Best Crime Books and More

Summer Seaside Kitchen by Jenny Colgan (Mure 1)

Synopsis: Flora is definitely, absolutely sure that escaping from the quiet Scottish island where she grew up to the noise and hustle of the big city was the right choice. What was there for her on Mure? It’s a place where everyone has known her all her life, and no one will let her forget the past. In the city, she can be anonymous, ambitious and indulge herself in her hopeless crush on her gorgeous boss, Joel.

When a new client demands Flora’s presence back on Mure, she’s suddenly swept back into life with her brothers (all strapping, loud and seemingly incapable of basic housework) and her father. As Flora indulges her new-found love of cooking and breathes life into the dusty little pink-fronted shop on the harbour, she’s also going to have to come to terms with past mistakes – and work out exactly where her future lies…

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: I am a huge Jenny Colgan fan and was bewildered that somehow these Mure Books had passed me by. I figured to start at book 1 and make my way through them once I realised I definitely hadn’t read them and I am SO pleased that I did. My reading has over the years dipped and risen and lately although I have been enjoying reading a lot again, there are very few books that make me feel like I don’t want to put it down…until now.

So having recently finished a crime trilogy I wanted something a bit light-hearted to break the monotony of crime and thrillers. However, what I didn’t bank on was finishing this so quickly and immediately moving on to book 2! The thing that drew me in the most was the opening few chapters. It made me smile and then laugh and instantly I fell in love with Flora the main character. She was an Island girl that had moved to London and was currently working as a Paralegal. She has a ridiculous crush on her ridiculously rude boss Joel and when she is summoned to his office she has no idea what to expect.

When a new and rather rich big client needs help he demands that a local person from Mure help out as he now has property there which is where Flora gets dragged in. Even as a junior staff member, the fact she is a local on the small island of Mure in the northernmost part of Scotland means she is pulled in to help with the job.

From this point on as we watch Flora battle with her return journey home I fell in love literally every single page! From the wonderful characters that live in Muir, to Flora’s Father and brothers, literally every character ha=d their place and I just loved reading this book. When she returns to Mure as much as she has her own personal battles, she rediscovers her love for cooking and as such her life takes a very strange turn of events while she is back home.

I picked this book up at around 4pm and finished it that evening it was THAT enjoyable. Jenny Colgan has a true knack of creating places and people that you can fall in love with and empathise with too. The story and characters were wonderful and I have no intention of doing anything other than moving in to book 2 in Mure named A Very Distant Shore

The Innocent Ones by Neil White

51+5dZjEMkL Synopsis: Three lives cut short. Two decades of silence. One evil secret.

By day, the park rings with the sound of children’s excited laughter. But in the early hours of the morning, the isolated playground is cloaked in shadows – the perfect hiding place to conceal a brutal murder.

When London journalist, Mark Roberts, is found battered to death, the police quickly arrest petty thief, Nick Connor. Criminal defence lawyer, Dan Grant, along with investigator Jayne Brett, are called to represent him – but with bloody footprints and a stolen wallet linking him to the scene, this is one case they’re unlikely to win. Continue reading “The Innocent Ones by Neil White”

Sunset Over The Cherry Orchard by Jo Thomas

Synopsis: It’s time for Beti Winter to dance to her own beat.

After three failed engagements Beti is in desperate need of a fresh start. What better place than the sun-drenched hills of southern Spain?

But it’s not all sangria and siestas. Beti finds work on an old Andalusian cherry farm where there are cherries to be picked, trees to be watered and her fiery boss, Antonio, to win over.

As the sun toasts her skin, Beti finds herself warming to the Spanish way of life. Embracing the art of flamenco, she discovers there is much to learn from the dance of passion. She just has to let loose and listen to the rhythm of her heart.

My Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Sunset Over The Cherry Orchard by Jo Thomas”

The Darkness Around Her by Neil White (Dan Grant Trilogy #2)

See no evil . . .

When Lizzie Barnsley is murdered along a canal after escaping her abusive boyfriend, Dan Grant is called in to represent her alleged killer, Peter Box. The evidence is strong, but did he actually do it? He didn’t know Lizzie, so why would he kill her?

