A powerful, thought-provoking story. . . a vital read for any crime fan' Kate Rhodes on Life Ruins
When everyone hides the truth, who do you turn to? Becca’s had a hard time of it, but she has finally got her life together. She has a nice little flat, a steady job pulling pints, and she’s even seeing someone new: Andy, who keeps his private life to himself but is always good for a laugh. And then Andy vanishes. When his body turns up on isolated Sunk Island, Becca learns Andy wasn’t just another punter. He was a police officer, deep undercover, investigating a drugs ring that he believed operated out of Becca’s pub. Staggered by the betrayal, Becca turns to the only person she thinks she can trust: her foster mum, Kay. But Kay has problems of her own. She’s just moved into a short-term let in the hopes of finding some peace and quiet. But peace and quiet are hard to come by on Sunk Island . . . Before long, both women are drawn into a terrifying world of drugs, money and death. The gripping new novel from Dagger-Award-winning author Danuta Kot, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Tana French and Denise Mina - a story about the people we are... and the people we aren't.
This was a book I was really looking forward to. A new author for me which is always something to get excited about.
Becca is finally thinking things are looking up for her. She has her own flat, a job and someone new on the scene who she met whilst pulling pints in the pub where she works. Andy is an undercover cop. Becca falls for him as he seems to be a good laugh, something she really needs. Slowly Andy is trying to get information out of her regarding the pub she works in and what may be going on behind the scenes. Something dodgy is lurking but can Becca figure out what. This really does produce tension within the pages and really does get your mind going. I think when there are characters you like and characters that you hate, then the author has done good to get your emotions going. There are characters you root for and want to do good and characters you really don't like. well there was for me. I really got stuck into this story and at times I found it a little unbelievable but very interesting. As the book is told from different points of view I found it something I really had to concentrate on or I would forget who was telling the story. This is an interesting book and I would recommend it for anyone who wants a read that's just slightly different. It is an interesting and gripping read but I can't say at any point it had my heart racing in fear or wonder. It does however get your mind going.
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Helen Fields is back with her first stand-alone novel!Description The brand new crime thriller from the bestselling author of the Perfect series – Helen Fields is back with her first stand-alone novel! He collects his victims. But he doesn’t keep them safe. Elspeth, Meggie and Xavier are locked in a flat. They don’t know where they are, and they don’t know why they’re there. They only know that the shadow man has taken them, and he won’t let them go. Desperate to escape, the three of them must find a way out of their living hell, even if it means uncovering a very dark truth. Because the shadow man isn’t a nightmare. He’s all too real. And he’s watching. Helen Fields is back with a heart-pounding new book, perfect for fans of Cara Hunter and Stuart MacBride. Another book by a fantastic author. This book is a standalone book and part of Helens current series. Full of suspense and edge of your seat reading. You will be hooked and needing to turn those pages in no time.
Maggie, Elspeth, and Xavier, find themselves thrust into something neither of them want to be a part of. The 3 of them trapped together must find a way of escaping. How or if they can survive can only be discovered by reading the book. Occasionally you need to remind yourself to breathe, as you read just one more page, then another. You'll be hooked.
A spine-tingling standalone thriller of obsession from bestselling author and master of the genre Peter James.
To the outside world, suave, charming and confident doctor Marcus Valentine has it all. A loving wife, three kids, a great job. But there's something missing, there always has been. Or rather, someone. Driving to work one morning, his mind elsewhere and not on the road, he nearly mows down a female jogger on a crossing. As she runs on, Marcus is transfixed. She is the spitting image of a girl he was crazy about in his teens. A girl he has never been able to get out of his mind. Lynette had dumped him harshly. For years he has fantasized about seeing her again and rekindling their flame. Might that jogger possibly be her all these years later? Could this be the most incredible coincidence? Despite all his attempts to resist, he is consumed by cravings for this woman. And when events take a tragically unexpected turn, his obsession threatens to destroy both their worlds. But still he won't stop. Can't stop.
Firstly I have to say when I started this book It felt so different to any other Peter James book I had read. A phycological thriller that leaves you wondering who can be trusted and if it's really worth going to my dr appointment.
