Tag: RATED 4/5

SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER BY CAROL WYER (NATALIE WARD 7)

Somebody's Daughter Synopsis: One by one the girls disappeared…

When the frail body of a teenage girl is discovered strangled in a parking lot, shards of ice form in Detective Natalie Ward’s veins. As Natalie looks at the freckles scattered on her cheeks and the pale pink lips tinged with blue, she remembers that this innocent girl is somebody’s daughter…

The girl is identified as missing teenager Amelia Saunders, who has run away from home and her controlling father. Natalie’s heart sinks further when it becomes clear that Amelia has been working on the streets, manipulated by her violent new boyfriend Tommy.

A day later, another vulnerable girl is found strangled on a park bench. Like Amelia, Katie Bray was a runaway with connections to Tommy, and Natalie is determined to find him and track down the monster attacking these scared and lonely girls.

But when a wealthy young woman is found murdered the next morning, the word ‘guilty’ scrawled on her forehead, Natalie realises that the case is more complex than she first thought. Determined to establish a connection between her three victims, Natalie wastes no time in chasing down the evidence, tracing everyone who crossed their paths. Then, a key suspect’s body turns up in the canal, a mole in Natalie’s department leaks vital information and everything seems to be against her. Can Natalie stop this clever and manipulative killer before they strike again?

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: Things have changed greatly over the course of the last 6 books and as a new case is brought to the team everybody has different roles. Natalie is now DCI and as such this means Lucy Carmichael steps up to run and oversee the investigation. It was strange to see them in new roles and it was clear from the characters that this certainly isn’t an easy adjustment for any of them.

The absolute worst case possible is also the first for Natalie to oversee and Lucy to run with the death of a teenage girl. As usual the team all get stuck in, and although I feared Natalie wouldn’t be as involved it soon became apparent that she most certainly would be. For me one of the strengths about this series is the fantastic balance between the crimes being committed and the personal lives of all the characters.

We get to see Natalie adjusting to now living with Mike following the breakdown of her marriage. We also get glimpses of the team working the case and this is what makes for such an interesting and easy to read book by Wyer. This storyline in terms of the murder team wasn’t necssarily my favourite but as usual there is plenty of action going on and as areader you feel totally engaged. Another highly enjoyable book in this series.

THE SECRET ADMIRER BY CAROL WYER (NATALIE WARD 6)

The Secret AdmirerSynopsis:  Sasha’s eighteen-year-old daughter Gemma was all she had in the world. Sasha fell pregnant with Gemma when she was still at school, and the two are as close as sisters. So when Gemma’s burned and broken body is found, Sasha’s world ends. What kind of person would want her beautiful daughter dead?

Leading the case is Detective Natalie Ward, scarred by her own recent tragedy. When she finds a note in Gemma’s diary from ‘a secret admirer’, she moves quickly, determined to un-mask them. But interviews with Gemma’s devastated ex-boyfriend, and her charismatic teacher, who has been seen embracing his student far away from the classroom, don’t give Natalie the answers she’d hoped for…

And then the case takes a devastating, personal twist. CCTV footage reveals Natalie’s estranged husband David followed Gemma home every evening the week before she died.

Natalie is forced to put personal feelings aside and follow procedure, even though she can’t believe David could be guilty. But when Gemma’s housemate is found murdered, Natalie thinks the killer could still be at large. Is she right to trust her instincts about David and can she discover the truth before another precious life is taken? Continue reading “THE SECRET ADMIRER BY CAROL WYER (NATALIE WARD 6)”

THE SLEEPOVER BY CAROL WYER (NATALIE WARD 4)

THE SLEEPOVERSYNOPSIS: When fourteen-year-old Roxy says she’s going for a sleepover at her best friend Ellie’s house, Cathy sees no reason to check her daughter’s story. The two families are neighbours, and the girls are in and out of each other’s homes every day.

It is a decision she will regret. A day later, Roxy is found murdered in exclusive Linnet Lane, miles across town, in a house owned by two brothers with no apparent connection to Roxy. Detective Natalie Ward, called to lead the investigation, is determined to get to the bottom of why Roxy was in the basement of this grand Victorian mansion when she should have been eating chocolate in her pyjamas with her best friend.

As Natalie begins to look closely at Roxy’s stepfather and three brothers, she discovers that Roxy had recently been admitted to hospital with suspicious injuries. Her mother Cathy seems very jumpy and Ellie refuses to talk. Who are the people that knew Roxy best in the world protecting?

Then Roxy’s mother Cathy disappears.

