First born by Will Dean

First Born by Will Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 368

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

From the acclaimed author of The Last Thing to Burn, a psychological thriller about the dark secrets that emerge when a woman’s twin sister is murdered, with his signature “intense, gripping, taut, terrifying, moving, and brilliant” (Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author) prose.

Sisters. Soulmates. Strangers.

Molly Raven lives a quiet, structured life in London, finding comfort in security and routine. Her identical twin Katie, living in New York, is the exact opposite: outgoing, spontaneous, and adventurous.

But when Molly hears that Katie has died, possibly murdered, she is thrown into unfamiliar territory. As terrifying as it is, she knows she must travel across the ocean and find out what happened. But as she tracks her twin’s final movements, cracks begin to emerge, and she slowly realizes her sister was not who she thought she was and there’s a dangerous web of deceit surrounding the two of them.



My Review

Katie (KT) and Molly are twins, close as close can be - they even had their own language and spoke only to each other at one point. The girls couldn't be more different as people, Molly takes no risks and is constantly evaluating risk and being very low key. KT left home, is away to college in New York and doing things Molly couldn't even contemplate. They speak every day/email and always in touch so when KT turns up dead in her own home Molly has no choice but to leave the comfort of her home and go meet her parents at New York, speak to the police and find out what happened. Who killed her sister, why and of course the balance needs to be redressed. Both their parents are shell shocked and Molly doesn't know where to start but she won't be going home until she finds out what happened to her twin!

The story slowly teases out what happened to KT as we follow the story through Molly and her interactions, getting to know her and the family. We know they are suspicious about KT's death but it takes a little time to get to it. We learn that Molly is a bit more quirky than we first thought and as we spend more time with her. She does her own digging to try and find out what happened and look into the people in her sisters lives. To be honest the boo focuses more on her investigation than the polices.

It is a bit out there at times and suspend reality for a few parts but still it makes for an interesting, different and twisty read. Some very shady characters, questionable actions/choices but iit certainly isn't boring - just a bit wild and out there, 4/5.

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Bad Apples by Will Dean

Bad Apples by Will Dean
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read -

Pages -

Publisher - Point Blank

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

It only takes one...

A murder

A resident of small-town Visberg is found decapitated

A festival

A cultish hilltop community ‘celebrates’ Pan Night after the apple harvest

A race against time

As Visberg closes ranks to keep its deadly secrets, there could not be a worse time for Tuva Moodyson to arrive as deputy editor of the local newspaper. Powerful forces are at play and no one dares speak out. But Tuva senses the story of her career, unaware that perhaps she is the story…


My Review

If you haven't read the previous books, I would. There is a lot of history and backstory on some of the characters so I think to get this one properly I would read the previous books. Tuva has landed the job of deputy editor for the local newspaper. As usual Tuva is an outsider even though we come across people who she has known in previous books/adventures. A resident is murdered, decapitated and a festival that isn't spoken of aloud is coming, Tuva isn't prepared for the dangers ahead nor the debauchery but she needs to investigate the story and get the residents to open up.

So if you don't know Tuva she is feisty, quite fearless, is hearing impaired and a new relationship with Noora. whilst this isn't a firm favourite for me there is no denying Dean writes and creates fantastic tension, fear, creepy, eerie atmospheres and scenes.

It is a busy book, lots going on, not for the faint hearted nor easily offended. The book has quite a few dark scenes and I think anyone would be hard pressed to guess where the stories are going. Kept on your toes and tense breath holding (at points) and you should have the next book on stand by at the ready, 3.5/5 for me.

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The Last Passenger by Will Dean

The Last Passenger by Will Dean
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 482

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing.

And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.



