RATED 4/5 – Page 5 – Best Crime Books and More

The Promise by Lucy Diamond

Synopsis: When faced with the sudden death of his brother, Dan’s mission is clear. He puts together a project to help pick up the pieces and support his grieving sister-in-law Zoe, plus her young children. This is Dan’s promise – to ensure his family’s happiness, and to try and live up to the man his brother was.

But tying up loose ends brings a shocking secret to light, and calls into question everything Dan knew about his older brother. With more than just his promise on the line, Dan is faced with an ultimatum: Should he tell the truth and risk his family’s fragile happiness, or will his brother’s secrets end up becoming his own?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: When Patrick Sheppard dies suddenly his brother is plunged into a place where he is lost and isn’t quite sure what to do. It’s clear from the outset that Dan feels a little responsible for his brother dying and although as the reader we don’t know what happened on that fateful evening, it’s clear that Dan needs to try and help in any way he can. It’s them that he decides to try and be there and support Dan’s wife Zoe and the three kids, his niece Bea and nephews Ethan and Gabe. He has absolutely no clue what Patrick’s life was like and even less idea about helping run a family home.

Dan is a very endearing character and you can’t help but feel for him as he tries and then fails miserably to get everything right. All of the characters that are in this story are easy to read about and likeable. As the story progresses the reader gets to see that everything was not as it seemed and we take the journey alongside Dan as he uncovers secrets that he knew nothing about. A lovely read that kept me intrigued about everybody in the story and a book I would definitely recommend.

Until I Find You by Anna Smith (Billie Carson 1)

Synopsis: WHEN YOU’VE LOST EVERYTHING, YOU’LL STOP AT NOTHING

Billie Carlson left the police force under a cloud. Once a promising young officer she now works as a private investigator, rooting out insurance scams and spying on cheating spouses.

One morning a distraught young woman comes into her office saying that her baby has been stolen. Her story seems unbelievable, yet something about her makes Billie want to help – Billie knows what it’s like to lose someone too.

To get to the bottom of the case Billie must rattle some dangerous cages and rely on old police friends for inside help. Soon she discovers a network of crime deeper and far more twisted than she ever could have imagined. But is she in way over her head?

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I was devastated when Anna Smith’s series featuring Rosie Gilmour finished, that was until she released her Kerry Casey books, and now I am thrilled to add another amazing character and series to my list of ‘must read’ books. This new series features Billie Carlson. Billie used to be a copper until her boy disappeared and her life changed. Now she is a private investigator and when a woman comes into her office saying her baby has been stolen it’s a story that’s too close to home to let go.

There is plenty of action in this book from the outset pretty much through until the end. There is plenty to the plot including drugs, people trafficking and murder to name a few. The only downside to a new series is that it takes me a while to catch onto the additional characters that will feature as the series progresses. I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in close to two sittings. I am even more thrilled to realise that the next installment is due out in under a year. Another belter of a book from Anna Smith and an author that I would highly recommend you try!

Perfect Remains By Helen Fields (DI Callanach #1)

Synopsis: On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.

In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness…

Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.

It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I have to be totally truthful and say I had no clue about the book or the author, all I knew was that it had been sitting along with hundreds of others on my Kindle since its debut in 2017. I promised myself I would start to read some of the older books on my Kindle and I am thrilled that I chose this one. I now have a new series to binge on…yay! Meet DI Luc Callanach who has come over to Edinburgh from France under somewhat of a cloud. He meets a mixture of colleagues including DI Ava Turner who is also a very readable and interesting character. The first thing that struck me about this book is how dark and gritty it is from very early on. The author is holding no punches when a missing persons case turns to murder. This is certainly not for the faint hearted but I have to admit I absolutely devoured it. I loved the characters, the storyline, the suspense, pretty much everything. I knew I was in trouble even before I finished as I downloaded book 2 (so much for reading my backlog books first) and just know there is a good chance I will read every book in this series until I am up to date.

Faking Friends by Jane Fallon

Synopsis: Best friend, soulmate . . . backstabber? Amy thought she knew everything about her best friend Melissa. And she also thought she was about to marry the man of her dream. Until she discovers he has been having an affair . . . and Melissa is The Other Woman. In one disastrous weekend she has lost her home, her fiancé and her best friend. But instead of falling apart, she is determined to get her own back . . .

