#Killed by Thomas Enger blog tour @EngerThomas @OrendaBooks

I’m delighted to be joining the blog tour for Killed today. The final book in the Henning Juul series by Thomas Enger which is published by Orenda Books and translated by Kari Dickson.

Source: Review Copy

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Crime reporter Henning Juul thought his life was over when his young son was murdered. But that was only the beginning…

Determined to find his son’s killer, Henning doggedly follows an increasingly dangerous trail, where dark hands from the past emerge to threaten everything. His ex-wife Nora is pregnant with another man’s child, his sister Trine is implicated in the fire that killed his son and, with everyone he thought he could trust seemingly hiding something, Henning has nothing to lose … except his own life.

Packed with tension and unexpected twists, Killed is the long-awaited finale of one of the darkest, most chilling and emotive series you may ever read. Someone will be killed. But who?

MY THOUGHTS

Killed is the finale in the Henning Juul series by Thomas Enger and what a brilliant end to the series it is. I first discovered this series when I read his previous novel Cursed, and I was hooked on Henning’s story. I still need to read the first three books; they are high up in my TBR pile. Enger’s Henning Jull series is an emotive, twisty and gripping journey. It follows Henning as he attempts to find his son’s killers in his quest for the truth. Cursed ended with a revelation that made me desperate to read the next book, and the moment my copy of Killed arrived, I couldn’t wait to read it. If I were to start this series again, I would go right back to the beginning, and this is what I would suggest if you are interested in reading this series. But what I did find helpful is that there is a cast of characters at the front of the book, so if you are coming to the Henning Juul books for the first time, it is possible to read it as a stand-alone.

Thomas opens his latest novel with a prologue that will really make you step back and think before it urges you to read the rest. Killed can very easily be read in one sitting. As I mentioned earlier, this is an emotional read as Henning tries to uncover who killed his son. It is clear that he will try and attempt this by any means possible, he has little care in the world if anything should happen to him in the process, and this is what makes him a reckless and an exciting character to follow. Someone is desperate to try and silence Henning however, and this is where the tension in the novel rises.

The last two Henning Juul novels which I have read have been translated really well. The descriptions of the Norwegian landscape drew me into the setting. From the start of the book, there is a strong sense of foreboding and it is clear that there are going to be obstacles set in Henning’s way as he attempts to reach the truth, be prepared for shocking and heartbreaking scenes.

Although it is sad to see this series come to an end, Thomas certainly couldn’t have given this series a better one. But I still have the first three books to read, so I’m looking forward to finding more about Henning. I’m sure that Thomas has more exciting books up his sleeve.

Thank you to Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books for sending me a copy of this book to review and to Anne Cater for the invitation to join the blog tour.

Publisher: Orenda

Publication date: 15th February 2018

Print length: 276 pages

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Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan Book Review @SVaughanAuthor @1stMondayCrime

First Monday Crime is back next month at City University, and there is another stellar line-up of brilliant crime writers for next week’s panel. But before I give you the details about who will be appearing, here’s my thoughts on Sarah Vaughan’s brilliant Anatomy of a Scandal, who will be appearing at next week’s panel.

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A high-profile marriage thrust into the spotlight. A wife, determined to keep her family safe, must face a prosecutor who believes justice has been a long time coming. A scandal that will rock Westminster. And the women caught at the heart of it. 

Anatomy of a Scandal centres on a high-profile marriage that begins to unravel when the husband is accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is sure her husband, James, is innocent and desperately hopes to protect her precious family from the lies which might ruin them. Kate is the barrister who will prosecute the case – she is equally certain that James is guilty and determined he will pay for his crimes.

MY THOUGHTS

There has been a lot of hype surrounding Sarah Vaughan’s Anatomy of a Scandal, the storyline the plot focuses on is a very topical subject in the news at the moment, if you think back to the recent scandals that have been going on at the heart of government. It really does make you think – who are the people who are in control of our country?