When Cathy’s body is discovered close to where her daughter was found, Natalie is forced to face the grim fact that the killer is just getting started. She is troubled by the reaction of Roxy’s brother Seth to the tragedies and when his alibi falls through she brings him in for questioning, certain she is making headway.

But while Seth is in custody, one of Roxy’s school friends is found murdered and Natalie knows she must cast her net wider. Things take a more sinister turn when Ellie vanishes, her mobile phone switched off. What is Ellie hiding about the night Roxy died that could put her in terrible danger? And can Natalie work it out before another innocent life is taken? Continue reading “THE SLEEPOVER BY CAROL WYER (NATALIE WARD 4)”

THE DARE BY CAROL WYER (NATALIE WARD 3)

43704495
Synopsis: When thirteen-year-old Savannah Hopkins doesn’t come straight home from school as she always does, her mother Jane immediately raises the alarm. With her blonde ponytail and red school jumper, someone must have spotted Savannah.

Detective Natalie Ward is determined to help the distraught mother – her own daughter is the same age as Savannah. But before Natalie and her team can get started, their worst fears are confirmed when the teenager’s broken body is found in nearby shrubland.

Evidence points towards a local recluse, but just as Natalie closes the net around him, one of Savannah’s friends, Harriet, is reported missing. Harriet might look grown up and sophisticated but she is only fourteen…

As Natalie delves into the lives of both girls, she soon discovers a sinister video on both their phones, daring the girls to disappear from their families for 48 hours. She’s sure this is the key to the case, but before she can act, Harriet’s body is found discarded on a roadside.

Natalie’s superiors don’t have to put any extra pressure on her. Devastated, she and her team work without sleep, watching that video over and over. But just as she thinks they’re getting close, the person Natalie loves more than anything goes missing.

Natalie is no stranger to loss. She is terrified and the clock is ticking. Can she push through her fear to catch this depraved killer, before her loved one becomes the next victim?

Rated: 4/5

My Review: Because I went straight from book 2 on to book 3 no introduction was needed and I was keen to see what the gang were up to now. Of course another time and another murder investigation! This however seems to be only the tip of the iceberg as another girl goes missing. What makes this whole scenario even worse is that our lead character Natalie has a daughter the same age as these girls that are being found murdered and going missing.

There is an added element to this latest story as the reader experiences flashbacks from the killer which makes you wonder who this person is. Once again we also get to see a little more of the team and their personal lives. On the flip side of the work, Natalie’s home life is becoming more fraught as her marriage is under serious strain. I cannot say I am disappointed as I absolutely loathe David as a character and think Natalie needs to move on from him.

Overall, another brilliant read and once again this made me want to continue reading about everybody so straight onto the next book I go!!!

LAST LULLABY BY CAROL WYER (NATALIE WARD 2)

42510908Synopsis: Charlotte’s baby is safe. But is she?

When the body of young mother Charlotte Brannon is discovered by her husband in their immaculate, silver bedroom, Detective Natalie Ward is first on the scene. The killer has left a chilling calling card: the word ‘Why?’ written on the wall in blood.

Determined to find justice, Natalie quickly discovers the husband is hiding a troubled past, and she’s sure the teenage babysitter’s alibi doesn’t quite add up.

But before Natalie can dig deeper, another mother is murdered, her young son left distraught, staring at a fresh ‘who’scrawled beside her.

Natalie knows it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again, but all the key suspects have alibis. It’s her toughest case yet, and with her marriage hanging by a thread, the cracks are beginning to show.

Just when Natalie finds an unsettling clue she thinks could solve the case, another young woman and her baby disappear, and a member of Natalie’s team is put in terrible danger.

Can Natalie stop this twisted killer and save one of her own before more families are torn apart forever?

Rated: 4/5

My Review: It’s been a long time since I read the first book in this series but starting at book 2 after so long made no difference. This small but mighty team of coppers comprise Natalie, Lucy, Ian and Murray. They are faced with solving the murder of a young mother Charlotte Brannon. It’s a grisly scene and even more disturbing is the writing on the wall and the fact that her young baby is perfectly unharmed in the other room.

This book got me straight back into this small team and really get a feel for all of the individual characters. The storyline surrounding the murder is well plotted and fast paced and certainly kept me interested. I also loved the fact that we got to see into Natalie’s personal life and I have to be honest and say I loathe her husband David. I read this in a few days and thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so that I decided to continue my binge read of this series and totally catch up.

I still believe that the Robyn Carter series has the edge over this one as I absolutely LOVE that series but think this could become just as good given time!

