Blog tour: The Silent Twin by Caroline Mitchell

"Nine-year-old twins Abigail and Olivia vow never to be parted. But when Abigail goes missing from Blackwater Farm, DC Jennifer Knight must find her before it’s too late. 

Twin sister Olivia has been mute since Abigail’s disappearance. But when she whispers in Jennifer’s ear, Jennifer realises it is Abigail’s voice pleading to be found. 

A damp and decaying house set in acres of desolate scrubland, the farm is a place of secrets, old and new – and Jennifer must unravel them all in order to find the lost girl. But could Olivia’s bond with her twin hold the key to finding Abigail? And can Jennifer break through her silence in time to save her sister’s life?

My Review 

So you'll all know by now that I'm a HUGE fan of Caroline Mitchell. She writes addictive, gritty crime stories that have you on the edge of your seat. They also feature supernatural elements which, although not my usual choice in genre, work really well alongside the crime and mystery parts of these great stories. 

In The Silent Twin we are reunited with DC Jennifer Knight. She's now part of the Operation Moonlight - a secret section of the police that deal with cases which involve the supernatural. Her first case is high profile - a missing nine-year-old-twin.

From the very start I was hooked - the story is fast paced and most chapters end on such a cliffhanger you just can't wait to read the next page. The most interesting part of The Silent Twin was just how differently the family reacted to Abigail's disappearance. Jennifer Knight is assigned to be their family liaison officer, so as a reader we see first hand how they deal (or don't deal) with her sudden disappearance. Abigail's twin, Olivia, has been silent since she went missing, but Jennifer is able to communicate with Abigail through her, using her supernatural powers. Then there's the parents - Nick, who avoids Jennifer and seems to have a strange relationship with Olivia and the mum Joanne, who is far too cool, calm and collected considering her daughter is missing. 

It's hard to review this story without giving too much away, but the way that Caroline has structured it creates a gripping and massively entertaining crime story that will stay with me for some time. As usual, the balance of police investigation work and the supernatural is perfectly balanced - neither are overwhelming or boring and in fact are so realistic they draw you in further. 

This is the third book in the DC Jennifer Knight series and is absolutely brilliant. As I was writing this, I was trying to pick my favourite of the three to suggest, but I genuinely can't. They are all great and well worth a read. They can be read as stand alone stories, but I would definitely read all three if you can as they are brilliant! Caroline has released some exciting news this week about her upcoming novels and I cannot wait to read more from this super talented author. 

*A huge thank you to the publishers of The Silent Twin, Bookouture for an advance copy of the story in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour: The Missing by C.L.Taylor

"When fifteen-year-old Billy Wilkinson goes missing in the middle of the night, his mother, Claire, blames herself. She's not the only one. There isn't a single member of Billy's family that doesn't feel guilty. But the Wilkinsons are so used to keeping secrets from one another that it isn't until six months later, after an appeal for information goes horribly wrong, that the truth begins to surface.

Claire is sure of two things – that Billy is still alive and that her friends and family had nothing to do with his disappearance.

A mother's instinct is never wrong. Or is it?

Sometimes those closest to us are the ones with the most to hide…"

My Review 

So if you read my review of The Lie, you'll know I'm a big fan of C.L Taylor. She's the queen of gritty, suspense-filled thrillers, and The Missing is no different. 

The story centres around Claire, who are dealing with the aftermath of her son, Billy going missing. This is an intriguing and gripping topic for the story to focus on... you immediately want to know what happened, why Billy went missing and if he is dead or alive. 

The suspense is heightened at the start of each chapter, which focuses on a online chat between two anonymous people. It's not clear who they are (although I had my suspicions for one of the people from early on) but the way they talk has you hooked... it's obviously linked to Billy's disappearance and so it's another mechanism to try and get you to fit the pieces together. 

As you'd expect from the topic of this story, it's an emotional roller-coaster filled with ups and downs. You really feel for Claire, who is struggling to deal with the unanswered questions Billy's disappearance creates. She tries her best to keep her family together as one unit, but as everyone deals with the situation in different ways, she struggles to do so. C.L. Taylor has wonderfully crafted their emotions so you really feel their pain and will for them to get answers, even if it's not the answer they hoped for. I found this such an interesting plot and think that C.L Taylor executes it brilliantly - it's clear she did a lot of research to get it right. The emotions, the police procedures - its all expertly crafted and is so realistic it's easy to get lost in the story and so absorbed that you begin to forget it's fiction. 

I'll admit, I really wasn't sure how the story would end, but they way it does is so good. I obviously don't want to say too much and spoil anything, but you won't be disappointed. I don't think it's an obvious ending, I was surprised by it, but once you know what happened and who's involved you sit back and think 'ohhh, of course!'. 

