Tag: RATED 3/5

Burn by James Patterson (Michael Bennett #7)

Kat’s Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: Detective Michael Bennett finally returns to New York City – and to the most unsettling, horrific case of his career. At last, Detective Michael Bennett and his family are coming home to New York City. Thanks to Bennett, the ruthless crime lord whose vengeful mission forced the Bennett family into hiding has been brought down for good. Back in the city that never sleeps, Bennett takes over a chaotic Outreach Squad in Harlem, where he receives an unusual call: a man claims to have seen a group of well-dressed men holding a bizarre party in a condemned building. With no clear crime or evidence, Bennett dismisses the report. But when a charred body is found in that very same building, he is forced to take the caller seriously – and is drawn into an underground criminal world of terrifying depravity.

Kat’s Review: Mmmmm, I’m feeling a bit weird about this one. On the one hand the return of Michael Bennett and his clan was brilliant and fast-paced and all the usual descriptions. However, on the other hand there is a part of me that is a little bit disappointed in this latest release. Michael Bennett is fast becoming my favoured Patterson lead, and when he and his 10 kids and the nanny return to New York it seems like life is finally returning to normal. However as is always the case (especially in a Patterson book), normal is when you are managing a murder case or multiple killers!!! What threw me initially was Bennett’s re-assignment to a chaotic ‘outreach squad’ in Harlem. 

The outreach squad consists of coppers that aren’t wanted anywhere else. What happened though was the story and the characters were heating up nicely and I really started getting into the book. The initial storyline consisted of a bizarre complaint they had received from a man claiming to have seen a very bizarre party involving some well-dressed men. What at first seems like a complete waste of time, turns into the closest thing to a nightmare you could imagine. Now so far, so good right? Er, yes…but that is where it ends.

To my surprise, Patterson and Ledwidge then decide to throw in another case back on the Major Organised Crime desk involving some robberies that are rapidly getting bigger by the day. Add in some lovely romance between Bennett and Mary Catherine and finally a sick grandfather, and Bob’s your Uncle…your book is too crowded! Well, at least that how it seemed which is why I only rated it middle of the road. Lose the robberies, and the sick and ageing grandparent and the book would have been another belter? Instead it seemed like they had to cram in as much as humanly possible and then wrap it all up neatly with a bow on top.

 Unfortunately this latest Bennett just didn’t hit the spot. This is too busy, but with essentially a fantastic main storyline (Such a shame). I will as always look forward to the next one and just hope it’s not as disjointed as this one.

The Two by Will Carver (January David #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

Availability: Paperback, Kindle, Audio, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis: They Kill Without Mercy. Disappear Without Trace. They are The Two.

And now the stakes are raised once more for Detective January David. 5 lie dead, brutally murdered – the first taken on the night of Halloween and as autumn bleeds into winter more ritualistic murders are discovered. January must battle his demons, for in his mind lies the clue to stopping a ruthless murderer.

But his worst nightmares have literally come true when he discovers there’s not one but two twisted killers on the loose …

My Review: Okay firstly I need to point out that if you aren’t into the supernatural element then this book may not be for you. But having said that, it’s still clear that Will Carver is a great author and one that I want to carry on reading, despite the fact this wasn’t maybe my favourite type of book. If you plan on reading book one first (which I would recommend) then don’t read on as the review will inevitably contain spoilers. 

January David is the lead character and in the first book in the series and we meet him once again following his harrowing case from book one. In this second book, its clear he is still battling demons and coming to terms with the things his mind portrays to him. The synopsis makes it clear that January is chasing two killers, however the leading few chapters can be a little bewildering. If you go with the flow, eventually the reader sees the distinction between the two but its certainly not easy.

The writing, as with the first, is fantastic and I really like the unusual style Carver uses. As the reader we get to see the chapters written from the first person whether that be the killer, January himself or the victims. There is something very refreshing about this style of writing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The parts I didn’t enjoy so much were the sometimes muddled descriptions of January’s visions and the supernatural element is certainly clear to see in book 2.

Because of this, and the fact that this isn’t my favourite type of story, it maybe lessened the enjoyment for me. That aside, I really like reading about January and you feel like he is trying to find his way. Jan’s two colleagues Murphy and Paulson return as well adding to the continuity of the series. The book certainly had talent and pace, but it felt like the story jumped around too much and if I’m honest I didn’t feel that it was anywhere near as good as the first story. I will certainly go on reading Will Carver and this series, with the hope that book 3 is a little less frenzied. Of course like I said in the beginning, if you are a fan of the supernatural, maybe this will be more to your taste.

