Deep Dirty Truth by Steph Broadribb blog tour #bookreview @crimethrillgirl @OrendaBooks #DeepDirtyTruth #TeamLori

BLURB

A price on her head. A secret worth dying for. Just 48 hours to expose the truth…

Single-mother bounty hunter Lori Anderson has finally got her family back together, but her new-found happiness is shattered when she’s snatched by the Miami Mob – and they want her dead. Rather than a bullet, they offer her a job: find the Mob’s ‘numbers man’ – Carlton North – who’s in protective custody after being forced to turn federal witness against them. If Lori succeeds, they’ll wipe the slate clean and the price on her head – and those of her family – will be removed. If she fails, they die.
With North due in court in forty-eight hours, Lori sets off across Florida, racing against the clock to find him and save her family. Only in this race the prize is more deadly – and the secret she shares with JT more dangerous – than she ever could have imagined. In this race only the winner gets out alive…
Brimming with tension, high-stakes jeopardy and high-voltage action, and a deep, emotional core, Deep Dirty Truth is an unmissable thriller by one of the freshest and most exciting voices in crime fiction.

MY THOUGHTS

If you thought things were going to start getting easier for Lori, JT and Dakota, after the events in the last book, then think again. In Deep Dirty Truth Lori’s past is about to come back and haunt her in a big way. Steph Broadribb turns the tension up a notch once again, with action right from opening pages which carries through to the nail-biting ending. This is my favourite Lori Anderson novel yet.

I love, love, love these books. Lori and JT are well rounded characters who you can’t help but root for all the way through. In the latest book, Lori is on her own again as JT is still recovering from the events which concluded the last book in the series. But this situation is certainly one that Lori wouldn’t choose to be in. But she knows she can’t refuse the orders she is being given as it will put her own family’s life at risk and you do get the sense that things could go either way for them this time, nothing is certain.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about the plot as this is such a tension filled read that I want you to enjoy it for yourself. There are some vicious crooks in book three that will make you fearful for Lori and her family, and the wide expanse of the American landscapes make the perfect scene for the car chases that take place and the violence that ensues from the opening pages. It creates a huge sense of unpredictability, as out in the wilderness, far away from civilisation, and where phone signal can be patchy as well, crimes can easily be covered up.

If you do like action filled reads right from the get go then you really need to be reading the Lori Anderson series. The chapters are short and snappy, and they will make you want to turn those pages. I actually started reading this book on New Year’s Eve, and I would have been quite happy to stay in and read for the rest of the evening, rather than go out and see in the New Year, and that to me shows just how captivating this story is.

The cinematic edge to these books and the tension charged plot is what makes the Lori Anderson series a real winner for me, it’s a series that just keeps getting better and better. This is another fantastic book from Steph Broadribb; I can’t wait to catch up with Lori and JT again.

Thank you to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and to Karen Sullivan for sending me an advance review copy.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 24th January 2019

Print length: 304 pages

If you would like to purchase Deep Dirty Truth you can do so by clicking on one of the following links below.

Amazon UK  Kobo  Waterstones

FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR

The Party by Lisa Hall #bookreview @LisaHallAuthor @HQstories

BLURB

It was just a party. But it turned into a nightmare.

When Rachel wakes up in a strange room, the morning after a neighbour’s party, she has no memory of what happened the night before. Why did her husband leave her alone at the party? Did they row? Why are Rachel’s arms so bruised? And why are her neighbours and friends so vague about what really happened?

Little by little, Rachel pieces together the devastating events that took place in a friend’s house, at a party where she should have been safe. Everyone remembers what happened that night differently, and everyone has something to hide. But someone knows the truth about what happened to Rachel. And she’s determined to find them.

The Party is the gripping new novel from bestseller Lisa Hall.

MY THOUGHTS

Lisa Hall is back with a compelling new thriller, in her new novel The Party. I was totally gripped by this book, and I wanted to find out what had happened on the night our main character, Rachel attends a friend’s house party, only to wake up there the next morning, convinced she has been raped. This is a very quick read which can very easily be read in one sitting, once you start reading you will find it very difficult to put down.

