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When the body of a man is discovered in woodlands outside Manchester, a ten-year missing-persons investigation can finally be filed away. But this was no ordinary death: gagged, bound and buried alive, he was the victim of a sophisticated and sadistic killer. And there is something else that has the National Crime Agency puzzled. A single character carved into a nearby tree. Newly promoted to the NCA's Behavioural Sciences Unit, Senior Investigator Joanne Stuart is determined to hunt down the perpetrator. Just as Jo's investigation begins to reveal links with other disappearances, there is another murder. This is no longer a cold case; she is dealing with the escalating violence of a chilling serial killer.Stepping into a sinister world of secrets, symbols and rituals, Jo will have to confront the legacy of her own past and the violent memories that lurk there if she is going to solve this case. But at what cost?
My thoughts. 3.5/5
I was looking forward to reading this book, firstly because Bill Rogers is a new author for me and secondly because it's based around Manchester. I always seem to enjoy a book when I can actually visualise the places that are mentioned, I find I like books that have familiar locations in them. And enjoy reading how the author describes those places. I also have to mention that I loved the dedication in the front of this book, it made me chuckle when I read it. Not often they start with This book is not dedicated to.... I'd also like to say thank you to the publishers, Netgalley and the Author for the ARC I received of this book. This is what I gather the first book in what could be a very promising series. I did enjoy this book, but in parts I felt like something was missing, I don't know what for certain but that's just how I felt, It was like the book kept grabbing me but then letting go again, It didn't keep my attention as much as I was hoping it would. That aside it is an easy read, and enjoyable. Just not the Gripping book I thought it was going to be. A mans body is discovered buried in woodlands outside Manchester. He had been missing for 10 years before his body was discovered. And it seems like he was gagged, bound and buried alive. But why? And what else is buried with him. It's down to newly promoted Senior Investigator Joanne Stuart to try and figure this out. Now working for The Behavioural Science Unit, this is Joanne's first case with them. And she does go out of her way to try and prove herself. We are introduced to her private life as well as her work life, and I can see her becoming a very interesting character. I will be looking out for the next book by this author as I'd like to see how it differs now we have got to know the department and it's characters a little better.
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Dark, gritty and always edge-of-your-seat: the NO.1 BESTSELLER is back with a standout new heroine… Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life. As PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is. But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there's no other option – and these murders are as brutal as they come. Lucy must step into the line of fire – a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line. And, unknown to Lucy, she's already treading it…Always gripping. Always gruesome. Paul Finch will leave fans of Rachel Abbott and MJ Arlidge gasping for more.
Wow What more can you ask for from a thriller. An exceptionally brilliantly brutal read.
I can see this growing into one hell of a major series. And I really don't think I can wait for more. We are introduced in this book to PC Lucy Clayburn Who has been a copper for around ten-year with the Greater Manchester Police Force. There is just something that attracts me to books based in and around Manchester. Here Lucy works the Crowley division. After lets say a major cock up when she joined CID she didn't last long there. But still would like to get back in. She knows her stuff, and knows her area. But when asked to go undercover maybe she is stepping into the unknown. It's a great chance for her to prove herself, but there is far to much that could go wrong. Hunting down A serial killer is no easy task, especially one as brutal as this one. going undercover Lucy befriends Tammy a Pisshead prozzie, who introduces her to Susy and get's her a job in the cloak room at one of Manchester's secret clubs. Lucy is trying to get intel, and weather she can do this without being sussed out is proving a little difficult, you can't be seen to be asking to many questions. And being a copper in Manchester it's no big stretch that one of these criminals that frequent the club might just recognise her. I really did like Lucy as a character and can see her growing from strength to strength, she is by no means perfect, but maybe her mistakes can make her a better copper in the long run. If you love your crime/thriller fiction just as much as I do then this is a book you really must read. It really does grip you right from the opening chapters and doesn't let you go until the end. I managed to read the first 25% of this book before my eyes finally gave up on me, I only intended to rest them a few minutes so I could carry on reading. It was 4 hours later when I woke up in the early hours, and picked my kindle up again, before I knew it I was racing round the house getting little one ready for school, then right back into the book until I finished it, only stopping to make a cup of tea or ten and a bite to eat. I love it when I get engaged into a book like this. This book is one of those that becomes part of your life until you finish it. This has got to land somewhere in my top 10 before the end of the year. It's not going to be easy choosing the books this year, there are far to many bloody good books out there. A super big thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me an ARC of this book in return for my honest thoughts.
