​Description

​Robert Bryndza is ready to take the world by bestselling storm again with the introduction of Kate Marshall, a woman with a dark secret and a powerful sense of justice.
A DETECTIVE WHO WOULD STOP AT NOTHING
Kate Marshall was a rising star in the London Metropolitan police force. Young, ambitious and with a keen sense of justice, she solved several high-profile murder cases.
UNTIL A KILLER STOPPED HER IN HER TRACKS
But when Kate was tasked with tracking down a vicious serial killer, even her sharp instincts couldn't help her find him - until he found her.
NOW, HE'S BACK FOR MORE
Sixteen years after her narrow escape, Kate lives a quiet life on the English coast, though her years with the police are still with her. And when one day she receives a letter from someone in her past, she is pulled back into the twisted mind of a murderer she knows only too well - and into a case only she can solve.

I really was looking forward to starting this book, but I was also apprehensive on if the author could deliver the same atmosphere and first class writing that I come to love in his Erika Foster series of books. 
I really wasn't disappointed, an exception read and certainly a great start to what I believe will be another amazing series. 
Bryndza knows just how to get his readers engaged in a book, his writing style is second to none. I can not recommend all his books highly enough and if you want something great and amazing that will grab your attention from the opening pages then this book is for you. This book will be perfect over the next few months as it goes cold and dark earlier and earlier, to curl up with a cuppa, a blanked and have some you time. 
​

In the darkness of a cold December morning, Detective Kim Stone steps through the doors of Halesowen Police Station.  She’s about to meet her team for the first time.  The victim of her next case is about to meet his killer…

When the body of a young man is found beheaded and staked to the ground in a secluded area of the Clent Hills, Kim and her new squad rush to the crime scene.
Searching the victim’s home, Kim discovers a little girl’s bedroom and a hidden laptop.  Why is his sister relieved to hear he’s dead – and where is the rest of his family?  

As Kim begins to unearth the dark secrets at the heart of the case, D.C. Stacey Wood finds a disturbing resemblance to the recent murder of Lester Jackson.  But that’s not all Stacey finds …

She’s convinced there is a link between the victims and a women’s shelter run by Marianne Forbes, Lester’s niece. A child of the care system herself, Kim knows all too well what it means to be vulnerable. Could Marianne be the key to cracking this case?

With the killer about to strike again, Kim is in deep water with a rookie squad.  Inexperienced Stacey is showing signs of brilliance but struggling to hold her nerve and, while D.S. Bryant is reliable and calm, D.S. Dawson is a liability. With his home life in pieces, his volatile behaviour is already fracturing her fragile new team.

Can Kim bring Dawson in line and pull her crew together in time to catch the killer before another life is taken? This time, one of her own could be in terrible danger…

Discover where it all began for Kim and her team. An absolutely heart-stopping mystery thriller that will keep you glued to the pages, reading late into the night.  Perfect for Kim Stone fans and new readers to the million-copy bestselling series.

A detective hiding dark secrets, Kim Stone will stop at nothing to protect the innocent. 



Read what everyone is saying about First Blood and the Detective Kim Stone series:


‘I cannot begin to tell you how god damn good it is. First Blood is so bloody brilliant and so gripping… totally blown my mind…Without a doubt one of my best reads this year leaving me with a book hangover.’ Baker’s Not So Secret Blog ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘A great introduction to the best crime series on the shelves right now… I loved this book from cover to cover…a brilliant read which will have people turning the pages at a feverish rate. This is a second chance for those of us who follow the series to have that first meeting with Stone and the gang, and it’s absolutely brilliant.’ Nigel Adams Bookworm ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘Angela Marsons is a keen observer of human nature, and her wide cast of characters are both fascinating and distinct from each other…it is immediately clear why her books stand out from the crowd. Chilling and compelling plots, brilliant characterisation…addictive from start to finish.’ Rachel Abbott


‘Superb!!!  I love Kim – always have, always will!! … breath-taking, heart-pounding, exciting and thrilling!!!  I completely and utterly recommend reading not just this book, but the whole series!!  Fab, fab, fab, fab, fab.’ Stardust Book Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘There is a smile on my face and goosebumps on my arms. Rarely have I been so satisfied with a novel… breath-taking… a masterpiece, the star at the top of your Christmas tree…get going with the series if you haven’t already.’ Chocolate ‘n’ Waffles ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


