Category: Crime, Thriller, Mystery

Review of Love Lies by Adele Park

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My Rating: 4/5

Remember that dream you had when you were younger about your favourite popstar. If only he could look at you or meet you and realise what you are truly like….he could fall in love with you. Adele Parks makes that dream a reality in this book. Don’t get me wrong this is complete and utter fantasy land reading but still…

Fern is coming up to 30 and decides to give her boyfriend Adam an ultimatum, marry her or leave.

After making her life’s decision to make or break Adam she bumps into Scottie Taylor, the UKs biggest and sexiest popstar. In true fanatasy land worlds they fall head over heels in love with each other at first sight. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that her dreams would turn into a reality. Before you know it, Scotty is doing the one thing that every woman in the UK wants, proposing to Fern in the most romantic way he knows how at his sell out gig in Wembly in front of thousands of people.

She is taken in by the whirlwind romance and before she realises it she is in LA, the land of dreams. She is living the celebrity life and planning her wedding all with her every whim catered for. As her life becomes all that she ever dreamt of she ends up wondering if it’s what she really wanted after all. Why on earth is whe wondering what life would be like back at her little flat in Clapham, and why does Adam keep popping into her head?

The characters are great although a little too typical and this isn’t like her usual style of book. I quite enjoy her books, maybe not as much as other chick lit authors however this was a little bit of fantasy reading which made a change. Her fans may not like this as it isn’t like her other books but I enjoyed every chapet (even the predictable ones). There are some funny moments in the book and I liked the character Fern.

 

The ending is very predictable and although this book isn’t the best that I have read it is pure escapism at it’s best. It is complete fairytale reading and would probably suit young girls in their late teens. However, although I may not be a teen anymore I certainly loved being transported back to the heady days where I believed dreams really could come true!

Lock Down by Sean Black (Ryan Lock and Ty Johnson #1)

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Synopsis: It may be Christmas Eve in New York, but for ex-military bodyguard Ryan Lock it’s business as usual. His task: to protect the CEO of the world’s largest bio-technology company from a group of radical, and highly determined, activists.

But when a failed assassination attempt leaves the streets of midtown littered with bodies, and hours later the son of the company’s chief research scientist is abducted from his Upper West Side prep school, Lock’s hunt for the boy turns into an explosive game of cat and mouse.
Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Well I am a fan of this type of book anyway and wondered whether this would be up to scratch. There is so much competition out there that it is hard to grab the readers attention but can honestly say that Sean Black certainly grabbed mine. This is the first novel with the lead character of Ryan Lock. Lock is an ex-soldier who now works for a Pharmaceuticals company. He runs the operations team there as an elite bodyguard. Things turn sour when an animal protest march goes wrong and Lock is working against the clock to find the people responsible. With his good friend and partner Ty, they hunt down one of the worlds most feared and dangerous women. The story runs smoothly from start to finish and is a real page turner. I loved the style of writing and the book kept me gripped from start to finish. We also meet Locks love interest in this book as well as his partner Ty and I can only hope that they all appear in his next book. I thought only Jack Reacher and Alex Cross were my favourite characters but I can now add Ryan Lock to that list!

The Neighbour by Lisa Gardner (DD Warren #3)

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My Rating: 4/5

I am a Lisa Gardner fan and was eagerly awaiting this book. This isn’t so much a follow on from the ‘Bobby Dodge’ series that she has done, it was more of an extension of the series. In the book we meed DD Warren who featured in the last two Bobby Dodge books (Alone and Hide). DD is a tough talking female cop who is on the trail of a missing woman. The Jones are a normal couple. It seems that Jason Jones and his wife Sandra along with their daughter Ree had a normal life, until Jason comes home and finds his wife missing. All there is to prove this theory is a broken lampshade and some missing bed sheets. DD starts the investigation and finds that Jason and Sandra’s life seems a little ‘too’ normal for her liking. After delving, we are introduced to possible suspects for Sandra’s dissapearance one of whom is registered in the sex offenders list and just happens to live on the same street as her. Sandra’s father is also an unknow in this case and DD doesn’t like the vibes she is picking up from him. She finds the case gets incredibly complicated the more she looks into both Sandra and Jason’s past.

This particular book had me (literally) on the edge of my seat. It gave so many suspect possibilities, along with quite a few scenarios that you wondered…”did they do it”. I think her descriptions of characters are fantastic and you end up having very strong feelings about them very early on (always a good sign I think). It was just what a good crime book needs and Lisa Gardner (yet again) has delivered it. As usual I will be placing my pre-order months before so I don’t miss out on her next book. FANTASTIC!

