Category: Crime, Thriller, Mystery

Pray For Silence by Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

I was looking forward to reading Linda Castillo’s second book after enjoying her first so much. We see the return of both Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti. Except this time around we are around a year after the setting for the book Sworn to Silence.

When the police arrive at the Amish farmstead in Painters Mill following the sound of screaming, they can’t imagine the horror that awaits them. An entire family slaughtered: the men shot, the young women tortured and killed. They need to work out if this is random or intentional and planned. Kate decides to call on John for help. Jon is having his own career crisis and finds that the call from Kate comes at the right time.

Linda Castillo’s writing was just as good the second time around. However, a few chapters in and I was getting the distinct feeling that I had been here and read this before. The story wasn’t as complex as the first and I found myself getting frustrated with the plot. I wasn’t however dissapointed with the characters. I like Kate Burkholder and John and think the dynamics of their friendship/relationship was the more interesting part of this book?!?!

I was over half way through and kept expecting there to be a big surprise or plot twist. Sadly, I was still expecting it right up to the end, only to be left feeling disappointed. Don’t get me wrong overall I enjoyed the book, but I wasn’t sure what the overwhelming dislike was. Was it the fact that the Amish angle to the story was now a little dull? Or was it the fact that the story just wasn’t as good as her first book? I don’t actually think I know the answer even having finished it.

As a summary, I would say that this is a read that will keep you reasonable entertained, but not gripped. Anybody looking to read another great book in this series may be left feeling a little cheated. All of that said, I will still buy and read the next book in the series which has already been released in the hope that this book was just a minor blip

The Faithless by Martina Cole

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My Rating: 3/5

For the last three books that Martina Cole has written, I finish it and then promise myself I won’t waste money buying it full price. I feel terrible saying that but it’s the truth. I have always been a huge Martina Cole fan and loved the older books such as `Ladykillers’. Sadly it seems that many authors who have huge success seem to go rapidly downhill. I fear that Martina Cole is now firmly on that list. So after finishing her last book entitled The Family I swore that was it. Yet here I am a year later having broken that promise and paying full price for it. For some reason, due to Martina’s sheer talent, I always feel that maybe this is the year she will come back with a bang. 3 years on and I am still not feeling the slightest rumble, let alone bang.

Overall this book was far from terrible, but it is still lacking something which I can’t quite put my finger on. The story itself sounded fabulous from the synopsis and I was looking forward to reading this. As I started reading I had high hopes as you are drawn into the world of the loathsome Cynthia Tailor. Martina certainly still has the knack of producing some vile characters and Cynthia is one of them. Cynthia is a character that is constantly wanting more and its pretty clear from the outset that this woman will stop at nothing to get her own way.

I was very excited reading the first few chapters as the story took no time at all to pick up momentum. I was swept along with Cynthia’s sister Celeste who has bagged the ultimate prize in her partner Johnny. A local face and a man set for better things. Cynthia’s children Gabby and James Junior play a very large part in the beginning of the story as do her parents Mary and Jack.

It becomes clear before long that the story is set over quite a long time period and as w hole the story itself was great, as were the characters. Halfway through and I was still loving the writing but felt that the major difference between this and her older book sis the sheer volume of narrative. I am certainly no book expert, I just know what I like. I don’t recall Martina Cole’s earlier books ever being this descriptive. If you were to weigh up the descriptive narrative and the characters actually speaking I think people would be shocked. It felt like there was an awful lot of repetition and I really didn’t need to be told hundreds of times how much Cynthia wanted everything!!!

I genuinely feel so torn about this book. I actually liked the story and the characters and her writing is still as strong as ever. However, I really disliked the amount of description everything had, and I had that sinking feeling that I was just reading a re-hashed story I had read a million times before. I am still really unsure whether Martina Cole has changed her writing, or whether the competition out there has just got better. These days with the likes of new writers such as Kimberley Chambers and Dreda Say-Mitchell coming along, maybe people expect more. I know it sounds a little sad, but I can’t help wishing that Martina would make a monumental comeback with a book that blows everybody away.

Overall I can’t say that I disliked this book, but it just isn’t as good as some others. No doubt I will still (stupidly) continue paying full price for Martina’s new books praying that it’s the best ever! I imagine that this book will get really mixed reviews and would suggest seeing her better work you should try her earlier stuff.

You’re Next by Gregg Hurwitz

My Rating: 4/5

Having never read a Gregg Hurwitz and having read some favourable reviews I was looking forward to getting my teeth into another new author. The book isn’t slow on the uptake and the first couple of chapters is spent introducing up to Mike, his wife Annabel and their adorable but incredibly bright daughter Kat (what a great name?!?).