‘Oh my life. This is the book that all Kim Stone fans have been waiting for and they didn’t even know it…another class Kim Stone story…a dark and deadly case, high on thrills, intrigue, mystery and tension, perfectly pitched on pace and featuring the dry humour and banter we know and love…Top stuff – Loved it.’  Jen Med’s Book Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

​Just how do you write a review for a book like this.
Angela Marsons is a first class author and I think if she'd written the dictionary i'd have read it. Her books grab you in from the opening pages and don't let go until the very end, where they then spit you out and leave you wanting more.
This book takes us right back to the beginning. A little 'getting to know the team' all over again. What a team she has created.
Kim Stone and her soon to be new team. No one wants to work with Stone, why? possibly because she's not all together a people person. The Early Kim feels so different to the Kim I've gotten to know over this whole series, getting a taste again for how the team developed and got together has been brilliant.
Kim maybe a bit of a marmite character, you love or hate her, personally I blooming love her character, she has turned into one of the best crime fiction characters I've ever read about. Kim can be a little surly a little tough or a lot tough really, but It makes her. It helps build her character, maybe if this was the first of the books i'd read I might have a different view of her, but you learn of her faults, her demons, her ambitions, strengths and weaknesses.
I find when you read quite a few different series of books, it becomes more about the characters lives that you want to know about, along with the new case, story. But ultimately I love learning more of each character.
Kim is faced with a new station, a new boss, a new team and a new case. How it all pans out, well you have to read the book to find that one out.. personally I can not recommend this book or this series highly enough. My words will never do these books justice, but my god I love reading them.

This series is now back in my head and I really need to do a re read from the start.
First class. The minute this landed on my kindle all plans went out the window, my current read was put down and this started.


If I was going to work for a fictional team, I'd love it to be this one. This series of books needs to be a major Drama series on tv.
This book just goes to show why Angela Marsons is at the top of her game, the Queen of Crime.. Brave, now can we have more.    please.. pretty please.
This would make a great book club read, everyone sitting around discussing it. There would be plenty to talk about.

​The gritty new mystery in Quintin Jardine's bestselling Bob Skinner series, set in Edinburgh and the Scottish countryside; not to be missed by readers of Ian Rankin and Peter May.
Nine years ago, divorcee Marcia Brown took her own life. A pillar of the community, she had been accused of theft, and it's assumed that she was unable to live with the shame. Now her former husband wants the case reopened. Marcia was framed, he says, to prevent her exposing a scandal. He wants justice for Marcia. And Alex Skinner, Solicitor Advocate, and daughter of retired Chief Constable Sir Robert Skinner, has taken on the brief, aided by her investigator Carrie McDaniels.
When tragedy strikes and his daughter comes under threat, Skinner steps in. His quarry is about to discover that the road to hell is marked by bad intentions . . .

I absolutely love this series of books. I get so excited when I know a new one is due out, and it was no different this time around. 
Back with the familiar characters that I feel I've grown with over the years. Back being nosey wanting to know what the latest thing is in their lives. 
I find when reading a series of books you become just as involved in the characters lives as you do in the story lines. 
This time around things are mainly based around Alexis Skinner, 'Big Bob's eldest child. Alex has turned into a woman to be reckoned with In her own right and not just as the daughter of 'Sir Bob'.
I have to say although we are at book 31, the author has kept each and every book fresh and topical. There is no fear that as the series has gone on that it's started to go stale, no fear of that at all. Each and every one of this series is a first class read and once started I always struggle to put the books down until I've read them all. I know one day i will start right back at the beginning and do a major re read of these books. I don't want this series to end  'EVER.

Although Bob Skinner is no longer a serving officer, he is certainly still heavily involved in the force. Its almost like he can't help himself, he always seems to still be in the thick of every major case. 
Alexis has taken on a case that opens up a whole can of worms, a cold case trying to determined if a death was suicidal, accidental or something else. Alexis takes the case and enlists the help of one of her investigators and the story becomes a whole lot crazier. What a fantastic storyline this was to follow. I really didn't want this book to end, as always Quintin Jardine could write a book with 2000 pages and i'd still want to read more. 

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When you’re working undercover the smallest mistake can cost you your life.

Detective Constable Bailey Morgan has been out of the undercover game since her last job went horribly wrong, leaving her with scars inside and out.
When her colleague Alice is found dead whilst working deep cover in a women’s prison, Bailey steps in to replace her.

