Tag: RATED 4/5

STOLEN ONES BY ANGELA MARSONS (KIM STONE 15)

51HZRNcmkfL._SY346_ Synopsis: One August afternoon, eight-year-old Grace Lennard skips into the garden of the childcare centre she attends and vanishes into thin air. Rushing to the scene of Grace’s disappearance, Detective Kim Stone finds a chilling piece of evidence: the engraved heart bracelet belonging to Melody Jones – the little girl who was taken from a playground exactly twenty-five years ago.

Hours before, Steven Harte had walked into Halesowen police station and confessed to having information that would lead Kim to Melody. And he told Kim she’d have a more urgent problem to deal with first. Now Kim must play Steven’s twisted game if she’s to find Grace alive.

With only twenty-four hours to make every second of Steven’s interrogation count, and scan his behaviour for hidden clues, Kim and her team soon link Steven to the abduction of several vulnerable girls – two were kept for a year and then released, unharmed – but where are Melody and the others?

Then small bones are discovered in the grounds of a local park, and Kim fears the worst.

Kim may think she’s close to convicting a killer, but the case has got even more complex. A chilling figure from Kim’s past is about to reveal a shocking secret that will hit her where it hurts the most. Can Kim put aside her own demons, save Grace and the other missing girls before more innocent lives are lost?

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: Kim is back with the team and this latest instalment sees a little 8 year old girl vanish into thin air. When Kim arrives on the scene she finds the necklace of a little girl named Melody Jones that went missing 25 years earlier. Straight away the case turns into a frenzy looking for links between this latest disappearance and that of Melody. Add to the mix a man named Steven Harte who arrives at the station with ‘information’ this makes Kim even more determined to get to the bottom of both cases.

Like all of Marson’s books although there is a main thread of a story there is always something running alongside it which piques your interest and in this case it’s a whopper with the return of Alex Thorne. Alex is in prison and is the one person who can push all of Kim’s buttons which is exactly what she intends to do.

As with all of these books in this series there is plenty going all and with all members of the team entrenched they all feature heavily which always pleases me. This particular storyline was certainly interesting and it was good to see plenty of action but I didn’t rate it quite as highly as some of the books, but at this point I can honestly say Angela Marson’s hasn’t written a bad book…sadly she has just written so well that readers expect nothing short of miracles from her. Another great book in an amazing series! And on to book 16 I go…

DEADLY INTENT BY SHERYL BROWNE (MATTHEW ADAMS #3)

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Synopsis: Tormented to the edge of sanity …
Just when DI Matthew Adams thinks he’s left the past behind him, it comes back to haunt him once again; this time in the form of the Conner family.
 
Like Matthew, the Conner’s have lost a child in tragic circumstances – and they’ve also found themselves in the hands of one of the most depraved criminals to walk the streets: ‘Dead-eyed’ Charlie Roberts, a drug addicted low-life with a penchant for extreme violence.
 
Matthew’s greatest affinity lies with Daniel Conner, the brooding father who still blames himself for his youngest child’s death. But when Daniel’s wife and daughter are tortured and tormented by Roberts, can Matthew prevent him from completely ruining his own life for an act of revenge particularly when, once upon a time, that’s exactly what Matthew would have done too?
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: This third book in the series features more of the victim with Matthew Adams featuring more in the background, however it totally worked and I loved this book as much as the other two! Daniel and Joanne Connor are the focus of this book as they struggle to maintain their lives following the death of their daughter. Their eldest daughter Kayla is struggling with her parents and living in the shadow of their grief so starts acting out and that includes mixing with some unsavory characters.
 
Charlie Roberts comes onto the scene and he is well known as a drug dealer and Matthew has his eye on him. When Kayla then goes missing Daniel and Jo are brought together in a very dangerous situation but they are both determined to fight for survival. Although Matthew featured less in this book the main characters were interesting and the book kept me glued to it for hours. Although this wasn’t maybe as exciting as the last book it was still an excellent read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. An author I will certainly be reading more of in the future.

THEN SHE WAS GONE BY LISA JEWELL

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Synopsis: She was fifteen, her mother’s golden girl.
She had her whole life ahead of her.
And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.
 
Ten years on, Laurel has never given up hope of finding Ellie. And then she meets a charming and charismatic stranger who sweeps her off her feet.
 
But what really takes her breath away is when she meets his nine-year-old daughter.
 
Because his daughter is the image of Ellie.
 
Now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.
 