The build up and suspense behind the story is brilliantly done. Marcus Valentine is a very successful Doctor. He has the wife, the kids, the car, the money. On paper it seems he has it all. yet Marcus Valentine is a very nasty, evil controlling man. He has developed a very strange obsession with one of his patients. A very unhealthy obsession at that. It is his patient and friends partner that he has the obsession with, Georgie is feeling a little uneasy when she is around Marcus but can't put her finger on why. When things start going wrong for Georgie he is there to support her. There is plenty going on in this story, some of it seems a little far fetched but then it really does add to the story. Marcus is a master at manipulation and this really adds that chilling edge to the story. an easy read. The Christmas Killer: The debut chilling new British detective crime thriller series for Winter 2020 (Di James Walker 1)
As the snow begins to fall, the body count begins to climb…
DI James Walker is ready for a quiet family Christmas in the sleepy village of Kirkby Abbey. But when he opens an early Christmas present left on his doorstep, he soon realises it is no gift. Inside is a gruesome surprise, and a promise – twelve days, twelve murders. Not long after, the first body is found, half frozen in the snow. As the blizzards descend, panic spreads through the remote Cumbrian village – there’s a killer amongst them, and with eleven more victims to go, anyone could be next…. Can James stop the killer before they strike again? The first in a new series, Alex Pine has written a dark, atmospheric crime novel, set in a snowed-in Cumbrian village, for fans of Val McDermid, Ross Greenwood and LJ Ross
I started with reading a sample/teaser of this book. It was enough to get me hooked and I was thrilled when I got the chance to read the full book.
This is the first I have read of this author and it's the first in a series, that means I know I will have more to look forward to in the near future. Never knowing what you are going to get when reading from a new author to me, I have to go in with an open mind. This book didn't disappoint, It was interesting, enthralling and gripping. I genuinely didn't have a clue who was 'the Christmas Killer' and a little surprised when I did find out. Enough twists and turns in this book to keep you on the edge and guessing. Moving from city life to village life is going to be so different for DI James Walker. He's moving for an easier pace of life. Just knowing that you know that where ever he goes it is not going to be quite. He's going to be dragged into something. That is exactly what happens. Get a mug of hot chocolate, and put your feet up. get ready for a thrilling read. Enjoy!
Gemma is about to risk it all for the man she loves. Will she survive entering into a life of crime?
Gemma has always been there for Nathan. He's the love of her life and she made a commitment to him, one she'd never consider breaking... until smooth-talking gangster Alfie Watson comes into their lives and changes everything. Alfie doesn't care about true love – he wants Gemma, and the gangster always gets what he wants. When Nathan ends up owing him money, Alfie gets payback by recruiting Gemma to carry out a jewellery heist. To everyone's surprise, she's a natural. Until Alfie forgives Nathan's debt, she has no choice but to accompany the gangster on more and more daring heists – even though one slip-up could cost her everything. Nathan might have fallen under Alfie's spell, but it doesn't take long for him to realise that he needs to save Gemma from his own mistakes if their marriage is to have any chance of surviving. But when that means taking on the East End's most notorious gangster at his own game, will he find himself up to the challenge? Perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Emma Tallon and Jessie Keane.
A brilliant read. A new author for me but one I will be looking out for in the future. Gemma finds out her husband owes money to the towns Mr Nasty. No one in their right mind borrow money of Alfie Watson. Unfortunatly Nathan Gemma's husband didn't seem to have recieved that memo.
Once you owe Alfie Watson Money, that's it you belong to him and you pay back for as long as he decideds and in whatever way he sees fit. He's a nasty piece of work. A brilliant gangland thriller that fan's of this genre will love. I can highly recommend it.
A dark secret and a deadly score to settle...
In 1997 teenager Sophie White and her three girlfriends decide they want to lose their innocence before summer is over. Roping in her childhood buddy Gareth and his mates, Sophie holds a party to get 'the deed' over and done with, but the night doesn’t end as planned. Twenty years later, the group are brought back together when Gareth is killed in a car accident and Sophie begins receiving threatening messages. It seems the party wasn’t as innocent as everyone thought and now someone wants payback. A gripping, highly addictive game of cat and mouse where the past comes back with vengeance. Perfect for the fans of Kimberley Chambers, Emma Tallon and Jessie Keane. Praise for Gemma Rogers: 'A brilliant thriller from an exciting new voice. Stalker had me on the edge of my seat' Kerry Barnes 'An atmospheric, taut thriller which keeps you hooked from the first page. An exceptional debut.' Jacqui Rose What readers are saying about Payback 'An excellent novel, full of believable characters and an entertaining plot' 'Superbly written, very pacy and just the right length' 'a well written gritty thriller from Gemma Rogers that races along at a good speed and with a surprise ending this really is another 5 star winner from Gemma Rogers.' 'It had drama, suspense, friendships, sadness and a whole lot of mystery.' 'This book had me hooked from the outset' 'Twisting and turning with thrill after chilling thrill.' 'Gave me massive feelings of nostalgia with the flashbacks to 1997 and genuinely struggled to put it down. Please read this book!' 'storyline draws you right in and i couldn’t stop reading. needed to know how it ended but at the same time didn’t want it to end.'