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: Well my first book by this author and to be honesty probably won’t be my last. I won’t bore readers with the synopsis as that can be found in the book description, however what I will say is that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! No it isn’t a totally original idea and it’s a tried and tested formula that works…but for a reason. Amy is our lead character and she is extremely likeable if a little naïve. Her best friend Melissa along with Amy’s boyfriend Jack form the main storyline. In a nutshell (and trust me it’s not a spoiler) Amy finds out that Jack is cheating on her with her best friend Melissa. Amy decides that revenge is the order of the day and this is where the book comes into its own. Continue reading “Faking Friends by Jane Fallon”

The Alibi by Jamie Raven

Synopsis: A perfect crime needs a perfect alibi… Crime reporter Beth Chambers is committed to uncovering the truth – and she’s not afraid of bending the rules to get there. When troubled soap star Megan Fuller is found stabbed to death in her South London home, all eyes are on her ex-husband – the notorious gangster, Danny Shapiro. Determined to expose Danny as a cold-blooded killer, Beth obsessively pursues him. But in her hunt for the truth, her family are set to pay the ultimate price…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: My first book by this author and one that I thoroughly enjoyed! Megan Fuller is found murdered in her own home. The police open an investigation and the first person of interest is Megan’s ex-husband, Danny Shapiro. Danny is a known gangster the most obvious person to look at first. Beth is a crime journalist who stops at nothing to get the story and this one is no different. Beth is an easy character to read and she is extremely tenacious as a reporter, however her ex-husband Ethan also happens to be part of the investigation into Megan’s murder.

Ethan is certainly not a straight copper and reading about his shenanigans’ made for some interesting reading as did the life that Danny Shapiro was leading. There was plenty going on in this storyline to keep me interested and the last quarter of the book was absolutely brilliant. I didn’t see the ending coming or the outcome and I was left feeling like I certainly needed to pick up another one by this author. Incidentally this author also writes under James Raven, JP Carter and Alex Pine.

Continue reading “The Alibi by Jamie Raven”

Dead at First Sight by Peter James (Roy Grace 15)

Synopsis: Detective Superintendent Roy Grace exposes the dark side of internet dating in the intriguing crime novel Dead at First Sight, by award winning author Peter James.

A man waits at a London airport for the love of his life to arrive. Across the Atlantic, a retired cop waits in a bar in Florida’s Key West for his first date with the lady who is his soulmate. The two men are about to discover they’ve been scammed out of almost every penny they have in the world – and that neither women exist.

In the same week, Roy Grace is called to investigate the suicide of a woman in Brighton, that is clearly not what it seems. As his investigations continue, a handsome motivational speaker comes forward. He’s discovered his identity is being used to scam eleven different women online. The first he knew of it was a phone call from one of them saying, ‘You don’t know me, but I thought I knew you’.

That woman is now dead. Continue reading “Dead at First Sight by Peter James (Roy Grace 15)”

Little Bones by Patricia Gibney (Lottie Parker Book 10)

Little Bones Synopsis: When Isabel Gallagher is found murdered on the floor of her baby’s nursery by her mother, it’s a gruelling case for Detective Lottie Parker. Isabel’s pyjamas have been ripped, her throat cut and an old-fashioned razor blade placed in her hand. As Lottie looks at the round blue eyes and perfect chubby cheeks of Isabel’s baby daughter, she can’t understand who would want to hurt this innocent family.

That very same day she receives a call with devastating news. Another young mother, Joyce Breslin, has gone missing, and her four-year-old son Evan has been abducted from daycare. Lottie is sure that the missing mother and son are linked to Isabel’s death, and when she finds a bloody razor blade in their house, her worst fears are confirmed. Desperate to find little Evan, Lottie leaves no stone unturned as she delves into Isabel and Joyce’s pasts and when she realises the two women have been meeting in secret, she knows she must find out why.

But when Joyce’s body is found in a murky pond and some little bones are found on a windy hillside, it feels as if this merciless killer will stop at nothing. The bones aren’t Evan’s but can they give Lottie the final clue to find the innocent child before more lives are taken? Continue reading “Little Bones by Patricia Gibney (Lottie Parker Book 10)”

Deadly Revenge by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #14)

Synopsis: When a hysterical mother reports her baby’s sudden disappearance, suspicion immediately falls on the absent husband. But Detective Geraldine Steel’s gut instinct tells her this case is not as simple as her colleagues think…

Complications in the mother’s life begin to surface, including her relationship with her controlling father, a controversial political figure. As the police investigate, their urgent attempt to find the missing infant grows ever more perplexing.

