His Truth Her Truth by Noelle Holten

His Truth Her Truth by Noelle Holten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 415

Publisher - One More Chapter

Source - Arc and bought a treebook copy

Blurb from Goodreads

An anonymous call raises the alarm. Two bodies found as a result of a home invasion. Then the police see the knives.One in his hand.

One in hers.

Joe and Beth appeared to have the perfect marriage. But there are two sides to every story.

His truth. Her truth. And the actual truth.

In this marriage of lies, only one person can be telling the truth, can’t they?


My Review

Opening chapter, prologue, they are lying in a pool of blood, knives in hand is how the police find them after an anonymous call. We then flip back X period of time before the incident and go between chapters from Joe and Beth. Partners, getting ready to marry, Beth loses her father and we see cracks starting to form in the relationship. Joe has his own issues going on but is trying to look after Beth. Beth is devastated, grief stricken and battling her inner demons. Going between his point of view and hers we watch as things crumble, getting darker and their relationship and implodes taking us to that fateful day the police find them and everything after.

Ooft strap in lads because it is about to get bumpy! Relatively short chapters which I love so even with a reading block/slump I could sink right in. Mental health and addiction feature quit heavily especially as we get further into it. When you have a character going through such a hard time they can be a bit of a difficult narrator, the way this is written you can see Beth's descension as it happens. Backed up by seeing Joe's point of view and responses to what he sees/finds as well as getting insight into what he is up to and going through. As the reader we get the context between the actions and seeing what the other person is missing.

Some of the characters are so unlikeable, like the cop, I can't even remember his name but like what was his damage, his partner seemed nice so not sure if it was emphasising good cop bad cop. Beth's mum I would not tire of slapping, she is just not a likeable person and every time she appeared I would puff or sigh. Some of us sadly have relatives like that who are just so self absorbed and horrible, yeah I really hated her. Beth cuts a sad character and whilst she also irritated me at times I did fell heart sorry for her because grief is awful and soul destroying but sadly it almost consumes her as does her "coping mechanism". The characters are quite real to life, well most of them, in their behaviours, actions, reactions, focuses with maybe one or two catching me off guard because I didn't forsee or catch what was headed my way. I think flawed characters can be difficult to capture and sometimes feel forced, with Beth I feel she was really well done and authentic because sadly we have had loved ones like that. So deep in their own hole, pushing folk away, becoming vulnerable in ways you/they didn't expect, 4/5.

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Watching You by Helen Fields

I got an arc copy thanks so much to Avon books for giving me a copy, it is out to buy the 28th of August but you can preorder now, AMAZON LINK.


Watching You by Helen Sarah Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon books

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

A face in the crowd. A killer in the shadows…________

On the dark streets of Edinburgh, a killer is waiting.

When a body is found, it is only the beginning. Soon there will be seven more.



In the city’s hospital, renowned surgeon Beth Waterfall is grieving.

Her beloved only daughter fell prey to a vicious stalker a year previously – and now he’s coming for her too.



Edinburgh’s police are desperate.

After one body comes another, and then another. The brutal deaths are all seemingly unconnected, and yet DS Lively and forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine know they are dealing with a serial killer – they just need to prove it.

But time is running out, and The Watcher is already set on making Beth Waterfall his next victim…

The million-copy international bestseller returns with a gripping serial killer thriller that will have you hooked from the first page to the very last.


My Review


Ooooh what a twisted web! So we bounce around a little bit but absolutely easy to follow, we hear from the killer as they are going after their victims. We don't always get this is crime fiction books so it is always interesting I think to be seeing through their eyes. Beth is going to be the next victim, The Watcher is sick, focused, obsessed and already targeted Beth's daughter now Beth is his obsession. Beth is a medical professional, a surgeon and great at her job, her and DS Lively cross paths through work. Beth finds herself in danger, threats becoming more and more evident and could something be there with her and grumpo Lively. Beth herself is grieving, traumatised but a strong and focused individual so that gives us a lot of insight and an emotive character. DS Lively is quite different and some of their interactions brings banter/light relief (he is a bit of the grump type though he plays well) but also the serious side of police investigation.

Do you know what I love about this book? I have read a fair few of Fields (I checked and I have two I think to catch up on, one I have another I have to buy) and I don't always read in order. However in this one I recognise quite a few characters. The ball busting boss we have met before in other books, Profiler Connie is so weird but in the absolutely best kind of way, Winnie, Midnight also make wee appearances and I love that. I did have to check my other reviews because I was like I know those names so the crossover is something I really appreciate. It also makes me check what book(s) I have missed and will be getting them sorted.

This one has stalking, murder, friendship, love, family, mental health, trauma and that is just for starters. Fields has a gift for creating some horrific baddies interwoven with characters facing some real heartache, loss, recovery so it is a real rollercoaster. 4.5/5 for me this time, Connie could have a series of 20+ and I would read them all, she isn't exactly a main character in this one but defo a central character and I think she scene steals because she is just so unique and genuine!

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The Elephant Girl by Henriette Gyland

The Elephant Girl by Henriette Gyland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read -

Pages - 400

Publisher - Choc Lit

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Peek-a-boo I see you…
When five-year-old Helen Stephens witnesses her mother’s murder, her whole world comes crumbling down. Rejected by her extended family, Helen is handed over to child services and learns to trust no-one but herself. Twenty years later, her mother’s killer is let out of jail, and Helen swears vengeance.

Jason Moody runs a halfway house, desperate to distance himself from his father’s gangster dealings. But when Helen shows up on his doorstep, he decides to dig into her past, and risks upsetting some very dangerous people.