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I recently read Stalker by Gemma Rogers and enjoyed it, I knew i'd be watching out for any other books by her. When I saw Payback on 'Netgalley I was thrilled when my request to read an ARC of it was approved.
It took me no time at all to fly through the pages of this book. I found it a very easy and enjoyable read. I really think Gemma is going to be an author to watch out for, her style of writing is what helps keep you gripped, enough going on and suspense to keep you wanting to read on. I loved the idea behind this story, how your teenage years can, in years to come change your life totally. What you think is just teenage fun can have a effect on people years down the line. Friends decided they are all ready to lose their virginity. Deciding they should all do this at the same time the organise a little get together with a group of friends and decide who will be paired up with who. Years later when one of the group is killed in an accident, things start to come back to haunt Sophie, how can she change things that happened in the past. A gripping read that will leave you wanting more.
All families have secrets... some are deadly.
When D.I. Matthew Denning is called in to investigate a house fire in a North London street, he never anticipated the horrors that awaited him. As Denning and D.S. Molly Fisher search the wreckage, the bodies of the Galloway family – Brian and Ellie, son Simon, daughter Amber and 9-year-old grandson Caleb – are discovered in the smouldering house. All evidence points to a tragic accident… until Matthew and Molly discover that the family was dead before the fire, murdered in their home by a faceless psychopath. What started as a routine investigation swiftly turns into a murder investigation, with Denning and Fisher hunting a killer who has wiped out three generations with a shotgun. But as the case deepens, Denning and Fisher discover that the Galloways were no ordinary family. Like all families, they harbour secrets - but unlike others, their secrets were so deadly, someone is willing to spill blood to keep them hidden… An utterly gripping detective novel set in London, Blood Family will thrill fans of Angela Marsons, Mark Billingham and Robert Bryndza.
I didn't realise when I started reading this book that it is actually the second in the series. I am normally so good at checking things like this but clearly hadn't bothered this time. However I don't believe it took anything out of the book for me as I had no trouble following the story.
An interesting and well written story, I think it's safe to say that I will certainly be looking out for more from this author. The MIT team in East London has two officers who I've just been learning about, DI Matt Denning and DS Molly Fisher This book starts off with a great story line, and crime that you really need to follow, you want to know what has happened, it keeps you intrigued. What is thought to be a house fire turns out to be something quite a lot more and bodies have been found in the house. As usual I love reading about the characters and their lives and I think over the next few books it will be interesting to find out more and more about all the characters. I can safely recommend this book and I think most crime fiction fans will really enjoy it. Description VICTIM. SURVIVOR. ABDUCTOR. CRIMINAL. YOU WILL BECOME EACH ONE. 'Starting THE CHAIN is like climbing aboard a runaway train. You'll miss meals, sleep, and your stop on the bus - guaranteed.' VAL McDERMID 'Incredibly propulsive and original. You won't shake it for a long time.' STEPHEN KING 'Scary, plausible, gripping ... If you like compelling storytelling, this taut thriller is going to be your summer holiday read.' IAN RANKIN 'I may not read a better thriller in my lifetime. It just doesn't get any better than THE CHAIN.' STEVE CAVANAGH * * * * * YOUR PHONE RINGS. A STRANGER HAS KIDNAPPED YOUR CHILD. TO FREE THEM YOU MUST ABDUCT SOMEONE ELSE'S CHILD. YOUR CHILD WILL BE RELEASED WHEN YOUR VICTIM'S PARENTS KIDNAP ANOTHER CHILD. IF ANY OF THESE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN: YOUR CHILD WILL BE KILLED. YOU ARE NOW PART OF THE CHAIN * * * * * You just dropped off your child at the bus stop. A panicked stranger calls your phone. Your child has been kidnapped, and the stranger explains that their child has also been kidnapped, by a completely different stranger. The only way to get your child back is to kidnap another child within 24 hours. Your child will be released only when the next victim's parents kidnap yet another child, and most importantly, the stranger explains, if you don't kidnap a child, or if the next parents don't kidnap a child, your child will be murdered. You are now part of The Chain.