My Review

Caz and her new boa Pete are going away for a bit of luxury, booked onto the cruise liner The Atlantica. Caz feels a bit guilty leaving behind her job, family/mums care even for just a few days but her and Pete are getting to know each other and she deserves a wee bit of time away. However after the first night of fabulousness and being spoiled she goes to sleep and awakes to find the ship completely abandoned. No guests, no staff and no clue as to what happened. The ship is in the mid-Atlantic ocean, surrounded by water/elements and silence. How will Caz survive and can she find out what happened to the rest of her crewmates/staff and Pete?

I LOVED the start of this book and how we are teased into the dramas/shocks and surprises. I mean you immediately think well you are just needing to sit it out and wait for help, you have electricity, food and luxury at your disposal and yet as the layers of the story are revealed we find just how horrific things are and are to become for poor Caz.

For me the book is a mixed bag, what I liked I really liked and what I disliked I really disliked. It is hard to go into it without risking spoilers which we never do. The book bounces between current day on the ship and the survival that is endured and going back into Caz's past and her reflections on her father and the huge impact his betrayal/choices have had on her.

Tense, atmospheric, shocking the book certainly has you turning the pages wanting to see what is coming next. The characters I didn't like for the most past, in fact the majority I wasn't a fan of but unlikeable characters can make for a great book. 3/5 for me this time, I love a story of abandoned places/spooky/weird and this book has a bit of all of that with some curve balls along the way.

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Black River by Will Dean

Black River by Will Dean
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 308

Publisher - Point Blank

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Black River is an electrifying return for relentless reporter Tuva Moodyson, from the author of Dark Pines and Red Snow.

FEAR

Tuva’s been living clean in southern Sweden for four months when she receives horrifying news. Her best friend Tammy Yamnim has gone missing.

SECRETS

Racing back to Gavrik at the height of Midsommar, Tuva fears for Tammy’s life. Who has taken her, and why? And who is sabotaging the small-town search efforts?

LIES

Surrounded by dark pine forest, the sinister residents of Snake River are suspicious of outsiders. Unfortunately, they also hold all the answers. On the shortest night of the year, Tuva must fight to save her friend. The only question is who will be there to save Tuva?


My Review

This is book three in the Tuva Moodyson series, we see Tuva has finally escaped the small town and working away in Sweden, its been four months. Word reaches Tuva that her bestie Tammy is missing and it doesn't look good, she doesn't disappear like this and it is dodgy looking circumstances. Tuva heads home and starts investigating not realising she is putting herself at risk too.

The small town has some real weird and unique characters, some of them ignorant and it isn't until a white person goes missing that people really sit up and takes notice. Along with Tuva this really got my goat but is true to life in quite a lot of places and I think authors do grand when they bring this level of realism and prejudices/racism weaved into the story. It isn't the whole plot by any means but it does highlight the shocking attitudes of some and yes this is fiction but absolutely mirrors the reality we live in especially in some places.

With it being a small town, surrounded by forest and not huge on outsiders we see a lot of people hunting/living off the land/animals so there is some animal harm/death within the books, just a headsup.

There is a threat and menace hovering throughout a lot of the book, tension, apprehension that follows Tuva and the reader as we investigate and explore what has happened to Tammy. I have the next in the series to read and whilst I liked this one I didn't love it. I really liked the previous two so not too sure why I didn't love this one as much, Tuva was frustrated and all over the place and I felt a lot of that too, 3/5 for me this time.

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Red Snow by Will Dean

Red Snow by Will Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Point Blank

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

TWO BODIES

One suicide. One cold-blooded murder. Are they connected? And who’s really pulling the strings in the small Swedish town of Gavrik?

TWO COINS

Black Grimberg liquorice coins cover the murdered man's eyes. The hashtag #Ferryman starts to trend as local people stock up on ammunition.

TWO WEEKS

Tuva Moodyson, deaf reporter at the local paper, has a fortnight to investigate the deaths before she starts her new job in the south. A blizzard moves in. Residents, already terrified, feel increasingly cut-off. Tuva must go deep inside the Grimberg factory to stop the killer before she leaves town for good. But who’s to say the Ferryman will let her go?