Sarah’s novel focuses on the lives of three central characters, James, the good-looking MP, friend of the Prime Minister and all-round family man. Kate, the young, ambitious barrister, intent on making her mark. And Sophie, James’ wife. The book opens with a shocking admission from a fellow colleague of James in the Houses of Parliament, a young woman claims that he raped her, and the high profile case soon ends up at the Old Bailey. Kate is the prosecutor in this case, and we see that she is determined to destroy James. Sophie on the other hand tries to put on a brave face, as her husband is accused of this most heinous crime, but even her mind is niggling with doubt as she tries to understand what her husband did, and work out if his accuser is telling the truth.

Anatomy of a Scandal is Sarah Vaughan’s first crime thriller, and I hope she will continue to write more. It is part court room drama and part psychological thriller and it is hugely gripping. The novel is impeccably researched, in fact I didn’t feel as though I was reading a novel at all, I felt as though I was there as part of the action and drama of the courtroom and in the scenes at Oxford. There are some shocking scenes in this book which are quite eye opening. What this novel also does well at, is that it offers an interesting insight into how privilege and arrogance can shape a person. In fact it can make them go as far to think they can get away with anything, which is deeply disturbing and Sarah Vaughan portrays this well in her writing.

I cannot recommend this novel highly enough, it is outstanding. If you’re a fan of courtroom dramas such as Apple Tree Yard, you must read this book. I’m really excited to see what Sarah Vaughn will write next.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 11th January 2018

Print length: 400 pages

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FIRST MONDAY CRIME

Sarah Vaughan will be appearing at next month’s First Monday Crime, alongside Elly Griffiths, author of the Dr Ruth Galloway series, Matthew Blakstad, author of Lucky Ghost and Stav Sharez, author of ‘The Intrusions.’ The panel will be chaired by Jake Kerridge. The event is being held at City University on Monday, 5th March 2018 and starts at 6.30 p.m. Tickets are FREE, and after the panel we’re all heading to ‘The Old Ivy’ for a drink. If you would like to attend First Monday Crime, please follow the link below to reserve your space. I hope to see you there.

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#FightingMonsters by Rebecca Bradley blog tour @RebeccaJBradley

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24 hours after he walked away from court a free man, cop killer and gang leader Simon Talbot is found murdered. In his possession; the name of a protected witness from his trial.

For DI Hannah Robbins, it’s a race against time to find Talbot’s killer, and locate the bystander before it’s too late.

But as Hannah delves deeper into the past, she begins to question the integrity of the whole operation.

Where do you turn when you can’t trust the police?

MY THOUGHTS

Fighting Monsters is an excellent police procedural novel by Rebecca Bradley. It is the third book in the DI Hannah Robins set in Nottinghamshire. I haven’t read the previous books in this series, but after finishing this book, I will definitely be catching up. Drawing from her own experience from working in the police, Rebecca writes with confidence, and she takes you into the heart of the investigation. She is an exciting writer who I am keen to read more from.

The case Hannah and her team face in the latest addition in the series is a distressing one, both to her and her team. A former colleague has been murdered, and the man suspected of his killing has just walked free after a non-guilty verdict is delivered at the end of his trial. It is clear that members of the force are upset and angry at the decision, but when the suspect’s body is discovered only twenty-four hours later, Hannah must treat it as she would any other murder investigation. And tensions have been running high in her team; could one of them be responsible for this man’s murder?  Who can she trust?

From the start of this novel, you know that it isn’t going to be a smooth ride for Hannah as she attempts to solve this murder. She and her colleagues face an unbearable situation, but they must attempt to put that to one side. This certainly isn’t going to be an easy task for the team.

Rebecca tells the novel from several viewpoints; I’m interested to see how Pasha’s character will develop in future books. She is a new member of the team, but Hannah struggles to see past her as being a replacement for a former colleague who they recently lost. It will be interesting to see how Rebecca will continue to explore their working relationship.

