Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - over 2 days

Pages - 406

Publisher - Zaffre

Source - I bought 3 copies of this lol, Amazon (ebook), The Works and I think the other was part of an online deal

Blurb from Goodreads

Even the darkest secrets can’t stay buried forever…
Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood …
Years later, a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country.

But when human remains are discovered at a former children’s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim Stone fast realises she’s on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades.

As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it’s too late?



My Review

Welcome to book one in a series, introducing D.I. Kim Stone investigating the murder of a seemingly upstanding member of the community. Soon another murder happens and the police have to consider is their a link between the two. When the body count continues and remains are found at an old children's home Stone and her team need to work hard to catch the killer before they strike again. The discovery of the bones not only throws a new light onto the investigation but causes Stone to revisit her own past and demons.

Before I even start on the book we need to talk about a major geek moment. The book takes place in Black Country, I had never heard of it before reading this book. There is a reference, in one conversation between one cop to another with a reference to the place and it being the inspiration for a very famous place in another book. I was actually geeking and will leave you to discover it for yourself (or if you are too nosey you can look at my Instagram as I popped a piccy up on there with the passage).

Stone is a fantastic character, she is work orientated, honest, strong sense of what is right and will get justice now matter what. She has a past, some issues but isn't flawed as so many detectives with a penchant for booze, drugs or risky sexual encounters. She is a fantastic creation, her team respect her, she doesn't bow down to office politics, she is for the victims, she will get them justice!

There is lots of action, we open in 2004 with five adults around a grave, burying an innocent, binding them all together with a horrific secret. We go to present day and the first murder kicks off so we are right into the action straight away. Relatively short chapters, which I personally love, following the investigation, the murders and even have a few wee chapters dottered in the book from the killer giving an insight into their history and mind set.

If I wasn't so knocked off just now I would have read this in one sitting, it is a great introduction to what I am told is a fantastic series. I have the next three in the series already and absolutely will be buying the rest. If you are looking for a new series (well new to me, originally published in 2015 by Bookouture) with a strong female who isn't perfect but isn't plagued with booze reliance or anything of that ilk, this is for you. 4.5 out of 5 for me, refreshing, engaging and hooked from the first page!

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The Coven by Graham Masterton

The Coven by Graham Masterton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 368

Publisher - Head of Zeus

Source - The Works

Blurb from Goodreads

They say the girls were witches. But Beatrice Scarlet, the apothecary's daughter, is sure they were innocent victims...

London, 1758:

Beatrice Scarlet, the apothecary's daughter, has found a position at St Mary Magdalene's Refuge for fallen women. She enjoys the work and soon forms a close bond with her charges.

The refuge is supported by a wealthy tobacco merchant, who regularly offers the girls steady work to aid their rehabilitation. But when seven girls sent to his factory disappear, Beatrice is uneasy.

Their would-be benefactor claims they were a coven of witches, beholden only to Satan and his demonic misdeeds. But Beatrice is convinced something much darker than witchcraft is at play...



My Review

This is book two with the character Beatrice Scarlet, I hadn't read book one and don't feel I have missed out on anything by not having read it. Beatrice and her little girl have to move to St Mary Magdalene's Refuge for fallen women where she is promised a job and lodgings. Beatrice is drawn to helping the girls from their previous lives and has faith they can turn it around. A wealthy gentleman who supports the refuge takes the girls to work in his factory. When his latest batch flee after apparently conjuring up Satan and devil worshipping Beatrice feels something is horribly wrong and it isn't the devil!

Ooft this is not a book for the faint hearted, there is murder, sexual deviancy, sexual abuse, prostitution, faith, lies, love, relationships, family and that isn't covering it all! Beatrice is a fantastic character, remember this is set in the 1700s and here we have a very vocal woman, educated, loyal, intelligent and fearless. It is fantastic to have any book with a strong female character, Beatrice has already lost so much and now she is putting her life on the line for these fallen girls.

The healing part is really interesting too , she is an apothecary's daughter and finds more folk coming to her for remedies than the doctors. I loved her knowledge and the alternative healing options, I need to google to see how popular that kind of thing really was back then, I think it is really interesting. Some of the scenes are very graphic, sexual and disturbing so be warned if you are going to pick the book up, there is reference to animal cruelty also. If you can get past this or don't mind some very dark passages I think you will fully engage with this tale. Graphic, stomach turning, fierce, dark and a fantastic female character it has to be 4/5 for me this time. I do have another one or two of Masterton's books on my TBRM I do need to bump them up!

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Behind Her Back by Jane Lythell

Behind Her Back by Jane Lythell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - approx 9 hours

Pages - 368

Publisher - Head of Zeus

Source - Review copy


Blurb from Goodreads

The second StoryWorld novel set in the glamorous, pressurized world of a live London TV station.

StoryWorld is the nation's favourite morning show, and producer Liz Lyon wants to keep it that way. Her job is to turn real-life stories into thrilling TV – and keep a lid on the cauldron of conflicts and resentments that constantly simmers off-stage.

In this gripping novel of power, rivalry and betrayal, Jane Lythell draws on her experiences of working in the heated world of live TV. Liz Lyon must balance the monster egos at work with the demands of her teenage daughter – and the man she's just started dating – at home. It's all in a day's work.


My Review

This is book two in the StoryWorld series, I haven't read the first and don't feel I have missed out or less enjoyment as a result. Liz Lyon is the glue that keeps the feisty team of StoryWorld together. Live TV that covers so much content, celebrities, news, fashion, cooking you name it they do it but juggling many divas. Fizzy has been off on maternity leave and is now heading back, however the team have a new member Lori Kerwell whose focus is profitability. Whilst Liz and Lori class, Fizzy finds herself battling to keep her place, tempers are affray and some people will stop at nothing to get what they want.

Ooooooh all the dramas! The bitchy world of getting ahead in the world of TV, who knew eh? I really only picked this up last night to read one chapter, I was still reading it into the wee hours of the morning. It isn't a murder mystery or anything like that, it is "office" politics, underhanded tactics, back stabbing, relationships, bitchiness and stepping over folk to get to the next rung of the career ladder. I couldn't wait to see what next, what X, Y, Z had planned and who could you actually trust.

There is a family element to it too, Liz is juggling her life as a woman still in her prime but with a teenage daughter and all the spikiness that comes with it. Fizzy is a new mother, ambitious career woman and trying to keep a secret whilst everyone and their granny want all the dirt! I found the whole workings of a TV network actually quite interesting too. I have read this author before and not only do I have another on my TBRM I enjoyed this one so much I just bought the first in the series, 99p for it on kindle. I am looking forward to finding out a bit more about the characters I just met and hope there is more coming from this series. This book is available to buy in all formats at time of posting. My thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this and introducing me to new characters and an interesting world, 4/5 for me.

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