Genesis by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent #3)

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Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: After Karins last book I was a little unsure but have to say that this book has taken me back to being an avid fan again. After reading the last book, I missed the characters I had grown to love in previous books. However this book took us further into the lives of Will Trent and his partner at GBI, Faith Mitchell. These two along with Sara Linton make for fantastic characters which I am looking forward to seeing again in the next book. This story sees Will and Faith hunting a man that is abducting and torturing young women. Not only is the story fast paced and edgy but you get to learn about all their strange quirks and what their lives have held for them in the past. This book is a great grounding for the next one and leave the questions hanging in the air regarding Sara Linton, Faith and Will. There were no shortcuts in this book and although quite a hefty read it was well worth it. I think if you havent read Karin Slaughter before I would advise reading her books in order of publication, as you get to know the characters a lot more. You could still pick this book up and love it even having not read previous ones but think knowing more about Saras history makes for an even more thriling read. Cant wait for the next one

Relentless by Simon Kernick

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My Rating: 5/5

My Review: Having never read Simon Kernick this book was lent to me. I have to say this story grabbed me from chapter one and didn’t let go. It normally takes a couple of chapters to really engross yourself in a book but not in this case.

Tom Merron is playing with his children in the garden when a phone call comes in that will change his life forever. All he hears is his old and close friend Jack in agony and panting down the phone. He hears jack mutter the first two lines of his address and at the same time he realises he has just heard his friends final words. He knows then that his life along with his children and wife will never be quite the same. With fear in his heart he grabs his children before dropping them with his family and racing to his wife. When he arrives at his wife Kathy’s place of work at a University he realises that something is very wrong. He isn’t alone and when faced with somebody with a knife he has no clue whether his wife is safe or if this person is out to kill him. He escapes the University but gets arrested by the police who think he is the killer. When he has finally persuaded the police to release him he begins to wonder if it was a wise move. He is worried that he and his family’s life are in serious danger but wonders how he can stop it from happening. We also meet the DI Bolt who is on the case and trying to work out what on earth is going on and who is responsible.

The book is so fast paced and thrilling that I literally couldn’t put it down. I had that feeling that I just HAD to keep reading.Fantastic book with all the right ingredients. Will definately be reading more of his stuff.

Fatal Cut by June Hampson (Daisy Lane #4)

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Synopsis: Daisy Lane is gradually coming to terms with her troubled past, while building a future for herself and her two sons. Roy Kemp, the notorious gangster and Daisy’s former lover, is banged up in prison along with the Kray twins. Daisy wants to enjoy her new-found freedom, but must watch over Roy’s criminal empire in his absence, all the while attempting to continue her illicit relationship with Vinnie Endersby – just about the only straight-dealing copper in Gosport. But it isn’t long before another gangster decides to challenge Roy’s dominance…

While Roy counts his days to freedom, the criminal landscape is changing. Vice and extortion are being replaced by new pursuits – hard core pornography and drugs. Soon, the bodies of mutilated girls are found dumped around the outskirts of Gosport – the deadly product of a ruthless gang. Meanwhile, Daisy must make a difficult choice. The greater the threat to Roy’s empire, the more involved Daisy becomes in his life. But Vinnie and Daisy have waited years to be together. Will this be their chance at last?

Before Daisy can make any decisions, matters take a deadly turn – with Roy’s business under threat, she is forced to confront his enemies, and by doing so, puts her life and that of her sons, in desperate peril…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I discovered June Hampson quite recently and was absolutely bowled over by her writing. Shes as good if not better than Martina Cole. After reading the first three books in the Daisy Lane series I was more than excited to read this new one. We go back to the life of Daisy Lane and her business relationship with Roy Kemp, a big-time gangster, who although broke her heart, is still both her business partner and a big part of her life. We also come accross Vera who helps run Daisys business with her and her lover, detective Vinnie Endersby. Daisys life is complicated when one of her girls gets in trouble with a debt collector and another starts hitting the drugs. Vinnie is meanwhile trying to crack the case concerning girls going missing and pictures of dead women and children turning up. Fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable but just lacked a certain something that her last book had. Fantastic all the same. If you haven’t read them give them a go

8TH CONFESSION (WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB #8)

My Rating: 2/5

My Review – James Patterson has been writing a series of books which are part of the ‘Women’s Murder Club’ series. They involve four women who have all featured heavily in previous books. They are Lindsay, Cindy, Yuki and Claire.

The story for the 8th Confession focuses on two main threads. The first is a murder of a “saintly” homeless man and Cindy who is a journalist finds her senses telling her to keep on at this, and she is convinced there is a story there. The other thread features the serial murders of the rich society movers and shakers in the strangest manner. It appears they have all been killed by a snake bite. Lindsay and her partner Rich Conklin need to investigate the murders to find who is behind these strange killings. Yuki meanwhile is juggling her job as an attorney and falling for what she thinks is the man of her dreams.

I read this book just as quickly as other James Patterson books and found the pace pretty good but think that is down to the writing style as opposed to anything else. However I have to say I still felt that it was still a disappointment. The plot just didn’t seem to be there. It seemed to lack any substance and the four main characters that have featured in this series seem to have all changed personalities. What I loved about this series of books is that with each book you read you learn a little more about each of them. With this book, not only was the storyline lacking but so were the characters of the four women that we fans have come to know and love.