Rachel was a character who I really felt for as she tried to come to terms with what had happened to her and uncover who had raped her. Lisa Hall explores just how harrowing it can be for a person to experience this and the effects it has on their family and friends. I felt that I couldn’t trust anyone close to Rachel, not even some members of her own family and close friends and I could sense how uncomfortable she felt on the page.

I think Rachel is a character who will divide readers. I think most will probably feel for her for what she is going through, but there is also the aspect that up until very recently she herself was having an affair. It doesn’t paint her in the best light, and this was a part of the story I kept thinking back to as I tried to work out what had exactly happened on the night of the party.

Lisa Hall delivers a hard-hitting ending, I did think I had it worked out who the culprit was, but Lisa totally managed to surprise me. The story kept me gripped right from the first page and it was a very twisty read. I can’t wait to read what she writes next.

Publisher: HQ

Publication date: 12th July 2018

Print length: 289 pages

If you would like to purchase The Party, you can do so by clicking on one of the following links below.

Amazon UK  Waterstones  Kobo

February First Monday Crime @1stMondayCrime

I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to see the back of January, once Christmas is done and dusted I start thinking of long, warm summer nights. And after a short break it also means that for crime fiction fans, a regular night of murder and mayhem is back.

First Monday Crime is all set to return to City University, London on Monday, 4th February 2019. As ever there promises to be an exciting panel of some very talented writers. The panel is being moderated by Barry Forshaw. So let’s take a look at who will be appearing next month, I’ll also have all the details where you can reserve your FREE seat below.

Will Dean, author of Dark Pines and Red Snow 

Dark Pines and Red Snow follow reporter, Tuva Moodyson, during the depths of the Swedish winter as she attempts to solve some startling cases. Tuva is an absolutely fantastic character, Will Dean is a seriously talented writer, especially when it comes to description and atmosphere. You can read my reviews of Dark Pines by clicking HERE and Red Snow by clicking HERE.

Christopher Fowler, author of The Lonely Hour

I’m afraid Christopher Fowler is the only author appearing on next month’s panel who I haven’t read before so I’m really interested to hear him talk about his books. The Lonely Hour is the seventeenth book in the Bryant & May series which is being released in March this year.

Gytha Lodge, author of She Lies In Wait

Gytha Lodge’s debut crime novel is sure to be a hit when it is released this year. Thirty years after the disappearance of a teenager, her body is uncovered and the investigation into her disappearance and murder is reopened. Someone among the group of friends she was with at the time she went missing, knows what happened to her. You can read my review of She Lies In Wait by clicking HERE.

Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party

The Hunting Party is Lucy Foley’s first crime novel. A group of Londoner’s travel to the Scottish Highlands to see in 2019. This is an atmospheric and a very well written psychological thriller in which dark secrets are unearthed as the group of friends tear each other apart, when one of them is murdered. You can read my review of The Hunting Party by clicking HERE.

 

So that is the panel for February. The closet tube stations to City University are Farringdon and Angel, the doors open at 6.30 p.m. and afterwards we’ll all be heading to the Blacksmith and Toffeemaker for a drink.

If you would like to come along to First Monday Crime, you can reserve your space by clicking HERE.

 

Changeling by Matt Wesolowski blog tour #bookreview @ConcreteKraken @OrendaBooks

BLURB

On Christmas Eve in 1988, seven-year-old Alfie Marsden vanished in the Wentshire Forest Pass, when a burst tyre forced his father, Sorrel, to stop the car. Leaving the car to summon the emergency services, Sorrel returned to find his son gone. No trace of the child, nor his remains, have ever been found. Alfie Marsden was declared officially dead in 1995.
Elusive online journalist, Scott King, whose ‘Six Stories’ podcasts have become an internet sensation, investigates the disappearance, interviewing six witnesses, including Sorrel, his son and his ex-partner, to try to find out what really happened that fateful night. He takes a journey through the trees of the Wentshire Forest – a place synonymous with strange sightings, and tales of hidden folk who dwell there. He talks to a company that tried and failed to build a development in the forest, and a psychic who claims to know where Alfie is…
Intensely dark, deeply chilling and searingly thought provoking, Changeling is an up-to-the-minute, startling thriller, taking you to places you will never, ever forget.