Biography
For Paul's blog go to www.paulfinch-author.blogspot.co.uk Published by www.harpercollins.co.uk For twitter follow Paul - @paulfinchauthor Paul's agent- Julian Friedmann at http://www.blakefriedmann.co.uk/ Paul Finch studied History at Goldsmiths, London, before becoming a cop in the north west of England. He then let his passion for writing allow him to follow a career in journalism. Now a full time writer, he first cut his literary teeth penning episodes of the British TV crime drama, THE BILL, and has written extensively in the field of children's animation. However, he is probably best known for his work in thrillers and horrors. His crime debut novel, STALKERS, was a no 1 ebook best seller in 2013 and introduced DS Mark 'Heck' Heckenburg. This was followed last July 2013 by the sequel, SACRIFICE, and May 2014 by the third in the series, THE KILLING CLUB. The fourth, DEAD MAN WALKING, will follow in November 2014, with the fifth, HUNTED, in February 2015. The Heck series is also to be published in Germany, Poland, Turkey, Hungary, and Japan. In addition to his Heck novels, Paul has had twelve books and nearly 300 stories and novellas published on both sides of the Atlantic. His first collection, AFTER SHOCKS (Ash-Tree Press), won the British Fantasy Award in 2002, while he won the award again in 2007 for his novella, KID. Later in 2007, he won the International Horror Guild Award for his mid-length story, THE OLD NORTH ROAD. His short novel, CAPE WRATH (Telos), was short-listed for the Bram Stoker Award in 2002, and several other collections of his stories and novellas have been published since, all of them well received by fans and readers. His horror novel, STRONGHOLD, was published by Abaddon Books in 2010, and the same year Pendragon Press published his highly rated festive terror tale, SPARROWHAWK. Paul has also written three DR WHO audio dramas for Big Finish - LEVIATHAN, SENTINELS OF THE NEW DAWN and HEXAGORA, and THRESHOLD, the pilot episode for the DR WHO spin-off series, COUNTER MEASURES. Paul's DR WHO novel, HUNTER'S MOON was published by BBC Books in 2011. Paul is no stranger to film either, having written scripts for several horror movies. Two of these, SPIRIT TRAP and THE DEVIL'S ROCK, were released in 2005 and 2011 respectively, while his short story THE BELFRIES, is currently being adapted in Hollywood, and his movie script WAR WOLF is under development by Amber Entertainment. Wearing an editor's hat, Paul is also responsible for the TERROR TALES series from Gray Friar Press, a collection of ghost and horror anthologies exploring the folklore, history and geography of the various regions of Britain. Paul Finch lives in Lancashire, UK, with his wife Cathy and his children, Eleanor and Harry. This novella is the prequel to a new gripping thriller series from NY Times bestselling authors Linda S Prather and M A Comley. TRAGIC DECEPTION also available to pre-order "Have you ever watched the light fade from someone's eyes, Foxy? The pigment slowly, ever so slowly disappear?" The press call him the Escape Artist, and he is certainly living up to his name. Sergeant Alexandra Fox has never come up against such a devious mind in her entire career. Ten young women, seven of them wives of fellow officers, have been found tortured and murdered. Every tiny lead fizzles out, and he revels in taunting them by phone, torturing them mentally as he forces them to listen to the screams of his victims. Alexandra, is determined to catch him before he kills again, unaware that she's become the object of his obsession until he issues one last threat: "I thought I would give you one warning. A chance to back away and leave the investigation. Don't make me punish you." My thoughts. 5/5 I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so firstly I'd like to say a huge thank you to the authors for allowing me an ARC of this book. I loved it, A great start to what will hopefully be an ongoing series. Although this is only a short read it doesn't lack anything you want from a bloody good read. We are introduced to Sergeant Alexandra Fox, A character I really think I'm going to like. The case she is working on is to hunt for The Escape Artist. A man who has all ready killed to many people and he really does need stopping. The Escape Artist has asked Alex to Back Off, but she won't which could result in disastrous consequences. I'm loving how Mel and Linda have teamed up to write this book, Its a truly brilliant read, well put together and well thought out. I'm also lucky enough to have the next book ready for me to read, which I will hopefully be doing some time today.
