Tag: RATED 4/5

Taunting The Dead by Mel Sherratt (Allie Shenton #1)

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Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: How far would you go to protect the ones you love? And how much further would you go to betray them?

Nine out of ten murders are committed by someone the victim knows. So when Steph Ryder has her head bashed in within earshot of her family and friends, DS Allie Shenton begins her investigation close to home.

Soon the lies, backtracking, and secrets multiply as each of the suspects tries to cover up their actions on that fateful night. Before long, Allie homes in on Steph’s ambitious and powerful husband, Terry. Convinced he’s hiding something, she interviews him again and again—only to find that she is falling, despite herself, for his smooth charms.

As the trail grows hotter, along with Allie’s feelings, the web of deceit pulls tighter and more bodies begin to pile up. Allie must race against time to uncover the shocking truth before she becomes the killer’s next victim.

Kat’s Review: I have read one of Mel’s Estate Series books as well as Watching Over You. With her imminent release of book 2 featuring DS Allie Shenton I figured I should read book 1 to familiarise myself. I am pretty glad that I did now as I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I also find it’s an added bonus that I have the next book as the ending was brilliant, albeit a cliff-hanger! Allie Shenton is a good character and easily likeable. She’s a copper who is working in Stoke, the place she was born and bred. The story itself was a bit of a slow burner, but by the second third I was well and truly gripped and read it right through to the end.

Steph Ryder and her dodgy husband Terry are the main focus of this book. Steph was frankly a rather despicable character. A virtual alcoholic we get to know exactly what are whop are relevant in her life. Terry Ryder, although an obvious gangster with a legit front, had a rather endearing character! We also meet additional characters that are all added to the mix such as Phil Kennedy who works for Terry, Steph’s friend Carole and her husband Shaun as well as Terry and Steph’s daughter.

The layers of the story are put there, and at times I thought they were maybe too much but I realised by the end that there is a method to Mel’s madness, namely the next book. As well as all the colourful characters, we get to know a bit about Allie, we meet her husband, her boss and her sister. All of this becomes a lot more relevant as the story continues. When Steph is murdered, nobody (including me) could work out what on earth was going on. It certainly added another layer of intrigue as each time I thought both they and I had figured it out, I was wrong!

This book certainly had me well and truly gripped, especially the last quarter of the book, and frankly the last chapter had me screaming in frustration. Luckily, the new book is already on my Kindle (due for release 10th Feb 2015) so I could get stuck straight back in. I think Mel Sherratt is definitely an underated author and I for one am starting straight on book 2. I think if you haven’t read Mel Sherratt before this book (or one of the Estate Books) is a fantastic place to start. Now if you don’t mind…I have another Allie Shenton book to read!

The Final Minute by Simon Kernick

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Availability: Hardcover, Kindle & Nook (15.01.15), Paperback (21.05.15) 

My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: The lights are on, and I’m standing outside a half-open door. Feeling a terrible sense of foreboding, I walk slowly inside. And then I see her. A woman lying sprawled across a huge double bed. She’s dead. There’s blood everywhere. And the most terrifying thing of all is that I think her killer might be me …’

A traumatic car-crash. A man with no memory, haunted by nightmares. When the past comes calling in the most terrifying way imaginable, Matt Barron is forced to turn to the one person who can help. Ex Met cop, turned private detective, Tina Boyd. Soon they are both on the run .….

My Review: As a seasoned Kernick reader he has a pretty tried and tested formula which keeps us readers happy. Thankfully his latest release is no different and you end up feeling like you’ve just done an hour long workout just reading the first few chapters! Matt Baron takes centre stage in this latest Kernick novel as a man that is suffering with a form of amnesia. He has been told he was involved in a car crash, and is being cared for by his sister. As Matt starts to slowly recover his memory starts to play tricks with him when he suffers a recurring dream. 