MY THOUGHTS

Matt Wesolowski has written another cracking story with Changeling. Literally, once I started reading this, I couldn’t stop. This version of Six Stories sees our presenter, Scott King investigating a thirty-year-old cold case. Seven-year-old Alfie Marsden disappeared near a forest in Wiltshire in 1988 on Christmas Eve, and the mystery surrounding his disappearance has haunted many people for three decades as it has never been solved. It seems that no one is ever going to understand the truth as to what happened to Alfie that night, but Scott King is determined to try and find the answers.

I absolutely love the style of Matt’s books. Telling the story through a series of podcasts is a very original idea, and with each book I’ve read by him, I’ve felt as though I was learning about a true crime that has taken place, rather than a fictional one. There is always a very creepy element to these books which is another thing I really like about them. In the last book Hydra, I remember feeling compelled to research the black-eyed children, which Matt was referring to, but I was too frightened to do so after reading the book.

Changeling has the essence of a Brother’s grim fairy-tale. As Scott King looks into Alfie’s disappearance, he examines numerous reports of strange, “paranormal” activities which were taking place in and around the forest area at the time Alfie went missing. There are also mentions of “changeling children”, children who are swapped by fairies; the human child was taken to live in their realm only to be replaced in our world by a beastly child. I have to admit here that reading about the changeling children, did creep me out quite a bit. There is a lot of talk about folklore in this book, and this is what made this story so fascinating to me, as I wondered if these stories had any bearing on what had happened to Alfie.

Once again we hear from the viewpoints of six people who were somehow connected to the case, Alfie’s family, witnesses to the strange events that took place and his teachers. As I got to read their thoughts and opinions, the case became even more interesting, and I was so keen to get to the bottom of it all. As the story is told in the form of an interview, through a podcast, I think it would make an excellent audiobook, so if you are an audio listener, I would definitely recommend giving this one a go as well as the other books in the series.

I really did not expect the direction this book took as the final revelations about the case came to light. Matt Wesolowski took me totally by surprise by the twist, and I’ve spent days thinking about it, especially as I’ve tried a few times to sit down and write this review. I am wondering now how he is going to take the series from here, and I hope there is going to be another book.

Changeling is another outstanding addition to this series. The writing will pull you in from the first page, and you won’t be able to stop reading until you find out the truth about what has happened to Alfie.

Thank you to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to join the blog tour and to Karen Sullivan for the advance review copy.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 15th November 2018 (kindle) 24th January 2019 (paperback)

Print length: 271 pages

If you would like to purchase Changeling you can do so by clicking on one of the following links below.

Amazon UK  Kobo  Waterstones

FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR

To Catch A Killer by Emma Kavanagh blog tour #bookreview @EmmaLK @AlainnaGeorgiou @orion_crime

Happy publication day to Emma Kavanagh who’s twisty new novel To Catch A Killer is out today.

BLURB

NO ONE KNOWS THE MIND OF A KILLER LIKE EMMA KAVANAGH.

I’ve been watching you DS Alice Parr.

I saw you trying to save the poor young woman you found in the park.

The woman I tried to kill.

I’ve been waiting for you to find her family. To find someone who cares about her.

But you can’t can you?

You’ve never had a case like this.

I know everything about you. You know nothing about me.

Even though I’m the man you’re looking for.

And you will never catch me…

MY THOUGHTS

To Catch A Killer is a twisty crime novel from Emma Kavanagh where nothing is as it seems. The book does have a complicated plot, but it is immensely enjoyable, and the suspense never lets up. It also sets the scene perfectly for the next book in the series. And I really am hoping that there is going to be another book.

Straight away we are thrown into the midst of a crime scene which is just taking place. A woman has been brutally attacked in a London park, and the police may have just arrived in time to save her. But who would have the guts to attack someone in broad daylight with such a high risk of being seen? What follows on from this point is an intense ride as the police try to track down the woman’s attacker, but they soon begin to realise that this case isn’t going to be straightforward at all.