I was not expecting the twist at the end of this book. Throughout the story, there are certainly some raw emotions which Hannah has to deal with, as do other members of her team and Rebecca writes these scenes really well.

I really can’t believe that I haven’t read the previous books in this series sooner. I will be bumping them right up my TBR pile; I can’t wait to find out more about Hannah and the rest of her team, and I’m looking forward to seeing where Rebecca takes them next.

Thank you to Rebecca Bradley for providing me with a copy of the book to review and for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.

Publisher: Amazon Media

Publication date: 15th February 2018

Print length: 280 pages

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Wychwood by George Mann Book Review @George_Mann @TitanBooks

Source: Review Copy

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After losing her job and her partner in one fell swoop, journalist Elspeth Reeves is back in her mother s house in the sleepy village of Wilsby-under-Wychwood, wondering where it all went wrong. Then a body is found in the neighbouring Wychwoods: a woman ritually slaughtered, with cryptic symbols scattered around her corpse. Elspeth recognizes these from a local myth of the Carrion King, a Saxon magician who once held a malevolent court deep in the forest. As more murders follow, Elspeth joins her childhood friend DS Peter Shaw to investigate, and the two discover sinister village secrets harking back decades.

MY THOUGHTS

When I read the blurb for Wychwood by George Mann, I knew that it would be an intriguing read. George’s latest novel blends the police procedural with pagan horror and English mythology. I found the mythological stories in this book absolutely fascinating, if indeed they are a little gruesome. George has created a cast of captivating characters and once I finished the book I really wanted to find out more about them. I’ve read that this book is the first in a new series so I’m looking forward to reading the next one when it comes out, and I hope this will be soon.

When Elspeth Reeves returns to her home town, she has no idea that she will end up involved in a murder investigation. The moment she returns to her mother’s house, she finds her street blocked off and a huge police presence. A body has been discovered in the neighbouring woods and as she tries to work out what is going on, she bumps into an old school friend of hers, Peter, who is now a detective with the local police. As the two rekindle their friendship, they begin to use each other’s expertise to work out what happened to the young woman who was found dead. Elspeth realises that the killer maybe drawing on an old legend local to the town, a legend which she was fascinated by in her teenage years. But soon more bodies begin to turn up and this becomes one of the biggest investigations in the local forces history.

I really liked Elspeth as the main character in this book. She is looking to start a new life back in her home town after having recently lost her boyfriend and her job back in the city. But it is easy to see that she is a strong character at how quickly she manages to pick herself back up. She isn’t someone who sits around wallowing in her own misery, she is very much get up and go. I also liked the chemistry between her and Peter and I think that perhaps there could be room for something more between them in future books, we shall have to see, if indeed George returns to these characters, which I hope he does.

If you’re interested in English folklore and if you enjoy a good police procedural then I would definitely recommend this book, I’m looking forward to seeing what George Mann comes up with next. Wychwood is a very atmospheric read which will draw you in from the opening pages. Thank you to Philippa Ward at Titan Books for sending me a copy of this book to review.

Publisher: Titan Books

Publication date: 12th September 2017

Print length: 400 pages

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Kiss Me Kill Me by J.S. Carol blog tour @JamesCarolBooks @BonnierZaffre

Today I am delighted to be kicking off the Kiss Me Kill Me blog tour with a guest post by J.S. Carol in which he discusses a typical day in his life as a writer. But first, here’s what the book is about.

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FOR FANS OF THE LOVING HUSBAND AND LYING IN WAIT COMES A TWISTING PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER THAT WILL MAKE YOU QUESTION EVERYTHING YOU THINK YOU KNOW. 

How far would you go to escape the one you love?

When Zoe meets Dan, he’s everything she is looking for in a man – intelligent, charming, supportive.
It’s only after they’re married that she realises that he’s controlling, aggressive, paranoid.
And there’s no way out.

Or is there?

