Tag: RATED 5/5

Painted Skins by Matt Hilton (Grey and Po #2)

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Synopsis: PI Tess Grey and her partner Nicolas Po Villere have been hired by Margaret Norris to find her granddaughter, Jasmine Reed, who has been missing for sixteen days. But if Tess is to have any chance of finding Jazz, she needs to know the truth about the young woman s troubled past. What is it that Margaret Norris isn’t telling her?

Tess and Po aren’t the only ones looking for Jazz. With shady local businessman Daryl Bruin and his henchman John Trojak also on her trail, as well as a mysterious and violent stranger, Tess prays, for Jasmine s sake, that she and Po find her first. But it s only when Tess uncovers a link to several other missing girls that she begins to make headway in the investigation and finds herself in a desperate race against time to track down Jazz before it’s too late

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I’m thrilled that I bumped this book up my to read list as it was much better than I expected. I LOVE it when a book surprises me like this. I read the first in this new series and although I enjoyed it, I thought it was a little slow and I struggled to connect with the lead character Tess Grey. Following on with this book, clearly I was walking through sludge with the last book as with this book I fell in love with Tess and her ex-con Partner Po.

In book one (Blood Tracks) I can now see that this was meant as an extremely good base for getting to know these characters. With this book there is no need for that as the readers have already seen Tess reasons for making her way as a Private Investigator instead of a cop. Although book one is an excellent base, I guess this book can be read as a standalone, but I always feel like its best to start a series at the beginning. In this latest instalment, Tess and Po have been hired to find the granddaughter of Margaret Norris. Jazz has been missing just over 2 weeks so Tess and Po get started on trying to trace her.

It becomes apparent pretty quickly that Jazz is also being searched for by Daryl Bruin and his henchman John Trojak, Tess and Po want to know why and the story really starts to pick up pace. It becomes clear pretty quickly that there is a lot more to Jazz being missing than a simple runaway scenario. The book has a great hold over the reader and with each chapter it seems to gain momentum, tension and pace. When their old friend Pinky appeared I rejoiced as he was such a brilliant character in the first book I was hoping he would make an appearance in the second.

This book was everything a great thriller should be and I thoroughly enjoyed every single page. I can imagine this would make a GREAT film, although quite who would play these characters who knows. What I will say is that although the Joe Hunter series of books by Matt Hilton is hugely popular, this new series seems to have fallen short and I cannot work out why. This is an absolutely amazing book and a series that I will continue to read. Hugely enjoyable and massively under rated, if you haven’t tried Matt Hilton before then these books are a great place to start!

Hide and Seek by M J Arlidge (Helen Grace #6)

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Synopsis: AFTER Little Boy Blue FIND OUT WHAT AWAITS DI HELEN GRACE IN THE SIXTH THRILLER BY BESTSELLING AUTHOR M. J. ARLIDGE

Kat’s Rating: 6/5…oh no I can’t do that so 5/5 will have to suffice!


**NOTE – Do NOT read this review if you are planning on reading the series in order (which you really should) or are not up to date as this will inevitably contain spoilers!!!***

Kat’s Review: Oh my goodness, I literally do NOT know where to start. I think the first thing I need to point out is that although some people will say this can be read as a stand alone I COMPLETELY DISAGREE! You really do need the previous book and in my opinion the whole series to really feel the impact of this latest release.  We rejoin Helen Grace, except this time she is behind bars and awaiting her trial in Holloway Prison for murders that she didn’t commit. That’s the first thing that set my teeth on edge, it almost gave me a bad taste in my mouth…but in a good way if you know what I mean.

I was just gobsmacked, here she is the leading character and formidable DI Helen Grace and she is living alongside some of those she has put behind bars herself. The whole setting is enough to make you squirm with the feeling of hopelessness at Helen’s situation. However nothing is as easy or straightforward as that where Helen is concerned and being in prison only highlights that. Helen’s stay is far from easy and we see her battle to just stay alive as there are plenty of people who would like to finish her once and for all.

Thankfully there is one person left batting for Helen and that’s her colleague Charlie Brooks. While Helen is trying to stay alive Charlie is desperately trying to find the proof that Helen is innocent. Meanwhile a grisly murder happens within Holloway and it’s definitely on the inside. With so much going on there is no time for the reader to do anything (such as work or other important things) other than turn the pages. This was so well written I could almost feel myself getting claustrophobic from the time inside those prison walls. The ante is upped as more and more story threads are pulled at and there is no let up in this until the very last page.