What Might Have Been by Matt Dunn

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My Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: A year ago, Evan and Sarah shared one incredible night. Then Evan’s music—the thing that brought them together—suddenly tore them apart.

Since then, Evan’s not been able to forget about her. And try as she might, Sarah can’t seem to get over him either.

With time running out, Evan’s got one last chance to convince her that the two of them were meant to be. But is one night enough for Sarah to make a decision about the rest of her life—even if it was the best night of her life? And if she doesn’t believe in love at first sight, how can Evan persuade her that what they had will last?

My Review: I have liked some of Matt Dunn’s previous books but for some reason this book just left me feeling really impartial (I HATE that!). Evan and Sarah are the lead characters in this book and Evan is a pretty decent guy. He’s a musician who plays the saxophone and had his 10 minutes of fame back in the day. Sarah is an American who happens to stop by a jazz club and sees Evan play. It takes her back to her childhood when her father used to play the sax in clubs. What results is a reckless night together. However events after that one night mean they go their separate ways for a year.

Sarah in the beginning was a reasonably likeable character, however as the book progressed she just irritated me. Whilst Evan goes off to another country Sarah is left behind and her life inevitably changes. When Evan returns he just can’t stop thinking about Sarah and is determined to make Sarah see they are meant to be together. The writing was good as usual, and there is certainly nothing lacking in Matt Dunns ability to write a cracking story. For me though, the character Sarah got worse as the book progressed to the point where I couldn’t have cared less about her.

There are additional characters that make appearances such as Mel (didn’t get enough time in the book in my opinion) and David (who I also couldn’t stand). I read this to the end and it was certainly an easy read. But sadly, it just wasn’t as good as other books he has written. Maybe the character thing was just my issue, because normally I can really take to characters. However, this being one of the major factors for me made me mark it down. Sarah’s incessant whining and to-ing and fro-ing quite frankly gave me a headache. I will still look forward to Matt’s future work in the hope I will love the next set of characters he creates.

Poppy Does Paris by Nicola Doherty (Short Story)

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My Rating: 3/5

Availability: Kindle, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis: The first instalment in this hilarious, romantic and un-putdownable five-part series. Perfect for fans of Lindsey Kelk’s I Heart… novels.

Paris. City of love, city of romance. The last place you want to go to on a work trip when you’re in the middle of an epic dry spell. But that’s where Poppy is headed, along with her colleague Charlie, who’s shallow and annoying but very, very good-looking. During a white-wine-fuelled session with her friend Alice, Poppy concocts the perfect plan: work by day, and have some no-strings fun with Charlie by night. Of course, it might prove a little more complicated than that, but it’s nothing Poppy can’t handle – or is it?

Girls on Tour is an irresistible series of interlinked stories about four friends, ordinary girls who have extraordinary fun in faraway places. Expect the unexpected, the utterly hilarious and unforgettable, on this rollercoaster ride of love, laughs, surprises and sparks. You have a VIP pass to join each girl’s adventure, so pack your bags and buckle your seatbelts, because just about anything is possible…

My Review: The first thing I need to mention is that this is a short story. AT only 66 pages long, it’s a VERY short story. When you look at the title and details on Amazon it isn’t very clear that it’s a short story (which is a little bit annoying). That aside we meet Poppy, the Editor who is on her way to Paris with her colleague Charlie to try and wow an author into signing with them. Poppy is likeable, as is Charlie and Nicola Doherty does a great job of describing Paris. 

However, at 66 pages you don’t get a lot of story, and if I’m being 100% honest this is the reason I am not a lover of short stories. Just as you are beginning to get to know the characters they leave you. I suppose if you like short stories this will be very enjoyable and I can certainly see how she is compared to the likes of Lindsey Kelk. I think I liked this enough to maybe read the rest of the Girls on Tour but my preference would definitely be a full length , especially  as I really enjoyed Nicola Doherty’s debut so much.