Working alone, Bailey embarks on a dangerous journey through the murky underbelly of the prison and soon discovers that Alice’s death was part of a spate of brutal murders.

Surrounded by prison officers, criminals and lowlifes, the slightest mistake could cost Bailey her life.
Illicit drug trafficking, prison gangs and corruption are just some of the things she’s up against… and behind it all lurks a sinister and terrifying secret that will truly test her survival instincts.

Heart-stopping and gripping. Perfect for the fans of hit TV shows such as Line of Duty, Orange is the New Black and Bad Girls.

Ohhhhh don't you just love it when you find yourself a new author. What a brilliant book this was. I loved every moment of it and found it a thrilling read. 
When I saw this book I had a slight feeling it was going to something similar to a lot of other books I had read, yet I was still eager to give it a go.. I'm so glad I did. It was exciting, fresh, realistic it was gripping, so much so that each time real life took over and I had to put my kindle down I couldn't wait to pick it up again. 
Some great character in this book and I love the turns and the way the book went. 
When Bailey is offered the chance to go under cover in a women's prison I don't think she realised just what sort of danger she could be in. Her friend and fellow office had just been murdered while do the roll that Baily is now going to do. 
How deep corruption in the prison goes is unclear which is why it's decided that no one, not even the prison governor will know that Bailey is undercover. 
A tense gripping read that drags you into the storyline. An author I will certainly watch out for in the future. 

She’s back and this time she has a score to settle.

Anna Davis and Freddie Tyler are finally getting their lives back on track when an unexpected face turns up on Freddie’s doorstep. Someone from the past. And she delivers a blow that will tear their lives apart.

Reeling from the news, Anna throws herself into her work. Her clubs are doing well and she’s opening a new business venture with best friend, Tanya. But she’s worried that her relationship with Freddie could be about to fall apart.

Freddie’s got big problems with the business. A new gang is in town, and they’re muscling in on Tyler turf and need to be dealt with. Plus, he’s still being closely watched by a Met detective determined to bring him down.

As Freddie plots to take out his rivals, tensions between him and Anna grow. Could this spell the end of their relationship? And will the rogue detective finally get the chance to arrest Freddie – burning the empire he’s built from scratch to the ground?

Wowzers, what a read. what a book, what an ending! I need more and I need it NOW.
Anna Davis
1. Runaway Girl (2018)
2. Dangerous Girl (2018)
3. Boss Girl (2019)
4. Fierce Girl (2019)
5. Reckless Girl (2019)

Reckless is book 5 in what has so far been a first class amazing series. I really couldn't see how each book i've read could be beaten yet each time a new one come out it smashes all expectations. This author certain knows how to pull in her readers and deliver just what they want. It's full to the brim of tension, action, nail biting, edge of your seat action.  you are dragged along at a break neck speed wanting and needing more. A serious book that is unputdownable. 
I absolutely loved it. I have read each and every one of theses books and can say they are best read in order, you will get a better understanding of the characters and the parts they play. If you haven't read any of them yet then boy, oh boy you are in for one hell of a treat. 
But that ENDING. Sorry that was cruel, it means I have to wait and countdown to the next book. What a cliffhanger. I so can't wait to find out what happens. 
Anna and Freddie have a great relationship and just as soon as you think things are getting good for them, something always happens. The is an almighty bomb dropped on them that they will no doubt struggle to fight through together. 
Being part of the underworld is always going to have it's issues and rivalry, but Freddie seems to be faced with just to much this time, can he work through issues and regain the power he has. 
I love the main charcter in these books, the bond between them makes the strorylines and relationships so much more believeeable, I feel I actually know most of them personally. I think when you develop fictional feeling then the author has done a superb job whriting about them and making you part of their lives as you read about them. 
First class, I really don' know what more I could say. I don't have the words to explain how good this read really was and suggest you try to prove me wrong by buying it and reading it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. 
Leave comments below and let me know what you thought. 

First class and then some. so deserves more than the given 5 stars. 

Author Bio:
 
Emma Tallon is a British, gritty crime writer, adventurer, Londoner and mother to a young son. Starting her career a few years ago as a ghostwriter, Emma crafted some of the most adventurous, edgy and heart-wrenching stories you can find on the shelves today.