Mike was brought up in a foster home and was seemingly abandoned when he was a young child. Having not had the best start in life he has literally turned his life around. When he meets a stranger at a party who explains that he knows him, Mike is none the wiser. It soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary conversation, and pretty soon Mike is aware that he and his whole family are at risk. From that point in the book onwards the tense feeling never leaves you.

Gregg Hurwitz seems to have the ability to create a hurried feeling towards the reader making you think that the worst is going to happen. As the story starts to unfold Mike does what he needs to do to keep he and family safe but it unfortunately means that he is up against people that are a lot more dangerous than he is. In turn I found myself wincing at some of the situations that turned up but found myself willing Mike on to just break the law and get even with them!

I became a little frustrated towards the last quarter of the book as it is very late on that we find out the reasons behind the manhunt. It certainly kept me reading that was for sure. There were quite a few twists along the way and I really liked the main characters. The only downside for me was that once I found out the reason he was being chased I felt it was maybe a little too OTT. It did make a refreshing change to read about a male lead character that wasn’t a cop who had little interest in doing as he is told!

As soon as I finished this book, I checked out his other books and now have a couple sitting in my `to read’ pile. I was very pleased that I read this and thought it was full of suspense and edgy enough to keep me very interested, although maybe not a 5 star read due to the final section of the book.

Overall highly recommended!

Her Last Scream by J A Kerley (Carson Ryder #8)

My Rating: 4/5

This book is the 8th release from jack Kerley in the Carson/Ryder Series. His last two books I really enjoyed but this one for me was better because I loved the story but not quite as good as others and I can’t even say why?!?

Detectives Carson Ryder and Harry Nautilus are not only partners but friends. They have been through a lot and soon become aware that this case is going to be maybe worse than previous ones. When women start turning up dead, there appears to be no connection. Before long it becomes clear that women who are in hiding from abusive partners enter a supposed safe route out, only to wind up in even more danger than when they left their partners.

Early on in the book we see first hand one of the women who is on the end of an abusive relationship and you almost wonder how long it’s going to be before the woman winds up dead. Although the subject matter was really unpleasant, Jack Kerley has written a corker of a story using this terrible crime as the basis for the book.

Harry and Carson are easy characters to like, even if you haven’t read any others in the series. I prefer to get to know the characters and their history which is why I tend to be a fan of series of books, but you can still read this as a stand alone book. Harry’s niece Reinetta Early has actually joined the force and to Harry’s dismay she wants to get involved in the case by going undercover as a woman on the run. I really liked Reinetta as she was feisty and young and seemingly up for doing anything needed to catch a killer. Of course it sets the scene for some extremely dangerous things happening. I think the pace was as usual kept quick the whole way through the book and as usual when reading Kerley’s books, you are in for some twists and turns. The one thing I really liked about this book was that I was convinced I had it all planned out as to who the killer was, only to be proved completely wrong!

The only thing I thought was lacking was anything major happening with Carson/Nautilus. I found that there was no `extra’ sparkle regarding wither of them. On reflection, maybe this is because Kerley wanted to make a platform for Reinetta to feature in follow up books, which I think would be a great move. Overall highly recommended!

Hunted by Emlyn Rees (Danny Shanklin #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

Well the first thing is that this type of storyline is certainly not original. It has been done many times over by many different authors so this sort of storyline is certainly not an eye opener. However, although I admit some authors may do this genre better, as soon as I started turning the pages of this I couldn’t seem to stop!?!

I actually liked the character Danny Shanklin, but, (and there is a but), he wasn’t original enough to stick in my memory. Sadly for Emlyn Rees, there are many authors out there that are at the top of their game in this genre and have a loyal following. Having said all of that, this certainly didn’t take away the fact that it was still a great book. High octane, and quicker than lightning, is the best way to describe the pace of the book. The story starts with Danny in a hotel room and before you know it he is on the run. The story doesn’t let its foot off the pedal until the very end meaning it was a very easy read.


The majority of the story is spent alongside Danny as he tries to evade capture meaning there are quite a few hairy moments for him which keeps you interested all the way through. You also have the added terrorism element of the story keeping it pretty current and up to date.

Although I had that sinking feeling of been here and read this before, I still read the book in one day and have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although it was all too familiar, it seemed like safe territory in terms of story and plot, but the writing was great. In addition to this, the ending is left on something of an opener for the next book which leaves room for the next instalment to be even better.