As expected, The Missing is a brilliantly written, clever story filled with complex and intriguing characters that will hook you in from the very first page. An absolute must-read, but make sure you have plenty of time on your hands as you won't want to put it down!

*A big thank you to Avon, the publishers of The Missing for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

Book review: Deadly Obsession by Nigel May

Amy Barrowman grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. So when she falls in love with millionaire Riley Hart and he asks her to marry him she can’t believe her luck. She has found true love and her happy ever after. 

Riley Hart is a Millionaire Man about Town. Men want to be him and women want to bed him. But to achieve Riley’s status, you have to tread on a lot of toes and make a lot of enemies. 

When Riley is gunned down at the nightclub they own, Amy is determined to avenge his death. She receives a mysterious letter detailing a list of suspects including Riley’s sworn enemy, actor Grant Wilson. But with an obsessive passion brewing between her and Grant and a dangerous assassin trailing her every move it would seem Amy has opened a deadly and tempting Pandora’s Box. In settling the score for her husband has Amy put herself into terrible danger? 

If you know me well by now, you'll know that picking up a bonk-buster style novel isn't usually for me. However, when I read Scandalous Lies by Nigel May (you can read my review here) I was pleasantly surprised - it was a gripping, well-written story with some added steamy sex scenes. Deadly Obsession is Nigel's new book and will be released on 19th February. I was very excited when I received a copy through NetGalley to read and eagerly started reading. 

What struck me first about Deadly Obsession is how dark and twisted it is. Nigel May usually explores tense and intriguing storylines, but this one is another level. It follows the main character Amy, who is dealing with the murder of her beloved husband, Riley. After a few months of grief, all she knew becomes questionable when she receives a hand-written letter from her dead husband, explaining he's actually alive. Amy starts to try and find out the truth- finding out on the way her husband, who she believed to be running a wealthy plastics business, was actually a high-profile gangster, running a crime empire. 

I enjoyed watching her find out the truth, even at times if it was difficult, and there were many twists and turns throughout the story that keep you on your toes. You couldn't really trust anyone, which kept me hooked.... would anyone be able to help her get to the truth?

There is such a range of different, gritty characters throughout Deadly Obsession that keeps the story interesting. I really felt for Amy and, as time passed, Riley made me so irritated. His past is so dodgy and it's clear he's spent the whole duration of their relationship lying through his teeth. Nothing is as she thought and it's extraordinary how different his life actually was, instead of what she thought. Grant Wilson, actor mega-star and Riley's life-long rival is a charming addition to the story and I was rooting for Amy to fall for him as he seemed so kind and supportive. I will say that there are lots of characters in Deadly Obsession and occasionally it was hard to keep up, or someone would be mentioned and I'd have to think about who they were and how they fit into the story. However, after a while I got into it and began to remember how the large cast fit together. 

If I'm being honest, this book didn't absorb me as much as previous Nigel May books did. Certain parts just didn't hook me in as much as others have. I also found the sex scenes slightly awkward - I know I've admitted that I don't usually enjoy this genre anyway, but in this story the sex scenes just didn't add as much to the story as they have in previous books... I felt some were put in just so it could fit into the bonk-buster genre and that didn't really sit well with me. I know that though is more down to my personal tastes and I can imagine that if you're a fan of steamy romance, then this will definitely be a story you want to read. 

Overall, Deadly Obsession is worth a read. It's a gritty, crime-ridden plot with an outstanding twist. Seriously, I didn't see the ending coming at all. You're taken down so many different routes on this story that it's really hard to imagine just how it will end and it's a really shocking ending that I really enjoyed. So, for me, Deadly Obsession was an enjoyable story but maybe not my favourite by Nigel May.  When it comes out next month, I'd definitely recommend it if you're a fan of bonk-busters with a gritty plot and an intriguing twist. 

*A big thank you to the publishers of Deadly Obsession - Bookouture - for an advance copy of the book via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review 

2015 book awards: best crime novels

2015 was the year I discovered crime novels. This time last year, I was a Women's Fiction only reader. No crime or mystery for me, thank you very much. But, thanks to blogging, this year I've discovered a whole host of brilliant new authors and books, including new genres. I've really got into crime and mystery type novels and I feel these three were the best crime or murder mystery stories that were released this year. 