Relentless in pace and a real nail biter, M J Arlidge has outdone himself with this terrifying and gripping book. I certainly didn’t want to put it down and think fans will be delighted with this latest instalment. My only question now is…”what next for Helen Grace?”. Whatever comes next whether it be more of Helen or a new character I will be itching to read it as M J Arlidge has just shot to the top of my ‘Must Read’ authors. An outstanding book, and an amazing series that I really think if you haven’t already you should read!

Out of Bounds by Val McDermid

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Synopsis: ‘There were a lot of things that ran in families, but murder wasn’t one of them . . .’

When a teenage joyrider crashes a stolen car, a routine DNA test could be the key to unlocking the mystery of a twenty-year-old murder inquiry. Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is an expert at solving the unsolvable. With each cold case closed, justice is served. So, finding the answer should be straightforward, but it’s as twisted as the DNA helix itself.

Meanwhile, Karen finds herself irresistibly drawn to another case, one that she has no business investigating. And as she pieces together decades-old evidence, Karen discovers the most dangerous kind of secrets. Secrets that someone is willing to kill for . . .

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 

*If you plan to read this series from book 1, please do not read the review as it will inevitably contain spoilers*

Kat’s Review: I realised late that this was part of the Karen Pirie series which I have only read one book of (book 3) but for people starting off at this point it makes no difference as there is enough background history with Karen that you don’t miss anything major. The first thing that struck me is how immediately I connected with Karen Pirie, certainly more than I did in book 3. She is working as part of the Historical Crimes Unit alongside her colleague Jason. When a joyriding teenager crashes his car, a routine DNA test shows something linked to a twenty year old case, so Karen and Jason immediately get digging.

In addition to Karen’s current enquiry her sleepless nights are seeing her up and wandering the streets in a bid to make herself tired. She is still struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband and partner Phil. Her late night walks to battle her insomnia leads us to another thread of the story which is just as absorbing as the first. Some of Karen’s friends are involved in the story line and they all added to the depth of this story. Karen also decides to do her own investigation on another case which is nothing to do with her. This has a two-fold effect of allowing her to sink her teeth into a mysterious case involving the death of 4 people in a suspected air plane bombing, as well as annoying her colleague who she doesn’t get along with Assistant Chief Constable Simon Lees . All of these threads combined seem like too much when read aloud, but in reality they have made for an outstanding book which had me thoroughly surrendered to my every  day tasks such as dinner!

Both Karen and Jason plough their all into both cases, which results on Karen putting herself into some precarious positions and although the threads run alongside each other they are easy to distinguish. What is strange about this book is that it’s not terribly fast paced, but it fits the book perfectly. The various threads of the story make for a compelling read, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Towards the end when I thought I had it all figured out, turned out I was wrong and when the pieces did fit into place I felt terribly stupid! An outstandingly good read which I would highly recommend.

The Hanging Club by Tony Parsons (Max Wolfe #3

51rKq3naAZL._SY346_ Synopsis: A band of vigilante executioners roam London’s hot summer nights, abducting evil men and hanging them by the neck until dead.

As the bodies pile up and riots explode across the sweltering city, DC Max Wolfe hunts a gang of killers who many believe to be heroes.

And discovers that the lust for revenge starts very close to home …

My Rating: 5/5

My Review: So, it seems Tony Parsons has just made me do a full about turn on opinion. The first two books in this series I admit I struggled with. Sometimes with a new series I struggle to feel connected to the characters and small things seem to niggle. This series featuring DC Max Wolfe was no different and the first two books left me feeling a little indifferent. However, I recently read one of the short novellas and it was brilliant. I was actually looking forward to reading the next book, and I was right to look forward to it!

DC Max Wolfe just seemed to fit more this time around. Maybe enjoying the previous novella got me ready for the next instalment, who knows? Seeing the return of Max, his daughter Scout and their little dog Stan was wonderful. This time around a gang of people are hanging known criminals, and although they have the backing of some of the public, Max knows that they need to be caught. The hangings themselves are described in all their graphic glory and the feeling of disgust was very apparent to me when reading. I always take this as a good sign and ploughed on. I absolutely LOVED the addition of a friend Jackson from Max past and can only hope he makes a reappearance in future books.