Hear no evil . . .

As Dan and his investigator, Jayne Brett, begin their case, they discover a number of murders and disappearances along the canals, including the brutal killing of fourteen-year-old Rosie Smith ten years earlier. Rosie’s stepfather Sean had been accused of her murder, but then Dan finds out that Peter tried to confess to that crime as well and was ignored.

Speak no evil . . .

With a client who won’t tell anyone what really happened, Dan and Jayne have their work cut out, but when it becomes clear that Peter Box can’t have been involved in every murder and disappearance, they realise that they may have stumbled on to something far more sinister.

But the clock is ticking and time is running out for the next victim . . . Continue reading “The Darkness Around Her by Neil White (Dan Grant Trilogy #2)”

BLOG TOUR: What She Did by Alex Kane

Synopsis: Beth
Beth is a woman running from her demons. Moving to Glasgow to escape the tragedy that ended with the death of her ex-boyfriend, she’s trying to build a new life, to tentatively find new love. But her past is following her, and try as she might, she can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her every move.

Victoria
Victoria is unhappily married to Greg. On their wedding day he told her he would love her until they grew old, but now he’s becoming secretive, staying out for ‘business meetings’ and growing distant from his wife. After finding incriminating texts on his phone, Victoria contacts an old friend for support, the one person in her life that has never let her down yet.

Lydia
Lydia knows she is the only one that can help Victoria. Jumping straight back into their friendship, despite the four-year absence from Victoria’s life, she vows to stop at nothing to help her get revenge. Good friends will do anything for each other, right?

But Lydia has made a new friend in Beth, and now, none of them are safe…

My rating: 4/5

My review: I absolutely LOVED this book. Based around three women Beth, Lydia and Victoria all of whom have their own pasts and all of them trying to move on with their life. I didn’t favour one character over another and at first they are all very separate as you learn about each of their lives.

Before long their stories intertwine and slowly things begin to emerge. As the book progresses I found myself more and more drawn into the story and I ended up reading the last three quarters of the book in one sitting. There was a particular part of the story I totally didn’t see coming which threw me. This also had a quite dark side to it and made it seem quite sinister but I truth it just made the book even more engaging. A truly fantastic read and one of highly recommend

The Mill on Magnolia Lane by Tilly Tennant

Synopsis: The sky is cornflower blue, the air is scented with the smell of fresh apple blossom and Lizzie Lovell can’t wait to start her new life in the mill on Magnolia Lane. But is she just about to fall in love with someone she shouldn’t?

When Lizzie loses her larger-than-life dad she doesn’t know how to move forward. Encouraged by a childhood dream she shared with her beloved father, she is determined to continue his legacy and moves to the old Mill on Magnolia lane, a place he had always longed to own.

Restoring the old windmill is a much bigger job than Lizzie bargained for, especially when she is distracted by her new next door neighbour Jude, who has temptingly twinkly eyes and a body to die for. But when Jude’s ex- girlfriend Harriet arrives back on the scene, Lizzie begins to wonder if life wasn’t far simpler before she moved to the mill. Especially when it emerges that Harriet knows something about Jude’s past, something that could shatter her new start and her heart into smithereens …

My Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “The Mill on Magnolia Lane by Tilly Tennant”

The Woman Next Door by Sue Watson

Synopsis: Lucy has a kind and adoring husband, a job she loves as a teacher, and a house on Mulberry Avenue with floaty curtains and the softest bed linen. After her troubled childhood, she knows life will never be perfect, but it’s pretty close.

She’s also got Amber, right next door. They never run out of things to talk about. Even if Amber’s life – with her high-profile job and handsome, wealthy boyfriend – is more glamorous than Lucy’s.

But then Amber starts to hint that her life isn’t all it seems, and when she comes to Lucy, terrified, saying that she’s getting threatening messages, Lucy promises to protect her. Continue reading “The Woman Next Door by Sue Watson”

Death Rope by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #11)

Synopsis: Mark Abbott is dead. His sister refuses to believe it was suicide, but only Detective Sergeant Geraldine Steel will listen.

When other members of Mark’s family disappear, Geraldine’s suspicions are confirmed.