Matt knows that his dreams are showing him a dead woman, and he also knows that he has some connection to the killing, but just isn’t sure how. The story dragged me straight in and point blank refused to let me go until the last page. The character Matt was likeable but not all that nice if I’m being 100% honest. I had the feeling that he may not be what we first thought and as the story progresses my opinion of him see-sawed violently from one chapter to the next. 

The one thing I loved was the re-introduction of a great character Tina Boyd. She has appeared in The Crime Trade, Relentless, Deadline, Target, The Last Ten Seconds and Ultimatum. She is a great character and in this latest book she at first seems like she has taken the safer career option, which is until she meets Matt! As always the plot and pace are fast and frenzied and you are engaged from start to finish. There is plenty of action and you are constantly wondering when Matt’s chances are going to run out. This was certainly a great read and one that Kernick fans will enjoy. It’s also great to see Tina Boyd back in the saddle. I will as ever, look forward to the next hair raising book by Mr Kernick.

Girl No 4 by Will Carver (January David #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

Availability: Paperback, Kindle, Audio, Kobo and Nook

Synopsis: Detective Inspector January David has always put his professional before his private life, but now his two worlds clash horrifically as he visits his latest crime scene. Confronted with a ghostly figure suspended ten feet above a theatre stage, blood pouring from her face into a coffin below, it’s clear this gruesome execution scene is the work of an elusive serial killer.

But Girl 4 is different: she is alive – barely. And January recognises her.

Three women from three different London suburbs, each murdered with elaborate and chilling precision. And as January stares at the latest body, the most beautiful corpse he’s ever seen, he detects the killer’s hallmark. If he wants to save his own neck and prevent there being a Girl 5, January must get inside the mind of a serial killer and beat him at his own game…

My Review: How can a book you didn’t want to put down annoy you just as much? I am still somewhat confused as to how I felt about this book. Having said that, this is the first in the series and as I have learnt with other authors sometimes you just need to go with the flow. No doubt Will Carver has a plan for January David and I am hoping that as time goes on I will understand a bit more. 

January David has a name you certainly won’t forget, but his personality seems a bit mixed in this book. He is a good copper that much is obvious, but there are elements to him that I am struggling with, namely his ‘supernatural’ abilities. I try not to judge but as this isn’t a favourite theme of mine I tend to struggle with it. We also meet Jan’s wife Audrey and if I’m honest I didn’t take to her at all from the beginning. What I did take to was the very unique and unusual style of writing. The chapters are written from various characters points of view, whether that be January, the victims or the killer. This was such a novelty to me and the way the victims describe their last few hours was frankly quite chilling.

The murders themselves leave nothing to the imagination with brutal and grisly scenes described in vivid detail. I found myself wondering whether I knew who the killer was or not, and then less than a few pages after I would feel like I was back at square one. This was by no means a perfect book and if I am being 100% honest I don’t know how I will fair with the series. But….there was so much I really loved about this book. Yes it was weird, but it was also gripping, engaging and a whole lot more. I think the main issue I have is the stretch between believable fiction, and personal belief in terms of the supernatural. 

This book certainly won’t be fore everybody but it was so unique that I really didn’t want to put it down. I will move straight on to book 2, to see if I can form more of an understanding of January David. Hopefully this character will grow on me as I think the writing itself is fabulous. 

Fire Point by Sean Black (Ryan Lock and Ty Johnson #6)

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My Rating: 4/5

Availability: Kindle, Kobo and Nook (Available 18.12.14), 

Synopsis: The sixth novel in the Ryan Lock series. Ryan Lock and Ty Johnson are in Los Angeles and on the trail of an unlikely cult who are planning on taking their message to the world and settling some old scores at the same time. 

My Review: My favourite character crush is back! Ryan Lock and his partner in crime Ty Johnson are back for the sixth book in the series. This time around the pair of them are involved in what seems to be a simple request. A wealthy mum asks them to ‘keep an eye’ on her son Marcus following an ‘incident’ at college. Lock’s reluctance to take the case is cast aside when he starts to try to track down Marcus. 

