Perfect Remains by Helen Fields. #Review #PerfectRemains @Helen_Fields @AvonBooksUK #Book113/7/2018
On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.
In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness… Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care. It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined. Fans of Angela Marson, Mark Billingham and M. J. Aldridge will be gripped by this chilling journey into the mind of a troubled killer.
Well according to good old Amazon, I purchased this book over 12 months ago. So why am I only just reading it? As much as it gets on my nerves when I do this, it's also good because now I get to play catch up with the series.
So what does book 1 have to offer us. Well for what I believe is a debut it has everything you would expect from a established author. This doesn't read like a debut at all. With book 4 due out soon, this writer is certainly getting the books out there for the readers to enjoy. Enjoyment is what I think you will get reading this book, it has a great start with twists and turns that will keep you on your toes, keep you turning the pages and keep you wanting more. This book is also a decent length, I think it's just under 400 pages so it isn't going to finish as you just get started. Getting to know new character for me is always good, and I think here we are introduced just enough to feel you are getting to know them, but not too much that there isn't still time to learn more about them in future books. DI Luc Callanach has just joined Police Scotland, starting his new role as a new case gets going. He's hardly had time to take off his coat. A new case and a new team made this feel like the start of something good. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the other books now.
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She tried to break her fall, twisting desperately, but there was nothing to catch hold of, nothing with which she could stop herself. Her single scream cut through the night air.
One hot summer night, a young woman falls from a rooftop to her death. Detective Alex King is called to the quiet terraced street. The victim, Keira North, was twenty, happy and carefree. It seems like an accident, but there’s broken glass on the carpet, and witnesses overheard an argument. Could someone have wanted her dead? Keira’s friends don’t seem as helpful as Alex would expect and the post-mortem reveals that Keira was hiding a secret: she was five months pregnant. Alex’s team soon finds that all of Keira's closest friends have secrets that someone might kill to keep. As Alex realises Keira might be just the first victim on a list, her leads take her a bit too close to home. With her own demons to fight, can Alex catch the killer, before someone else dies? The First One to Die is a heart-stopping and shocking detective thriller that will have you gripped until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Patricia Gibney, Angela Marsons, and Val McDermid.
Well well, what a jolly good series this is turning into. I recently read book 1 and enjoyed it so I was really looking forward to getting stuck into this one, book 2 of the series. Sometimes being behind in a series has it's advantages. As soon as I finished this one, I went right onto book 3.
I found in this book we got to know a lot more of Alex and Chloe, i'm loving the characters they are turning into and I fell they work really well together. I'm enjoying as I always do with book series getting to know the individual characters. In this book Alex is called out to what looks like a possible suicide or an accident of a young girl. It soon becomes clear to Alex that this is not an accident and that Keira North did not just fall to her death. This book has some great twists and turns, a great storyline and it certainly keeps you wanting to read on, so much so that as soon as i finished it, I went right onto book 3. Lot's of secrets revealed and trouble caused. Fantastic read.
Sometimes love is toxic…Bree Dwyer is desperate to escape her husband, take the children and run. But he’s always watching. And she always gets caught. Until her first love, Alfie Jennings, returns to Essex…
Gangsters Alfie and Vaughn have been out of the game for a while, but a life of crime is one you never forget. To get back on top they need serious money, because loyalty and power don’t come for free. One dangerous job and they’ll have the payoff they need. And Alfie isn’t going to let anyone get in the way, least of all a pretty face like Bree. It’s time to show Essex what they’re made of. And this time, Alfie and Vaughn aren’t backing down.
Well I have to say it seems like it's been forever since I read a book by Jacqui Rose. This one has certainly been a long time coming. When I got a message off a fellow book blogger telling me this was available on Netgalley, I headed right on over there to request it. I was thrilled when my request was approved, and started it as soon as I could.