Taking a risk, Geraldine finds herself confronted by an adversary deadlier than any she has faced before… Her boss Ian is close, but will he arrive in time to save her, or is this the end for Geraldine Steel?

My Rating: 4/5 Continue reading “Death Rope by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #11)”

BLOG TOUR: Dead Inside by Noelle Holten

Synopsis: When three domestic abuse offenders are found beaten to death, DC Maggie Jamieson knows she is facing her toughest case yet.

The police suspect that Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood – who is connected to all three victims – is hiding a dark secret. Then a fourth domestic abuser is brutally murdered. And he is Lucy’s husband.

Now the finger of suspicion points at Lucy and the police are running out of time. Can Maggie and her team solve the murders before another person dies? And is Lucy really a cold-blooded killer?

Rated: 5/5

My Review: Okay so I have to be completely honest here and say that I know Noelle as she first became a reviewer on my Blog, and not long after that we became firm friends. When she mentioned she would like to write a book, little did I realise that here I would be years later reading her debut novel. I also have to confess I was nervous going in, because all my friends, and some followers as well as authors know I am always honest about books. I mean what if I didn’t like it and had to say as much in the review? Well I was so busy worrying about all that I didn’t consider how I would feel if I started reading, and then realised that I hadn’t put the book down because it was so good? Thankfully, it seems the Universe has aligned Noelle with the job she was meant to do as her debut novel was written like she was a seasoned pro.

Lucy Sherwood is our main character and what a character she is. Instantly you are drawn into the story as it becomes very apparent that Lucy has two very separate lives. Her work life as a Probation Officer was genuinely authentic (and Noelle’s previous career knowledge shone through there) and she was a likeable character. However, then there is the issue of her home life which is nothing short of harrowing.

On the other side of the fence is DC Maggie Jamieson who is investigating the murders of 3 men with a history of violence and domestic abuse. Sadly for Lucy all three men had her as their Probation officer. When Lucy’s husband becomes the fourth victim all eyes turn to Lucy!

I really thought I would be able to pull some criticisms from this but I truly couldn’t. It kept me gripped from start to finish and fits the bill perfectly for what a true psychological thriller should be. I would absolutely recommend this to people, the only thing I would say is that it obviously does touch on domestic abuse and some of it is not easy to read. I would suggest if the subject matter is something you are sensitive to then this may not be to your taste, but I felt it was dealt with extremely well. I am thrilled that Noelle is finally writing as it’s pretty clear that this is what she should have been doing for a career! An amazing debut novel!

I Heart Hawaii (I Heart 8)

Synopsis: When you’re running away from real life, there’s only one place to go…

When Angela Clark’s best friend Jenny invites her to join a press trip to Hawaii, three days of sun, sea and sleep sounds like the perfect antidote to her crazed life.

At work in New York, she’s supposed to be the face of Having It All. But the only thing Angela feels she excels at is hiding in the printer cupboard, eating Mini Cheddars and watching Netflix on her phone and if this is living the dream, she’s more than ready to wake up.

A few days away with Jenny sounds like exactly what she needs but Angela’s talent for getting into a scrape guarantees nothing goes to plan – and not even the most beautiful beaches, blue skies and daiquiris will get her off the hook…

My Rating: 3/5

My Review: To be honest as much as I love this series I think it’s run it’s course and this seems to be (don’t quote me on it though) the last book in the series which I think it should be. Angela Clarke has been a great character to follow along with her mad friend Jenny and the rest of the gang. This follows Angela as she takes her first break away from her baby and leaves her in the capable hands of her husband Alex, while she flies off to Hawaii with Jenny and a whole crowd of people.

The story has its classic and very funny lines from all involved and as usual had me laughing along to some of the madness Angela gets herself involved in. But for me there was something missing in this book. There is a strain on the friendship between Ang and Jenny and although this is revealed and resolved later in the book, it felt like Jenny was the missing piece for a lot of this book.

There were some very funny moments during the Hawaii trip and Lindsey Kelk’s humour shines through like magic, but for me I was glad this was wrapped up the way it was and it ended the series well. It was a great way to say goodbye to the gang and leave the way clear for new characters and new books.