The Source by Sarah Sultoon #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the brilliant debut novel by Sarah Sultoon, The Source.

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One last chance to reveal the truth…

1996. Essex. Thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Carly lives in a disenfranchised town dominated by a military base, struggling to care for her baby sister while her mum sleeps off another binge. When her squaddie brother brings food and treats, and offers an exclusive invitation to army parties, things start to look a little less bleak…

2006. London. Junior TV newsroom journalist Marie has spent six months exposing a gang of sex traffickers, but everything is derailed when New Scotland Yard announces the re-opening of Operation Andromeda, the notorious investigation into allegations of sex abuse at an army base a decade earlier…

As the lives of these two characters intertwine around a single, defining event, a series of utterly chilling experiences is revealed, sparking a nail-biting race to find the truth … and justice.

MY THOUGHTS

The Source is a powerful, gripping story by Sarah Sultoon and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get round to it. The novel takes place over a period of ten years, following thirteen year old Carly and journalist, Marie. In 2006 Marie is on the verge of breaking a big story. Both Marie’s and Carly’s stories are intertwined with each other. When we visit Carly in the 1990s, we see a very dark story begin to emerge and there are some hard hitting revelations.

I thought Sarah Sultoon’s characters really shone through in this book. I could see Marie’s determination to get the story she was working from out there. You can see that she really cares and feels for the victims of the crimes she is trying to expose. She isn’t just a journalist who is looking for their next big break. You can feel the horror of everything that has happened through her eyes and it made me feel and care for the characters.

Sarah Sultoon does tackle some horrific subjects, such as child abuse and grooming, but she does this sensitively. It made me feel angry as I read the scenes told from Carly’s point of view. I felt angry that she didn’t have anyone who was really looking out for her. She has a lot of responsibility for someone who is so young, including looking after her younger sister and making sure her mother is alright. It’s shocking when Carly’s older brother Jason, who is hardly around at all to help out with the family, suggests something to Carly and her friend that is so unforgivable. It’s hard to believe that such things do go on in the world. Sarah Sultoon does an expert job of shining a light on the sad reality. I really wanted Carly to get out of the situation she was in.

The dialogue and the short chapters made this book such a gripping read. The dialogue between the characters was so well done and it really helped bring them to life.

I loved how Sarah Sultoon pulled everything together and there were some shocking revelations, as the book reached its conclusion, that I didn’t see coming. I thought it was so well thought through. The Source is gripping and a thought-provoking. I highly recommend it.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 15th April 2021

Print length: 320 pages

The Source is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

Dead Mercy by Noelle Holten #bookreview #blogtour @nholten40 @0neMoreChapter_ @BOTBSPublicity

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel in the DC Maggie Jamieson series by Noelle Holten, Dead Mercy.

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A brutal murder…

When a burned body is found with its teeth missing, DC Maggie Jamieson discovers that the victim may be the husband of one of her probation colleagues.

A dark history…

As the body count rises, the team becomes increasingly baffled by how the victims could possibly be connected until a clue leads them to a historical case that was never prosecuted.

A terrible secret…

In order to catch the killer, Maggie must piece together what happened all those years ago before it’s too late.

MY THOUGHTS

I always look forward to reading a new novel in the DC Maggie Jamieson series by Noelle Holten and I thoroughly enjoyed the latest book, Dead Mercy. Maggie is on the hunt for a sadistic killer and it is clear very early on that they are planning more murders. But what connects the killer’s victims? Can Maggie and her team find the killer before it’s too late?

I really wanted to know what reason the killer had for deciding to take this path. Maggie and her team have to delve into the killer’s psychology if they are to have any hope of finding out who they are and why they are doing this. When this becomes clearer, harrowing and disturbing details emerge and I was turning the pages faster and faster.

It’s always great to catch up with Maggie and her team and I can’t believe that we’re five books into the series now. I think the team work really well together. What I liked about this book was how Noelle explored Maggie’s growing relationship with reporter, Julie Noble. Julie, herself, becomes involved in the investigation and it makes me wonder if she will work with Maggie and the team again. I’m looking forward to seeing how Noelle will develop this further.