What really happened to Ellie? And who still has secrets to hide?
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: My aim this year was to read some of the books that have been on my Kindle for ages and this one stood out. Released in 2017 it was time I gave it a try and with such good reviews I had high hopes. The story starts by introducing us to Laurel who is after ten years of her daughter going missing desperately stuck in her own grief. Laurel’s daughter Ellie had gone missing ten years prior just before her exams and Laurel still had no answers. Her remaining daughter and Son struggle to maintain a good relationship with Laurel along with her ex-husband Paul. However, she finally begins the journey of moving on once she thinks she has some answers. That is when she meets Floyd who sweeps her off her feet.
 
The first thing I will say and the reason that I didn’t rate this a 5 star read was that both Floyd and his daughter Poppy gave me serious ick vibes! To the point it left a sour taste in my mouth reading about them. Don’t get me wrong it’s a serious show of just how talented Lisa Jewell is as an author, but it still left me with a bad feeling. The story unfolds as we find out more about Ellie and the lead up to her disappearance. We also get to see Laurel’s relationship with Floyd progress and with it relevant parts of the story are revealed. I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it reminded me of how much I enjoy this author’s books. I can see why it was a bestseller and am pleased I made the time to read it.

THE FEAR BY C L TAYLOR

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Synopsis: Sometimes your first love won’t let you go…
When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought he was the love of her life. But Mike wasn’t what he seemed and he left her life in pieces.
Now 32, Lou discovers that he is involved with teenager Chloe Meadows. Determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, she returns home to confront him for the damage he’s caused.
But Mike is a predator of the worst kind, and as Lou tries to bring him to justice, it’s clear that she could once again become his prey…
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: It’s been a long while since I have read a CL Taylor so I was looking forward to getting stuck into something new. This subject matter may be a little too much for people as it involves child grooming (just a warning) but it was written extremely well. Lou Wandsworth is our main character and we meet her in the midst of a ‘surprise’ from her new boyfriend. Sadly that surprise triggers her emotions and she snaps! It appears that Lou’s old school teacher Mike had groomed her and she had been suffering with the consequences of that ever since. When she has to return to her old town and realises he lives there it sends her mind into overdrive. In addition when she considers confronting him she soon becomes aware that a he hasn’t changed and another girl is in danger.
 
Chloe Meadows is Mike’s intended next target and Lou makes it her mission to help her. There were many elements to this story and it made for incredibly engaging reading. There were times I felt I wasn’t reading quickly enough and I needed to know what happened. Plenty of tense and dramatic events which kept me page turning into the early hours. This book was definitely an emotional and at times dark book to read but utterly enthralling. Another great book by this author I thoroughly enjoy!

FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD BY BARBARA COPPERWAITE

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Synopsis: He sees her. The one. The sunglasses don’t fool anyone, she is clearly upset, her nose and lips swollen from crying. They are two lost souls and he knows his love can help her. After all, she is not the first girl he has followed home…
 
Adam is the perfect boyfriend. He pays attention, he buys flowers. He knows everything about Laura and looks after her every need. He cooks, he cleans – he even does the dishes without being asked.
 
But Laura has never met Adam. Still grieving after a devastating car crash that killed her family, she’s forgetful and struggling to pull her life together. She’d be horrified to know the depth of this unsettling fantasy in which she is the star. But there’s no denying the chill she feels every time she finds another elaborate bouquet on her doorstep, or wakes in the night sensing she is not alone.
 
Adam has been watching her every move, and now it’s time to act. Except, there’s one little detail he’s missed: Laura has been watching him too.
 
After everything she’s been through, Laura’s ready to fight back and stop being the victim in her own life story. But in Adam’s world, there are no happy endings…
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: I have had this book on my Kindle for way too long and decided it was time to read it. I have seen many rave review on this author and can understand why now. The story focusses on Laura, a young girl suffering in the aftermath of the crash that killed her family. In addition we meet Adam who is the most creepy character you could possibly read about! IN addition we read about Mike a copper on the periphery of the investigation when a body is found. In all honesty I don’t want to dissect the plot because it was way more enjoyable going in blind.
 
This story picked up pace fast and I was engaged with all the characters, even more so with Adam which in itself is a little creepy. There is a dark element of linking death to flowers which gave me the ‘heeby-jeebies’ but then to be fair a lot of this book did. The chapters gave real depth into the characters and what they are all going through yet didn’t feel stretched out at all. It all felt like a necessary draw to pull you in. Overall this book had everything needed in a thriller and then some. It was dark and gritty and incredibly creepy in a disturbing way. Hell, don’t listen to me trying to explain it, just pick it up and read it I don’t think you will be disappointed,

DYING BREATH BY HELEN PHIFER (DI LUCY HARWIN #2)

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Synopsis: The woman’s face was pale and waxy. Her milky, partially open eyes stared into the distance. There were drag marks in the grass; she’d been placed here and posed. Who did this to you and why have they left you like this?
 