I loved the idea behind this story. It sounded intreuging and I couldn't wait to get stuck in. The Chain is brilliantly written with an excellent story line that drags you right into those pages. This was an easy to follow story with some brilliant characters. This is the first book I have read by this author and I think it's safe to say it won't be the last one. This book leaves you thinking about it, long after you have finished reading it. Description How far would you go to save the ones you love? The first book in a gripping new crime series featuring DCI Anna Tate. When nine children are snatched from a nursery school in South London, their distressed parents have no idea if they will ever see them again. The community in the surrounding area is in shock. How could this happen right under their noses? No one in the quiet suburban street saw anything – or at least that's what they're saying. But DCI Anna Tate knows that nothing is impossible, and she also knows that time is quickly running out. It’s unclear if the kidnappers are desperate for money or set on revenge, but the ransom is going up by £1million daily. And they know that one little boy in particular is fighting for his life. It’s one of the most disturbing cases DCI Anna Tate has ever worked on – not only because nine children are being held hostage, but because she’s pretty sure that someone close to them is lying… The first book in a gripping new crime series, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons’ Detective Kim Stone Series and LJ Ross’ DCI Ryan Mystery series. I have had this book a while on my kindle and been meaning to get round to reading it. When I realised the next book, AT YOUR DOOR was soon to be released I decided to get stuck in and make a start of this one. It was a good, interesting yet easy read. A difficult subject matter with it being about kidnapping. As a parent something like this would be one of your worst nightmares. This books makes you think about how you would cope should it have been you. It's a scary thought. DC Anna Tate is investigating a when 9 children have been kidnapped from a nursery. With something like this, everyone becomes a suspect. Parents are on the edge, tempers are flaring. This story moves along brilliant and really did grab my attention from the opening pages. There was at times some parts that I found myself getting emotional, this story is one that you feel you are involved with. I like the character of Anna Tate and I look forward to reading more in this series. The first book in a gripping new crime series, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons’ Detective Kim Stone Series and LJ Ross’ DCI Ryan Mystery series. I have previously read some of this authors other works and really enjoyed them. when I started this book that I didn't realise this author writes under another name also, I'm glad I hadn't realised as I feel I would have probably been comparing them. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an Arc of this book. Thanks as always to the wonderful Sabah Kahn for allowing me the chance to be part of this blog tour.
‘A heartbreaking tale’ THE SUN
‘Exceptionally beautiful’ MIRANDA DICKINSON For a decade, Hannah’s life has been pretty close to perfect – she has a great job, she’s married to Mark, and her child-free existence means she’s free as a bird. The only sadness in her life is a fall-out with her sister Diane, who hasn’t spoken to her in over ten years. But now Diane is on her doorstep – and this time, she’s got her teenage daughter Mia in tow. When Diane asks if Mia can stay with Hannah and Mark for a few days, Hannah is glad of the chance to get to know her niece. But as the days turn into weeks and Diane doesn’t return, Hannah begins to worry. Why hasn’t her sister been in touch? Diane is carrying a devastating secret that will destroy Hannah’s carefully constructed life. But how much is she willing to reveal – and when will she pick her moment? An emotional story that delves into the true meaning of family, sisterhood and secrets. Perfect for fans of Kerry Fisher and Adele Parks.
My thoughts
I was eager to read this book as it seemed a little different. An easy to read and follow story based around family, lies and deceit. A great opening had me hooked and the short read I'd planned in the bath turned into a good few chapters. The story kicks off with Hannah's sister, Diane turning up on her doorstep along with her teenage daughter, Mia. Hannah hasn't seen her sister or her niece for almost a decade. As the books starts you are eager to know why she has turned up, why now? Is she in trouble. There are many thoughts going through Hannah's mind. Hannah phones her husband at work to come home, she needs backup and support. It seems odd when Diane asks Mark and Hannah if they can watch Mia for a few days. She needs somewhere safe for her daughter to stay, but won't elaborate why. This is when to book gets really interesting and the story begins to unravel what has gone on in the past. Is this visit from a long lost sister going to change life for the happy carefree couple Mark and Hannah, when they finally agree that Mia can stay with them. Hannah, although hasn't seen her niece in all these years did love her little niece and had a close bond with her back then. Knowing her husband never wanted to have children was something Hannah went along with. Now they both have a child in their lives even if only temporary is it going to upset their carefully planned out lives. Can the past be buried and all move on? This book certainly delves into family secrets. If this doesn't make you think about not keeping lies, then nothing will. This book is a real interesting read with some great mystery built up,it's one of those books that you want to and need to keep going with so once started you'll fly through it. I actually found it quite an addictive read. Great characterisation even though at times some characters did annoy me. lol. Grab yourself a copy, get those feet propped up and get stuck in.
Former journalist S.D. Robertson quit his role as a local newspaper editor to pursue a lifelong ambition of becoming a novelist.
An English graduate from the University of Manchester, he’s also worked as a holiday rep, door-to-door salesman, train cleaner, kitchen porter and mobile phone network engineer. Stuart lives in a village in North West England with his wife and daughter. There’s also his cat, Bernard, who likes to distract him from writing – usually by breaking things. www.sdrobertsonauthor.com www.twitter.com/SDRauthor www.facebook.com/sdrobertsonauthor |
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May 2023
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