Having read some of Emma Kavanagh’s previous work, this did feel to me as though she has gone in a slightly different direction to what she has written before. Her latest book moves along at a very high-octane pace as the police begin to piece together who their victim is and who the attacker might be, and we start to learn some very disturbing details. This book was so twisty. I had so many ideas going around inside my head as I tried to think just what was going on here. Emma Kavanagh will have you thinking one way about her characters and then she’ll throw a new twist in that will completely throw you off course, it really did make it a head-spin of a read.

DS Alice Parr is the lead detective in the case. We know that she has suffered from devastating events in the past, she is someone who I took some time to warm to but once I did, I was rooting for her to get the results she was after. I loved her work colleague Polly who added some brilliant humour to the book, I thought she was the perfect friend for Alice to have around.

Immensely enjoyable with some killer twits, To Catch A Killer is perfect for thriller seekers who like a book to leave their head in a spin. Well done, Emma Kavanagh, I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Publisher: Orion

Publication date: 24th January 2019

Print length: 416 pages

If you would like to purchase To Catch A Killer, you can do so by clicking on one of the following links below.

Amazon UK  Kobo  Waterstones

FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR

Night Time Cool by Jamie Paradise #blogtour #guestpost @JamieParadise_ @unbounders

I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Night Time Cool by Jamie Paradise today on my blog, and I have a guest post from the author to share with you as part of the tour.

BLURB

Bent Met police detective DI Frederick Street rules as the ‘Sheriff of Shoreditch’ who loves shaking down the street goons he arrests.

Elvis Street is the son who cannot stand his father for being the balls-out crook he caught in bed with his girl.

Elvis wants to take Frederick down and end him forever.

Neither father or son realises how much the other understands what controls them.

Neither father or son will ever back down.

Night Time Cool is the story of why?

GUEST POST – TEN THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ME 

1. I spent the summer of 1991 in Ibiza

2. Chess fascinates and I’m duff at it

3. At age five I remember wanting the villains in movies to get away with their dastardly deeds

4. I once managed a band – was short-lived

5. I spent the summer of 1990 in Rhodes, Greece

6. I directed plays while at university the first time (studying BA Film and Theatre)

7. The Blackburn Warehouse Parties of 1989-90 are the best nights out I’ve ever experienced

8. I spent October 1997 to September 1998 in Goa, Pakistan, China, Thailand and Laos – was brilliant

9. Forget being an Observer and Guardian sports hack for 16 years: being Lancaster Kentucky Fried Chicken chief chip fryer at 17 is the best gig ever (all that free nosh)

10. I’m going to write a novel that involves Silent Era and Pre-Code Hollywood as that time fascinates

 

I hope you enjoyed reading Jamie’s guest post and that you may be tempted to buy a copy of the book, all the purchase links are below. Thank you to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.

Publisher: Unbound Digital

Publication date: 22nd July 2018

Print length: 376 pages

If you would like to purchase Night Time Cool, you can do so by clicking on one of the following links below. 

Amazon UK  Unbound 

FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR 

A Promise to the Dead by Victoria Jenkins blog tour #bookreview @vicwritescrime @bookouture

I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the fourth book in the Detectives King and Lane series by Victoria Jenkins on my blog today. I’ve found each of Victoria’s books completely unputdownable, and I couldn’t wait to get round to reading this one, and it didn’t disappoint.

BLURB

The blur of shapes began to sharpen, forming a clear picture that stood out against the darkened background. For a moment he couldn’t move, his fear rendering him immobile. He needed help. He turned to run.

On a dark night, on a mountain road, a young couple, Matthew and Stacey, are on their way home from a night out. Their car breaks down and Matthew leaves to look for help. By the next morning, Stacey is found murdered in the car and Matthew is missing, presumed guilty of her murder.

Called to the scene, Detective Alex King and her team soon see some terrifying links – to another local young man who is missing, and to the discovery of a body from 30 years ago.