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

If I could have done, I'd have put all three of Angela Marson's DCI Kim Stone stories in this shortlist, but it wouldn't really be fair. Angela Marsons has taken the book world by storm this year, and it's so easy to see why. Not only has she released three (yes, three!) books in one year, but she has also now sold over one million copies of her books - an incredible achievement. I've loved all three of her books - they are jam-packed with grizzly murders, interesting characters and a gripping storyline. Kim Stone is a gritty, difficult main character who you still have a soft spot for because of her hardworking and (secretly) caring nature. I loved watching her develop over the course of the different stories. Silent Scream was the one that story that propelled Angela onto my radar, which is why it's one of my favourite crime stories of the year... a truly gripping, well-written and twisty crime novel. Read my review here 

Don't Turn Around by Caroline Mitchell 

Another Bookouture crime author that is doing exceptionally well. Caroline Mitchell has released two books this year - Don't Turn Around and Time to Die. Like Angela's books, I struggled to decide which to shortlist, but decided on Don't Turn Around as it was a story that absolutely absorbed me. DC Jennifer Knight is another strong female lead - feisty, determined and tough, I really enjoyed watching her solve the complex case that Don't Turn Around followed. There is a psychic, paranormal element to the story too, which provides a more unique approach to a crime story. Read my review here

The Dead Dog Day by Jackie Kabler 

This is a really interesting and different approach to a crime novel, as the genre itself is a mix of romance and crime. The story follows a murder at a TV station and I loved that aspect of it - you can clearly see that Jackie has first-hand experience in this industry and I enjoyed seeing how it linked into the crime aspect of the story. The genre mix didn't seem muddled, it actually helped drive the plot and peak my interest. This is a story I really, really liked and it kept me gripped - I was really surprised my the ending and who the killer was. Read my review here

Blog Tour: Death in Shanghai by M J Lee

"Shanghai, 1928. The body of a blonde is washed up on the Beach of Dead Babies, in the heart of the smog-filled city. Seemingly a suicide, a closer inspection reveals a darker motive: the corpse has been weighed down, it’s lower half mutilated…and the Chinese character for ‘justice’ carved into the chest. The moment Inspector Danilov lays eyes on the dismembered body, he realises that he has an exceptional case on his hands. And when the first body is followed by another, and another, each displaying a new, bloody message, he has no option but face the truth. He is dealing with the worst kind of criminal; someone determined, twisted…and vengeful. Someone who must be caught….whatever the cost."

Death in Shanghai is the first novel in M J Lee’s Inspector Danilov series, perfect for fans of Philip Kerr.

Excerpt:

In the middle of Soochow Creek is a sandbank known by the locals as “The Beach of Dead Babies”. On a bright, cold Shanghai morning, there were no dead babies lying on it, just a dead blonde.

Inspector Danilov stamped his feet on the cobblestones of the bank, trying to force some life into his cold toes. He pulled his old coat around his thin body and searched its pockets for his tobacco tin. Blowing some warm air on his fingers, he opened the tin and rolled a cigarette with one hand. The first breaths of smoke choked his lungs, producing a series of deep, barking coughs like the alarm cries of a deer. A spit of black tar filled his mouth, the remains of the opium he had smoked the night before. He spat it out and watched it land in the mud at the edge of the creek before it was swallowed by the lapping, grey waters.

His colleague, Charles Meaker, the District Inspector from Hongkew, walked to the middle of Zhapu Bridge, scanning the area as if getting his bearings. At the centre of the bridge, Meaker located the position of the blonde stretched out on the sandbank. From a pocket, he produced a linen meas-uring tape and laid this along the stone parapet of the bridge.

After an age of measuring, a smug smile spread across his pale face. 
‘I believe it’s one of yours. It's on your side,’ he shouted. Then rolled up the measuring tape and put it back inside his jacket pocket, taking the opportunity to hitch his trousers over his large stomach.

He strolled over to Danilov on the city side of the bridge. ‘Floaters are always a nightmare. Hate ‘em meself. Looks like this one topped hersel’ upstream, and the body floated down. Enjoy it.’ He tugged at his moustache. ‘Another chance to enhance your reputation.’

Danilov took a long drag of his cigarette, savouring the bitter tang of the tobacco. ‘Thank you, Inspector Meaker, have you finished?’ He turned back looking for his new constable in the large crowd that now lined the banks. ‘Stra-chan, come here will you?’

‘It’s Straw-aaan,’ said Meaker, the “ch” is silent. But you Russians wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?’

The young detective ran up. ‘Yes, sir?’ He had a shock of black hair, an eager smile and eyes that gave away he was half-Chinese.

‘Stra-chan,’ Inspector Danilov emphasised, ‘go down to the sampans and check if anybody saw anything.’

‘Good luck with that. Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil. Just do evil. That’s what this lot believe.’ Meaker mimed the actions of the three monkeys ending with an expansive gesture that took in all the watching Chinese.

Inspector Danilov ignored him. ‘Go and check them anyway. Somebody may have seen some-thing.’ Strachan began to turn away. ‘Don’t forget to send a man to the pathologist. The morgue is just across Garden Bridge on the other side of the river. Let Dr. Fang know there's a body coming in.'

‘Yes, sir, anything else, sir?’ Strachan stood to attention awaiting his orders. He was new to the detective squad, and this was his first case.