Once again the pace never drops and I was fascinated by the layers Noelle continues to build on as the series progresses. We also get to see Maggie’s relationship with her parents explored a little further in this book and I thought this was really intriguing. I could feel the emotion in Maggie’s voice as she was speaking to her mum and dad. But I don’t want to say anything more about that here.

As I said earlier, as the team begin to realise what is going on here, Noelle tackles some pretty tough themes, which might be upsetting to some readers, but Noelle does handle the topic sensitively.

Noelle’s writing always keeps you on the edge of your seat and that’s what keeps me coming back to her books. They are always really gripping and entertaining. Noelle has definitely written another winner here.

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication date: 19th November 2021

Print length: 402 pags

Dead Mercy is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

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Risk of Harm by Lucie Whitehouse #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the latest book by Lucie Whitehouse, Risk of Harm.

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Robin Lyons is back in her hometown of Birmingham and now a DCI with Force Homicide, working directly under Samir, the man who broke her heart almost twenty years ago.

When a woman is found stabbed to death in a derelict factory and no one comes forward to identify the body, Robin and her team must not only hunt for the murderer, but also solve the mystery of who their victim might be.

As Robin and Samir come under pressure from their superiors, from the media and from far-right nationalists with a dangerous agenda, tensions in Robin’s own family threaten to reach breaking point. And when a cold case from decades ago begins to smoulder and another woman is found dead in similar circumstances, rumours of a serial killer begin to spread.

In order to get to the truth Robin will need to discover where loyalty ends and duty begins. But before she can trust, she is going to have to forgive – and that means grappling with some painful home truths.

MY THOUGHTS

Risk of Harm is a highly engaging crime thriller by Lucie Whitehouse. It’s the second book in her DCI Robin Lyons series although it can easily be read as a standalone. Robin has relocated to her hometown of Birmingham after spending some time at the Met in London and she is facing another complex investigation. The body of a young woman has been found but no one has come forward to confirm her identity or to report her missing. And on top of that Robin has to face a lot of personal issues with her family in this book. She certainly isn’t given an easy ride.

The investigation which Robin is leading is a really intriguing one. She can’t understand why no one has reported the woman who has been found dead missing. Why can’t they identify her? It makes for a really intriguing set up and I wanted to find out what had happened to the woman and why she had been killed.

Robin is also going through a lot of personal issues in this book as well with her family. I thought this was a really intriguing side to Robin’s character. I wanted to see how this would develop and I’m curious to know where Lucie Whitehouse will take this part of the story next. Robin’s feelings towards her family came through very strongly in this book. It made her character feel very real and it made her even more interesting.

Lucie Whitehouse does also tackle some sensitive topics in her latest book as she explores far right wing movements and issues that tackle racism. This part of the book hits very close to home for Robin; I thought Lucie Whitehouse explored this well.

The plot develops really well and I thought it was so cleverly put together. I thought the revelations that came were very satisfactory. I highly recommend Risk of Harm if you enjoy reading gripping police procedurals. I’m looking forward to reading the next chapter in Robin’s story.

Publisher: Fourth Estate

Publication date: 28th June 2021

Print length: 415 pages

Risk of Harm is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

Psychopaths Anonymous by Will Carver #bookreview #blogtour @will_carver @RandomTTours @OrendaBooks

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the brilliant new novel by Will Carver, Psychopaths Anonymous, as part of the blog tour. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Maeve has everything. A high-powered job, a beautiful home, a string of uncomplicated one-night encounters. She’s also an addict: A functioning alcoholic with a dependence on sex and an insatiable appetite for killing men. 

When she can’t find a support group to share her obsession, she creates her own. And Psychopaths Anonymous is born. Friends of Maeve. 

Now in a serious relationship, Maeve wants to keep the group a secret. But not everyone in the group adheres to the rules, and when a reckless member raises suspicions with the police, Maeve’s drinking spirals out of control. 

She needs to stop killing. She needs to close the group. 

But Maeve can’t seem to quit the things that are bad for her, including her new man…

A scathing, violent and darkly funny book about love, connection, obsessions and sex – and the aspects of human nature we’d prefer to hide – Psychopaths Anonymous is also an electrifyingly original, unpredictable thriller that challenges virtually everything.