Steel is forced to suspect everyone associated with the family and when a body is discovered, matters take a deadly turn.

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: It’s been way too long since I have read about Geraldine and figured it was high time I caught up. Geraldine and the team are working a case of a baby’s disappearance. It’s a strange case as the baby’s father Jason is apparently away for the weekend, except nobody who knows Jason knows anything about this so-called stag weekend he is meant to be on. Jason’s wife Jessica is hysterical, and it seems obvious from the early days that she is very controlled, but the question is by whom?

Before long the standard search procedures are interrupted by another murder linked directly to the case. The story hits the pace perfectly and you feel like you are back with old friends when Geraldine and Ian are working a case. It seems that Geraldine and Ian are still working things out on the personal front, but this makes for such an interesting thread that has run throughout the series and gives you a real glimpse into their personal lives.

This book was the perfect mix for me and was a real ‘who dunnit’ kind of book. I am also additionally pleased as I am binge reading a few series of books now and I know that I have book 15 in this series to read. Another cracking read and a series I would recommend.

Collision Course by Matt Hilton (Grey and Po Book 7)

Collission Course Synopsis: Private investigator Tess Grey feels duty bound to help when the missing girl she has been asked to find becomes involved a high-stakes case of extortion.

Private investigator Tess Grey’s latest case involves tracking down Hayley Cameron, a young girl who has fled after discovering that she was adopted. Tess, aided by her fianc� Po Villere, traces Hayley to the apartment of Madison Toner – one of Hayley’s college friends – in Bangor, Maine.

Despite Tess’s pleas, Hayley refuses to return to her adoptive mother. Both Tess and Po believe there’s more to her running away than it seems, especially when they see Madison’s father bloodied and beaten. Concerned for Hayley’s well-being, they conduct a stake-out.

When thugs turn up to extort Madison and Hayley, Tess and Po feel duty bound to get involved. But what are the girls embroiled in? Who are after them and to what lengths will they go? Tess and Po don’t know it yet, but events are about to grow deadly.

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: After the belter of a book being the last in this series I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed in this latest book. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t a bad read, it just wasn’t as great as the last one I read. This latest case for Tess involves Hayley Cameron and tracking her down as she has run away from her adoptive mother. It is soon uncovered that the girl is caught up in her friend Maddison’s scam which is putting them in the middle of a dangerous situation.

Maddison and her Father become rather central characters in this story but I couldn’t help feeling this was just a bit too run of the mill for my liking. The story was okay just I found it not that exciting. Although we see PO and Pink make their appearances there just seemed to be some of the normal magic from the characters missing in this book. Still a fantastic series but this book didn’t hit the high of the last one. Hopefully book 8 will bring the magic back!

False Move by Matt Hilton (Grey and Po Book 5)

False Move

Synopsis: When an ex-cop goes on the run from his employers, his daughter seeks help from an old friend . . . Tess Grey.

Ex-cop Aaron Lacey is on the run from Elite Custodian Services, a protection service of ex-military and police – and his current employers – and they will stop at nothing to track him down. His disappearance results in his daughter reaching out to her old schoolfriend, Tess Grey. But when Tess’s mother urges her to turn down helping her friend, Tess begins to question why.

Is her mother simply being overprotective, or is there more to her past with Lacey than Tess realises? Why has Lacey gone underground and why are the Elite so determined to catch him?

As Tess and her partner Nicolas Villere get involved, they need to figure out who can be trusted and what secrets they are hiding.

My Rating: 4/5

My Review: I have not had much free time so when I decide to binge read I decided it was high time I caught up with Tess and Po in this series I have come to love. This latest instalment sees an old school friend of Tess named Stella reach out to her with a request. Her father Aaron Lacey who is an ex-cop has gone missing. Aaron was working for a company called Elite Services and it looks at first glance like he has done a runner, the question is why?

Tess and Po decide to help her out and as usual butt heads with people from the get go. Of course no book would be complete without their loveable friend Pinky. I liked this story and as per usual the characters are totally what makes these books so engaging. There is a lot of action and it is reasonably fast paced. It took me only two sittings to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I cannot wait to move onto the next book in the series.