‘Hurry up, we haven’t got all day,’ said Danilov. ‘The feet feed the wolf, as we say in Minsk.’

‘Er…yes, sir, right away.’

‘I’m off back to Hongkew for a nice cuppa. Good luck with the floater, Danilov, rather you than me, heh?’ With a long, pipe-stained chuckle, Meaker twisted his moustache and walked back across the bridge to his own district.

About the author:

Martin has spent most of his adult life writing in one form or another. As a University researcher in history, he wrote pages of notes on reams of obscure topics. As a social worker with Vietnamese refugees, he wrote memoranda. And, as the creative director of an advertising agency, he has written print and press ads, tv commercials, short films and innumerable backs of cornflake packets and hotel websites. He has spent 25 years of his life working outside the North of England. In London, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok and Shanghai, winning awards from Cannes, One Show, D&AD, New York and London Festivals, and the United Nations. Whilst working in Shanghai, he loved walking through the old quarter of that amazing city, developing the idea behind a series of crime novels featuring Inspector Pyotr Danilov, set in 1920s and 30s. When he's not writing, he splits his time between the UK and Asia, taking pleasure in playing with his daughter, practicing downhill ironing, single-handedly solving the problem of the French wine lake and wishing he were George Clooney.

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Book review: The Girl With No Past, Kathryn Croft

"Years spent running from your past. Today it catches up.

A gripping psychological thriller for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train.

Leah Mills lives a life of a fugitive – kept on the run by one terrible day from her past. It is a lonely life, without a social life or friends until – longing for a connection – she meets Julian. For the first time she dares to believe she can live a normal life.

Then, on the fourteenth anniversary of that day, she receives a card. Someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed the life Leah has created.

But is Leah all she seems? Or does she deserve everything she gets?

Everyone has secrets. But some are deadly."

The Girl With No Past follows Leah, who is harbouring a dark secret. She leads a very hidden and frankly boring life, not letting anyone in or forming any supportive relationships and keeping herself to herself. It's clear she's doing this to punish herself for whatever happened in the past as she doesn't feel she deserves to be happy. 

The story begins with a car accident in which all the passengers of the car are killed, but Leah (who's driving) survives. Now, the accident does tie in with the end of the story, but I must admit it confused me slightly. I thought Leah's secret revolved around the car crash and that is what she is punishing herself for. In a way I suppose it is (I won't say anymore as I don't want to ruin a twist!) but it isn't the centre of her troubles or the sole reason behind her personality. I know this means that the actual reason should be a shocking reveal, but I actually found it more confusing than the build up to a great twist. 

There are plenty of dark characters in the story and there aren't any that really provide any light relief from the constant troubles Leah faces. Leah herself is a difficult and tormented character - constantly on edge, not wanting to speak to or befriend anyone and conducting the same, stable routine day-in-day-out. I found it hard to sympathise or relate to Leah in anyway, but it did make me eager to find out what had led her to feeling the way she does and just why she is so guarded all the time. 

For me, one of the strongest points of The Girl With No Past was the two different time frames it's set in. It is mainly set in the current day, but every few chapters it reverts back to Leah's teenage past, where you see her friendship with Imogen and Corey , as well as her budding relationship with new boy Alex. It's apparent from early on there's something not quite right with him, he is fixated on their teacher Miss Hollis, constantly saying how she's 'out to get him' and is a bitch because of it. The gang see that he starts to stalk her, wanting to freak her out and, in his words, teach her a lesson. Now, this might just be down to personality differences and me no longer being a teenager, but would you not want to remove yourself from that kind of situation asap?! Leah is fixated on Alex and ignores these weird habits, instead focusing on her love for him. I'm sorry, but no, get rid! It's obvious he has some problems and I found it infurating she's so quick to ignore them. Not only that, but Imogen and Corey agree with him and go along with whatever he says. Surely it's a bit too far? Fair enough have a moan, even call her names behind her back, but stalking her? Sitting outside her house? I found it difficult to not get frustrated by how easily led they all were and how not one of them stood up for themselves and told Alex what he was doing was wrong.

That leads me to the big secret Leah is hiding from her past. Now, don't get me wrong, it's bad. Really bad. and certainly I can see why she still feels guilty, years later because of it. However, I must admit it left me feeling a bit disappointed. The reason being that the horrible event isn't really Leah's fault at all. The others - Alex, Imogen and Corey are completely in the wrong and should be holding the same amount of guilt as Leah, but she didn't actually do anything that wrong. I don't want to say too much about what happens, but Leah is easily led and joins in because of peer pressure and her love for Alex, but as soon as she realises what is happening, she runs away. Granted, she should have called the police and again, I found myself annoyed at her inability to do anything, but she wasn't the one to blame. It becomes clear towards the end why she was being targeted by the emailer and not the others, but I didn't really buy it, it all seemed a bit far-fetched. However, I was surprised by the emailers identity, it really shocked me as I thought I'd figured out who it was, but I was completely wrong! That big twist was a great feature and one of my favourite parts of the story. 