When a woman’s body is found on a lonely patch of scrubland, Detective Lucy Harwin is called to the scene. The victim’s clothes have been wrenched to expose her, and her feet are bare.
 
Lucy and her team have only just started investigating who could have wanted local mother Melanie Benson dead, when a young woman is discovered strangled in a dark alley. As more bodies appear in the run-down seaside town, the small community is gripped by fear, and the pressure to solve the case becomes unbearable. But with each victim dying in a different way, Lucy struggles to find a link between the murders. Are these random killings, or part of the same plan?
 
Just as she thinks she’s getting close, Lucy starts to suspect the killer is watching her. Can she find the murderer before they strike again, or will she be next?
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: I really enjoyed book one in this series and moved straight onto this one to see how Lucy and the team were getting on. The story begins with the brutal murder of a woman left in a patch of open land and it’s certainly not a pretty start to the story. Helen Phifer is very descriptive with the scenes making it very realistic and a little brutal in parts which makes (in my opinion) it all the more engaging as a story. Straight away you realise that Lucy and the team need to ensure the killer doesn’t do this again. Sadly another victim is found, followed by a family massacre. In terms of murders and danger there was no holding back in this book!
 
This book felt way more dark than the last installment and was more tense as the need to catch them ramps up with each murder. As always Mattie is back by Lucy’s side while they try to find the connection between the murders along with other colleagues such as Col and Tom, all of who play their own part in creating the world surrounding Lucy. Both the storyline and characters were again drawing me in and I thoroughly enjoyed this book, although I have to confess I did work out who the killer was (annoyingly). I was pleased to be able to move onto book three in this series as I am certainly enjoying it and would definitely recommend it.

DARK HOUSE BY HELEN PHIFER (DI LUCY HARWIN #1)

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Synopsis: A shadowy figure in the dark was dragging something heavy behind them. Lizzy pulled the covers over her head, then realised what was being dragged…
 
For years, the Moore Asylum housed the forgotten children of Brooklyn Bay. But now, a man is found murdered in the derelict building, strapped to a steel trolley, launching a heart-racing investigation for Detective Lucy Harwin.
 
Lucy quickly discovers the victim was once a Moore Asylum doctor, and when a woman also linked to the home is killed on her doorstep, Lucy knows she must dig into its history. What dark secrets lie within the asylum’s walls – what was the scandal leading to its closure thirty years ago?
 
With her own demons to fight, Lucy starts to uncover the heartbreaking tale of the Moore Asylum children, and begins to wonder: who will be the next victim?
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: This author and book have been in my to read list for nearly 5 years I am ashamed to say. What I am glad about is that I finally picked this up and am well on my way with catching up with this series and author. Lucy Harwin is a Detective who is pretty fiery and is instantly likeable who works alongside her friend and colleague Mattie. This first installment starts with the murder of somebody within the old Moore Asylum which now stands as a derelict building. It doesn’t take them long to work out the identity of the victim as a Doctor who worked at the asylum many years before.
 
The story is split between now and the past but there is no interruption in the writing flow as you switch between the times. Plenty of suspects and lots of history unravels the further you travel into the book. It flowed well and certainly kept me interested and reading and I really enjoyed learning about Lucy as a character. We are introduced to elements of her personal life including her ex-husband and daughter. I particularly liked the past chapters which were told from the killers perspective and I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in this series. Like anything, I prefer to binge read and catch up on series I enjoy so was pleased that I could move swiftly onto book 2. A great first book in a series and another author to be added to my fast growing to read list.

ONLY CHILD BY CASEY KELLEHER

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Synopsis: The police are here. The feeling of pure dread swirls in my stomach as a million scenarios start playing out in my head. My whole life I’ve expected something bad to happen to my daughter. It is as if part of me has been expecting it. As if I deserve it.
 
Fifteen-year-old Kayla is the apple of her parents’ eyes, their beautiful only daughter. They tried for so long to have her that she was even more precious when she arrived. But deep down, her mother Sherrie has always been terrified that their worst fear would come true: that Kayla would be taken from them.
 
Then one day – just as Sherrie had dreaded – Kayla fails to return home after a sleepover. In desperation, Sherrie and her husband Richard call Kayla’s friends. They scour the streets, their search becoming more and more frantic. Until the police arrive and deliver the shocking news, when their worst nightmare comes true: someone has their daughter.
 
As Sherrie and Richard grill friends, family, and even each other, Sherrie starts to wonder, has the secret they’ve been hiding all these years finally caught up with them?
 
Because Sherrie and Richard are living a lie. A lie so huge, so shocking, that it could destroy the one thing they hold most dear – their daughter.
 