This particular series has a number of books, all featuring friends from the same group, and all short stories, and they are as follows:-

Poppy Does Paris – Girls on Tour 1 (June 2014) 

Lily Does LA – Girls on Tour 2 (Sept 2014)

Maggie does Meribel Girls on Tour 3 (Dec 2014)

Rachel Does Rome – Girls on Tour 4 (Feb 2015)

Cruel Justice by M A Comley (Justice Series #1)

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My Rating: 3/5

Availability: Paperback, Kindle, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis: The headless body of a wealthy widow is discovered decomposing in Chelling Forest. Then a second victim is found. Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins and her partner, DS Pete Childs are assigned the case.

Before they can discover the identity of the killer they must make a connection between the two victims.

After a third murder, Lorne receives a grisly surprise. Clearly, a vicious serial killer is on a rampage…and Lorne has become the killer’s fixation.

 Lorne can’t allow her failing marriage or her new boss–a man with whom she shares a sensuous secret–keep her from focusing on her job. She must catch the macabre murderer, or risk becoming the next victim.

My Review: I was looking forward to reading the first in the Justice Series by Mel Comley as I keep seeing such great things about it. I am however very behind considering I think she has now released book 10 in the series’ most recently. Detective Lorne Simpkins is the main lead of this series and it seems from the very beginning that all is not well in her marriage. Along with her partner DS Pete Childs they seem to work long and laborious hours. When a headless body is found, it seems their next long and arduous case has been found.

I certainly liked Lorne however although she was a good character and the writing was pretty good, there were parts of the story that felt a bit too stilted and maybe not as realistic as they could have. We meet additional characters but none that leave you wanting to know too much more. The story was interesting and certainly kept me reading, but there were parts that just weren’t authentic enough for me.

Having said all of that, the writing was great and flowed well and although Lorne may not be a favourite character she held my interest. I think that this is a great start to a series, and am pretty sure that Mel Comley, like other authors has just improved with each book she writes. I am actually looking forward to how this series progresses and have already ordered book 2. Certainly a series that has a lot of potential and is great for people looking for new authors. 

The Burning Girl by Mark Billingham (Tom Thorne #4)

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My Rating: 3/5

Availability: Hardback, Paperback, Kindle, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis: A MAN WHO KILLS FOR MONEY

X marks the spot – and when that spot is a corpse’s naked back and the X is carved in blood, DI Tom Thorne is in no doubt that the dead man is the latest victim of a particularly vicious killer.

A BRUTAL VENDETTA

This is brutal turf warfare between north London gangs. Organised crime boss Billy Ryan is moving into someone else’s patch, and that someone is not best pleased.

A COP WHO IS PLAYING WITH FIRE

And when an X is carved on DI Tom Thorne’s front door, he knows the smouldering embers of this case are about to erupt into flames…

 My Review: I have thoroughly enjoyed the Thorne series up until now, however I have to be honest and say that I struggled a little bit with this latest book (the 4th in the series).  The writing itself is still great although in this particular book I found it more difficult to get into the story. When corpses appear with an X marked into their skin, Thorne is as usual tied up with the case. Enter the organized crime Boss Billy Ryan and the stage is set. However, for some reason the booked lacked the spark that previous books have had.

Recurring characters such as Chamberlain and Tughan appeared but I just felt like they didn’t go anywhere. I’m actually struggling to review this book as although it was far from terrible, it almost felt like it was written in a hurry or without any real spark, which is certainly a world away from the usual Billingham style. The chapters flowed relatively well but the overall feeling was that it was failing to spark any real interest, beyond completing another stage of the Thorne books.

I’m still certainly a fan of Chamberlain and hope we continue to see her in future books. However, I was disappointed with the lack of characters featured such as Holland and Hendricks. It may sound like I am being really picky and I promise you I’m not. I’m sadly failing to be all that articulate either, but I think you get the gist. Overall, it seems like this book was solidly written but lacked it’s usual oomph! Having said that I will eagerly move onto book 5 as soon as my ridiculously long reading list allows!

Lost Souls by Neil White (McGanity and Garrett #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

Availability: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Nook and Kobo

Synopsis: A woman is found brutally murdered on a quiet housing estate, her tongue and eyes ritualistically gouged out.

Children are being abducted and then returned to their family’s days later without a scratch and with no knowledge or where they have been – or with whom. If DC Laura McGanity thought moving from London to sleepy Lancashire was taking the easy option then she can think again. Already worried about uprooting young son Bobby to follow her reporter boyfriend Jack Garrett back to his hometown, she must quickly get a handle on these mystifying cases terrifying the people of Blackley – without putting the local officers’ noses out of joint.