So that's my honest thoughts on this book. I must say that although I've mentioned some of my reservations in my review, I did really enjoyed the story - it's fast-paced and absorbing and I raced through it, eager to see how it would end.  There's just a few things missing for me which meant I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the other thriller/mystery novels I've read this year. If you're a lover of the thriller genre I'd encourage you to read The Girl With No Past, it's an absorbing story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. 

*A big thank you to the publishers of Follow Me, Bookouture, for an advance review copy of the book via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. 

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Book review: Follow Me by Angela Clarke

"LIKE. SHARE. FOLLOW . . . DIE

The ‘Hashtag Murderer’ posts chilling cryptic clues online, pointing to their next target. Taunting the police. Enthralling the press. Capturing the public’s imagination.

But this is no virtual threat.

As the number of his followers rises, so does the body count.

Eight years ago two young girls did something unforgivable. Now ambitious police officer Nasreen and investigative journalist Freddie are thrown together again in a desperate struggle to catch this cunning, fame-crazed killer. But can they stay one step ahead of him? And can they escape their own past?

Time's running out. Everyone is following the #Murderer. But what if he is following you?

ONLINE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM …"

The minute the book cover reveal took place for Follow Me by Angela Clarke, I knew I just had to get my mitts on a copy. It sounded absolutely brilliant and I'm so pleased that I wasn't disappointed - it's a fast paced crime mystery novel that had me absorbed from the beginning.

The story follows Freddie- a chaotic, fairly lost woman who dreams of being a journalist but instead is serving coffee to rude customers, scraping enough pennies together to live on a sofabed in a tiny flat. She bumps into an old school friend, Nas, who is now a police officer and is rushing off to a crime scene. Sniffing out a story that could fulfill her journalist dreams, Freddie follows Nas and sneaks her way into the crime scene - a gory murder. Before she knows it, she's thrust onto the case, using her social media skills to help try and find the killer - Apollyon, who uses Twitter to broadcast his kills and give clues as to who is next. 

This was a gripping story and I particularly loved the social media focus. Follow Me highlighted the dangers that there can be surrounding online activity and was a different and exciting way to portray crimes. It was well thought through and kept you on your toes constantly... would they find the person behind Apollyon...the 'hashtag murderer?'

Freddie is a brash character who lacks any sense of direction and ability to take things seriously. She is coasting through life, trying to make it as a journalist but not really succeeding. I enjoyed her being thrust into a whole new working environment and her trying to help solve the crime. At time she was, understandably, overwhelmed - particularly with the gory murder scenes. But, she used her skills and experiences to try and create leads and really got into the investigation. She is a complete contrast to Nas, who is a determined perfectionist, working incredibly hard to achieve a promotion within the force. I did feel that at times her character was a bit flat... there wasn't much going on with her apart from wanting to succeed. She's still likable though and you can really understand her frustrations with Freddie. 

It's clear there's a secret that Nas and Freddie are keeping, which is the reason why they stopped being friends when they were younger. It's hinted at from early on in the story, but I never quite guessed what it would be. Once you find out you can see why they kept it to themselves, particular Nas, and it also explains their personalities and outlook on life. 

I'll admit I had no bloomin' idea who the killer would be. When they find a lead and a potential killer, I was on the edge of my seat wondering if that would be it. I won't spoil anything, but just be warned that Follow Me certainly keeps you on edge right up until the very end - the plot twists and turns and throws many surprises your way. 

A thoroughly enjoyable, gripping crime thriller with a dynamic edge. I really, really enjoyed it. 

*A big thank you to the publishers of Follow Me, Avon, for an advance review copy of the book via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. 

Links:

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Angela Clark website 

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Book review: Lost Girls by Angela Marsons

"Two girls go missing. Only one will return.

The couple that offers the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing couple will not. Make no mistake. One child will die. 

When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping. 

And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for D.I. Kim Stone and the squad. 

Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour… 

Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families’ past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will someone’s child pay the ultimate price?"

Lost Girls is the third novel in the DC Kim Stone series. I find it pretty mind-blowing that this is the third book Angela Marsons has released this year - what a massive achievement! I absolutely loved the first book in the series, Silent Scream, and thought the sequel, Evil Games was even better, so I had high expectations for Lost Girls. I honestly think that it's the best of the trilogy... Angela's writing is even more descriptive and flowing, the plot tense and gripping and it's a brilliant, tense and fast-paced thriller.