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A Savage Hunger is the fourth in the crime series featuring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire by Claire McGowan acclaimed as 'Ireland's answer to Ruth Rendell' by Ken Bruen. Victim: Female. Twenty-two years of age. Reason for investigation: Missing person. ID: Alice Morgan. Student. Last seen at a remote religious shrine in Ballyterrin. Alice Morgan's disappearance raises immediate questions for forensic psychologist Paula Maguire. Alice, the daughter of a life peer in the Home Office, has vanished along with a holy relic - the bones of a saint - and the only trace is the bloodstains on the altar. With no body to confirm death, the pressure in this high-profile case is all-consuming, and Paula knows that she will have to put her own life, including her imminent marriage, on hold, if they are to find the truth. A connection to a decades-old murder immediately indicates that all may not be as it seems; as the summer heat rises and tempers fray, can Alice be found or will they learn that those that are hungry for vengeance may be the most savage of all?
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The third in the crime series featuring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire by Claire McGowan acclaimed as 'Ireland's answer to Ruth Rendell' by Ken Bruen. Victim: Male. Mid-thirties. 5'7". Cause of death: Hanging. Initial impression - murder. ID: Mickey Doyle. Suspected terrorist and member of the Mayday Five. The officers at the crime scene know exactly who the victim is. Doyle was one of five suspected bombers who caused the deaths of sixteen people. The remaining four are also missing and when a second body is found, decapitated, it's clear they are being killed by the same methods their victims suffered. Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire is assigned the case but she is up against the clock - both personally and professionally. With moral boundaries blurred between victim and perpetrator, will be Paula be able to find those responsible? After all, even killers deserve justice, don't they? Matching The Evidence Blog TourI Shouldn’t Give a F*&£, but I Do!Absolutely thrilled that little ol me got to be a part of this blog tour. So I'd like to thank Graham and his online stalker, sorry I mean his buddy Noelle for allowing me to be part of this. I was also thrilled that I got to post the topic I did. We all like a little bit of a swearfest now and then. And as Graham points out there is usually a time and a place. Read the following to find out Graham's thought on swearing. Swearing in literature is a very divisive topic, but nonetheless it’s one which needs addressed. I’m going to use this post to try and explain my position while looking at reasons to both include and omit bad language, sweary words and fucking profanity. For the prosecution A) Some readers just don’t like reading bad language B) My mum will be reading my book C) Excess use of bad language is often taken as a sign of a poor vocabulary D) Using a sweary word to shock for the sake of it, is in my opinion, nothing more than laziness on the author’s part For the defense A) Most readers can gloss over the odd sweary word without the need for a fainting couch or smelling salts B) I learned all the best sweary words from my father C) A well placed profanity can have a fucking huge effect on a sentence D) Sweary words are no longer shocking to anyone. When you look at some of the horrific events in my stories, a character dropping the f-bomb (That’s FUCK to you and I) isn’t the worst thing you’re going to read E) People today use swearwords. Especially in tense or fraught situations. Omitting a common part of the language is doing the reader a dis-service as it’s basically censorship F) Swearing from one character can be criticised by another and then you’ve instantly got a source of drama and conflict As you’ve already seen, I’ve got more reasons to include the bad words than I have to omit them. I use profanity in my stories for a number of reasons, namely; A) I don’t use dialogue tags and having a profane character makes it easier for me to show who’s talking at any given time B) Criminals are bad people and bad people swear C) A previously non-profane character dropping a fuck or two into a sentence shows the reader an escalation D) Stressful situations are well, stressful and people swear when they’re under stress. The omission of swearing reduces the realism of the narrative Having said all of the above, there’s a time and a place for bad language in literature just as there is in life. I can swear with the best of them, but I turn it off when around my young son or the in-laws, when I’m dealing with customers at work and countless other occasions. However, if I stub my toe or hit my thumb with a hammer… I’m gonna have me a good old therapeutic swearathon. Following this theme, I try to make my characters’ swearingfollow the same kind of guidelines. A