MY THOUGHTS

With each of Will Carver’s books, you know that you’ll get something a little bit different and a little bit mad each time. Psychopaths Anonymous, his latest offering is another stunning, brilliantly crafted novel. Maeve, the character at the heart of the novel is a very twisted individual; she’s also one of the most original characters I’ve come across in crime fiction for a while. If you’re looking for a very dark read, perfect for when the nights draw in then look no further than this book.

I think before you read this book, it does help to have read Will’s first book in this series, Good Samaritans, but it can easily be read as a standalone.

What I love about Will Carver’s books is that he always delves into the minds of his characters really well. There is a lot of heavy stuff going on inside Maeve’s head and this book is almost like a rich character study. We see the world through her eyes and Will Carver understands Maeve really well. She is very unpredictable; I got the feeling that she could snap at any moment and that no one around her was safe. This really drives the tension and it kept me turning the pages.

What this book will also have you doing is thinking about people in a different way. I loved the idea of the Psychopaths Anonymous meeting. It was a very chilling thought. It was interesting to see Maeve’s perspectives on the people in the group she has created. I’ve recently heard that one in one hundred people are psychopaths and this is portrayed very clearly in this book.

As well as an addiction to killing, Maeve also has an addiction to sex. Her relationship with Seth is very intriguing and it kept me on tenterhooks as I had no idea how Maeve was going to react next. This isn’t a very light book at all, so if you are a bit squeamish it may not be one for you. It is really chilling how she chooses her next victims; they could be anyone, perhaps just someone who she happens to randomly pass on the street. It’s what makes her such a frightening character as well.

So if you’re looking for a wild, entertaining, very dark read, then I highly recommend Psychopaths Anonymous. It might not be one that you want to read just before going to bed.

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 25th September 2021 (kindle) 25th November 2021 (paperback)

Print length: 276 pages

Psychopaths Anonymous is available to buy:

Amazon UK Waterstones

WWW Wednesday 17-11-2021

Welcome to this week’s WWW Wednesday. WWW Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.

Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

The three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What have you finished reading?
What will you read next?

What am I currently reading?

Robin Lyons is back in her hometown of Birmingham and now a DCI with Force Homicide, working directly under Samir, the man who broke her heart almost twenty years ago.

When a woman is found stabbed to death in a derelict factory and no one comes forward to identify the body, Robin and her team must not only hunt for the murderer, but also solve the mystery of who their victim might be.

As Robin and Samir come under pressure from their superiors, from the media and from far-right nationalists with a dangerous agenda, tensions in Robin’s own family threaten to reach breaking point. And when a cold case from decades ago begins to smoulder and another woman is found dead in similar circumstances, rumours of a serial killer begin to spread.

In order to get to the truth Robin will need to discover where loyalty ends and duty begins. But before she can trust, she is going to have to forgive – and that means grappling with some painful home truths.

One last chance to reveal the truth…

1996. Essex. Thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Carly lives in a disenfranchised town dominated by a military base, struggling to care for her baby sister while her mum sleeps off another binge. When her squaddie brother brings food and treats, and offers an exclusive invitation to army parties, things start to look a little less bleak…

2006. London. Junior TV newsroom journalist Marie has spent six months exposing a gang of sex traffickers, but everything is derailed when New Scotland Yard announces the re-opening of Operation Andromeda, the notorious investigation into allegations of sex abuse at an army base a decade earlier…

As the lives of these two characters intertwine around a single, defining event, a series of utterly chilling experiences is revealed, sparking a nail-biting race to find the truth … and justice.

What have I finished reading?

My son has been taken. And I’ve been given a choice…
Kill a patient on the operating table. Or never see him again.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

Kim felt sickness sweep over her as she watched little Grace dust off her dirty hands. Blonde curls tumbled around her face. Then, Grace disappeared into the crowd. Kim wanted to pause the recording, run outside and grab her to stop what was about to happen.

One August afternoon, eight-year-old Grace Lennard skips into the garden of the childcare centre she attends and vanishes into thin air. Rushing to the scene of Grace’s disappearance, Detective Kim Stone finds a chilling piece of evidence: the engraved heart bracelet belonging to Melody Jones – the little girl who was taken from a playground exactly twenty-five years ago.