Alex knows that the missing and the dead have a story to tell her. But will she hear it in time to uncover the killer before they strike again?

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve become a huge fan of Victoria Jenkins books over the last couple of years and the latest novel in the King and Lane series, A Promise to the Dead, is another fantastic addition that once again had me hooked from the first page. This is a series that just keeps getting better and better.

The latest case that Chloe and Alex are investigating begins to make Alex think what she really wants, and she begins to start thinking about some important decisions which will have a huge impact on her life and her career. The case is another perplexing mystery for them to solve and it takes them back many years as they try to uncover the truth.

This was a book that I could not put down. Victoria’s writing has that utterly addictive quality to it that you could very happily lose a few hours too. She opens the book with a very intriguing opening. The scene we are faced with is when a young man, Matthew, appears to have stumbled across something he shouldn’t have, and it seems that someone else is determined to silence him. The next day, his girlfriend’s body is found in their car, still in the same location where he left her, which is when Alex and Chloe arrive on the scene.

As the investigation gets underway, I really wanted to find out what happened on the night which the first chapter so brilliantly opens up with. It definitely lets you know that you are in for a treat. Victoria keeps the details hazy, so you are never quite sure how the rest of the book is going to pan out and what has really happened to Matthew.

The ending of this book has left me wondering how the series is going to progress from here. There was one scene in particular that left me shell-shocked, and there are some revelations that do make for a harrowing read, but I’m not going to go into any detail as to what happened here. You’ll need to read the book to find out.

A Promise to the Dead is another stonking read from Victoria Jenkins if you haven’t yet read her books, and if you’re a fan of police procedurals, then you really should be reading them.

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 21st January 2019

Print length: 278 pages

If you would like to purchase A Promise to the Dead, you can do so by clicking on one of the following links below. 

Amazon UK  Kobo

FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR

The Suspect by Fiona Barton blog tour #bookreview @figbarton @TransworldBooks

I’m thrilled to be kicking off the blog tour today for the new novel by Fiona Barton, The Suspect on my blog today.

BLURB

‘The police belonged to another world – the world they saw on the television or in the papers. Not theirs.’

When two eighteen-year-old girls go missing on their gap year in Thailand, their families are thrust into the international spotlight: desperate, bereft and frantic with worry.

Journalist Kate Waters always does everything she can to be first to the story, first with the exclusive, first to discover the truth – and this time is no exception. But she can’t help but think of her own son, who she hasn’t seen in two years, since he left home to go travelling. This time it’s personal.

And as the case of the missing girls unfolds, they will all find that even this far away, danger can lie closer to home than you might think . . .

MY THOUGHTS

Having read Fiona Barton’s first two novels and really enjoyed them, I jumped at the chance to review her third The Suspect. In her latest we also see the return of journalist Kate Waters. This is a very different story for Kate. She is used to chasing down stories, speaking to witnesses and victims of crime. But this time around it is her family who are in the spotlight.

In The Suspect we’re aware that Kate hasn’t seen her son, Jake for two years after he travelled to Thailand; more recently they have heard less and less from him. Back home a breaking story begins to emerge when two families, in a similar situation to Kate, report their teenage daughters as missing after failing to get hold of them. The girls are currently away in Thailand and they were in contact with their families back home nearly every day. Kate travels there with the parents of one of the girls to pursue the story, but as the situation develops and distressing details emerge, it brings the case much closer to home for Kate.

I have always liked Kate since I read Fiona’s first book The Widow. When people think of journalists they think of individuals who are just after a headline and to further their career, but Kate feels very human and she is much more interested in the human interest side of the story. She treats the people she is speaking to with respect, especially victims of crime and this is a quality I really like about her.

The tables have turned for Kate this time around when she and her family become the focus of everyone’s speculation and interest. I had so many questions about what had happened to her son and the girls who had gone missing in Thailand. Fiona’s writing was so engaging and I raced through to the end to find out the answers.