discussion between two sweet old grannies about Strictly Come Dancing will be sweet and genteel, whereas two hardened criminals exchanging bullets with the cops is the type of situation where earthy language is used to full effect. These examples are rather extreme but I’m sure you get my point. If you don’t, well, you can just … leave a comment and have your say. I’m always keen to find out who does and doesn’t give a fuck... Thank you so Much Graham for sharing that with us, so go on folks, what are your thoughts on swearing? Let us know. Carlisle United are playing Millwall and the Major Crimes Team are assigned to crowd control as punishment for their renegade ways. Typically, DI Harry Evans has other ideas and tries to thwart the local firm’s plans to teach Millwall’s notorious Bushwhackers an unforgettable lesson. Meanwhile an undercover cop is travelling north with some of the Millwall contingent. His mission is to identify the ringleaders and gather evidence against them. Three illegal immigrants have been transported to Carlisle and are about to meet their new employers. Nothing is as it seems for Evans and his Major Crimes Team as they battle to avoid a bloodbath while also uncovering a far more heinous crime. My thoughts on the book. A big fat 5/5 Having recently read Snatched From Home and The Major Crimes Team - Vol 1: Lines of Enquiry I was eager to get stuck into this book it is the 2nd Novella in the Major Crime Team series.. And Getting stuck in is exactly what happened. It was just a quick 5 min read, which turned into an hour then another, before I realised I had a 12 hour shift to work the morning so I had to put it down, but I then picked it up at every opportunity I sat in the corner in the canteen at work so people wouldn't disturb me. I even ended up putting my headphones in on my dinner break so that people would think I was listening to something and I couldn't hear them rather than I was just ignoring them. It really is another great book from Graham. DI Harry Evans has been a naughty boy again, it seems he's just not able to follow normal procedure and protocol, and as a punishment he and his team from The major Crimes Team are sent on Crowd control at a football match between Carlisle United and Millwall. I'm not a football fan at all, but even I know that Milwall fans are well known for trouble. Harry really is one of a kind, there isn't a copper like him, he has his own way of policing like no other, and his years of policing stand out, his experience really shows. I think this is really a great working team, made up of people who are each unique and individual in their own way. All are strong characters and I really do want to keep reading about them all. The book kicks off with what seems to be an ordinary set of guys off on a day out. It soon becomes clear they are not out sight seeing but out for trouble. And big trouble it is. And Harry and his team are trying to stop any trouble before it starts. I'm worried about what to say about the story as I don't want to reveal to much and spoil it for anyone. But I guess the main thing i'm trying to say is "This book is awesome and well worth reading" Treat yourself, buy it, get a drink some snacks put your feet up and get stuck in. You won't regret reading this. #Trustme
It’s time to get toasty by the fire with a glass of mulled wine and a slice of chocolate yule log sprinkled with a little romance. Welcome to Christmas at the Little Village Bakery. Snow is falling in Honeybourne and Spencer is bringing home his American fiancée Tori for a traditional English Christmas with all the trimmings. But when his hippie mum and dad meet her high-maintenance parents, sparks of the wrong sort start to fly. Then Spencer bumps into his first love Jasmine and unexpected feelings come flooding back. Millie is run off her feet with Christmas orders at the Little Village Bakery and new baby Oscar. Thank goodness her cousin Darcie is here to help her. Although she does seem to be rather flirty with Millie’s boyfriend Dylan. Will Darcie ever find true love of her own? And is marrying Tori a terrible mistake for Spencer if his heart is with someone else? Having recently read The Little Village Bakery, the first book I had read by Tilly Tennant, I was eager to start this one when it came available for review. I was buzzing to get an ARC of it. And what better time to read a Christmas book than August sat in the sun. I must admit I was kind of wanting to be there, walking in the snow, tucking into my Christmas dinner, then I had another sip of my drink applied some more sun screen and carried on reading. What another bloody brilliant read it was too. I loved being back with the characters, I enjoyed the fun, the banter, the gossip, the arguments. Oh I just enjoyed everything about it. Millie and Dylan seem to be in the thick of it all, trying to run their bakery and looking after baby Oscar, but luckily for them they have Millie's cousin Darcie staying with them and she's proving to