Marcus and his ‘friends’ are slightly disturbing and before long it’s pretty clear that this case involves more than Lock and Ty ‘babysitting’. Ryan Lock is a character that I love, but in this latest instalment he feels a little bit more detached than usual. I think he needs a good woman in his life! Ty is just about the coolest damn character you can read. He and Ryan work well together and this series just wouldn’t work unless they both feature in it. The tension and drama as always takes a step up as ‘Krank’ and his friends start carrying out their work.

There are plenty of high tension and action scenes packed into this book so fear not, you certainly won’t be bored. There was a disturbing element of truth with the storyline, which won’t go unnoticed by many, but is sadly a result of the world we live in today. Having read every book in this series from the beginning, I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite but it’s once again a solid and intriguing read that will keep you hooked from the beginning to the end.

As always I will eagerly await the next instalment, and hopefully I will get to read about Sean Blacks other amazing character Byron Tibor in the meantime. Certainly one the fans will love and a series I would highly recommend not just this book but all the ones prior to it. Sean is an author that is not well known enough for my liking and deserves to be up there with every other bestseller out there. I only have one criticism though, I truly think that Ryan Lock needs to hook up with an amazing woman and I think her name will be Kat!!!

A Christmas To Remember by Jenny Hale

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Everyone loves Christmas – don’t they? 

Carrie Blake loves her job as a nanny but, while her friends are settling down, all of Carrie’s spare time is spent with other people’s families. Though it breaks her heart, her New Year’s resolution is to embark on a new career and fix her love life. As Carrie starts her last job, she’s sure she’ll be going out on a high – the house is amazing, the kids are adorable, and she’s in charge of decorating the tree!  The only problem could be her boss… single-dad, Adam Fletcher might be both handsome and successful, but he’s always working. Doesn’t he realise he’s missing out on precious moments with his son and daughter? As Adam’s family arrive for Christmas including his sensitive sister, Sharon, and his fun-loving elderly Grandpa, Walter, Carrie realises that she might just have found the perfect allies in her quest to persuade Adam to loosen up. There’s still time for Carrie to make this the best Christmas ever… after all, Christmas is the time for miracles, isn’t it?

My Review: I feel very torn with this book. On the one hand I loved it and it’s a true romantics dream. On the other hand there was one minor irritant which was the main characters constant referral to self-help books…grr.it drove me mad. That aside, I absolutely loved reading this book. Carrie Blake is going to a new job as a nanny. The Fletcher family are a strange bunch when she first gets there and she instantly feels like maybe she won’t fit in.

What follows is the fairy-tale type of story that I absolutely love reading about. Carrie wasn’t necessarily easy to like, due mainly to the constant feeling of insecurity. I think the character minus the reference to self-help books would have been a lot more likeable.  Adam Fletcher is a bit of a dark horse and seems to favour work over his children which Carrie just can’t work out. It seems before too long there is a lot more to the family than meets the eye.

I absolutely adored the rest of the Fletcher family, especially Adams parents, his sister Sharon and especially Grandpa Walter.  With an especially festive feel this is the absolute perfect stocking filler and would be a perfect gift. A thoroughly enjoyable read from an author I haven’t read before. I will certainly be looking out for more by Jenny Hale and would definitely recommend this to put on your Christmas to read list.

Pop Goes The Weasel by M J Arlidge (Helen Grace #2)

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Synopsis: A man’s body is found in an empty house. His heart has been cut out and delivered to his wife and children. He is the first victim, and Detective Inspector Helen Grace knows he will not be the last. But why would a happily married man be this far from home in the dead of night?

The media call it Jack the Ripper in reverse: a serial killer preying on family men who lead hidden double lives. Helen can sense the fury behind the murders. But what she cannot possibly predict is how volatile this killer is – or what is waiting for her at the end of the chase…

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: I only recently stumbled across M J Arlidge and after reading his debut for this series ‘Eeny Meeny’, I wanted to get cracking with book 2. DI Helen Grace is a bit of a force to be reckoned with. The first book gives you a real insight into her past, however only parts of her character at present are revealed leaving me with questions at the end of book 1. The story in book 2 is rather gruesome and when a man’s body is found in a house with its heart cut out, I knew this wasn’t a book to be read over my lunch!