I will definitely read the next one, I just hope that in addition to the great writing skills, we see something a little bit different to keep my interest amongst the huge list of the longer standing authors producing recurring characters such as Reacher, Bolitar and Cross. If you don’t usually read this genre, then this is a good place to start and will certainly keep you interested. I can honestly say I am looking forward to the next one in the hope we get more originality and hopefully a new Kernick in the making.

KILL ALEX CROSS BY JAMES PATTERSON (ALEX CROSS #18)

My Rating: 3/5

Mmmmm, let me think on it for a minute. I feel very torn trying to write a review on this book and if I am being honest I really wanted to like it. Like many readers, when you have read a series as long as this you want things to be great all the time, but inevitably there will come a point when maybe things just don’t sit right any more. I think that maybe I am leaning towards that opinion more than anything right now. Cross Country I absolutely loathed, I, Alex Cross was better but certainly not his best. With this one, I just feel it was mediocre.

The story itself had all the right ingredients, the kidnapping of the two most famous children in America and a terrorist attack on D.C. But somehow it just seemed too much like we had been there before and Alex Cross is maybe going over old ground. The writing style still has the magic Patterson touch with the short sharp chapters that keep the pages turning. That certainly wasn’t lacking, I just felt that there was a major `something’ missing and I cannot for the life of me place exactly what it is.

The character himself was lacking the magic sparkle this time around and I didn’t particularly think he was written in the same manner either. Alex Cross has always been a man who works hard, but this time round his family were a very poor second to his work and that made me think badly of him.

I know it sounds ridiculous to some, but when you have read 18 books over as many years, as a reader you feel you know the character. I certainly finished this book feeling like I didn’t know Alex Cross at all. The terrorist element of storylines in general is wearing a little thin with me as there seems to be so much of it around. I also felt that this part of the story, although very realistic, was a little rushed, and almost like an afterthought to bump the original storyline up a notch.

I am left feeling like I don’t know what just happened. Has Alex Cross finally run out of cases to solve, or has Mr Patterson bitten off more than he can chew with the amount of books he writes and co-writes? In my opinion it has to be one of the two, I just can’t make my mind up which one it is!

Run For Home by Sheila Quigley (Seahills #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

My Review: I had never read (or heard of) Sheila Quigley until it was recommended to me. I brought the first book as, although debuts are not always the authors best, they certainly give you a feel for the sort of writer they are.

This book I eventually got round to, and I have to say I am very pleased that I did. The story starts by the reader meeting the Lumsdon family. The main characters seem to be the eldest daughter Kerry, but we also meet all the brothers and sisters, as well as their mother.

When a body is found on the infamous Seahills Estate Detective Inspector Lorraine Hunt joins the story. In addition to the body, Kerry’s younger sister Claire goes missing and pretty soon Lorraine is trying to solve both crimes.

The writing and characters I thought were great. Before reading this book I had read other reviews and found that some readers didn’t like the use of the word “yer”. I was a little baffled by this as I take it as a way of the author putting across the kind of characters in the story. I found it was no different to reading books where characters have a cockney accent and letters are frequently missing from words used.

I liked character of Lorraine but found it a little harder to warm to Kerry; having said that, I still enjoyed the book a great deal. The crime element of the story covers the murky world of kidnap and as the story came towards the end, it sped up and we reached what I thought was a pretty good ending.

I would probably say that as a debut this is a cracking book, but I am also guessing that like many authors her work has got better the more she has written. I have already ordered book two in the series and look forward to reading the next one.

88 Killer by Oliver Stark (Harper and Levine #2)

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My Rating: 5/5

Oliver Stark released his debut novel American Devil in 2010 which I devoured and absolutely loved. Sometimes when an author produces such a great debut there is an impending sense of doom. Maybe the next one won’t be as good? How can it be with such a great start? Thankfully Oliver Stark has not only produced a great debut, he has produced a second book that is equally as good.

I downloaded the Kindle version and didn’t realise that his second book is no less hefty than the first coming in at just under 500 pages. His first book introduced us to the two characters featuring in this story also. Denise Levene is a psychologist that was previously treating Tom Harper. Tom Harper is a copper that has a talent for catching the most evil of criminals. Both characters I fell in love with last time as they were a little different from the normal stereotypical characters. This time around we see them following the harrowing incident in the last book.

What I loved about the characters themselves is that Oliver Stark hasn’t pretended the characters are indestructible. In the beginning of the book we see both Tom and Denise struggling with their demons after the fall out of the last serial killer they were up against. It makes the characters a lot more likeable as they aren’t perfect. Sadly the two of them don’t have time to reflect for too long as before long they are drawn into the three cases that at first glance seem unconnected.

As with his last book I found the beginning a little slow to start. However, after reading two of his books I realise that this must be a style for him, where he starts off with the background and slowly make the pace pick up speed until you are unaware how fast you are reading!