Meanwhile, restless Jack is itching to get back to his writing and the cases provide the perfect opportunity to do so. But as he delves deeper into them, he finds murky connections between the two crimes and skeletons buried in the most unlikely of closets.

Most astonishing of all, he meets a man who ‘paints’ the future – terrible events come to him in vivid dreams which he then puts onto canvas. This ‘precognition’ is not so much a gift as a curse and to Jack it becomes terrifyingly that many people, including his own family, are in danger…

My Review: I enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to getting stuck in to book 2. This time around Laura and Jack have relocated from London back up to Lancashire and are starting afresh. I liked both Jack and Laura in the first book and nothing has changed since then. They are easy to read characters and the writing has a nice easy flow about it. The opener of this latest book sets the scene for what Laura will have to deal with working alongside new colleagues in her job as a police officer.

Laura’s colleague on the job Pete was a really good character and one that I hope I get to see again. However, nobody else within the book made that much of an impression on me. The storyline was certainly okay, but in my opinion it didn’t feel strong enough. That may sound slightly ‘wishy-washy’ but it’s the only description I can think of. There is quite a lot of action and when the characters are introduced they all seem to interlink somewhere along which certainly kept me interested. I just couldn’t help but feel like something was missing and whatever that something was, it just didn’t make the story that memorable for me.

Jack and Laura obviously clash heads within their personal lives due to the nature of their respective careers. However, with that in mind I couldn’t help but feel like that rule only applied when the story suited. Overall, I am finding this review hard to write, or even explain in any great details. What I will say is that it’s certainly not a bad book, just one that could do with being better. Seeing as Neil White has such a great following and has gone on to write another 3 in this series I will certainly be continuing in the hope that the next book doesn’t leave me feeling the same way.

Fatal Act by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #6)

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My Rating: 3/5

 Synopsis: A glamorous young TV soap star dies in a car crash. Returning for her sixth case, Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel is baffled as the driver of the second vehicle miraculously survives – and vanishes. Another young actress is murdered and, once again, the killer mysteriously disappears. Geraldine unwittingly risks her sergeant’s life in their struggle to track down a serial killer who leaves no clues.

 My Review: I have read all of the books in the Geraldine Steel series and this is the 6th book in the series. The series has changed somewhat with her colleague Ian Peterson leaving Geraldine (and now having his own series of books), and Geraldine relocating to London. This latest book starts off with a particularly exciting scene involving a glamorous young TV star who dies in a fatal road accident. When Geraldine is called in it appears to be a standard collision, except for the fact that the driver of the other vehicle appears to have vanished into thin air.

At first I was completely caught up in the story and it all felt like we were back in the middle of an exciting case. Sadly, a few more chapters in, and it kind of felt like it came to a bit of a standstill. I am most definitely a fan of this series but felt like this book was a little bit safe and it seemed we were veering into familiar territory. There was quite a bit of detail while the officers involved followed the case and we certainly see Geraldine interact with her new colleagues including Nick and Sam. We also see a brief appearance if Ian Peterson, and if I’m honest it felt like Geraldine and him just ‘worked’ and as soon as we went back to present day I found myself feeling uncomfortable again.

I think this latest story (although not a bad read) was a little too predictable and certainly laying too much on the safe side. The series having now split Geraldine and Ian Peterson leaves me still undecided about how well it works. I really enjoyed the last Geraldine Steel book (which didn’t include Ian Peterson, but this one just didn’t sit well with me. I feel like the characters are still finding their feet and I’m hoping that the next instalment feels more right than this one. I am most definitely a fan of these books and think that Leigh Russell is a talented writer. Whether or not the split in the series was a good move or not? I’m still undecided. I can only hope that the next books in the respective series put me right.

Scaredy Cat by Mark Billingham (Tom Thorne #2)

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My Rating:3/5

Synopsis: It was a vicious, calculated murder. The killer selected his victim at Euston station, followed her home on the tube, strangled her to death in front of her child. At the same time, killed in the same way, a second body is discovered at the back of King’s Cross station. It is a grisly coincidence that eerily echoes the murder of two other women, stabbed to death months before on the same day… It is DI Tom Thorne who sees the link and comes to the horrifying conclusion. This is not a serial killer the police are up against. This is two of them. Finding the body used to be the worst part of the job. Not any more. Now each time a body is found, Thorne must live with the knowledge that somewhere out there is a second victim, waiting to be discovered. But the whilst the methods might be the same Thorne comes to realise that he is hunting two very different killers. One is ruthless and in control, while his partner in crime is submissive, compliant, terrified. 