The story keeps up a massively heart pounding pace and I found myself thrown into the case at the deep end along with Max colleagues and Boss Whitestone. There was an additional thread involving Whitestone which made me warm to the characters a whole lot more and by the end I felt like the MIT team was one big family. This book truly did have everything and kept me reading into the early hours. I read it in one sitting and felt that familiar disappointment that I didn’t have another to read. For me the surprise was that I loved this book SO much in comparison to feeling so mediocre about the other 2. This series just shot way up my increasingly long list of Must Reads. I literally cannot wait to see what comes next for Max and will be counting the days off until the next release!

We’ll Always Have Paris by Sue Watson

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Synopsis: When she was almost seventeen, Rosie Draper locked eyes with a charismatic student called Peter during their first week at art college, changing the course of her life forever. Now, on the cusp of sixty-five and recently widowed, Rosie is slowly coming to terms with a new future. And after a chance encounter with Peter, forty-seven years later, they both begin to wonder ‘what if’ . . .

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have to confess when I read the synopsis I was a little worried. Sue Watson has been a favourite author of mine for some time and her writing style is peppered with humour which normally has me crying with laughter. The synopsis with this latest book seemed a little less like her normal style so I wondered whether I would enjoy it as much? Thankfully this latest release shows that Sue Watson seems able to turn her hand to any style without any problems. 

Rosie Draper is the lead character in this book and being in her sixties means she falls outside the normal twenty or thirty something woman. Rosie is an absolutely brilliant character, but sadly the opening sees her struggling to come to terms with the loss of her husband after a long and happy marriage. Luckily she has her two adult children supporting her along with her granddaughters. Her two daughters run their flower shop and Rosie decides to return back to working with them in an effort to return her life to something approaching normalcy. 

She didn’t count on running into her first love Pete from when she was 17 whilst attending and preparing some wedding flowers. Peter and her slowly claw back their friendship as Rosie struggles to get the perfect balance between her family and her own personal happiness. This book was certainly a change from her normal work but a story that I just fell in love with. I adored the family, Peter and Rosie herself. The story is told with warmth and love and is a real hear string puller!

I can certainly say that this book was an absolute joy to read. Sue Watson has managed to create a wonderfully warm love story which focuses on a lady slightly older than most I read about. It pulls the heart strings, and feels like a big warm hug at the end of a hard working day. I can truly say I think this book will be hugely popular and I for one cannot wait to see what Sue comes up with next, it seems there isn’t a lot this lady can’t do!

Scandalous Lies by Nigel May

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Synopsis: SUSPENSE: Georgia’s best friend, ballroom dancing sensation Mitzi, has vanished with boyfriend Foster while on holiday in California. Can Georgia get to the truth of their disappearance before it’s too late?

SECRETS: Reality TV star Nova could give the Kardashians a run for their money. But while she allows millions of viewers into her fabulous home, she’s unaware what her husband, celebrity mogul Jacob, is up to behind closed doors …

SEX: Tanya is filthy rich, married to a man who adores her but she is restless. And her sexual appetite is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

SCANDAL: Victoria, once the trophy-wife, has lost her mojo. Determined to get her life and marriage back on track, she’s desperate to inject some excitement in her life – but at what cost?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: If you’re a fan of Hollywood glamour, raunchy suspense and secrets then this book will be right up your street! I really love Nigel’s books and they are real Bonk Busters which means they are normally full of loads of sex, some normally underhand skulduggery and there is normally shed loads of celebrities or wealth floating about. This book has the whole shebang….and more! the ballroom dancing sensation MItzi has taken some time out to spend with her equally famous boyfriend Foster and they go missing at some stage during the trip. When the world moves on, Mitzi’s best friend Georgia is struggling to do the same. It seems like the world is quickly forgetting Mitzi and Georgia is determined to find the truth about what happened to her.

At first it seems like there is an overload of characters but by the time I was a quarter of the way through the book it started to all link together. Although there are too many characters to mention one of my favourites was Nova, the mother of Charlie (Georgia’s boyfriend) and a reality TV star. She is a larger than life character that I adored and to be frank the story just wouldn’t have been the same without her.

There are so many threads to the story and it seems that everybody involved has some sort of a secret. There are also some extremely naughty scenes featured heavily in the book, so beware for commuters that like to read over your shoulder, they may get more than they bargained for. By the time I had worked out who was sleeping with who, and who was jetting off to the next country I was pretty breathless. There was so much going on but I literally couldn’t stop reading. From LA to London to India, we see some amazing locations with some sensational characters and it’s all wrapped up in an entire life of glamour and lies. I LOVED this book, even more than previous Nigel May books I have read. One thing is for sure and that is that I will be reading every last book he currently has out as otherwise I fear I may be missing out. If you’re a fan of authors such as Jackie Collins, Tasmina Perry and the like then Nigel May needs to be your new ‘go-to’ author…I promise you won’t be disappointed. 