The crimes and crime scenes are gruesome and extremely descriptive and you get a real feel for what is happening. After the first third of the book I was reluctant to put this down. If you didn’t know it you may mistake the author for being American as he gives a great backdrop for the American setting. He also doesn’t make it to easy, you really get an understanding that solving cases is not easy and that the characters make mistakes as well as having to really work to fit the pieces together.

This book is again a true testament to a fantastic new author; a man that has a real talent for this genre and I would highly recommend.

I Can See You by Karen Rose (Minneapolis #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

I am a pretty avid Karen Rose fan I must admit, and I have been slowly working through her older books I have yet to read. Before I started this one I glanced on other Amazon reviews to see what other people thought. One thing that frustrated me was a low rating this book was given due to the `romance’ aspect of it. The one thing I do know about Karen Rose, and something potential readers should know is that her genre is `romantic suspense’. The genre kind of gives it away, but if you only want murder and mystery and no more then maybe this isn’t for you. Myself, I see nothing wrong with a bit of romance and lust thrown in over a serial killer or two; I find it `lightens the load’ so to speak.

This book in particular, like many others of hers, is not a short one. The hardback is a pretty hefty weight and all in all has nearly 500 pages. As usual, it took me no more that one or two chapters to be drawn into the book. Once you have read a few of Karen Rose books you realise that various characters appear in more than one book. Although this is the case each of her books can be read as a stand alone. We meet Eve who is a woman (previously featuring in another book Nothing to Fear) with a past. She is trying to rebuild her life after a terrifying ordeal where she was kidnapped, tortured and left for dead. She works part time in a bar while studying her thesis which involves an online game called Shadowland.

The first thing that struck me about this book is the fact that this was a perfectly believable situation. With the online gaming world taking off it put the fear of God into me while reading it (ridiculous I know)! Pretty soon after meeting Eve we meet Noah Webster who is a copper with his own secrets and past. Along with his temperamental partner Jack we see them dragged into a case which should be a simple suicide. It becomes clear pretty quickly that it isn’t the case and before long they are dealing with a serial killer.

The story is quite long and detailed with numerous suspect possibilities and just when I thought I had it figured out, I realised I was wrong. I was wondering if this book was a bit too long but by the halfway mark I literally couldn’t put it down. Yes there is a predictable element of romance within the book and some pretty hot and steamy scenes towards the end, but to be fair the people involved had a very bad week and I think it was deserved:-)))

As I have read a fair few of her books now, I wouldn’t say this is my favourite but was still a riveting read as usual. Overall, another great book by Karen Rose and one that I would highly recommend.

PLAYING DEAD BY JESSIE KEANE (ANNIE CARTER #4)

My Rating: 5/5

**NOTE**SPOILERS**

If you haven’t read the previous Annie Carter books, you should read them and not read this review as it will inevitably contain spoilers!

I (for some reason) was under the impression that Annie Carter was part of a trilogy only and that after the third book that was the end. How wrong (and secretly delighted) was I when I realised her new book was featuring the one and only Annie Carter.

As those who have read her previous books will know she is now married to Mafia Mob boss Constantine Barolli. The book takes us straight into the action of Annie in New York with her husband before tragedy strikes. I must admit that it only took me a matter of two or three chapters before I was drawn into Annie’s world again hook line and sinker!

Annie’s life is once again in turmoil and as she heads back to London she has no idea what is in store for her. We once again see the old faithful characters re-appear that have featured in her previous books such as her friend Dolly who now runs the clubs in London for Annie, as well as Ellie and Chris who run the brothels.

In addition to the older friends we meet the newer members of Annie’s family in the form of her stepchildren, and what a bunch they are. Constantine’s three children were fabulous characters and I absolutely hated two of them from the very beginning.

Added to Annie’s pressures of her extended family is the re-appearance of her supposedly dead ex-husband Max which puts a completely different spin on what has happened in the series so far.

The story has incredible pace from the very beginning and we see a slightly more timid Annie try to get her life back together in London. In the beginning I was wondering what had happened to the feisty woman we met in the last three books but thankfully as she fights back to get her life together we once again see her character come back to life.

The book picks up pace nicely and the ending was brilliant (although I figured who the bad guy was around the halfway stage). Jessie Keane has yet again produced an outstanding book, and one that I think Annie Carter fans are going to love. Lots of twists and surprises all the way through, combined with brilliant writing made for a top notch read in my opinion. I suppose now all that’s left to do is count the days until the next Jessie Keane release.

Highly recommended, although I would suggest starting at the first book in the series to gain the background of Annie Carter!