Zoe knows she has to escape, but Dan’s found her once before, and she knows he can find her again.
But Dan has plans of his own. Plans that don’t necessarily include Zoe.

Be careful who you trust . . .

 

GUEST POST BY J.S. CAROL

 

Just Another Day…

A typical writing day kicks off at 7.20 when the alarm goes off and I fight the urge to stay in bed for another hour or two. The kids are still fast asleep, so I have forty-five minutes of blissful silence to edit what I’d written the day before. It’s amazing how different everything looks in the cold light of a brand new day. When  you’re carving the story out a word at a time you’ve got your nose right up against the trees. This is my opportunity to take a step back and remind myself what the forest looks like.

Inevitably there will be a couple of redundant sentences, so they have go. Then there are the sentences that don’t make sense. I knew what I wanted to say, and they must have made sense at the time, but now they read like gobbledygook. Those get reworked. Editing is my favourite part of the whole process, so this is a good way to start the day. There’s also the added bonus that it helps me to find my way back into the story.

Finn, my six year old, usually wakes up at eight. Well, wakes up might be overstating things. The reality is that he needs to be physically dragged out of bed, which makes me feel like a monster since he always looks so cosy wrapped up in his duvet. Anyway, I get his breakfast, get him washed, get him dressed. It’s usually somewhere around nine by the time he’s packed off to school and I’m back at my desk.

The next four hours is when the real hard work gets done. The first order of business is choosing some music. I find it impossible to write in silence. I have one of those busy brains that seems to be constantly firing off in a dozen directions at the same time. Having music playing in the background gives it something to focus on so I can get on with the business at hand. As for what I listen to, well that depends on my mood. I’ve currently got a Tom Petty CD playing, but on another day it could be Elbow or The Beatles or even The Carpenters.

Fifteen hundred words is my daily target when I’m working on a first draft. I’m not one of those writers who can churn out five thousand words in a day because they’ve left everything until the last second. It’s just not going to happen. I’m definitely a tortoise rather than a hare in that respect. For me, being consistent is the key to getting the job done. My aim is to write five hundred words an hour. Of course it doesn’t quite work out like that. Some parts are easy to write; others are a pain in the arse. I might only manage a couple of hundred words one hour, but this will be balanced out by the eight hundred words I write the next hour. Whatever way they turn up, it’s a rare day when it gets to one and the counter at the bottom of the page isn’t fifteen hundred words further on from where I started.

The rest of the day is for life stuff. Looking after the kids, teaching guitar, working on my album. That said, you never quite clock off with a job like this. At various points during the day I’ll find myself thinking about what’s happening in the story, working through ideas. Then there’s the dreaded night shift. For some reason when I’m wrestling with a particularly tricky plot problem my subconscious feels that the best time to work on this is at two o’clock in the morning.

Anyway the next day I get up and do it all again. And the next. And the next. Three months I’ve got a first draft. Like I said earlier, being a tortoise works for me.

 

Thank you to Imogen Sebba at Bonnier Zaffre, for inviting me to take part in the blog tour. And if you would like to purchase Kiss Me Kill Me, you can do so by clicking the link below.

Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre

Publication date: 22nd February 2018

Print length: 299 pages

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Lies by T.M. Logan Book Review @TMLoganAuthor @BonnierZaffre

Source: Purchased Copy

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Joe Lynch is just an ordinary happily-married man – until one split-second decision throws his life into crisis.

When Joe sees his wife having a confrontation with family friend Ben, it’s the first hint that she’s been lying to him – about everything. And when he steps in to protect her, a harmless shove knocks Ben to the ground. And he’s not moving…

Gripping, unputdownable and packed with twists and turns from the first page to the very last, this stunning psychological thriller will make you question whether we can ever really trust the ones we love . . .

MY THOUGHTS

I’m very late to the party with this book, I’ve had it sitting on my shelf for nearly a year now, but now that I’ve read it I can see why it was one of the biggest best sellers of last year. Lies is a fantastic debut novel by TM Logan, who had me hooked from the start. I really wish I’d read this book sooner. If you’re a psychological thriller fan you do not want to miss it.