FATAL WITNESS BY ROBERT BRYNDZA (ERIKA FOSTER 7)

81GSy6qhUpL._SL1500_

Synopsis: How do you find a killer who has destroyed all the evidence?

Detective Erika Foster is on a late-night walk near her new house in Blackheath when she stumbles upon the brutal murder of Vicky Clarke, a true-crime podcaster.

Erika is assigned to the case and discovers that Vicky had been working on a new podcast episode about a sexual predator who preys on young female students around South London, staking out his victims in their halls of residence before breaking in at the dead of night.

When Erika discovers that Vicky’s notes and sound recordings were stolen from her flat at the time of her murder, it leads her to believe that Vicky was close to unmasking the attacker, and she was killed to guarantee her silence.

The case takes on a disturbing twist when the body of a young Bulgarian student doctor is discovered in the same building, and this makes Erika question everything she thought she knew about Vicky. With very little evidence, the clock is ticking to find the killer before he strikes again.

My Rating : 4/5

Review: Erika has moved into her new home in Blackheath and as she takes a stroll one evening she hears a bloodcurdling scream. When she arrives at where the sound is coming from she is confronted with a horrific murder scene and instantly calls in her team. Vicky Clarke, a true-crime podcaster has been murdered and found by her sister. It turns out that Vicky has been investigating a series of historical sexual crimes and Erika suspects she may have got too close.

The story unfolds in a number of ways and there area number of threads running through the story which keep it very interesting. It’s also very well paced meaning I managed to read the book in pretty much three straight sittings. The one thing I loved about this latest book is the foray into Erika’s personal life and it’s great to see some developments there. I can only hope we continue to see that going forward in future books. Another great read in this series.

DEADLY SECRETS BY ROBERT BRYNDZA (ERIKA FOSTER 6)

Deadly Secrets

Synopsis: Synopsis: On an icy morning, a mother wakes to find her daughter’s blood-soaked body frozen to the road. Who would carry out such a killing on the victim’s doorstep?

Straight off her last harrowing case, Detective Erika Foster is feeling fragile but determined to lead the investigation. As she sets to work, she finds reports of assaults in the same quiet South London suburb where the woman was killed. One chilling detail links them to the murder victim – they were all attacked by a figure in black wearing a gas mask.

Erika is on the hunt for a killer with a terrifying calling card. The case gets more complicated when she uncovers a tangled web of secrets surrounding the death of the beautiful young woman.

Yet just as Erika begins to piece the clues together, she is forced to confront painful memories of her past. Erika must dig deep, stay focused and find the killer. Only this time, one of her own is in terrible danger…

My Rating : 4/5

Review: It’s been a LONG time since I last read this series and decided it was high time I got back to it. As soon as I started and was a mere two chapters in it was like I had never been away. Erika is her same bristly self and we start by seeing her attending a scene instead of attending a Christmas Dinner. On the icy December morning a woman’s blood-soaked body is found frozen just steps from her own front door. The victim Marissa is found by her mother Mandy and the scene is not a pleasant one.

Marissa was only in her twenties and was a burlesque dancer, but one with what soon shows is many secrets. In addition to the murder there have been reports in the area of people getting attacked by a person dressed in black wearing a gas mask. Erika and her team have their work cut out for them as they try to unravel some of Marissa’s secrets and try to work out who the killer is.

Although we are now into book 6 in the series it still feels like a solid series with lots of life in it. I am glad I have revisited this series after so long away and will eagerly move onto book 7

FLESH AND BLOOD BY CAROLINE MITCHELL (DI AMY WINTER 4)

Flesh & BloodSynopsis:

A string of suicides. A community in terror. And a chilling conspiracy only DI Amy Winter can crack.

A wave of apparent suicides hits a string of seaside resorts, but when a police officer is named as the latest to die, DI Amy Winter suspects there may be more than mere coincidence to these tragic deaths. But what dark motive could cause someone to throw themselves into the cold depths of the North Sea?

Someone in the community knows more than they are letting on, but Amy’s questions are met with resistance. A group of mysterious teenagers might hold the key, but why are they so afraid to talk? Meanwhile, after the release from prison of her serial killer mother, Amy is fighting her own demons.

In her toughest investigation yet, Amy must confront her dark past if she is to put an end to the carnage. What secret is so terrible that it’s worth killing a police officer for? Amy needs to find the answer, before the sea washes up any more bodies.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

My Review: I was pleased to be back with Amy and her team in this book which is number 4 in the series. DI Donovan is still in charge and when a string of suicides goes on at a seaside resort the team don’t have the first clue they were even happening. That is until DI Donovans old colleague Carla becomes another suspected suicide. The whole team relocate down to the coast in the hope they can help DI Donovan’s old team to get to the bottom of what happened to DC Burke.