be a great help. We have the local gossip and busybody Ruth, and I just think she's great. I chuckle each time she turns up somewhere she is not wanted. I can chuckle because she's not in my life, I have to be honest if she was a local to me I think we'd have really fallen out by now. lol. The lovely Spencer and his wife to be Tori are back in Honeybourne and as it's Christmas what a perfect time for both of their parents to meet. Oh god I felt for both these characters, you shouldn't be embarrassed by your parents at all but I think you could make exceptions here. lol I loved some of the other character who it was nice hearing about again, Jasmine and Rich are just wonderful, I loved Jasmine again in this book and I'm hoping book 3 (if there is going to be on) features Jasmine some more, I would love to know the outcome of her little disagreement with Rich and who actually gets their own way. Again it was brilliant being back with such colourful and wonderful characters. I really will be reading more from this author pretty soon. Thank you to Netgalley, The author and the Publishers for an ARC of this book. Loved it...............
A VICIOUS CRIMINAL IS TARGETING DI NIKKI GALENA AND HER TEAM. ONE BY ONE HE WILL HUNT THEM DOWN AND DESTROY THEIR LIVES, UNLESS SHE CAN STOP HIM FIRST DI Nikki Galena faces her toughest challenge yet. Can she save her team and herself from a cruel and determined adversary who will stop at nothing to harm Nikki and her colleagues? First she must work out who wants revenge against her or one of her detectives. Full of twists and turns, this is a crime novel that will have you turning the pages until the stunning ending. And what is the connection between the series of attacks on the police and the mystery of woman found dead in a seemingly impregnable locked room? Find out in this tense and exciting detective thriller. THE DETECTIVE DI Nikki Galena: A police detective with nothing left to lose, she’s seen a girl die in her arms, and her daughter will never leave the hospital again. She’s got tough on the criminals she believes did this to her. HER PARTNER DS Joseph Easter is the squeaky-clean new member of the team. But his nickname “Holy Joe” belies his former life as a soldier. He has an estranged daughter who blames him for everything that went wrong with their family. THE SETTING The Lincolnshire Fens: great open skies brood over marshes, farmland, and nature reserves. It is not easy terrain for the Fenland Constabulary to police, due to the distances between some of the remote Fen villages, the dangerous and often misty lanes, and the poor telephone coverage. There are still villages where the oldest residents have never set foot outside their own farmland and a visit to the nearest town is a major event. But it has a strange airy beauty to it, and above it all are the biggest skies you’ve ever seen.
This is fast becoming one of my favourite series of detective books. I just love the characters in this book.
So I need to say a super big thank you to Netgalley, the author and Publishers for allowing me an ARC of this book. I recently read the first two books in this series, and here we are at book 3, and I have to say the books get better each time. I didn't think it would be possible. The story really drags you in, and I find myself rooting for the characters all the way through. DI Nikki Galena and DS Joseph Easter just make the best partners ever. I love the way they interact, have banter but are a shoulder for each other when it's needed. Another of the characters I really enjoy reading about is Cat. I loved her. I know its said too often about books, but by god this really is one hell of a page turner. As soon as you start it, it's obvious that nothing else is getting done. Read, read and read. Because all the way through you need to know what is going to happen next, then you are hit with another twist, which then stops you from putting the book down. If I could have one complaint about this book then it would have to be that it wasn't long enough, but in fairness I don't think 1000 pages would have been long enough for me. I love it when reading a book that you manage to connect with the characters, and each individual one is different in their own right. So enough of me waffling on, As I said this is the 3rd book in the series, and personally I would say you need to read them in order to be able to get a good feel for the characters, and a back history of their lives. This book sends the team on one hell of a ride, their toughest case yet. Someone is out to harm them all in one way or another, the only problem is we don't know why. We get an idea of who they think it could be from early on, but the thing is have the team got it right, or are they chasing the wrong leads. A first class page turner and a must read for anyone who likes to follow a brilliant series of detective thrillers. I am so ready now for the next one, and I'm lucky enough to have it all ready on my kindle awaiting me starting it.