Joe Lynch makes a split second decision which will change his life forever. He sees his wife, travelling ahead in her car and plans to surprise her. But questions soon begin to surface when she drives into a hotel car park and he witnesses her having a heated conversation with the husband of one of their friends. And when Joe confronts her, everything that he thought he knew about his life comes tumbling down.

Joe was a really fantastic character. Lies is told from his point of view and as his world started to crumble around him, I couldn’t help but feel angry for him on his behalf. I think what really drew me to Joe, was that he was such an ordinary character who finds himself caught up in a murder investigation, we all hope that this will never happen to us, but what this novel shows is that we really don’t know what is around the corner, even the simplest decisions can have a big impact.

It’s really hard to talk about the plot here without giving anything away, but I was really surprised by the direction this book took towards the end. You will find yourself rooting for Joe as he tries to get to the bottom of what is going on and as he tries to work out how he can get himself out of the mess that he has landed in.

What I thought was interesting about this book and which is a very topical subject at the moment, was the social media aspect. It really does make you think about the dangers of the Internet, especially at how fast news can spread.

Lies was a really enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to reading TM Logan’s second novel which I’ll be bumping right to the top of my TBR pile. If you’re looking for a fast paced, tense psychological thriller, then I highly recommend this book.

Publisher: Twenty7

Publication date: 4th May 2017

Print length: 528 pages

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The Lying Kind by Alison James Book Review @AlisonJbooks @bookouture

Source: Netgalley

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The little girl stirred and opened her eyes. A light from the landing played a shadow across her toy cupboard. It was then she realised… There was someone else in the room.

Six-year-old Lola Jade Harper has gone missing from her bedroom on a safe, suburban street.

Her mother says her ex-husband has stolen their daughter. Lola’s father denies it was him.

Family, friends and neighbours all say they didn’t see a thing. But someone must know where the little girl is. Who is lying? And who is telling the truth?

Detective Rachel Prince knows the longer a child is unaccounted for, the less likely they are to be found alive.

The clock is ticking. It’s up to Rachel to find Lola Jade, before it’s too late. And then another little girl is taken…

MY THOUGHTS

The Lying Kind by Alison James is an exciting start to a new series featuring Detective Rachel Prince. Rachel works for the National Crime Agency and is tasked with assisting Surrey Police, who are investigating the disappearance of six-year-old Lola Jade Harper, who has vanished from her bedroom. Her mother, Michelle is distraught at the loss of her daughter and desperately wants her back. For Surrey Police, the case has already gone cold, but Rachel is determined to find out what happened to the little girl. But is she already too late?

This is a very twisty book by debut author, Alison James. Lola Jade’s mother, Michelle is convinced that her ex-partner, Gavin, Lola’s dad, took her daughter and this strand of the investigation takes detectives across the seas to Spain and Portugal. What doesn’t help Gavin’s case is that he has disappeared, and this prompts the detectives investigating the case to become suspicious of him, and they have good reason to be. I found this aspect of the plot exciting; it does bear similarities to a recent case involving a missing child which has been high profile in the news recently. The international angle of this book for me, made it feel fresh.

Rachel Prince was an intriguing character to explore. I loved the relationship which she has with her colleague DS Brickall and I think that they make a very good team, even though I was shaking my head at some of the decisions he was making. Throughout the book there is a mysterious element to Rachel’s past which we are not one hundred per cent sure about, but it has something to do with her former partner, I am hoping that more about her will be revealed in future books as I certainly want to find out more about her.

This is a series that I’m sure I will be returning to when the second book is out. I wanted to find out what had happened to Lola Jade and see if my suspicions about the case were correct. This book takes a fresh look at a missing child case as we are coming to the investigation several months down the line, rather than when the child first disappears. This is a great start to a new series. I’m looking forward to reading more from Alison James. Thank you to Bookouture and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read.