One Hot Summer by Kat French

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Synopsis: Being married to a celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when that celebrity has a very public affair with his co-star…

Alice McBride is determined that the one thing she won’t lose in her marriage breakup is Borne Manor, her beloved home, but she gets more than she bargained for when she rents it out for the summer and a sexy cowboy comes to stay.

Country music star Robinson Duff has had his own share of heartbreak and needs somewhere quiet to hide out for the summer. Neither Alice nor Robinson are in any position for romance; the timing is terrible and they’re both rebounding like out of control frisbees.

Can a holiday romance help mend their broken hearts. Or will it just make things even worse when the long hot summer comes to its inevitable end?

Kat’s Rating: 6/5..oops sorry, I mean 5/5

Kat’s Review: Okay here’s a fact for you. I read a LOT of books, maybe not as much as some but certainly more than your average reader. Yes my preference is Crime, Thriller or Mystery but you need to break it up and I love nothing more than a good ol’ romantic fiction, especially if it’s funny. It’s why I’m a huge fan of people like Sue Watson. However, I admit when I started to read this and saw the cover I didn’t bother with the synopsis as I figured it would be ‘par for the course’ in this genre. Oh my, how wrong can one person be. Have you even been in a good old fashioned greasy spoon, and by the time you have finished your meal you are convinced it should be Michelin starred? Well, that’s kind of what happened to me with this book!

Alice McBride and her husband Brad start the opening chapters of this book and we see Alice sling Brad out of her beautiful marital home Borne Manor due to his wandering hands. So far so normal, except even at this point there was just something about the characters and the setting. It was so easy to read and Alice was just so normal and likeable. Seeing as her husband Brad is a reasonably well known Actor, her split is not easy and as she is recovering from it all she realises that she refuses to lose her home, so decides on a Summer Rental. 

Enter Robinson Duff, the country music star that’s had his own share of heartbreak and is getting away from it all. Now I know that so far it seems like your ordinary romantic comedy but believe me it is SO much more. The additional characters which make up the village cast had me howling at times. It contains naked painters, ex porn stars and practising witches are just the tip of the iceberg. Now don’t get me wrong it’s predictable to a point, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Kat French has created the man of (I would have thought) every girl’s dream. I am convinced that if women created men and they were made like Robinson Duff, the world would be an easy place to live in!

If you want some fluffy, romantic, amazing writing and eye watering funny scenes then look no further. I haven’t enjoyed a book this much since I first discovered Sue Watson’s (in particular Love Lies and Lemon Cake). It is the perfect remedy to reading too much crime, a depressingly bleak British Summer and the drudge of every day life. Everything you could want and more in a book of this type and I think many will LOVE it. I know I certainly did and I will be eagerly scouring Amazon for when her next book is due. It’s official, I am now a Kat French Fan Girl!!!

Outside Looking In by Michael Wood (DCI Matilda Darke #2)

51-x44K35eL._SY346_ Synopsis: The second book in Michael Wood’s darkly compelling new crime series featuring DCI Matilda Darke. Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid.

When elderly George Rainsford goes to investigate a suspicious noise one night, the last thing he expects to find is a bloodbath. A man has been killed and a woman brutally beaten, left for dead.

The victims are Lois Craven and Kevin Hardaker – both married, but not to each other. Their spouses swear they knew nothing of the affair and, besides, they both have alibis for the attack. With nothing else to link the victims, the investigation hits a dead end.

The pressure is on for investigating officer, DCI Matilda Darke: there’s a violent killer on the loose, and it looks like her team members are the new targets. With no leads and no suspects, it’s going to take all Matilda’s wits to catch him, before he strikes again.

Kat’s Rating: 5/5 Continue reading “Outside Looking In by Michael Wood (DCI Matilda Darke #2)”

‘SUMMER AT OYSTER BAY’ BY JENNY HALE

Synopsis: They say falling in love is easy. But what if you know it’ll break your heart?

For Emily Tate, returning to her charming childhood home Oyster Bay is like coming up for air after the fast pace of her city life. At the farm her grandfather built, surrounded by sister Rachel’s chatter, Gram’s butter biscuits and the soft, white sand, Emily is reminded exactly who she is and what she holds most dear.

