Lost girls by Angela Marsons

Lost Girls by Angela Marsons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 465

Publisher - Zaffre

Source - Book shop

Blurb from Goodreads

Two girls go missing. Only one will return.
The couple that offers the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing couple will not. Make no mistake. One child will die.

When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping.

And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for D.I. Kim Stone and the squad.

Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour…

Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families’ past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will someone’s child pay the ultimate price?



My Review

This is book three in the series, whilst you could get away with reading this as a standalone I would suggest reading the previous two. One it will give you better knowledge of the team, dynamics, relationships and two the books are fantastic, book two is one of my fav this year.

So, two little girls go missing, best friends, parents are besties and it is quickly established it is an organised kidnap. If that isn't horrific enough the families are played against each other and forced to make a horrific decision. Stone is in charge, feathers are ruffles, two innocent lives are at stake and Stone won't rest until she gets the girls home.

As with Marson's previous books the chapters are short, I love it! We hear from Stone, the investigation and the bad guys. One is a sick, twisted and evil individual, guys there is animal torture, homophobia, violence, brutality and not for the faint hearted. It is a grabbing story, as with the previous books it all kicks off really quickly and you are soon absorbed. What is going to happen to the kids, how will Stone fair against such evil, what is the motive, what is the end game?

Marson's is one of those authors you can help but be delighted to come across, I want to devour all her books but also keep them because there are only four left to read. Engaging, challenging and all absorbing, do not pick this up before bed thinking you will only read one chapter, or any of her books as you will be up all night reading. They hook me in, I love Stone, she is such a great character, flawed but so loyal and has a strong purpose/sense of what is right and wrong, loyalty and I bloody love her and her wee dogs relationship. 4.5/5 for me this time, book four is sitting on my shelves and if I don't get the others for my birthday I will absolutely be ordering them. A fantastic creation of characters, she just needs to learn to write faster :D

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Cut by Marc Raabe

Cut by Marc Raabe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 484

Publisher - Bonnier Zaffre

Source - The works

Blurb from Goodreads

Fast and furious - a stunning thriller debut for fans of Stieg Larsson

A boy is witness to a horrible crime. Decades later, his girlfriend is kidnapped by an insane serial killer. To save her, he must return to the events of the past. But how can he remember when forgetting was the only way to survive?

Gabriel's job as security guard takes him to a derelict mansion in Berlin late at night. The obscure scene there reminds him of the most terrible night of his life - the night his parents died. Soon after, he receives a desperate call. His pregnant girlfriend Liz is being attacked and cries for help. Gabriel alerts the police but they arrive too late. Liz has disappeared without a trace. The hunt for her turns into a frantic chase against time. The terrifying man from the past has returned and will not stop until Gabriel is completely destroyed.



My Review

Gabriel has a thing about basements, witnessing something as a child he now has a deep fear and would rather not go in. When he does a favour for a work colleague he finds himself facing his fears, getting caught up in a cat and mouse game and if that isn't enough his girlfriend has been kidnapped. Gabriel finds himself the focus of the police in a murder investigation as well as a psychopath, in order to find his lady he needs to address memories he has long kept suppressed.

The story splits between Gabriel and what is going on with him and Liz, before she is kidnapped, during and what comes next. Quite a lot of the book is suspense and you are engaged enough to keep turning the pages, I wanted to know what was coming next. However I did find some aspects of the book frustrating, some of the characters actions and behaviours. However, many have absolutely loved this book, I enjoyed it but didn't love it. It does keep the readers on their toes as I couldn't work out the why or what they were going to do next. 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again but I won't be rushing out to find their other work.

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The Cleaner by Elisabeth Herrmann

The Cleaner by Elisabeth Herrmann
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Bonnier Zaffre

Blurb from Goodreads

Judith Kepler has seen it all. She is a crime scene specialist. She turns crime scenes back into habitable spaces. She is a cleaner. It is at the home of a woman who has been brutally murdered that she is suddenly confronted with her own past. The murder victim knew Judith's secret: as a child Judith was sent to an orphanage under mysterious circumstances—parentage unknown. And the East German secret police were always there, in the background. When Judith begins to ask questions, she becomes the target of some powerful enemies. And nothing will ever be the same again.




My Review

We open at a children's home in Germany, 1985, a child is placed in the middle of the night - no questions asked. Flip to present day, Judith Kepler is a crime scene specialist - cleaning up scenes to return them to livable areas. When she comes across one crime scene it opens up links to her own past, things Judith may not wish to revisit. As Judith digs she crosses the path of members of Stasi and ends up on a path of death and destruction.

I thought this book was primarily going to be about a crime scene tech, learning about techniques and to be fair there is a bit of that. However it is a bit of a thriller, crime, mystery combo. Lots of action, twists and turns and Judith is one ballsy feisty character which is nice to see and pretty loyal. Focused, driven and can certainly handle herself, she isn't afraid of confrontation and will see something through to the bitter end.

The book has almost two tones, the first being a build up and getting a feel for who Judith is as a person and the second is action, shooting, being hunted or hunting. It works fine and whilst this is my first dance with this author I would read her again, 3/5 for me this time.

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