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 5th February 2018

Print length: 310 pages

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The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton Book Review @Wildfirebks @KJHAuthor #ThePerfectGirlfriend #LoveYouToDeath

Source: Review Copy

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THE MUST-READ THRILLER OF 2018… Perfect for fans of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL, and THE GIRL BEFORE.

Meet Juliette. She’s intelligent, driven, committed – and in love.

Some readers find her…

‘Obsessed and delusional’
‘Like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction… on steroids!’
‘Single white female… from the other side’
‘Truly the most psychotic girlfriend’ 
‘Completely unhinged … but you just can’t help rooting for her’

—————–

Juliette loves Nate.
She will follow him anywhere. She’s even become a flight
attendant for his airline, so she can keep a closer eye on him.

They are meant to be.
The fact that Nate broke up with her six months ago means nothing.
Because Juliette has a plan to win him back.

She is the perfect girlfriend.
And she’ll make sure no one stops her from
getting exactly what she wants.

True love hurts, but Juliette knows it’s worth all the pain…

MY THOUGHTS

The Perfect Girlfriend is Karen Hamilton’s debut. We follow Juliette as she attempts to win back her former boyfriend, Nate, and it is clear to the reader that she will use any means possible to achieve this. This is an addictive psychological thriller and enjoy it, I certainly did.

When we first meet Juliette we know that she has already suffered trauma in her past, so I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her as she attempted to pick the pieces of her life back together and win back her former boyfriend. She is at a low ebb in her life and I really wanted her to get her life back in track. But as Karen explored Juliette’s character it is clear that there is a much darker side to her, lurking in the background and as the novel progresses the darkness slowly creeps out. And actually, we begin to understand that she is quite dangerous.

An interesting aspect to the plot is that Juliette works as a flight attendant and her former boyfriend, Nate works as a pilot. Often we find ourselves in a new location as Juliette’s job takes her around the globe. This was an interesting idea to explore as it made the novel feel fresh with each chapter. Karen draws on her own experience from working as a flight attendant and her novel offers an interesting insight into what occurs behind the scenes once you take off.

I really wanted to see what means Juliette would try to use to win Nate back, the lengths that she goes to try to achieve this will have you hoping that you won’t come across anyone like her in your life. She makes for a really terrifying character and she will really unsettle your nerves.

The Perfect Girlfriend is a really good debut. The tension in this book builds and simmers beneath the surface until we reach the final climax. Would I recommend it? Yes, no question about it!

Thank you to Becky Hunter at Headline for sending me a copy of this book to review.

Publisher: Wildfire

Publication date: 1st March 2018

Print length: 368 pages

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#GalleryoftheDead by Chris Carter Blog Tour @simonschusteruk

Source: Review Copy

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The compulsive new novel from the author of the Sunday Times Number One bestseller THE CALLER.
AS ADDICTIVE AS A TV BOXSET!

‘Thirty-seven years in the force, and if I was allowed to choose just one thing to erase from my mind, what’s inside that room would be it.’

That’s what a LAPD Lieutenant tells Detectives Hunter and Garcia of the Ultra Violent Crimes Unit as they arrive at one of the most shocking crime scenes they have ever attended.

In a completely unexpected turn of events, the detectives find themselves joining forces with the FBI to track down a serial killer whose hunting ground sees no borders; a psychopath who loves what he does because to him murder is much more than just killing – it’s an art form.

Welcome to The Gallery of the Dead.

MY THOUGHTS

When I read the blurb for the Gallery of the Dead I knew that it would be right up my street. I must confess I haven’t read any of Chris Carter’s books before and I am always a little wary of starting a series several books in, but I found that his latest book could easily be read as a standalone and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you enjoy gritty crime thrillers with gruesome murders you will love this; I would just put a warning out there though and say that this book is not for the faint-hearted.