When Emily starts work at elegant Water’s Edge Inn, Charles Peterson, the handsome new owner, asks for her help. He wants to expand and needs Emily to teach him the local ways, so he can convince the planning commission. Emily vows to make him fall in love with her hometown, just the way it is.

At work, Charles is reserved and serious, yet once Emily has him kicking off his shoes in the sand and sailing across glistening Chesapeake Bay, she sees another side to him, and their easy rapport feels like the start of something big.

But when it becomes clear Charles’s plans for the inn involve bulldozing Oyster Bay, Emily is heartbroken. Will she lose her home and Charles all at once, or can she save Oyster Bay, and give true love a chance?

Kat’s Rating: 5/5

Kat’s Review: I have read three other Jenny Hale books which I really enjoyed so I was looking forward to reading this newest release. Thankfully Jenny has once again delivered a beautiful and heart-warming tale set in what sounds like somewhere I need to go! Emily Tate is returning to her home in Oyster Bay following 3 years living in the City. Luckily she is going to live with her Grandmother (Gram) at her childhood home and pretty soon gets to integrate herself back with family and friends. She is lucky to have secured a job at the elegant Inn at Water’s Edge and when she meets the new owner Charles Peterson the story takes a turn.

Emily is incredibly likeable, as are her Gram and sister Rachel, niece and Brother In Law Jeff. Jenny Hale has an incredibly talented way of making you feel like you are right alongside these characters in this beautiful yet small town place. Charlie Peterson is so likeable although at first he comes across as a little aloof. The other characters that feature such as Rachel, Emily’s sister also have their own story interwoven within the book which makes for another interesting take on the family.

Overall, this book has everything you could want. I found myself completely immersed and finding out more about Emily’s family really made for an absorbing and compelling read. I could see the way the story was going towards the end, but that’s exactly where I wanted it to go and I was so pleased that Jenny Hale finished the book as she did with a beautifully well fitted Epilogue. Overall I am finding Jenny Hale to be a ‘go-to’ author. One that you know you are guaranteed a great story. I cannot wait for her next book!

Little Boy Blue by M J Arlidge (Helen Grace #5)

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Synopsis: Detective Inspector Helen Grace is no stranger to tragedy. But when a body is found in a Southampton nightclub, the death cuts too close to the bone.

Hiding her personal connection to the victim – and a double-life which must remain secret at all costs – Helen becomes a woman possessed, working her team around the clock to chase down every lead.

As the killer strikes again, the investigation takes its toll not only on Helen but also her senior officers. Tempers flare, friendships fray and Helen faces an impossible choice.

Confess her sins and lose control of the case? Or keep living a lie, protecting her darkest secrets, and risk getting trapped in this tangled web?

But whatever she does, this killer will not stop until the truth is revealed: there are some fates worse than death . . .

KAT’S RATING: 5/5

KAT’S REVIEW: I have been reading the Helen Grace Series from the beginning and was so looking forward to the next installment. As soon as I started I was straight back into Helen’s world and was absorbed within a matter of a few chapters. One thing I will point out is that although you may well be able to read this as a standalone book, it is made so much better by the fact that I have been following the series. You have a real sense of the characters and their history and how each path has been crossed with other people. Helen is an outstanding character and as many readers will know she has her own secrets which will put her firmly in the firing line in this latest book.

A body is found to start us off, only this time it’s found at a Southampton nightclub which was hosting a fetish ball and as soon as Helen arrives she realises that she has her own personal connection to the murder. This alone makes for an outstanding read, but add in all the other factors such as the return of favourite characters and I knew this would be a full5 star read and I wasn’t even halfway.

Helen’s superior Gardam made for such a good thread to the story I had no idea where the story would go with it until it smacked me around the face (I didn’t see that coming). We also see Helen’s juniors Sanderson and Brooks fighting for their position as Helen’s right hand woman. The murders continue to increase and every plot thread added to the tension and ratcheted up the nerve endings. By the time the last quarter of the book was upon me, all thoughts of dinner, washing and anything else remotely house related went straight out the window. The real kicker was the ending. It was a real OMG moment and I was FURIOUS that Arlidge has left us hanging. It was so good it was bad (if you know what I mean). All I can say is I am literally on tenterhooks waiting for the next book which is due for release on 8 September 2016. An absolutely brilliant book which I think is Arlidge’s best yet and I cannot recommend this series highly enough.