 Thorne must catch a man whose need to manipulate is as great as his need to kill; a man who will threaten those closest to Thorne himself; a man, who will show him that the ability to inspire terror is the deadliest weapon of all…

My Review: Okay so I know this is only my second Thorne book, but in comparison to the first book this one didn’t have as much, shall we say shine, as the first one. In the first book I was quite gripped, but with this one the first quarter of the book seemed to be quite hard going. The things I love about a series, and this one as well is getting to know characters. Thorne is actually quite a hard character to get to grips with, but I actually like him more for that reason. I’m also quite fond of his colleague Holland, and in this book we see more of him than in book 1.

This latest case involves not one but two killers and the key to it all is what they struggle with. As usual the murders themselves have an air of creepiness about them (which is always a bonus in my eyes) but the actual story felt a bit boggy. I apologise for my descriptions (this is why I am a reader and NOT a writer). Do you know what I mean though, you are enjoying it, but you just feel like its all too much effort?!?

The only other reason I didn’t enjoy this as much is that I had worked the killer out by just after the halfway mark. I know this is sometimes a sticking point for people, and sometimes it irritates me and other times not so much. I think the fact that this story was plodding rather than racing, meant I fell into the ‘irritated’ group for guessing the killer. That aside, there are flashes of genius in the writing and I can see that this series is one that I bet will improve as time goes on. Although this was just middle of the road for me I’m actually looking forward to book 3.

Watching Over You by Mel Sherratt

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My Rating: 3/5

Availability: Paperback and Kindle

Synopsis: Following the death of her husband and unborn child, Charley Belington sells the family home and bravely starts life over again. On moving into a new flat, she is befriended by her landlady, Ella, who seems like the perfect friend and confidante.

But, unbeknown to Charley, Ella is fighting her own dark and dirty demons as the fallout from a horrific childhood sends her spiralling down into madness—and unspeakable obsessions.

 As Ella’s mind splinters, her increasingly bizarre attentions make Charley uneasy. But with every step Charley tries to take to distance herself, Ella moves in a tightening lockstep with her, closer and closer and closer…

My Review: I feel pretty torn with my opinion on this book. I have read the first of Mel’s Estate books and really enjoyed it. It’s also clear from reading this latest of her books that she has bundles of talent and is overall a great writer. For some reason though, this book just didn’t sit all that well with me. I liked Charley Belington and the reader gets to see this brave woman try to get over the death of her husband. She is trying to move on and that means moving out of the home she shared with her husband Dan. When she moves into a new flat she meets the Landlady Ella who seems like an ideal friend.

At first Ella seems to be the ideal landlady and is going out of her way to welcome Charley into her new home. What the reader soon discovers is that Ella has her own demons and her horrific upbringing is seemingly now responsible for the adult she is becoming. It was clear from pretty early on that Ella has some serious issues and I thought that Mel Sherratt handled them in a way that made the reader understands a little more the way that their minds work. It certainly brings to the forefront the major issue with mental healthcare that many people still shy away from.

We also see neighbours that are part of the plot line appear and in their own way, they become part of Ella and Charley’s lives without them even being aware of it. The one thing I really did like is the plot thread that brought them all together. I thought this was probably the highlight of the book and cleverly done. For me though, I just felt like certain parts of the book were too repetitive and that it felt a little like overkill on certain issues. The book certainly had great pace and the storyline itself and suspense kept you reading. I just felt like overall, there were some things that were too much in my opinion. I’m certainly not prudish or shy (nothing could be further from the truth), but the sexual elements of the story seemed too much and I wasn’t sure they needed to be as much at the forefront as they were.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, but I felt like it was let down by a few things. No doubt Mel Sherratt will go on and produce even more amazing books such as she has been doing for some time. This is by no means indicating that the lady doesn’t have talent because she does. I just feel like this (in comparison to the Estate books), doesn’t do her the justice she deserves. Will no doubt be a winner with the majority, just didn’t quite do it for me.