There are a few threads running through the storyline one of which is a group of teenagers that seemed to be linked to graffiti found at each scene of the supposed suicide. Amy and DI Donovan know that these supposed suicides are way more than they seem and it becomes clear that the more they dig, the more they find. It was great to see a little more of Amy’s team such as Molly Baxter and to get a little more of her backstory.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest book and will happily move onto book 5 of the series named In Cold Blood

THE SECRET CHILD BY CAROLINE MITCHELL (DI AMY WINTER 2)

THE SECRET CHILDSynopsis:

DI Amy Winter knows evil. She’s lived through it.

Four-year-old Ellen is snatched by a stranger in the dead of night. Her devastated mother, Nicole, receives four identical phials and a threatening note in a familiar scrawl that chills her to the bone. But she always knew this would happen. She’s been expecting it for years . . .

According to the note, one of the phials is poisoned. Nicole is given a deadly challenge: if she drinks one, the sadistic kidnapper will notify the police of Ellen’s location. The sender claims to be Luka Volkov but Luka is supposed to be dead, killed long ago in a fire that haunts all those involved.

DI Amy Winter is still reeling from the discovery that she is the daughter of a serial killer, and her childhood trauma only makes her more determined to bring Ellen home. When another child is taken, Amy finds herself in a race against time. To rescue the children, must she seek help from the one person she wants to forget?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I am always pleased when I finally catch up with an author I like to find they have an amazing new series and Caroline Mitchell is one such author! Thsi new series featuring Amy Winter I thoroughly loved the first book and was pleased to be able to move straight onto book 2. This latest installment features a missing 4 year old Ellen. What I love about this series is Amy Winter’s background is far from ordinary. She realised in book 1 that she was the daughter of an infamous serial killer couple and has had to deal with the trauma surrounding her childhood.

Thankfully it seems that she uses this to her advantage and has a knack of spotting people that are slightly ‘dark’. There are plenty of people playing various roles within this dark and shady storyline and it takes some time to work out who has played what part but as each element is revealed it becomes clearer for the reader to see where this story could go. I found myself totally absorbed in the storyline and love the fact that we still get to see elements of Amy’s relationship with her deranged biological Mother.

This series is turning out to be pretty amazing and I am pleased that I still have a few books left in the series to become caught up. Definitely a great series to read and I would definitely reccomend!

TRUTH & LIES BY CAROLINE MITCHELL (DI AMY WINTER 1)

Truth & LiesSynopsis:  Meet Amy Winter: Detective Inspector, daughter of a serial killer.

DI Amy Winter is hoping to follow in the footsteps of her highly respected police officer father. But when a letter arrives from the prison cell of Lillian Grimes, one half of a notorious husband-and-wife serial-killer team, it contains a revelation that will tear her life apart.

Responsible for a string of heinous killings decades ago, Lillian is pure evil. A psychopathic murderer. And Amy’s biological mother. Now, she is ready to reveal the location of three of her victims—but only if Amy plays along with her twisted game.

While her fellow detectives frantically search for a young girl taken from her mother’s doorstep, Amy must confront her own dark past. Haunted by blurred memories of a sister who sacrificed herself to save her, Amy faces a race against time to uncover the missing bodies.

But what if, from behind bars, Grimes has been pulling the strings even tighter than Amy thought? And can she overcome her demons to prevent another murder?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Ohhhh I just LOVE getting stuck into a new series and this one is right up my alley! DI Amy Winter is a copper just like her highly respected Dad who was also a serving officer. However, we meet Amy at a crucial time in her life as she buries her Father and is coming to terms with never seeing him again. Not only is she going through the tragedy and grief over losing a parent she has to deal with an even bigger bombshell.

Lillian Grimes is one half of a serial killer pair along with her husband and is currently in jail serving time for the deaths of many young women. She is the absolute definition of a psychopath however she also happens to be Amy’s biological Mother. She decides that it’s time to reveal the location of three of the victims but only on her terms and those terms heavily include Amy. Alongside all this a young girl is taken from her doorstep and Amy’s team are racing against the clock to try and find her.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and getting to know Amy, her colleague Paddy and her Mother Flora as it’s given me such good history each character. The storyline has plenty going on, and I didn’t want to put it down. Thank goodness I am at the beginning of the journey and can now go straight onto book 2 to find out what is going to happen next.