Hours before, Steven Harte had walked into Halesowen police station and confessed to having information that would lead Kim to Melody. And he told Kim she’d have a more urgent problem to deal with first. Now Kim must play Steven’s twisted game if she’s to find Grace alive.

With only twenty-four hours to make every second of Steven’s interrogation count, and scan his behaviour for hidden clues, Kim and her team soon link Steven to the abduction of several vulnerable girls – two were kept for a year and then released, unharmed – but where are Melody and the others?

Then small bones are discovered in the grounds of a local park, and Kim fears the worst.

Kim may think she’s close to convicting a killer, but the case is about to get even more complex. Steven is hiding one final explosive truth and he’s not the only one. Dr Alex Thorne – the evil woman Kim did her best to keep behind bars is about to reveal a shocking secret to Kim that will hit her where it hurts the most. Kim knows she must put aside her own demons to save Grace and find the other missing girls in time. But can Kim untangle Steven’s web before any more innocent lives are lost?

What will I read next?

Twins Aaron and Clive have been estranged for forty years. Aaron still lives in the empty, crumbling tower block on the riverside in Deptford where they grew up. Clive is a successful property developer, determined to turn the tower into luxury flats.

But Aaron is blocking the plan and their petty squabble becomes something much greater when two ghosts from the past – twins Annette and Christine – appear in the tower. At once, the desolate estate becomes a stage on which the events of one scorching summer are relived – a summer that shattered their lives, and changed everything forever…

Grim, evocative and exquisitely rendered, Fall is a story of friendship and family – of perception, fear and prejudice, the events that punctuate our journeys into adulthood, and the indelible scars they leave – a triumph of a novel that will affect you long after the final page has been turned.

London, 1782. Desperate for her politician husband to return home from France, Caroline ‘Caro’ Corsham is already in a state of anxiety when she finds a well-dressed woman mortally wounded in the bowers of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. The Bow Street constables are swift to act, until they discover that the deceased woman was a highly paid prostitute, at which point they cease to care entirely. But Caro has motives of her own for wanting to see justice done, and so sets out to solve the crime herself. Enlisting the help of thieftaker Peregrine Child, their inquiry delves into the hidden corners of Georgian society, a world of artifice, deception and secret lives.

But with many gentlemen refusing to speak about their dealings with the dead woman, and Caro’s own reputation under threat, finding the killer will be harder, and more treacherous, than she can know . . .

From the pleasure palaces and gin-shops of Covent Garden to the elegant townhouses of Mayfair, Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s Daughters of Night follows Caroline Corsham as she seeks justice for a murdered woman whom London society would rather forget . . .

Stolen Ones by Angela Marsons #bookreview #blogtour @WriteAngie @bookouture

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Stolen Ones, the latest novel in the Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons as part of the blog tour.

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25 years ago he took a girl. Today he takes another.One August afternoon, eight-year-old Grace Lennard skips into the garden of the childcare centre she attends and vanishes into thin air.

Hours before, Steven Harte walks into Halesowen police station and confesses to having information that will lead Detective Kim Stone to Melody Jones – the little girl who was taken from a playground exactly twenty-five years ago. But something about his confession is off and Kim dismisses his claims.

Arriving at the scene of Grace’s disappearance, Kim finds a chilling piece of evidence: the heart bracelet belonging to Melody. Now Kim must play Steven’s twisted game if she is to find Grace alive. But they’re going to play by Kim’s rules.

With only twenty-four hours to make every second of Steven’s interrogation count, and scan his behaviour for hidden clues, Kim and her team soon link Steven to the abduction of several vulnerable girls – two were kept for a year and then released, unharmed – but where are Melody and the others?

Then small bones are discovered in the grounds of a local park, and Kim fears the worst.

Kim may be close to convicting a killer, but there’s another who wants revenge against her – Dr Alex Thorne – the evil woman Kim did her best to keep behind bars. Alex is about to reveal a shocking secret to Kim that will hit her where it hurts the most. And if Kim lets Alex mess with her head, she might not be able to save Grace and find the other missing girls in time.

MY THOUGHTS

When I finished the last book in the Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons, I knew what was coming for Kim next. I practically dropped my Kindle in excitement when I read those last few lines. Hence to say I was very excited to read this book, and when Stolen Ones landed on my Kindle, I wasted no time in picking it up. It’s always great to catch up with Kim Stone and the team, and Angela Marsons always leaves me hungry for more with each book.