So what did I think about Toxic? Well I'd say it's been worth waiting for. I had a couple of doubts at the beginning as I felt there were quite a lot of characters for me to get to know. I also got a little confused at times, not realising that the book had gone back in time occasionally. Once I got my head around this i flew through the book. The story has all you want from a great read, Death, Deception, Crime, and a whole heap more. Each chapter really does leave you wanting more, it's certainly one of those 'Just one more chapter' kind of books. Bree is in a marriage that to say the least isn't a happy one. Her husband and mother in law are horrible characters, but needed for the way the story was told. They seemed to control everything around and including Bree. Bree just wants to be able to get away from it all, but with her every move watched, that isn't going to happen. That is until a chance meeting with Alfie Jennings. Alfie is someone she knows for her pas, he has returned to Essex after living away for a while. Could Alfie change things for her. I have to say as much as the Mother in law really riled me, and my dislike for her was immense, she really was a well written character. I think if an author can get you feeling so strongly for certain characters that they've done a damn good job. It was great to see some of the older characters from Jacqui's previous books make an appearance in this book. It almost felt like I was meeting some old acquaintances. I don't think this book was as gripping as some of Jacqui's other books, but it's still a pretty damn good read. I have to say it's good to have her back and I really do look forward to more books coming out in the future. Can certainly say that you have been missed Jacqui, and welcome back.
THE SERIAL KILLER ISN'T ON TRIAL.
HE'S ON THE JURY... **************** 'THIRTEEN is my favourite read of the year.' Sarah Pinborough 'Outstanding.' Lee Child 'Smart and original. This is a belter of a book.' Clare Mackintosh **************** They were Hollywood's hottest power couple. They had the world at their feet. Now one of them is dead and Hollywood star Robert Solomon is charged with the brutal murder of his beautiful wife. This is the celebrity murder trial of the century and the defence want one man on their team: con artist turned lawyer Eddie Flynn. All the evidence points to Robert's guilt, but as the trial begins a series of sinister incidents in the court room start to raise doubts in Eddie's mind. What if there's more than one actor in the courtroom? What if the killer isn't on trial? What if the killer is on the jury?
I hadn't realised when I started this book that it was actually book 4 in the Eddie Flynn series. I'm normally so good at checking things like that out before I read the book. I hate reading books that are part way through a series, I love to get to know the characters from day 1.
That said, I don't think it took to much away from the reading experience I had. Eddie Flynn seems like a great character, the author has done brilliant with him. I enjoyed the pace of the book, the way the story flowed, a very clever plot. The writing is first class here. I loved the idea of the killer hiding on the Jury, but couldn't understand how that would work, yet it did, it worked brilliantly. Eddie is defending a hollywood superstar after he is charged with the murder of his wife and bodyguard. The tension and adrenaline running though this book makes it one hell of a thrilling ride. A ride you won't want to get off. There is so much more going on in this book, I fear going on about it to much as i'd end up giving something away and spoiling it, and we don't want now. So what I will say is, it is well worth reading, pick it up and see for yourself. I now feel I need to go back and read the other books, then give this one a re-read in the correct order. I managed to read this book over the course of a day and a half. I with so many damn good books around at the moment it's a wonder I ever get chance to do anything else. I look forward to reading more from this author.
The explosive sequel to #1 Sunday Times bestseller Bad Blood.
Set 18 years later, Hidden Sin is the story of Joey, his girlfriend Paula and Rasta Mo, the man he is to discover is his dad. Joey Parker is a young man with big dreams. Almost eighteen, he’s desperate to escape the shackles of his window cleaning round, so when’s offered the chance to try out as a drummer in a local Blondie tribute band he jumps at the chance. But it isn’t just the music that moves him. It’s also the fact that Paula Foster is the lead singer. The daughter of his mum’s old mate, Josie, she was once a childhood friend. They’ve not seen each other in years, and their mutual attraction is immediate. Meanwhile, notorious local drug overlord, Rasta Mo, has recently returned to Bradford after a spell inside and years in Marbella. He is instantly enamored with the good-looking drummer he discovers is his son. He decides that his new club is in need of a house band – and so begins his attempts to woo him. This book charts a journey between two men into a future neither visualized. And, in Joey’s case, into a dangerous criminal world he’s never known. And, while his mother and step-father can only look on in horror as Joey potentially becomes the one thing she’s always dreaded – his father’s son. Joey is oblivious to who Mo is. The truth has always been hidden from him. All he cares about is that his and Paula’s dreams are all starting to come true. But will the cost of achieving them be too high to pay?