Usually the girls are brought together and fight together. This time round, you get glimpses of them all and only Lindsay and Cindy really stands out as being part of the plot line. Yuki and Claire barely get a mention. I am beginning to wonder if James Patterson has lost his touch with this series or if he is churning them out far too quickly?

Dead Simple by Peter James (Roy Grace #1)

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My Rating: 5/5

My Review – This book was passed to me by my Mum who claimed that it was “un-put-downable”. At the time I had just finished another book and decided to give it a go.

In this book, Michael Harrison is left in a life or death situation after four of his friends wind up dead after a Stag night prank gone wrong. The lead detective Roy Grace is on the case and with only three days until Michael is due to get married urgency is of the highest order. he starts with Michael’s distraught fiancee Ashley Harper. Roy Grace has his own demons as his own wife went missing a few years ago. The one person who should know Michael’s whereabouts, is the one person who seems to be avoiding the situation at all costs. Roy Grace is hot on the heels of any lead he can find and his only mission is to return Michael safe and sound in time for his wedding.

The first thing that struck me about this book was that the storyline (although maybe a little exageratted) was so unusual. It’s the first time an author has come up with something so different. Some of the scenes that are written had me holding my breath with fear, which is always a good sign for me. The book was fresh and new and the story line gripping and a complete page turner. I read the book in a matter of hours and must say it is one of the best books I have picked up in a long time. I would highly reccommend this book to anybody as I think it’s gripping. Peter James has me hook line and sinker!

Fractured by Karin Slaughter (Will Trent #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

I must say before I do this review that I am a huge Karin Slaughter fan and was VERY excited and waiting with baited breath for her new book. Maybe the reason I cannot decide how to rate this book is because I truly do love the characters Sara, Jeffrey and Lena who appear in other Karin Slaughter Books.

Karin Slaughter has released a series of books called ‘Grant County Series’ and they feature the characters of Sara Jeffrey and Len. This book is part of the ‘Atlanta’ series of books of which there has only been one so far.

Having said that this story features Will Trent who as a standalone character is a great guy. The opening of the book introduces us to Abigail Compano who has gone home and found every mothers worst nightmare. Her daughter is laying dead and there is a man standing over her with a knife. When a struggle breaks out Abigail doesn’t realise that it is about to change her life forever.

We then meet Special Agent Will Trent who gets teamed up with Detective Faith Mitchell to solve not only a murder but a kidnapping case. There are a lot of early twists and plot surprises so I won’t say too much for fear of adding spoilers to the review. They have to work in the relentless heat whilst not only trying to solve the case but dealing with each other as well as protecting the wealthy neighbourhood of Ansley Park.

Neither Will or Faith are perfect and between them they have a good working relationship but as the story develops you get to learn a bit more about each of them. Will suffers with dyslexia and goes to every length he can to hide this from everybody. He also has had an extremely difficult upbringing having been raised in an oprhanage.

I love the fact that Karin Slaughter does not go overboard with her characters being perfect. I think that this just makes them and the story a lot more believable. This story was definitely a page turner and a great read, I just think there may be something missing. I think I miss the characters from previous books such as Kisscut and A Faint Cold Fear as we have had many more books to get to know them. Maybe in the future Atlanta series I will get just as hooked as we see a bit more character development.

All in all I think this is crime writing at it’s best. Not only do we have ANOTHER great female author out there but she is up there with the best of them such as James Patterson, Mandasue Heller and Martina Cole.

Damaged Goods by June Hampson (Daisy Lane #3)

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Synopsis:  Things have been going too well for Daisy Lane. Her murdered lover, Eddie Lane, has left her comfortably off and his son little Eddie is adorable and a constant reminder of his father. The new man in her life, South London gangster Roy Kemp, looks out for her and is kind to little Eddie. But someone is watching Daisy’s every movement, like a predator choosing the perfect moment to pounce. He is a man with murder in his heart – a man obsessed with Daisy and enraged that she turned to Roy Kemp for love instead of him. He plans to teach Daisy a lesson she will never forget.

Set in 1966, DAMAGED GOODS re-acquaints us with several memorable characters from the previous books – notably Daisy’s friend Vera, queen of her massage parlour and the best mate a girl ever had, and Gosport policeman DS Vinnie Endersby who puts his job on the line for Daisy.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I read June Hampsons ‘Broken Bodies’ and had to order this one as it continues the life of Daisy Lane. The characters are fabulous and the last book made me anticipate this read just as much. This particular book carries on Daisys life with her gangster boyfriend Roy Kemp. However when she is abducted and has to fight for her survival it changes her outlook on life. This story was as good if not better than the last one and I think June Hampson is somebody to watch out for in the future. If her books get better with each one she writes she will be one of my favourite authors in the not too distant future. Recommended if you like Mandasue Heller and Kevin lewis and the like.