In March 2017 Emma stepped out of the literary shadows and self-published her first book, Life Game. The book was an instant success, the results far exceeding anything she had expected. As news of Life Games popularity spread, she joined forces with W.F.Howes and the audiobook was launched in October 2017.

In December 2017, Emma signed a three book deal with publishers Bookouture. This included Life Game which was changed, re-edited and re-released as Runaway Girl.

Drawing inspiration for her books from a mixture of her own observations and an active imagination, the characters Emma paints are colourful and larger than life. Her story lines are an interesting recipe of deep emotion and violent grit, that keep her readers engrossed.

With more books in the works for this series already, Emma has many more stories planned out for the future.


Social Media Links:
For more information on Emma or to join her mailing list, please go to: www.emmatallon.com or alternatively, follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/emmatallonofficial or on Twitter: @EmmaEsj
 ​

I have recently read these two books back to back. Book 1, The House on Cold Hill and Book 2, The Secret of Cold Hill.
While I have to say they are no where near as gripping as Peter James Roy Grace series they were not unlikeable. I found I could put the book down and wasn't desperate to pick it up. I'm not sure if reading the books back to back spoilt my experiences as I found the books very samey. With maybe different characters. One almost felt like a duplicate of the other within different timelines.
One thing I will say, while reading these I leaned on my phone at the side of me and freaked out when Siri started talking to me, so the book certainly had the creepy effect it gives out, on me.
There are parts that are creepy, parts that you think you know just what is going to happen but then some good shifts that make you think all over again.
Over all I enjoyed both books, but wouldn't be in a rush to read any more in this series if there was ever to be any.
If you like a spooky read then now would be a good time to read them, around Halloween would really add to the atmosphere of these books and I feel book 2 has been released in perfect time for the cold, dark nights we are about to face.
​ 

Description

​A dog’s life is just what Maddy needs
Maddy Young thought she had it all.
Swanky city apartment? – yep. Fancy car? sorted. High-flying career? – tick.
Even if she’s lost most of her friends because of spending all her time at work, and can’t remember when she last had fun, it’s worth it.
Until she’s suddenly made redundant. Now she’s 37, jobless, and after the breakup with the former love of her life, unhappily single.
Enter Maddy’s childhood friend, Beth, the owner of Growlers, the doggy daycare centre at Giddywell Grange, on a mission to make Maddy see there’s more to life than work.
Soon, Maddy is swapping spreadsheets for volunteer duty at the library, daily Starbucks for cups of tea with elderly neighbours, and her Prada handbag for doggy poo bags… And with Beth’s gorgeous brother, Alex, back from the States, Maddy starts to think that Giddywell Grange might just be her happy place.
But when her old life – and her old boyfriend - comes calling, will Maddy go back to the job she loved so much? Or will she discover that the key to happiness lies in making others happy?
An uplifting romantic comedy that will warm your heart – perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Milly Johnson and Katie Fforde.
​Praise for Kim Nash:
‘Romantic, uplifting and full of heart’ Cathy Bramley, author of A Vintage Summer
‘Heart warming, comforting as a hug, and really funny…Just lovely!’ Josie Silver, author of One Day in December
'An utterly gorgeous story. This book was so engaging, I loved it from start to finish, I just couldn't put it down...Highly recommended.’ Holly Martin, author of The Little Village of Happiness
‘If you want a feel good, laugh out loud romantic story which will tug at your heartstrings, then look no further! Fab, fab, fab!!’ Stardust Reviews
‘The perfect book to read if you are looking for an uplifting book, one that’s beautifully written.’ 