Hidden Sin is a great read, an easy read book, that will see you flying through those pages.
I have read a few of these books in the series, unfortunately I seem to have missed a few out, but if i'm honest, I don't think it's taken anything away from the reading enjoyment. I have enjoyed all the books i've read by this author so far, and Hidden Sin is no exception. In this book we start off in Bradford 1997. Young Joey is growing up and learning to stand on his own two feet. His mother and step father have always been there for Joey. When Joey starts playing with a band, he soon has a blossoming love relationship, and he and Paula seem to be going places. Joeys mother really isn't happy when she realises that Rasta Mo has returned from living abroad, and doing time. When Mo starts showing a keen interest in her son, she dreads having to tell Joey that MO is actually his father. This knocks Joey, he doesn't know how he feels, or what if anything he want's from becoming friends with his father. What is most worrying is the fact that it seems Joey is going to end up in a whole heap of trouble. His father is a criminal and he's going to drag Joey into his world if he isn't careful. A really enjoyable read. I wanted to read on and on as I needed to know the direction the story would take. It's well worth reading. I just felt towards the end I needed more.
DI Tom Thorne returns in a chilling mystery that will keep readers guessing until the final page. Time of Death is Mark Billingham's most timely, atmospheric thriller to date.
The Missing Two schoolgirls are abducted in the small, dying Warwickshire town of Polesford, driving a knife into the heart of the community where police officer Helen Weeks grew up and from which she long ago escaped. But this is a place full of secrets, where dangerous truths lie buried. The Accused When it's splashed all over the press that family man Stephen Bates has been arrested, Helen and her partner Tom Thorne head to the flooded town to support Bates' wife - an old school friend of Helen's - who is living under siege with two teenage children and convinced of her husband's innocence. The Dead As residents and media bay for Bates' blood, a decomposing body is found. The police believe they have their murderer in custody, but one man believes otherwise. With a girl still missing, Thorne sets himself on a collision course with local police, townsfolk - and a merciless killer.
4/5
A huge fan of this author's work, this series is brilliant. I have to say sometimes with long running series you can start to get a little fed up around this mark. Yet here we are book 13 and I'm still loving the series. It's been a while since I read any of these, so i'm pleased I decided to play a bit of series books catch up. Mark Billingham has written yet another belter of a book with this one. The series is just going from strength to strength. When I started to read this, part way through I kept thinking it sounded really familiar and thought maybe I had read it previously. I carried on, then realised it was familiar as it had been on tv and we sat and watched it. Obviously the book is way better, but I did enjoy the Tv version too. It was funny as I seemed to have the images from the tv in my mind as I was reading this, and I think it helped make for great reading. When Tom and Helen are away for a romantic weekend, they see a news story regarding and abduction. It soon transpires that the case involves someone Helen was friends with at school, and she feels she needs to go and support her. Cutting their break away short they head off to Helen's home town. The story is gripping and intense in parts. Really enjoyable and i'm looking forward to getting to read the next one while I play catch up. Mark Billingham is certainly a damn good story teller. My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni #Book1 #Review @robertdugoni #QuickReview @ilovereadinguk9/5/2018 The first book in the series that has garnered millions of readers across the globe, from New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni. Tracy Crosswhite has spent twenty years questioning the facts surrounding her sister Sarah’s disappearance and the murder trial that followed. She doesn’t believe that Edmund House—a convicted rapist and the man condemned for Sarah’s murder—is the guilty party. Motivated by the opportunity to obtain real justice, Tracy became a homicide detective with the Seattle PD and dedicated her life to tracking down killers. When Sarah’s remains are finally discovered near their hometown in the northern Cascade mountains of Washington State, Tracy is determined to get the answers she’s been seeking. As she searches for the real killer, she unearths dark, long-kept secrets that will forever change her relationship to her past—and open the door to deadly danger.