The story follows DC Kim Stone as she investigates the abduction of two young girls, doing all she can to bring them home safe. The case is on a press and police force blackout, meaning no-one except the officers assigned to the case can no about it. This is for the girl's safety, but does create some major barriers for the investigation. The stress and strains of the investigation are heightened as the force look back to a similar abduction case the previous year that didn't end well... one of the girls didn't make it home. This thought is constantly playing on Kim's mind and she is determined for it not to happen again. Things are made even worse when the kidnappers send on a ransom demand to the to families - the highest bidder wins and will get their daughter back. The lowest won't. This horrible situation creates even more twists and turns for the families and plays on their already heightened emotions. It's a terrible situation but, as a reader, an amazing idea from Angela Marsons. It makes what would be a difficult abduction case even more tense and uncomfortable and you can see the close relationship between the families unravel - secrets are revealed and sturdy relationships fractured, which makes for great reading. 

As usual, Kim Stone goes above and beyond to find the girls. She is a fantastic, realistic character. I've loved her since the start of this series, but I enjoy seeing her character develop and learning more about her. She just seems so real - it's hard to remember that you're actually reading a book. She's still just as stand-offish and cold, not wanting to make anything too personal, but I still really, really like her. She throws herself into her work and wants to do all she can to solve the case, and not just for her own personal satisfaction, but to genuinely help the victims and their families. She goes to great lengths to protect people and isn't afraid to bend the rules to succeed, usually to her boss's dismay, but for the right result. Towards the end of the story we see a big development in her personal life that's rather unusual for Kim. I must admit, I did see it coming, but I was still really pleased and I'm eager to see what happens next with that.

As usual with Angela Marson's stories we also get an insight into the mind of the abducter. This didn't make for easy reading, especially as one of the kidnappers is extremely violent. However, these chapters add another gripping layer to the story and really ramp up the tension. It makes you want to scream at Kim Stone 'I know who they are!!' and will her on to find them. Despite it not being the most comfortable topic to cover, Angela Marson's writing talents shine through - she creates a gripping, mind-whirring read that has you hooked from the very start. 

If you've read and enjoyed the rest of this series, then you will love Lost Girls. It really is brilliant.  If, somehow, you've missed out on the wonder that it Angela Marsons then I'd suggest you rectify that immediately! Purchase the others as well as Lost Girls and catch up on these gripping thrillers. If you love crime and mystery novels then these are the books for you. Saying that though, I started Silent Scream when I didn't read many crime books, and I loved it. So if you're looking for something a bit different or want to delve into a new genre, give this series a whirl! I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed. 

So what are you waiting for?! Go and download all three books in the series and devour them as eagerly as I did - I have no qualms in recommending this series to anyone that will listen, it really is that brilliant. I can't wait to see what's next from Angela Marsons, but I have no doubts that it will be fantastic. 

*A big thank you to the publishers of Lost Girls, Bookouture, for an advance copy of the story in exchange for an honest review. 

Links: 

Buy Lost Girls

Buy Silent Scream (book 1)

Buy Evil Games (book 2)

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Book review: 24 Hours by Claire Seeber

"My best friend, Emily, is dead – killed last night in a hotel fire.

But it was meant to be me.

Now I have 24 hours to find my daughter.
Before he finds out I’m still alive.


24 Hours is a fast-paced, intelligent psychological thriller that will leave you breathless."

24 Hours is hands down one of the best thrillers I've read this year. It's fast paced, gripping and has you eager to find out what happened from the very first page. 

The story follows Laurie, who we meet in the aftermath of a large explosion at the hotel she's staying at, which kills her best friend Emily. However, Laurie fully believes that it wasn't an accident, and that it was meant to be her that was killed. Scared that someone wants to kill her, and possibly her daughter, she races off to find her daughter, Polly, who has been away on holiday with her Mum. 

24 Hours is split into two types of chapters - present day, with each chapter covering one hour within the 24 hour period after the fire, and the past,  which looks into Laurie's complex and rather dangerous relationship with her separated husband, Sid. I felt that the split chapters are what created such a gripping plot - most chapters in the present day were left on a cliffhanger which had you racing to find out more. 

In a weird way I enjoyed the flashbacks delving into her past- I say weird way as it's a difficult past she's experienced, with many dark times. We learn Laurie and Sid's relationship was toxic, she was constantly walking on eggshells as Sid could be violent or difficult, and even though they clearly have deep feelings for each other, they aren't right for each other. During these flashbacks we learn more about Laurie's friendship with Emily, her best friend, who supports her during difficult times and clearly dislikes Sid. We also meet Mal, a man who's son is in Polly's school, and who takes a liking to Laurie. At first, I was eager for them to get together, for Laurie to let her guard down and be with a man who seems kind and caring. However Mal's ex comes to stir up trouble- saying he gets too involved and becomes obsessed with the women he feels for. With any other story, I'd have thought this was a case of a woman scorned and not believe her for a second. However, because of the complexity of 24 hours and the way you never quite know what's happening, doubts niggled in my mind. Should Laurie trust him? Or could he have been behind the fire? I don't want to spoil it so I won't say any more, but it just shows how Claire Seeber has created a real psychological thriller where it's difficult to trust even the nicest of characters. 