This time, Kim Stone’s arch nemesis, Dr Alexandra Thorne is back. I was so pleased to see that she would be making an appearance again after finishing the last book. I have never been able to forget her, and she is always on my mind whenever I read a book from this series.

Kim faces another complex investigation in this book. What makes it even more intriguing, is that the man who might be responsible for the crime that has taken place, Stephen Harte, hands himself into the police very early on. He claims to have information on a missing child case which is decades old. A young girl, Melody Jones, disappeared twenty five years ago without trace. Kim has no idea how to approach this. Is this man the person who they’re looking for, or is he simply a time waster? What is really going on here? What heightens the tension even more is that another child, Grace Lennard, has gone missing. Kim knows they have a very limited time frame to find her alive.

Once again Angela Marsons delivers on tension in this book. I wanted to know why Stephen had handed himself into the police. It appears quite early on that he is playing a very twisted game, and I wanted to find out more about who he was.

And of course, Dr Alexander Thorne is once again a thorn in Kim Stone’s side. I wanted to know what was going on here with Alex, as she is desperately trying to get hold of Kim. Although this isn’t easy for Alex as she is still in prison. It appears that she is willing to do anything to achieve that, but what was her real goal here? I was so desperate to find out what it was, that Alex was so keen to talk to Kim about; it makes this book really tense. You can see clearly the affect this has on Kim. She is already working hard to find Grace and she doesn’t want anything else to distract her from that.

Stolen Ones is a real treat for long-time fans of this series. Angela Marsons does a fantastic job of keeping the suspense ticking up a notch. I always love the race against time element in her books, which is what makes them so entertaining. Another brilliant book in this series. I can’t wait to see where Angela Marsons takes her characters next.

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 11th November 2021

Print length: 426 pages

Stolen Ones is available to buy:

Amazon UK

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The Whistling by Rebecca Netley #bookreview

On my blog today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the new novel by Rebecca Netley, The Whistling.

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On the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea, Elspeth Swansome takes on a position as a nanny.

Her charge, Mary, hasn’t uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin, William – just days after their former nanny disappeared. But no one will speak of what happened to William.

Just as no one can explain the lullabies sung in empty corridors.
Nor the strange dolls that appear in abandoned rooms.
Nor the faint whistling that comes in the night . . .

As winter draws in, Elspeth finds herself increasingly trapped.

But is this house haunted by the ghosts of the past?

OR THE SECRETS OF THE LIVING . . . ?

MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely loved The Whistling by Rebecca Netley. If you’re looking for a ghost story that will give you shivers then I highly recommend this one. It’s creepy, atmospheric and Rebecca’s writing draws you effortlessly into the story. It’s crying out to be a TV drama, perfect for the autumnal months and as winter draws in. 

We meet Elspeth Swansome who is taking up a new position as a nanny in a house on the remote isle of Skethsea. It is a big change for her as she has been used to living in the city of Edinburgh and the remoteness of the island comes as quite a shock to her. I thought Rebecca Netley did a fantastic job with the sitting. She managed to create the feeling that the island and islanders were cut off from the rest of civilisation and that anything could happen there. I thought this really helped in adding another element to the mystery.

As Elspeth becomes acquainted with the young child, Mary, she is supposed to be looking after, it is clear that there is something chilling and very scary going on here. Mary, who lives with her aunt, hasn’t spoken since her twin brother, William died. Shortly before William’s death Mary also lost her mother. There is a very sinister atmosphere in the house. Soon Elspeth begins to notice the strange happenings that are occurring and it terrifies her. I really wanted to know what was going on here.

There were definitely a few places, while reading this book, where I felt the same fear that Elspeth did. I could really imagine just how scared she was as she began to realise that something wasn’t quite right in the house. Rebecca Netley creates a very creepy atmosphere.

Elspeth’s relationship with her charge, Mary, grows over the course of the book and I liked how Rebecca Netley developed this. When they first met each other, I did wonder if Elspeth would ever be able to get through to Mary. I was interested to see how things would develop between them and if Elspeth would decide to stay there.