This is a book i've been meaning to read for a long time. I have most of the books in the series so far, so was keen not only to start this one, but also then get all the others read.
Book 1 - My Sisters Grave, is a enjoyable read. Tracy Crosswhite gave up her job as a Chemist to become a Homicide Detective with Seattle PD. She has spent 20 years carrying around a guilt surrounding her sisters disappearance. This is what prompted Tracy to want to become a Detective. Tracy has also never believed the man found guilty of her sisters murder was the correct person. When sarah's remains are finally found near their hometown, Tracy is determined to finally get her answers. I feel this book is just the start of what I believe is going to be a great series of books. An interesting read, will keep you guessing and wanting.
You have to fight for the ones you love.
Anna Davis has spent years terrified of her sadistic gangster boyfriend. Right up until she runs away in the dead of night, she’s frightened he will kill her. And she knows he still will, if he ever finds her… As Anna starts her new life, she meets two strangers who will change her fortunes forever. Tanya Smith is a gorgeous East London stripper with a big heart. Anna loves Tanya’s attitude to life and the pair quickly become inseparable and business partners. And East End baron Freddie Tyler is everything Anna’s ex-boyfriend was not – he’s kind, caring and would do anything to make Anna happy. But are they both telling Anna the truth about who they really are? Just as Anna begins to see a brighter future for herself, her past comes back to haunt her. She could be about to lose everything – even her life. But she’s a different person now. She’s got something to live for and she’s not going to give up without a fight. If you love Martina Cole, Kimberley Chambers, Casey Kelleher and Jessie Keane, you’ll love Runaway Girl. This fast-paced, gripping thriller will have you reading well after dark. This book was previously published as Life Game.
I was looking forward to reading this, I had the original book, Life Game on my kindle, yet when I went to find it, it had disappeared into kindle heaven. But not to worry this is the re edited, revamped edition.
This was my Easter treat, sit down, start a new book and chill. Well sit and chill in between keeping a husband and an 8 year old occupied. I had high hopes for this book, and was really looking forward to it. It wasn't long before I was engrossed in the pages. Meeting Anna, she has escaped from an evil man of a boyfriend. Controlling and violent. She will forever be looking over her shoulder as she knows she will never truly be rid of him. Tanya and Anna become friends after a chance meeting. Friends that hopefully can go on and help and trust each other. This book has it all, it keeps you going, it keeps you wanting more. I did however at times feel it was a little tame, like it could have been vamped up a notch here and there. That said it was still a damn good read, and I will certainly be watching out for more from this author, I think Emma Tallon is going to be a name to watch out for.