Occasionally, I thought I knew what was going on and who was behind the fire and chasing Laurie, so I'd sit rather smugly thinking 'ha, nice try, but I've got this'..... only for something to happen that dispelled my idea and had me further questioning what on earth was going on. Serves me right for being smug I guess! Like Laurie, I was clueless throughout, but I certainly didn't trust any of the characters in the story. 

Claire Seeber is a truly talented author, this is the first book I've read by her, and it's introduced me to her fantastic writing style and ability to create suspense. From the offset you see the sheer terror and frantic worry that is hanging over Laurie, and her desperation to find her daughter safe. The emotions portrayed not only from Laurie, but throughout 24 hours, are complex and expertly crafted by Claire Seeber, and really show off her brilliance. 

All the characters in 24 Hours are complex and guarded, clearly hiding secrets and dealing with their feelings. Polly provides some light relief from heavy situations as well as Emily, who we see from the flashbacks was a caring and kind friend. The most complex character is Sid, who in his own messed up way really does seem to love Laurie, but he can't stop hurting her - emotionally and physically. I wanted to scream to Laurie to cut ties with him and stop going back to him as it was clearly not going to end well, especially when he gets a new girlfriend, young pop singer Jolie. Jolie acts care-free about Laurie and Poppy, but clearly isn't happy about Sid's inability to cut himself off from them. 

The whole of the story is leading up to a big climax, and the build-up towards it is incredible. I just couldn't put this book down, I read it over two days (if I hadn't been working it would have easily been in one sitting!) as it's just impossible to find a good point to put it down. I didn't guess the ending at all, it was a big shock to me and there's also a huge twist which shocked me too. 

Claire Seeber is brilliant, as is 24 hours. A gritty, thrilling read that has you hooked from the first page. I loved the complexity of the characters and their emotions and how difficult it was to work out what happened - there are so many twists and turns with this intricate plot that you never quite know where it's going to lead to next. A fantastic read that I'd highly recommend. 

*A big thank you to the publishers of 24 Hours, Bookouture, for a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

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Book review: The Dead Dog Day, Jackie Kabler

Blurb:
"When your Monday morning begins with a dead dog and ends with a dead boss, you know it's going to be one of those days. And breakfast TV reporter Cora Baxter has already had the weekend from hell, after the man she'd planned a fabulous future with unceremoniously dumped her. 


Now Cora's much-hated boss has been murdered - the list of suspects isn't exactly short, but as the enquiry continues the trail leads frighteningly close to home. Why is Cora's rival, glamorous, bitchy newsreader Alice Lomas, so devastated by their boss's death? What dark secrets are Cora's camera crew hiding? And why has her now ex-boyfriend vanished? 

The race to stop the killer striking again is on..."

When I received a copy of The Dead Dog Day I was immediately intrigued as to what this read would entail. It sounded like the perfect mix of rom-com and crime novel, and I'm pleased to say that's exactly what it was.

Cora Baxter works in TV as a reporter for a popular breakfast programme, which sees her traipsing up and down the country at an ungodly hour for different stories. I loved this insight into the TV world and found it so interesting... you can really tell Jackie has experience with this as it sounds so true to life. Cora is surrounded by a great crew who have become firm friends, and I loved the banter they shared, particularly with the camera crew when they are on location. They're a mixed bunch and their different personalities really compliment one another.

Things take a mysterious turn when the TV stations much-hated boss is murdered on one particularly stressful work day. Now, the start of this day is really funny and had me laughing out loud at the ludicrous requests of the director. It's no wonder she's so hated and that it's difficult to pinpoint who would want to kill her... as there's a long list! Once she's discovered dead, pushed out of a window, Cora and the rest of the crew begin to question things... who would actually act on their hatred in such a way? 

As ever in the world of TV, life moves on and Sam, Cora's best friend takes over the directing of the programme and the police come in to try and solve the murder. As a reader we follow Cora as she thrusts herself into her work, to not only avoid the murder of her boss, but also to avoid her rather messy personal life. She is a great main character and I loved watching her deal with the many difficult situations life throws at her. She is hard-working and supportive to her friends, whilst also dealing with the after-math of her break up.