While crime boss Harry Jarvis has been languishing in jail, the Collins brothers have been steadily taking over his crime operation. Life has certainly moved on since Harry went inside. Unusual relationships have blossomed. The up and coming Collins family know Harry's time as top dog is all but over; his wife loves another man and his sons are plastic gangsters. But when he gets out Harry has other ideas and begins a campaign to destroy his rivals by taking the Collins' lucrative cannabis trade by force setting the two families on an inevitable collision course. Karen Woods returns to the crime ridden streets of North Manchester to produce a gripping, compulsive tale of greed and revenge.
I have read many of Karen's books and enjoyed them. I have to admit my all time favourites were Broken Youth and Black Tears. I just loved loved those two books.
Some of the later books, although are very good reads have a rushed feel to them. Karen writes about what she knows, and this always adds to the authenticity of the book. It helps make them believable because you know somewhere out there this is happening to some family on some estate somewhere. I also enjoy the fact that the books are based in and around Manchester, and I find knowing the areas the books are set in really helps me visualise things better when reading them. I did feel in this book that things were repeated a number of times, but once you get past this it really is a good story line. While Harry has been inside, things have changed on the outside, and he's hoping once he is out he will become the face about town again. But most of all his family have changed, and family being important to Harry he's going to have a job on his hands getting things back on track. The book highlights the dangers of drug use, and what it can do to a person and a family. Once you are hooked Is there ever any going back. I have bought each of Karen's books as they have come out, and I'm suddenly playing catch up, as Karen releases more books by back log has gotten bigger, but I plan to put that right.
If you lived on the notorious Canterbury Estate in the ‘40s and ‘50s, then you knew there was one man you did not want to cross: Charlie Hudson. A solitary man, feared and respected by the gangsters of the time, Charlie was a boxer who never lost a fight, in or out of the ring – the most infamous of The Canterbury Warriors. My Uncle Charlie, the second title in the explosive series unravels a story of debauchery, crime and self-destruction. Charlie Hudson was a born leader. The eldest of eight brothers and four sisters and with a boxer for a father, fighting was in his blood. And as the young protégé of local Italian gangster, Mr Cappovanni, Charlie not only learned to knock every opponent out, he also learned the tools of the crime and extortion trade well; emerging into adulthood in the middle of the war years as a natural heir: running cons, illegal books and a band of prostitutes. But when Charlie met Betty, a sweet, caring girl, he was determined to be a better man for her. He’d still deal with ‘business’ but no more would he bed his working girls, and the birth of their baby girl, Elizabeth, sealed it: he knew life could not get any better. But for a man who had only ever lived in the belly of the Canterbury Estate underworld, it could definitely get worse… Gritty and engrossing, book two of the Hudson family saga delves deeper into history of the infamous Canterbury Warriors; the true story of one man’s ascendancy to power, and the tragedy that brought it all crashing down. Having read the first book in this series, and then buying 2 more that then got lost away on my kindle, I decided it was time I caught up with the series as book 5 has now been published. This is the 2nd book in the Tales of the Notorious Hudson Family. We follow the story of Charlie. I loveable rouge. It was great following his life story, his ups and downs and amazing how his story changed so much. One mistake, one bad night and your whole life can change. It was a very interesting book, and at some points quite emotional, with some great characters, and it was great going back in time. It's very well written and put together and an easy read at just 240 pages. I really am looking forward to reading the rest of this series to see what Julie brings us. |
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May 2023
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