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 now 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 two more books in the works for this series already, Emma has many more stories planned out for the future. Author Social Media Links: Author Social Media Links: Facebook: www.facebook.com/emmatallonofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmmaEsj Website: www.emmatallon.com The Girl With No Past: A gripping psychological thriller
Twenty years running from your past. Today it catches up. A gripping psychological thriller for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. Leah Mills lives a life of a fugitive – kept on the run by one terrible day from her past. It is a lonely life, without a social life or friends until – longing for a connection – she meets Julian. For the first time she dares to believe she can live a normal life. Then, on the twentieth anniversary of that day, she receives a card. Someone knows the truth about what happened. Someone who won’t stop until they’ve destroyed the life Leah has created. But is Leah all she seems? Or does she deserve everything she gets? Everyone has secrets. But some are deadly. MY Thoughts 4/5 I seemed to have had this book on my kindle forever, and it just started to shout out at me, READ ME.... I was actually convinced i'd read it. so it just kept getting passed by. Bad Me! I really wasn't sure at first when I started it what I thought, and once over I felt it wasn't for me, but then I decided to carry on with it. And I'm glad I did. Once you get into the story it does become addictive, in the sense that you can only find out what the SECRET is by reading the story, and the more you read the more you want to know. Leah Mills is hiding from something or someone, running from the past. something has happened in her life that she is trying to forget. She is trying to live what she thinks is a normal life. She seems quite a lonely person, doesn't have any friends and certainly is trying to stay under the radar for some reason. Until she learns that someone know's where she is, someone know's what she is doing, where and when and this is clearly someone from her past. This really unnerves her, and trying her best to make friends she is a little put out by it. Through the book we shoot back to Leah and friends at school and Leah and no friends in the present day. She is doing her best to find friendship, and right through the book you start to question, who is real, who can be trusted you do start to suspect everyone and knowing who to trust is hard. This is one of those books that you need to keep reading, and reading and reading, because it's the only way you are going to find out what the secret is. What exactly has happened in Leah's past. It is a very well put together and very well written story. I look forward to reading more from this author and catching up with other titles.
Biography
Kathryn Croft is the bestselling author of The Girl With No Past, which spent over four weeks at number one in the Amazon chart. Her first two novels, Behind Closed Doors and The Stranger Within, reached number one in the psychological thriller charts. Her fourth novel, The Girl You Lost, will be published on 5th February 2016, and is now available for preorder on Amazon. After six years teaching secondary school English, Kathryn now writes full time and has a publishing deal with Bookouture. Having always been an avid reader, Kathryn believes in the power of words to entertain, teach and transform lives. She is also a firm believer in following your dreams and says anything is possible if you work hard enough and never give up! Kathryn lives in Guildford, Surrey with her husband, baby son and two cats. www.kathryncroft.com Cross Your Heart: An absolutely gripping detective thriller that will leave you breathless (Detective Jess Bishop Book 2)
Blinking her eyes open, she looks around the room, taking in the bed and the wardrobe full of clothes she’s never seen before. This isn’t her bedroom. Those aren’t her clothes. She begins to cry as she wonders if she’ll ever see her own home again.
Three young girls are missing. All of them cold cases. All of them forgotten. But when Detective Jess Bishop identifies a disturbing link between them, she’s determined to find out what happened, and fights to re-open their cases. At the scene of each abduction the kidnapper left a clue – a small bag of candy – in place of the missing child. And then a fourth child is taken. Eight-year-old Ava is snatched from her hospital bed and when a bag of candy is found in her room, Jessica knows it’s the same kidnapper. As the pressure to solve the case pushes Jess and her team to breaking point, Jess takes a personal risk she fears she’ll live to regret. But she has no choice. Out of hospital, Ava can only get sicker: Jess is running out of time. Can she find Ava before it’s too late?
What a great read that turned out to be. I thoroughly enjoyed this, the second book in the Jess Bishop series.
Jess is really developing as a character now, Smart, stubborn, ballsy and also a little off the rails as she fights her own demons, what is not to like about this character. This is an easy story to get lost in, once you start reading this book it's hard to stop. There is so much going on that you really feel the need to keep going with it. Wanting and needing to know what is going to happen. I find when you read so many books in the same genre that occasionally the characters can become a bit samey and get muddled up. Not with Jess, she is certainly an individual character. We kick off this story with Jess waiting to find out if she is fit to return to work after her injuries from her last case. Jess an FBI agent is eagre to get back to what she loves doing. Jess being Jess, will do all she can to get back to work 'officially. If this means bending the truth a little, then that is just what Jess will do. When a child is snatched from her hospital bed, a bag of candy is found in her room, Jessica is convinced this is linked to 3 previous kidnappings. Jess and her team are running out of time to find who the kidnapper is before it's to late, and before anymore children go missing. We have a great mix of characters in this book, and some are really turning out to be very likeable. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment to see where this series can go. |
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