She bumps into mega-famous TV star Benjamin Boland on a night out at a bar, and their initial meeting had me laughing out loud thanks to Cora's outgoing drunken comments. I liked watching their relationship develop throughout the story and really hoped she'd find happiness. Although Benjamin was a little self-absorbed for my liking, you can tell that in his own unusual way he really cared for Cora and I liked seeing her happy, although I wasn't convinced it would be a happy ever after.

While the murder is being investigated, handsome police officer DI Adam is in charge of the case. I developed a real soft spot for him as he was more wholesome than Benjamin and just an all round nice guy. I was willing for Cora to act on the spark between the two of them, as they had real chemistry, even when she was settled with Benjamin. I suppose this does highlight her slightly flitty personality - even when she's in a relationship with Benjamin she is thinking about DI Adam. She also gets with Benjamin pretty soon after her long-term relationship ends. I know this could be seen as a negative, but for me it was realistic, it shows her very real flaws and, I thought, was true to life.


The Dead Dog Day is mainly told  from Cora's viewpoint, although we do also delve into the mind of the killer on occasion. Hearing from the Killer built up suspense and always left you wanting more - questions were whirling in my mind after we'd heard from them and it was a great addition to the story. I kept changing my mind as to who the killer would be, but I never guessed who it actually was! It made for a great surprise and meant the suspense and build-up to the event was well worth it - especially when the identity of the killer was, for me, such a shocking twist!

The Dead Dog Day was an absorbing read that I raced through. It's one of those books that once you start it, you can't stop, so make sure you have a free afternoon to read this as you won't want to do anything else! This is Jackie Kabler's debut novel but it doesn't read like it - it's engaging, well written and a unique plot that I really, really enjoyed. There's a wonderful mixture of mystery, friendships (and ALOT of wine drinking!) dating and romance. I'd heartily recommend The Dead Dog Day to romance lovers wanting to delve into the crime genre as it is a wonderful blend of both. More writing please, Jackie!!

*A big thank you to Jackie Kabler and Accent Press for an advance copy of the story, in exchange for an honest review. 

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Book review: Time to Die by Caroline Mitchell

"He will predict your life… and your death.Don’t ever cross his palm with silver.
He will reveal your most shameful secrets.
He will predict your death.
He is hiding a secret.
He is hiding a monster.
And all his predictions come true.

Investigating a series of chilling murders, Detective Jennifer Knight finds herself tracking a mysterious tarot card reader known only as The Raven.

As the death toll rises, Jennifer and her team build a picture of a serial killer on the edge of sanity, driven by dark forces. But these are not random killings. And the method behind the madness could be the most terrifying thing of all …

Especially when it seems the death of one of their own is on the cards." 

Time to Die is the second book in the DC Knight series, and if you read my review of Don't Turn Around you'll know I'm a big fan of Caroline's writing and it's a series I really, really enjoy.  I was so happy that Time to Die is just as good as the first and was equally as thrilling and gripping. 

The book follows the same kind of plot and pace of Don't Turn Around, following DC Jennifer Knight as she investigates a series of unusual murders. I loved being able to catch up with Jennifer. Like before she is bristly and hard-working but you really warm to her as you can see why she is that way, and as a reader you start to see even more of a vulnerable side to her which makes her seem more human. I really enjoyed watching the relationship between her and her colleague, Will, develop further. Will is a great character, probably one of my favourites, as he is so kind and caring. He brings out a great side to Jennifer and I love the interaction between the two of them. 

As usual, the story is told from two view points - Jennifer and the murderer. I think this is such a clever way to see the crimes and mystery unfold first hand, as well as hearing the killer's thought processes. It gives the books a creepy, almost uncomfortable vibe when focusing on the killer and is a part that I really enjoy - it makes it so entertaining. 

Throughout the book Ravens play a key part to the mystery, following both the murderer and Jennifer around. They are eery and give a slight insight into future events - as soon as you see a raven you just know something bad is going to happen. 

Caroline keeps you on your toes throughout the whole story, even when things seem to make sense there's that part of you that still doesn't feel comfortable and it waiting for a twist. That's what I love most about Caroline's writing - the plots are well thought through, unpredictable and so entertaining, even if it is creepily so. There is a HUGE twist at the end of the story that I really didn't see coming and had me reading through the chapter as quickly as I could, I was so eager to find out what happened. The twist actually makes a lot of sense once you know about it, and it makes you think 'ahhhhhh why didn't I see that?!' but I didnt. I had no idea.

I'm so pleased that Time to Die lives up to expectation and is just as good as the first. Caroline's writing style is brilliant - descriptive, fast-paced and gripping and it is a book I thoroughly enjoyed. I'd strongly recommend this to anyone wanting a creepy, gripping crime thriller to sink their teeth into. 

*A huge thank you to the publishers, Bookouture, for providing me with an advance review copy of Time to Die, in exchange for an honest review. 

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