From the opening pages of the book, Robert Hunter and his team know they are facing a sadistic killer. The body of a young model has been found, and the crime scene is enough to churn the stomachs of even the most experienced police officer’s. But what puzzles the detectives are the cryptic markings engraved into the woman’s skin. A clue as to the killer’s identity? As they begin to make progress in the investigation, the FBI soon become involved making it apparent to the police already working on the case that this won’t be a straightforward investigation.

The Gallery of the Dead was such a fast-paced read. Robert Hunter is a character who I am keen to find out more about. He is a well respected police officer, both by his team and by police officers across the country. I’m interested in finding out more about the cases which he has previously worked on and to see how his character has developed over the course of the series.

On the front cover of the book, the publishers tell us: as addictive as a TV-box set, and yes I can definitely say without hesitation that you will be gripped by this book. This is one of those books that will have you begging for one more chapter. You will definitely find yourself losing an afternoon to this one. Chris is a brilliant storyteller.

After reading my first Chris Carter novel you can definitely label me a big fan, I’m really excited to start reading the rest of the series and find out where it all began.

Thank you to Rhiannon Carroll at Simon & Schuster for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 8th February 2018

Print length: 512 pages

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The Memory Chamber by Holly Cave Book Review @HollyACave @QuercusBooks

Source: Review Copy

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YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. 
YOU CAN PRESERVE A HANDFUL OF SPECIAL MEMORIES FOR EVER. 
WHICH ONES WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

**********

True death is a thing of the past. Now you can spend the rest of eternity re-living your happiest memories: that first kiss, falling in love, the birth of your children, enjoyed on loop for ever and ever.

Isobel is a Heaven Architect, and she helps dying people create afterlives from these memories. So when she falls for Jarek, one of her terminal – and married – clients, she knows that while she cannot save him, she can create the most beautiful of heavens, just for him.

But when Jarek’s wife is found dead, Isobel uncovers a darker side of the world she works within, and she can trust no one with what she finds…

MY THOUGHTS

Imagine a world where you can build your own, ideal Heaven. Where you can carefully choose the memories, you wish to store and relive them in your perfect world when you die. This is Isobel’s job, as a Heaven architect, which she adores and is very good at. But when she meets her new client, Jarek, her life takes an unexpected turn when she begins a passionate affair with him. She is determined to create the best Heaven she possibly can for Jarek. But her life is thrown into turmoil when she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. Can she ever go back to the life she lived before? Was Jarek really the man who she thought she knew?

The Memory Chamber, by Holly Cave, is a stunning debut which explores an original idea. Science fiction isn’t a genre I would typically read, so I was a little wary when I started this novel, but I found Holly’s book to be so much more than a science fiction book. It has both elements of a thriller and science fiction; I have become quite a fan of novels which blend genres and The Memory Chamber didn’t disappoint.

Holly’s writing is utterly immersive, and I found myself drawn into Isobel’s world. From the opening pages, we can see her passion for her job, and this is why she is one of the best there is in her profession. I found Jarek to be an intriguing character from the moment Holly introduces him. It’s easy to see how Isobel can form a personal attachment to her clients, particularly as she is exploring their own personal life as she creates their Heaven from their memories. Isobel’s relationship with Jarek is what the novel ultimately focuses on. I was surprised by the direction that the novel took, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I raced to get to the end.

I think it is quite possible to see a form of technology like this evolving in the future. With the way in which the speed of technology is moving, you really can’t see what is coming around the corner next; you only have to think of the advancements made in the last twenty years alone. This was an utterly compelling debut which had me gripped from start to finish. It did have me thinking if this technology was available, would I want to create a perfect world, ready for when I die? I’m sure that this book will prompt lots of questions in book clubs.

Holly Cave is an exciting new writer who I can’t wait to read more from. Her writing certainly has that addictive quality to it! You won’t be able to put this novel down!

Thank you to Quercus Books for providing me with an advance review copy.

Publisher: Quercus

Publication date: 22nd February 2018

Print length: 368 pages

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