Oh my days, Kim Nash has become an author that can very easily drag me away from Crime fiction and over to the bright side. 
I actually hasn't realised this new author had another book coming out so soon as due to health reasons I've been keeping myself off social media most of the time and spent a little time reading books I'd bought as I felt I needed to fall in love with reading and not just do it for reviewing. Her first book Amazing Grace had me fall in love with a great feelgood book.
As soon as I saw Escape to Giddywell Grange on Netgally I had to request it and was thrilled when my request was approved. I started this book on a Friday evening and as much as real like kept wanting to take over I managed to finish it over the weekend. 
It's a superb feel good read. A book you can dive in and out of comfortably and be transported the minute you start reading. It's also a book that really does make you think and take stock of your life and your surrounding. Makes you think just what is and isn't important in life and that some times things that happen, happen for a reason. When you are forced to take a journey down a path you wasn't expecting to take, it can still be the right path. You wouldn't have known it being the right path if what led you to it, hadn't happened. A real thought provoking read. 
Many things going on in this book were so easy to relate to which makes the book feel so realistic that the places and characters come alive in your mind. 
I loved the main character in this book, Madison. I loved the new track her life took when she was given the devastating news that she was to be made redundant. 
Madison has lived for her job and not for herself. She really belived that work, work, work was what made her happy. The satisfaction of doing her job well and beliving that she was working for a company that really needed her. None of us are irreplaceable. 
When you think life has kicked you down, there can only be one way to go and thats up. Can Madison find what does really make her happy and can she find a job she will love just as much. 
Emotional, thought provoking, realistic read that certainly leaves you thinking things through. This book is one that will leave you thinking about it, long after you finish reading it. 
Kim another amazing book you have written, loved, loved, loved every single page of it. I loved how characters from  the first book were incorperated into this one, but it wasn't all about them. Keep these books coming, I can't wiat for more. 

​Biography

​Kim Nash lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter Roni, is PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk.

Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association's Media Star of the Year in 2016, which she still can't quite believe. She is now quite delighted to be a member of the RNA.

When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog, reading, standing on the sidelines of a football pitch cheering on Ollie and binge watching box sets on the TV. She's also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) Kim also runs a book club in Cannock, Staffs.

Amazing Grace was her debut novel with Hera Books and came out in April 2019.

Escape to Giddywell Grange is Kim's second novel and will be published on September 18th 2019. It is available on pre-order now:
AMZ: amzn.to/2ZdBcrL

You can read Kim's Book Blog here: www.kimthebookworm.co.uk

Connect with Kim on Social Media here:
Twitter: (@KimTheBookworm) https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBookWorm/
Instagram: @Kim_the_bookworm

​If you think you know everything about the East End's toughest gangsters, think again.
Meet Linda Calvey, aka the Black Widow.
Growing up after the war in the East End of London, Linda falls in with local gangsters including the Krays, Freddie Foreman and Ronnie Cook.
When the love of her life, Mickey Calvey, is gunned down on a job gone wrong, Linda resolves to carry on his work.
But in 1990, after years of living in fear of her lover Ronnie Cook, Linda finds herself accused of his murder alongside Danny Reece, in a trial that shocks the nation. Still, Linda sticks to her code of honour, refusing to confess. Until now...
After 18 years behind bars alongside notorious names including Rose West and Myra Hindley, she is released.
This is the final truth about her life and what happened the day Ronnie Cook was murdered.

I have to say when I first saw this book I was eager to read it. The cover caught my attention right away and once I'd read the description I knew it was something I needed to read. 
I certainly wasn't wrong this was a brilliant read. 
Traveling back in time and living life with Linda, this book gave a great insight into how things were done back in the day. How it was living the East End Life. 
This book is honest and open and covers so many different things that you just didn't realise were going on unless you were part of the life. 
A thrilling read that isn't to be missed. 
​Grab yourself a copy and get lost in another world. 

She said she’d gone to a sleepover. But she never made it. Someone must know why…

When Detective Natalie Ward is called to the home of fourteen-year-old Roxy Curtis she can’t help but empathise with Roxy’s distraught mother Cathy. Roxy hasn’t come home, last seen heading next door for a sleepover with her best friend Ellie. As the mother of two teenagers herself, Natalie knows that this is every parent’s worst nightmare.

But when Roxy’s body is found in the basement of a beautiful Victorian mansion on the other side of town, Natalie’s darkest fears are confirmed. What was Roxy doing there? The people who knew her best should know – but Cathy seems evasive, and Ellie refuses to talk. Natalie is determined to find out what secrets they are keeping…

Then Roxy’s mother Cathy disappears.

When her body is found two days later, Natalie is forced to face the fact that Roxy’s loved ones are in real danger. Things take a more sinister turn when Ellie vanishes, her mobile phone switched off. Is Ellie hiding something about the night Roxy died that could put her in terrible danger? And can Natalie work it out before another innocent life is taken?

Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will keep you flying through the pages long into the night. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.