I think The Suspect is perhaps my favourite of all of Fiona’s novels. I do hope that Fiona will continue to write about Kate as she is one of my favourite characters, although I am wondering if this will be the last book in which she features her. The Suspect is an utterly engaging novel with the theme of motherhood at its heart. I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it.

Publisher: Transworld

Publication date: 24th January 2019

Print length: 384 pages

If you would like to purchase The Suspect, you can do so by clicking on the following links below

Amazon UK  Waterstones 

FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR

The Good Teacher by Rachel Sargeant blog tour #extract @RachelSargeant3 @KillerReads

I’m delighted to be sharing an extract with you today from The Good Teacher by Rachel Sargeant as part of the blog tour. But before I share the extract with you, let’s have a look at what the book is about.

BLURB

Some people deserve to be taught a lesson…

A gripping thriller with a shocking twist, from the Top Ten Kindle bestselling author of The Perfect Neighbours. This riveting story about a murdered teacher is perfect for fans of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR.

Even the good have to die.
A beloved teacher is murdered and left in a ditch beside a country lane. His wife is found beaten and gagged in their suburban home.

Even the best schools have secrets.
New detective Pippa Adams learns that the teacher ran a homework club for vulnerable pupils. But what did he really teach them?

Even the perfect family has something to hide.
When Pippa scratches the surface of the school community, she meets families who’ve learned a shattering lesson. And finally uncovers the good teacher’s darkest secrets…

EXTRACT

Hello, everyone. Thank you, Jacob, for inviting me on your blog. I’d like to share the opening pages of chapter two of my new book The Good Teacher where I introduce my lead detective, DC Pippa Adams.

I scramble up the metal staircase inside the south entrance to Penbury Police HQ. Late. Should have taken the car instead of waiting for the bus, but I was flustered enough without getting behind a hot, sticky steering wheel. I try taking the steps two at a time, but the thick woollen tights drag on my knees. Unseasonal legs, and slow, but ladder-free at least. I tried my best with my mother’s honey blush tights, but the minute I tore open the packet and the two bits of beige nylon flopped down, I knew they were designed for an underfed ten‑year‑old. And that was before their accident.

I up my pace and clamp my shoulder bag to my side – my one act of rebellion against Mum’s restyling efforts.

“Now all you need is a briefcase,” she trilled at the end of our shopping session.

“But I have to be approachable, Mum – a friendly face serving the whole community.”

“Really, Pippa, darling, you sound like that rather grand lady officer they keep interviewing on the local news.”

I swelled with pride when Mum made that comparison. I haven’t met Superintendent Chattan yet, but I’ll settle for having half the poise the woman exudes in her television appearances.

At the top of the stairs I slow down, trying to get my breathing under control. My bag’s heavy, too much fodder inside. Pink lipstick from Mum, change for the bus home, tissues, sweets, apples, the Penbury CID Induction Pack and a small handmade card in joined-up writing: Good Luck, Sis. Love Jamie.

Rushing along the narrow corridor past the glass-panelled general office, I tell myself I’m not all that late, but I catch sight of four heads already barricaded behind high in-trays and jumbles of phone consoles and computer screens. I break into a trot and wonder which workstation mine will be. What if my new colleagues don’t rate me? Being late on day one isn’t the best way to win them over. They might not speak to me – I hate silences. Hopefully I’ll be out on the road most of the time.

I touch the buttons on my jacket. Too formal? Another idea of my mother’s. Now you don’t have to wear that ghastly uniform anymore. After trouble with toothpaste spatters, I had to change out of her pink lace blouse selection into a royal blue T-shirt, an old favourite. It looks good with the jacket – so long as I don’t undo the buttons to reveal its full glory. If the weather forecast is anything to go by, I’ll have to boil.

Through the chipped double doors, across the stairwell and into the corridor beyond, I reach a line of varnished wooden doors, each bearing a nameplate. I stop before the first one: Detective Inspector Liz Bagley. I re-check my jacket buttons.

I’m about to knock when the door flies open and two unsmiling figures appear. One I recognize as Mike Matthews, the sergeant from my interview panel. But it’s the woman with him who seems more familiar. A mass of dark hair, toned face and full red lips. DI Bagley or Cher?

