Billy has relied on his shady dealings in business and has kept his little sister safe. Until Jay and Kate meet and Kate ends up pregnant by him. Billy’s reaction sets off a chain reaction that means Kate is caught up in the bitter feud between her brother Billy and Jay.

It took me not time at all to be caught up in this story as it starts with a bang. Kate O’Connell is an easy character to both read about and like immensely. A young girl she is making mistakes but the reader can only sit by and watch as she makes one of the biggest of her life. Her older brother Billy I initially didn’t like that much and as for Jay, Kate’s boyfriend, I loathed him as soon as he was introduced.. As the story progresses you see the warmth in Billy and it didn’t take me long to warm to him as you learn about the struggles he has had to endure.

I was completely caught up in the story very early on and read this in one sitting I enjoyed it so much. There is certainly an air of `Gangster’ about it but it’s certainly not been overdone. There were plenty of plot twists as well as quite a bit of violence and swearing, which I come to expect in this type of story. By the last few chapters of the book I was hoping to see more of these characters. In addition to Kate, Billy and Jay we meet Jay’s mother Sonia, Billy’s friends who work with him and Paul who owns a nightclub. There wasn’t anybody I wouldn’t want to see appear again (with the exception of Jay)!

For a self-published book Casey Kelleher has done an amazing job. It was certainly a book that I really enjoyed and the girl has talent that’s for sure. She has another book due out late 2012 and I for one will be buying it for my Kindle as soon as it’s out. I think this is an amazing start to what could be a very successful career as a crime author. She may have a little way to go to catch the Queens of crime such as Kim Chambers, Mandasue Heller and Martina Cole. But if she keeps this up it won’t take her very long to get there!

The Devil’s Bounty by Sean Black (Ryan Lock and Ty Johnson #4)

222x346

THE DEVIL’S BOUNTY – HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR JUSTICE?
Convicted of a series of horrific crimes against young college students in upscale Santa Barbara, wealthy playboy Charlie Mendez has fled across the US border into Mexico. 

As one bounty hunter after another meets a grisly end at the hands of the murderous drug cartel his family have hired to keep him safe, it seems that Mendez is one fugitive destined to remain beyond the reach of the law. Or at least that’s how it looks until one determined victim persuades high-end security specialist Ryan Lock and his partner, retired Marine Ty Johnson, to go after him

My Review: 5/5

Kat’s Review: Okay Ladies and Gents, meet Mr Sean Black. His first book was released in 2009 and featured Ryan Lock an ex-soldier turned Bodyguard and his partner Tyrone Johnson. I picked the first one up and if I’m being 100% honest didn’t expect all that much. Just how many more characters like this could my mind take? As it turns out, my mind was very open to Ryan and Ty and now let me introduce you to my latest character crush!

I have read each of Sean Black’s 3 books in the series so far and was really looking forward to this book which is the fourth instalment in the Lock series. Ryan Lock and Ty make a brilliant team and have been through the mill with various assignments going wrong. Ryan and Ty are currently doing the security for a rap group when trouble comes to find them for a change. A young girl approaches Lock and tells him that he is the only one that can help track down the wealthy playboy Charlie Mendez who has been convicted on a number of crimes but has fled the US over the border into Mexico.

The story takes less than two chapters to get going with a pretty fast paced scene kicking all the action off. It seems that a few Bounty Hunters that have tried to hunt Charlie Mendez down have ended up dead, so Ryan and Ty make it their mission to bring him back to the United States. There is a sense of real authenticity in Black’s books and you realise when you are reading that he has certainly done his homework. Knowing that Sean does things like a 24 day Intensive Body guarding Course makes you realise he takes his research seriously. Even more so when you find he spent time in Supermax Prison Pelican Bay also in the name of research!

With the story being fast paced the whole of the first half, I expected it to slow down a bit towards the middle but it kept up its suspense and we were thrown plenty of curveballs and surprises along the way. You can certainly read this book as a stand alone but for those that have read all the previous Lock books you will see Ryan try to move on from the issues he was dealing with at the end of the last book and this case seems to be a good way of moving forward. This book has plenty of action and suspense to keep you reading and although I loved every page of it I am looking forward top the next instalment more. That may sound strange but I want to see what happens next for Ryan and Ty, especially regarding their personal lives.

Overall, another solid read from Sean Black and he shows no signs of the series slowing down, it just appears to be getting better. As usual, having finished the book I was left with that disappointed feeling, I have to wait another year to reacquaint myself with my latest character crush. Mr Lock, we will meet again!

Criminal by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent #6)

224x346

My Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Okay I’m really not sure where to start with this review as I feel completely at odds with how I normally feel after finishing a Karin Slaughter book. A quick re-cap for those maybe not in the know might help. Karin Slaughter created a series of books called Grant County and then another series featuring Will Trent and Faith Mitchell. In a surprising (but genius) move Karin Slaughter managed to turn the two series into one and they became known as The Georgia series. It was an incredibly risky move as some fans had become attached to various characters. Even for me I found it hard to believe that she had done such a thing; however her last release entitled Fallen showed just how clever Karin Slaughter really is. Without adding too many spoilers for those wanting to read the series from the beginning, I will just say the series currently features Will Trent, Faith Mitchell and Sara Linton. For her fans that have followed from book 1 there were many questions that have come up over time and this book is the one to address some of them.

The book is split into two parts almost, one featuring Will, Sara and Faith in the present day and the other featuring Amanda Wagner (Will’s boss) and Evelyn Mitchell (Faith’s mother) set in the seventies. In the beginning I was more drawn to the present day element and at the halfway point was wondering what was going on. Why was I not getting into the book as much as I normally did? I realised at just past the halfway mark that it’s because I am an impatient woman! The story featuring Evelyn and Amanda makes so much sense especially towards the end. The crimes are as ever gruesome and I found the authenticity of women in the police force back then kind of shocking.

The story itself was as usual great, but for me I felt like I was more interested in the answers to my questions and thankfully by the end so many things clicked into place. I wouldn’t say that this story was as good as Fallen (I forgot to turn my bath off whilst reading that one!) but as ever is fantastic writing and for fans who have followed the series, is a crucial part of the series. Will, Sara and Faith do not feature as heavily but it makes perfect sense as we see the reasons for where some of them are today. I think that although this isn’t my favourite Karin Slaughter book it just shows how talented a lady she is. Another winner from the leading lady in this field!