I can't believe we are at book 4 in this epic series. This is a series I've really enjoyed reading.  Working for Staffordshire Police Detective Natalie Ward and her team are called to a missing girls home. Roxy was alleged having a sleepover at a friends house, it appears now that the sleepover never happened, and Roxy is missing. 
It soon becomes clear that the body of Roxy is found in a home a few miles away. What was Roxy doing there, why had she lied about where she was going?
It's down to the team to investigate, but this isn't going to be an easy straight forward investigation. 
This really is a series I've loved following Carol Wyer can certainly write a book that has you gripped from the early pages. Her books drag you in and keep you reading. I loved the twists and the turns that this book gave us. 
This is certainly another 5 star read and I have no problems in recommending not only this book but the whole series. Personally I would advise that you read this series in order. That is just my personal point of view as it could be read alone. I think you get more enjoyment of knowing the back history of the characters when you read a series from the beginning and with Natalie's personal life featuring a lot I think it helps have a better understanding of the person. 
​

​What happens when the past comes back to kill you?
When DCI Anna Tate is called to the gruesome discovery of a dead woman found on Barnes Common, she is plunged into a high‐profile investigation involving a prominent MP. London is baying for blood – but is there more to Holly’s death than at first meets the eye?
Meanwhile, the hunt is on for Anna’s missing daughter Chloe, who vanished ten years ago when her father kidnapped her. The case has been cold for what feels like forever – but a phone call brings a brand new lead…
Can Anna solve the murder case whilst dealing with her own personal demons? Or is someone from the past planning to get in her way?
An addictive new thriller from J. P. Carter, perfect for fans of Katerina Diamond and M.J. Arlidge.

​It was only about two miles from MIT HQ to Barnes Common, but it was rush hour and therefore slow going even with the blue light flashing.
They finally arrived at their destination at five-thirty. It was a rural setting that should have been deserted and peaceful. Instead it was a scene of frenzied activity.
On one side of the road three patrol cars, a fast-response ambulance and a forensics van were parked in front of the wall to the cemetery that Sweeny had mentioned. On the opposite side a small group had gathered on a rough patch of gravel leading to a field. They included four officers in hi-vis jackets, a paramedic and a woman with a small dog on a lead.
Walker parked up next to the ambulance and Anna was the first out. The sky had clouded over and she was glad because it had taken the heat out of the day. It meant she could leave her jacket on without sweating buckets.
‘Well, it’s time to find out what we have here,’ she said as she led the way across the road.
The detectives flashed their warrant cards and one of the uniforms quickly put them in the picture.
‘We’ve just been informed that the pathologist will be here any minute,’ he said.
He gestured to a metal gate behind him that blocked any vehicles driving onto the field, but there was a smaller gate to one side which led to an unpaved walking trail.
‘We’re trying to find out who owns the land so we can get them to open the gate,’ he went on. ‘The body is about forty yards into those woods over to the right. The SOCOs arrived ten minutes ago and are getting themselves sorted.’
‘So who found it?’ Anna asked.
The officer nodded towards the woman with the dog, who was speaking to the paramedic.
‘Her name’s Joyce Connor. Her mutt sniffed it out and she called it in. But understandably she’s in a bit of a state.’
‘We’ll talk to her in a moment,’ Anna said. ‘First we’ll see the body for ourselves.’
‘Well, you need to brace yourselves,’ the officer said. ‘It really isn’t a pretty sight.’

 ​My Thoughts

After recently finishing In Safe Hands, Book 1 in the 'Anna Tate' series I couldn't wait to dive into book 2. It's funny I'd had book one on my kindle for some time, one of those I'll read it soon, books. I finally got around to reading it while trying to rest and grit my teeth through the pain of a trapped nerve. It was a great distraction and as soon as I finished it, I started book 2 right away. 
I felt I got to know Anna Tate quite well in the first book, yet I feel like I know her a whole lot better after reading book 2. She's a character that will be interesting to grow with over future books.
An amazingly written storyline that grabs you from the opening pages and doesn't let you go until you have read the last word. It's one of those books you can't wait to pick up and fly through, but then as you get near the end of it, you don't want it to end. I could have read another 10 chapters of this book and not felt like I'd had enough. I certainly look forward to reading more from this author and more from this series.
Fighting through a murder case and having the demons of her missing daughter, Anna has a lot on her plate. 
I would say it isn't essential to have read the first book, but I feel you would have a better understanding of the back history if you read the books in order.