“You’re late, DC Adams,” she says. A small woman, she has to tilt her head to meet my eye. Her black curls quiver. The fierce northern accent is pure Rottweiler.

“I’m sorry, I …” I wrack my brain for a plausible explanation that doesn’t involve Colgate or laddered tights. “I, ma’am, well, I …”

Bagley steps through the door and forces me aside, barking her orders at high speed. “There’s been a murder and an assault. Almost certainly connected. You go with DS Matthews. He’s your supervising officer. He’s meeting Forensics at the assault scene.”

She breezes past, short strides, high boots, dancing gingham skirt, and stops at the far end of the corridor to lob Matthews an afterthought. “I’ll be on Martle Top, but try and manage without me.”

 

Thank you Rachel for inviting me to join the tour and for providing the extract of the book to share.

Publisher: Killer Reads

Publication date: 14th December 2018

Print length: 221 pages

If you would like to purchase The Good Teacher you can do so by clicking on one of the following links below.

Amazon UK  Kobo

FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR

She Lies In Wait by Gytha Lodge #bookreview

BLURB

On a hot July night in 1983, six school friends go camping in the forest. Bright and brilliant, they are destined for great things, and young Aurora Jackson is dazzled to be allowed to tag along.

Thirty years later, a body is discovered. DCI Sheens is called to the scene, but he already knows what’s waiting for him: Aurora Jackson, found at long last.

But that’s not all. The friends have all maintained their innocence, but the body is found in a hideaway only the six of them knew about.

It seems the killer has always lurked very close to home…

MY THOUGHTS

She Lies In Wait is a good introduction to a new police procedural series featuring DCI Jonah Sheens. Thirty years after the disappearance of Aurora Jackson, her body is discovered close to where she went missing three decades earlier. Her discovery is about to bring back together the people she was with, at the time she disappeared, in a big way. One of them could be responsible for her murder. Are they, at last, going to find out who killed her?

Just picture it, you’re out walking in the woods, and you kneel down to pull what you think is a root from the undergrowth, and you grasp what is actually a human finger. This is the opening scene that we are faced with when the body of a young girl missing for thirty years is found.

I love reading a crime novel where we are faced with a small group of suspects who all know each other. You’re never sure who you can trust in the group, and you can’t tell who is lying or telling the truth. What will happen to them all when it finally comes out? This was what I was also thinking about as I was reading this book.

I think if you enjoy crime novels with a literary edge, then this is definitely the book for you. Gytha Lodge’s writing is very immersive and is very easy to get into, I wouldn’t call it a quick read, but there is a cast of intriguing characters who will keep you turning the pages, you will want to find out what happens to them and who committed the crime. I found the lead detective DCI Jonah Sheens, particularly interesting. He is already connected to this case as he knew Aurora and the group of friends who she hung out with from school.  I think some readers may find it easy to point to the person responsible for the crime, but for me, it was the reasons why they did it that had me gripped, and it was what I wanted to find out.

The story here takes time to build as the police re-open the investigation into Aurora Jackson’s disappearance. There is a painstaking task ahead of them as they have to go over old ground, but all these years’ later new pieces of information begin to come to light which could finally shed light on what happened to Aurora in 1983.

I think the flashback scenes were the parts of this novel that I was most intrigued by. Gytha Lodge gradually begins to reveal to us the build-up to Aurora’s disappearance, and we start to see a picture develop of the type of people who her friends actually were and what they are capable of.

I thought the ending of this book was very satisfying, and I think it is an ending that will haunt the reader for a while, I keep thinking back to those final lines. Overall I found this an enjoyable read; it is an immersive page-turner that I’m sure will have fans looking out for more from this author, I’ll certainly be looking out for Gytha’s next book.

Publisher: Michael Joseph

Publication date: 10th January 2019 (Kindle) 21st March 2019 (hardcover)

Print length: 400 pages

If you would like to purchase She Lies In Wait, you can do so by clicking on one of the following links below. 

Amazon UK  Kobo  Waterstones