The Whistling is such a chilling read and I highly recommend it if you enjoy a good ghost story. I’m sure this is one I will return to when Halloween comes around again.

Publisher: Penguin

Publication date: 14th October 2021

Print length: 358 pages

The Whistling is available to buy:

Amazon UK Waterstones

The Quiet People by Paul Cleave #bookreview #blogtour @PaulCleave @OrendaBooks @RandomTTours

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the new novel by Paul Cleave, The Quiet People. With thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part.

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Cameron and Lisa Murdoch are successful New Zealand crime writers, happily married and topping bestseller lists worldwide. They have been on the promotional circuit for years, joking that no one knows how to get away with crime like they do. After all, they write about it for a living.

So when their challenging seven-year-old son Zach disappears, the police and the public naturally wonder if they have finally decided to prove what they have been saying all this time… 

Are they trying to show how they can commit the perfect crime?

Electrifying, taut and immaculately plotted, The Quiet People is a chilling, tantalisingly twisted thriller that will keep you gripped and guessing to the last explosive page.

MY THOUGHTS

The Quiet People by Paul Cleave is a rollercoaster of a read. I flew through this book. Right from the first page the tension begins to build and the tension does not let up at all; it propels you into the story right from the get go. This is a very clever book and I was utterly gripped.

We meet Cameron and Lisa Murdoch who face every parent’s worst nightmare when their son Zach goes missing. They think he may have run away after he argued with them earlier in the evening, but the police begin to suspect foul play. Soon it isn’t long before the police and the public point the finger at them and they are held responsible for their son’s disappearance. But how can they convince the police and the community that they are innocent when the evidence against them seems overwhelming?

A really interesting aspect of this book was that both Cameron and Lisa are crime writers, a husband and wife crime writing team, and this forms part of the evidence against them. They know all the ins and outs of a police investigation from their research. Is it possible that they had a role to play in Zach’s disappearance? They have joked before that they would easily be able to get away with a crime.

There is a lot of emotion and anger in this book. It is told from the point of view of Cameron, Zach’s father and he goes through utter turmoil in his fight to prove his innocence. It is through Cameron that we feel this anger and his character is what makes this story so compelling. Although Cameron and Lisa are fighting for their innocence, part of me did call into doubt their story and I wasn’t sure if I could entirely trust them. I had to know how things were going to unfold for Lisa and Cameron and especially their son. But as things go from bad to worse for Cameron I could totally understand some of the decisions he was making.

The pace never drops and I loved the short snappy chapters which kept me turning the pages. There are more than a few heart pounding moments throughout this book, especially when it comes to the final reveals as we close in on the end. The plot was very clever and well thought out.

The Quiet People is an outstanding, original and an utterly gripping thriller with an explosive, heart wrenching ending. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I highly recommend it!

Publisher: Orenda Books

Publication date: 25th September 2021 (kindle) 25th November 2021 (paperback)

Print length: 300 pages

The Quiet People is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

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Vine Street by Dominic Nolan #bookreview #blogtour @NolanDom @headlinepg

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the stunning new novel by Dominic Nolan, Vine Street.

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SOHO, 1935.
 SERGEANT LEON GEATS’ PATCH.
 
A snarling, skull-cracking misanthrope, Geats marshals the grimy rabble according to his own elastic moral code.
 
The narrow alleys are brimming with jazz bars, bookies, blackshirts, ponces and tarts so when a body is found above the Windmill Club, detectives are content to dismiss the case as just another young woman who topped herself early.
 
But Geats – a good man prepared to be a bad one if it keeps the worst of them at bay – knows the dark seams of the city.
 
Working with his former partner, mercenary Flying Squad sergeant Mark Cassar, Geats obsessively dedicates himself to finding a warped killer – a decision that will reverberate for a lifetime and transform both men in ways they could never expect.

MY THOUGHTS

I’m a huge fan of Dominic Nolan’s writing and I couldn’t wait to read Vine Street when I first heard of it. The plot of this novel spans nearly a century and I thought the timelines were weaved together so well. It starts in 2002, when an elderly couple, former police officers, are dealt with a devastating blow when they learn the news that the body of a friend, Leon Geats, who went missing years ago, has been found.