My Review

This is book two in the series, you could start here but I would go back as it is part of a series and you go into this with more knowledge/backstory of both the people and the place. Tuva is our main character, a deaf reporter, an outsider in this small town who made herself even more unpopular by covering the murders (in the last book). She is leaving for a new job but before she goes she has some loose ends to tie up and news to cover as someone dies in the towns local factory, the towns life blood but not everyone is as thankful to it.

Strange characters, strange happenings, the body count is rising and Tuva needs to know who "the ferryman is" and why are people dying. So I actually liked this book more than the last one, I did like book one but I really liked this. Tuva is a fascinating character, we get to see what it is like to be deaf, what things like weather changes can mean/impact on her aids. How people see her, treat her (beside having issues with her as an outsider). Some of the people are strange, I LOVED the character of the granny and would love love love to read more about her.

There are some many themes within the book, murder, death, suicide, family issues, sexuality, small town mentality, Tuva dealing with some personal issues. The town weirdo, weird links with the family who run the factory and their employees, the town is very remote and there is a blizzard so they are even more shut off. Accidents, people being harmed, a killer on the loose and Tuva is trying to report on it all and do some side research for the shunned author.

There is some weird eating in the book, I totally boke at some foods touching so this is an issue , even the salty licorice had me twitching lol. The book is very atmospheric, you don't (well I didn't) know where it is going to take you, what is coming next, I didn't even really have any good suspects on who the dodgy is or what the motive could be. I have all the books in the series so won't be long before I get to the next one and see what is in store next, 4/5 for me.

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Dark Pines by Will Dean

Dark Pines by Will Dean
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 5 days

Pages - 328

Publisher - Point Blank

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

An isolated Swedish town. A deaf reporter terrified of nature. A dense spruce forest overdue for harvest. A pair of eyeless hunters found murdered in the woods.

It’s week one of the Swedish elk hunt and the sound of gunfire is everywhere. When Tuva Moodyson investigates the story that could make her career she stumbles on a web of secrets that knit Gavrik town together. Are the latest murders connected to the Medusa killings twenty years ago? Is someone following her? Why take the eyes? Tuva must face her demons and venture deep into the woods to stop the killer and write the story. And then get the hell out of Gavrik.


My Review

This is my first dance with this author. Tuva Moodyson is our main character, a journalist in a small isolated Swedish town. Twenty years ago there were some grisly murders and then nothing. Now a body has been found in the woods with echoes of the killings years ago, is it coincidence, is it a copycat? Tuva needs to get to the bottom of it but will all small towns they all have their secrets and some secrets are worth killing over.

Tuva is a different character to any I have read before, she is deaf although with the use of hearing aids she can hear. Through her character portrayal we get a small insight into the way people treat others with hearing impairments, discrimination and downright rudeness/ignorance! It really opened my eyes and be more appreciative to issues a person with this particular impairment. Tuva is a really strong independent character and the way she uses her disability to her advantage at times, faces head on peoples ignorance and manages it all with grace and strength. She is a great read and I look forward to the next few books exploring more of her character.

It is hunting season in the book and a huge part and history to this small town and its residents, I struggled with some of the animals parts, I always do in books/movies. I loved the scene settings, when in the woods the writer creates such vivid descriptions you have no problems transporting to it.

Some of the characters are unsettling, not overly nice and some just a bit strange. The troll sculptures made me wonder if this is something the author has came across in real life, they are such weird creations as art often is. They unsettle Tuva and I did visuals how creepy it would be if someone bought, gifted or just left one for you, shudders.

I have the rest of the series on my tbrm and look forward to getting round to them. The book itself covers so many themes, murder, death, creepiness, relationships, bizarreness, friendships and a fair amount of suspense especially the scenes in the woods. The opening chapter, in the car with the elk, my heart was in my mouth, Dean certainly knows how to create tension! 3.5/5 for me this time!

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