And if the truth comes out, their family will never be the same. But if it doesn’t, they will never see their precious girl again…
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: Having finished this book I felt a little undecided about my rating for it. Ultimately it was a great read so I can still give it a 4/5…but…yes there is a but. If I had read this book not knowing the author I would have thought it was a very decent read. However, this book strangely felt very different from previous Kelleher books and I think that is what has thrown me. The main characters are a fifteen year old Kayla and her mother and father Sherrie and Richard on one side. On the other side we have Tessa a woman that seems like her world is ready to collapse at any moment and as the reader you aren’t quite sure why.
 
I liked the pace of this book and it kept me reasonably intrigued but I could see where it was going very early on and it turned out I was right (which I am sometimes but not often). Not only that, I guess I had a set idea of this kind of books I am using to seeing from this author and I devour each and every one. I think because this was huge departure in terms of style and characters I felt a little bit dis-jointed with it. That may seem like an incredibly negative thing to say but truly it isn’t. It was still a great read and one that I have no doubt her fans and readers will thoroughly enjoy. For me, as much as this was a great read it felt like it was by an entirely different author and for some reason I just felt a little set apart from it.

CHASING THE ITALIAN DREAM BY JO THOMAS

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Synopsis: A summer escape she’ll never forget . . .
 
Lucia has worked hard as a lawyer in Wales, aiming for a big promotion she hopes will shortly come her way. Finally taking a well-earned break at her grandparents’ house in southern Italy, the sunshine, lemon trees and her nonna’s mouth-watering cooking make her instantly feel at home.
 
But she’s shocked to learn that her grandfather is retiring from the beloved family pizzeria and will need to sell. Lucia can’t bear the thought of the place changing hands – especially when she discovers her not-quite-ex-husband Giacomo wants to take it over!
 
Then bad news from home forces Lucia to re-evaluate what she wants from life. Is this her chance to carry on the family tradition and finally follow her dreams?
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: Jo Thomas is certainly becoming one my favourite easy to read and pure escapism type of author. This latest book I have read of hers is no different. With the weather turning to Autumn here in the UK at the moment it was the perfect time to pull out a book with a cover as inviting as this one.
 
Lucia our main character is an Italian and Welsh girl who gave it all up in Italy and stayed in Wales to pursue her own career in law. When she leaves her job for her annual visit back to Italy to see family she is excited to catch up with her Grandparents. What she hadn’t planned on was arriving to find that the family business was being sold as her Grandfather plans his retirement.
 
As with other Jo Thomas novels she actually takes you to the place. Her beautiful descriptions literally transport me to the destination of choice and I feel like I am sitting front row watching all the characters. Lucia is a likeable character (but not one of my favorite’s JT has created) along with plenty of others including Lucia’s estranged husband Giacomo.
 
The plot wasn’t particularly surprising but that made it no less enjoyable and I look forward to reading any other books of hers I have yet to read. A definite recommendation from me!

THE RESORT BY SUE WATSON

49DE8550-459A-4BE8-BCFD-8ECDAD03A489_4_5005_c SYNOPSIS:

When a dream trip becomes your worst nightmare…
 
You’ve been excited about this getaway for months – at last, a chance to reconnect with your husband at a secluded island resort. But when he unexpectedly calls you from the beach, you hear the urgency in his voice. Something is very wrong.
 
The beautiful waitress from the restaurant last night has been found lying dead in the sand. And the police want to question your husband about it.
 
Sure, you saw him glance at her over dinner a few times, but you know he didn’t have anything to do with the poor girl’s death. So why is he asking you to lie to the police that he was with you all night? And where did he go in those missing hours?
 
When he returns to your beautiful sea-view suite, things get heated and he accuses you of being jealous, just like he always does. Yes, the waitress was overly flirtatious with your husband, but you didn’t actually wish her any harm. Not really.
 
Can you trust the man you married… or are you the one who can’t be trusted?
 
Kat’s Rating: 4/5
 
Kat’s Review: This latest book by Sue Watson is a weird one for me. There were elements of it I just didn’t like but it still kept me reading enough that I had to see what happened. The basis for this latest book is three couples that are on holiday on a remote island and somehow get embroiled in a murder investigation. Daisy and Tom are one of those couples and they have seen their share of tragedy having lost a child. This holiday is an attempt to get back to a better place for both of them. Becky and Josh are another couple who have spent many years together and have children. At first their reason for this holiday come across as sinister but within the book the reasoning behind it become clear. Lastly there are Sam and David and these characters were the ones I just loathed. They had dated for a very short while and they are there on their honeymoon.
 
When a waitress from the resort is found dead the three couples become heavily involved in all trying to work out who the killer is, after all they could still be on the island. David is a character that I loathed from the very beginning and in truth Sam wasn’t much better. The middle part of the book was probably the slowest but it was still interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. A reasonably solid read from an author that I absolutely love!