Dominic Nolan then takes us back to London in the 1930s, particularly Soho and Dominic Nolan did a brilliant job in bringing the setting to life. We meet the man whose body is found in 2002 and he is investigation the death of a woman, believed to be a prostitute. Someone is targeting working girls with a foreign accent, and this becomes a particularly tricky case to solve, spanning across the decades. It is also apparent that there is corruption going on in the police force.

I wanted to know what would lead up to the point when his body would be discovered and I wanted to know if this investigation, had anything to do with his death. Geats comes across as a really likeable character and he is someone who you would hope to have fighting your corner if you were ever in trouble. He is a person who will do whatever it takes to get justice. Is it possible that his determination to get justice will ultimately lead to his downfall?

Dominic’s writing flowed really well. There was no confusion at all with the timelines and I liked how we got to see Leon’s character grow over the decades. I became really invested in his story. The mystery deepens even further and the twists which come as the plot begins to unfold were really shocking. It was plotted so well, and everything felt very satisfactory as I was reading.

I deliberately slowed down as I was reading this book, this is the type of book that you want to take your time with, not because it isn’t fast paced, but because it is so well written. The atmosphere draws you in and the setting is so well done. Vine Street is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year and if you are a fan of crime fiction you need to add it to your TBR pile. Highly recommended!

Publisher: Headline

Publication date: 11th November 2021

Print length: 592 pages

Vine Street is available to buy:

Amazon UK Kobo Waterstones

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The Lost by Simon Beckett #bookreview #blogtour @BeckettSimon @Tr4cyF3nt0n

On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for The Lost by Simon Beckett. With thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me to take part.

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A MISSING CHILD

Ten years ago, the disappearance of firearms police officer Jonah Colley’s young son almost destroyed him.

A GRUESOME DISCOVERY

A plea for help from an old friend leads Jonah to Slaughter Quay, and the discovery of four bodies. Brutally attacked and left for dead, he is the only survivor.

A SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH

Under suspicion himself, he uncovers a network of secrets and lies about the people he thought he knew – forcing him to question what really happened all those years ago…

MY THOUGHTS

The Lost is the first book by Simon Beckett which I’ve read, and I really enjoyed it. There’s an explosive opening as police detective Jonah Colley is called to the abandoned Slaughterhouse Quay by an old friend he hasn’t spoken to in years. But things take a drastic turn for the worse and Jonah ends up in hospital and his friend is killed. Jonah has no idea why his old friend called him there that night, but he suspects it might have something to do with his son, Theo, who went missing several years earlier.

This was such an intriguing read. I really liked Jonah and I felt sorry for him as I was reading this book. I was rooting for Jonah as I was reading the book and I wanted to see what steps he was willing to take next following what happens in the opening pages. Jonah feels an incredible sense of guilt over the loss of his son as he allowed himself to fall asleep while he was in his care on the day he disappeared. He has never had closure and he still continues to hold onto the belief that his son might still be alive. Like Jonah I wanted to find out what had happened to his son and there is real emotional depth as Jonah fights to uncover the truth.

There are lots of twists and turns as the mystery begins to unravel. There are some real shocking truths as Jonah comes closer to unravelling the mystery. There was one jaw-dropping revelation towards the end which turns the novel on its head. I couldn’t believe what I was reading when it became clear. I really liked the way how Simon Beckett brought everything together and I thought the motivations of each character was very clear. The tension turns up a notch as the plot thickens and the darkness in the story deepens. There are many obstacles thrown in Jonah’s path as well. I couldn’t believe the treatment he was receiving from some of the police officer’s who are working on the case. It made me root for Jonah even more.

I really liked how Simon Beckett explored the relationship between Jonah and his former wife. This adds to the emotion, and I thought it was interesting how their lives had taken different paths since the disappearance of their son. You can see how what happened has affected them both, although it is clearer in Jonah. As we are first introduced to his former partner through his memories she comes across as harsh and uncaring and I didn’t feel as though I connected with her until much later.

I’m excited to see that this is the first book in a new series featuring Jonah Colley and I am looking forward to seeing where Simon Beckett takes him next. This is definitely going to be an intriguing series to follow. The Lost is fast paced and really well done. I highly recommend it.

Publisher: Trapeze

Publication date: 25th November 2021

Print length: 368 pages

The Lost is available to buy:

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