We also see the return of Helen’s colleague Charlie although things are rather stilted following the events in Book 1. I really like Charlie and think she makes a great addition to the book and series. The storyline continues with more bodies, more gore and more problems for DI Grace. It’s really fast paced and I read this in just over a day.

I liked seeing more of the personal lives of the people involved, and am eagerly anticipating what book 3 will bring. There are a number of things in Helen’s life which are still unresolved and it will be interesting to see where the author takes them. There is a certain intensity to these books that makes me gripped and the writing flows wonderfully making it a very engaging and absorbing read. I’m hugely looking forward to Book 3 entitled The Dolls House which is due for release in February 2015.

Eeny Meeny by M J Arlidge (Helen Grace #1)

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Synopsis: The girl emerged from the woods, barely alive. Her story was beyond belief. But it was true. Every dreadful word of it. Days later, another desperate escapee is found – and a pattern is emerging. Pairs of victims are being abducted, imprisoned then faced with a terrible choice: kill or be killed. Would you rather lose your life or lose your mind? 

Detective Inspector Helen Grace has faced down her own demons on her rise to the top. As she leads the investigation to hunt down this unseen monster, she learns that it may be the survivors – living calling cards – who hold the key to the case.

 And unless she succeeds, more innocents will die . . .

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

My Review: Another book, another series, I just love it. A couple of my followers kept mentioning M J Aldridge and I relented and brought another book to add to the ever increasing to read pile. I’m very glad that I did as I read this and loved it. DI Helen Grace is a great character with some serious issues. These are highlighted from the start and it made me more intrigued about her. In addition to Helen we meet her two colleagues Mark and Charlie. Mark has his own issued and Helen does everything she can to keep him on the straight and narrow. Meanwhile Charlie is just trying to find her feet and prove herself to her boss Helen. All three characters were really engaging and highly enjoyable to read about.

The storyline was extremely catchy with murder victims being taken in pairs and left to die alone, hungry and scared. Their only choice is kill or be killed. The body count is high and it seems that there is more to this plot line than first meets the eye. Helen Grace seems to be very much at the front and centre and slowly more and more layers of Helens life are revealed leading to many question in my own head, as well as wondering who on earth would want to do that to her.

The violence is pretty graphic and ramped up with the complications between the three colleagues I was hooked from the start. Although Helen was readable there were still a few unanswered questions about her even at the end of the book. Having said that, for a debut novel it was a cracking read and I have already gone on to start book 2. I think this is a series which will definitely get better and better and the author clearly likes to reveal titbits rather than fling all the character info in within the first book. A definite recommendation from me and I can’t wait to get started on book 2!

No-One Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday by Tracy Bloom

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My Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Childhood sweethearts Matthew and Katy agree they must never see each other again following a school reunion.

So all is forgotten … until eight months later when a shock meeting at an antenatal class forces them to confront the fact that Matthew could be the father of Katy’s baby.

Love and life are messy, but Katy and Matthew take things to a whole new level as deep emotions begin to resurface and hormones run riot.

My Review: I’ve never read Tracy Bloom and the synopsis on this looked okay so I was hoping for a light hearted and funny read. I’m pleased to say that’s exactly what I got. Katy the lead character is pregnant and attending an antenatal class with her boyfriend Ben. When they arrive the bump into Katy’s childhood sweetheart Matthew and from that point on all hell breaks loose. I liked Katy the main female character but if I’m being 100% honest I actually preferred the boyfriend Ben. He was funny and childish and a fantastic character to read about along with his madcap and equally childish friends.

Matthew on the other hand grated on me from start to finish with his weak and pathetic manner, I just spent most of the time wanting to slap him. The story itself was quite funny and I enjoyed the book and read it in a day and a half. I would say this is the perfect beach read and is a perfect reason to sit and do nothing! I also want to mention the cover, although simple it’s really eye catching and I hope she sticks with this theme as the books look great. I have now made sure I have another Bloom on my Kindle for future reading and will certainly be keeping an eye out for this author in the future.

One Night In Italy by Lucy Diamond

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My Rating: 4/5

Availability: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audio,

Synopsis: Is Italian really the language of love? A new class of students hopes to find out. Anna’s recently been told the father she’s never met is Italian. Now she’s baking focaccia, whipping up tiramisu and swotting up on her vocabulary, determined to make it to Italy so she can find him in person. Catherine’s husband has walked out on her, and she’s trying to pick up the pieces of her life. But she’ll need courage as well as friends when she discovers his deception runs even deeper than infidelity. Sophie’s the teacher of the class, who’d much rather be back in sunny Sorrento. She can’t wait to escape the tensions at home and go travelling again. But sometimes life – and love – can surprise you when you least expect it. As the evening class gets underway, friendships form and secrets from Italy begin to emerge. With love affairs blossoming in the most unlikely places, and hard decisions to face, it’s going to be a year that Anna, Catherine and Sophie will never forget.

My Review: Three women are the focus in this latest Lucy Diamond release. Catherine is the first and when her husband ups and leaves she feels like she is starting all over again. We also meet Anna who has recently discovered her father who she has never known is Italian, and then Sophie who has returned from her many years abroad to see her ill father. The three women will meet through the Italian language course they all decide to be a part of.

The three women’s stories are told individually and you really get to know each of them before they eventually meet. Anna and Sophie I instantly liked, but for some reason I wanted Catherine to grow a backbone and she annoyed me for the first few chapters. However, when she starts to make changes to her life I warmed up to her. Sophie was my favourite and I loved the way the reader gets to discover slowly why she left the UK, and why her relationship with her parents had gone so wrong. Anna was a funny and warm character and you couldn’t help but get swept along with her in her dream to find out about her Italian roots. 

The story flowed beautifully and I was transported into all of their lives and willing them to all get what they wanted out of their classes. In addition to the three main characters we also meet some of the characters at their class, and they definitely made the book complete in my eyes. Once again Lucy Diamond has managed to create a heart-warming story, which takes you away from reality for a few hours. I read this in just under 2 days and really enjoyed it. Certainly a recommended read, although ‘Summer With My Sister’ will always remain my absolute favourite!

A Dark Redemption by Stav Sherez (Carrigan and Miller #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

Availability: Paperback, Kindle, Kobo, Nook

Synopsis: A Dark Redemption introduces DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller as they investigate the brutal rape and murder of a young Ugandan student. Plunged into an underworld of illegal immigrant communities, they discover that the murdered girl’s studies at a London college may have threatened to reveal things that some people will go to any lengths to keep secret … 

This case that will force DI Carrigan to face up to his past and DS Miller to confront what path she wants her future to follow. 

My Review: Having not read anything else by Sherez I was looking forward to starting the first in the Carrigan and Miller series. Also knowing that there has only been one follow up to date (Eleven Days published in 2103) I know I’m not too far behind. The pairing of the unlikely two lead characters works extremely well given their backgrounds and personal history. It took me quite a few chapters to really get under the skin of Jack Carrigan but I really liked this weirdly private and quirky bloke. Except as the story progresses you realise that quirkiness is just his defence mechanism to not allow people to delve too close. On the opposite side, Geneva Miller is clawing her way back after a demotion and is finding it hard trying to keep both sides of the fence happy. I warmed to Geneva more than Jack but by the end of the book I couldn’t imagine either of them working with anybody else.

Characters aside the story was quite something. Taking us through war ravaged countries and then being dragged to the present murder that has taken place in London of a young female Ugandan Student. Sherez clearly has the knowledge and maybe experience in managing to write about this subject with such conviction. There were parts that had my stomach turning; but in the back of my mind the brutal reminder that although this is a work of fiction, the history of some of these countries is shockingly real. There are plenty of twists in this complex book and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. This is most certainly a series which I will be continuing and would definitely put it on the recommended list.