As Helen begins to question what really happened to her mother, Jason is determined to protect her. But Helen is getting too close to someone who’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden …


My Review

Helen is five years old and has Epilepsy, Helen is the only "witness" to her mothers murder however she only has fragmented confused bits of memory. Now twenty years later Helen is a different person, estranged from her family and in India. When the family reaches out, only one thing could bring her home, her mums killer is out of jail and Helen wants revenge.

The book is a bit different, our main character has always been treated poorly due to her condition which has made her keep every one at arms length. Now faced with her past she will do what she has to to get revenge for her mum. She gets into a halfway house, amidst her mission she finds herself drawn to Jason, the guy who runs the house. Jason has some shady links to his past and Helen could find herself in more trouble than she expected.

The book has some shady characters, a few threads/themes and the thing I think that maes this one different is getting a character who lives with seizures. We see how she copes, what triggers her and in turn how she keeps herself away from others, relationships and how your path can start one way and end up on a very different road.

I liked it I didn't love it, it was interesting and had a few colourful characters, this was my first read by this author, I would read her again, 3/5.

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Human Remains by Jo Callaghan Blogathon

Today is my stop for Human Remains by Jo Callaghan, book 3 in the Kat and Lock series.

Human Remains by Jo Callaghan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - Simon & Schuster UK

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

The truth will always come out, but at what cost?

Fresh from successfully closing their first live case, the Future Policing Unit are called in to investigate when a headless, handless body is found on a Warwickshire farm. But as they work to identify the victim and their killer, the discovery of a second body begins to spark fears that The Aston Strangler is back. And as the stakes rise for the team, so do the tensions brewing within it.

When DCS Kat Frank is accused of putting the wrong man behind bars all those years ago, AIDE Lock – the world's first AI Detective – pursues the truth about what happened with relentless logic. But Kat is determined to keep the past buried, and when she becomes the target of a shadowy figure looking for revenge, Lock is torn between his evidence-based algorithms and the judgement of his partner, with explosive results. 

When everything hangs in the balance, it will all come down to just how much an AI machine can learn, and what happens when they do . . .


My Review

Guys if you haven't read book one and two PLEASE go back and read them first then come back because they are fab, you need the back story and they are pretty epic so just do it. So we open with someone plotting dastardly plans towards Kat and then onto the present day and finding of some bones, possibly human and DCS Kat Frank needs to investigate.

The interactions between Lock and Kat are absolutely one of my fave things about these books, LOCK is a machine but learning o fast it is actually scary. He can process information, scenes, stats but the human intuition and nuances escapes him. We see the short comings of AI but also the positives but the Sheldoness of the machine is an absolute fave.

As well as investigating the bones and what follows from there Kat is being scrutinised publically and online as a podcast has an old case of hers under the scope and questioning is she got it wrong. Is it linked to the new finding of bones and Kat is good but she is human and the pressure is on, cracks are showing. Add into that her son is coming home and bringing his new girlfriend home, it is stress city for Kat and folk online seem to have it in for her and someone is watching her every move and waiting.

Lots of high emotions, the pace is fast and multifactorial with different threads/stories taking place - all interlinked. I cannot wait for the next book in the story and see where it is going, Lock reminds me a bit of Vision/Jarvis from the avengers like he is good, he was created for good purposes and has a bit of Sheldon (from the Big Bang Theory) and I like all off them, echoes of but Lock is a whole new creation. Strap in folks this one will take you through a host of emotions & I didn't want to put it down, I NEEDED to know! 4/5.

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Holmes, Marple and Poe by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

Holmes, Marple & Poe by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Century Books

Source - Arc

Blurb from Goodreads

Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple and August Poe run the most in-demand private investigation firm in New York City.

The three detectives make a formidable team, solving a series of seemingly impossible crimes which expose the dark underbelly of the city; from priceless art theft, a high-stakes kidnapping, and a decades-old unsolved murder, to a gruesome subterranean prison, and corruption and bribery at the highest levels of power.

But it's not long before their headline-grabbing breakthroughs, unconventional methods - and untraceable pasts - attract the attention of the NYPD and the FBI.

After all, it's no surprise that there's a mystery or two to unravel in the city that never sleeps . . . not least, who really are Holmes, Marple and Poe?


My Review

Three Private Detectives, Holmes, Marple and Poe (yes that is their names) start up their own private detective agency. Intruding on a case and publicity high they take advantage of the opportunity and become super popular. They end up with a missing persons case, a kidnap/ransom and some very pricey stolen items. The trio peak the interest of the investigating cop, everyone has something to hide don't they and what is the deal with those names?

I never guess anything that is coming, work out twists or any of that I did guess one thing in this book, early on which is very unlike me but it didn't detract anything from the book/story. The book does have some themes in addiction, secrets, lies, risks, friendship and some very fabulous attitudes & tricks. I really really like Marple, she is just fabulous!

The trio are very different but compliment each other with their styles, special abilities and even their quirks seems to work well. The book is decent paced, short chapters which I LOVE and is always a pull for Patterson books, first time reading Sitts, I will check and see if he has anything else. Murder, skulduggery, investigation, attitudes I really liked this book, with all that it also has a heart. I just checked and book two came out today so I just ordered it, 4/5.

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Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister

Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 377

Publisher - Michael Joseph Books

Source - Bought/Netgalley review

Blurb from Goodreads

22-year-old Olivia has been missing for one day…and counting. She was last seen on CCTV, entering a dead-end alley. And not coming back out again.

Julia, the detective heading up the search for Olivia, thinks she knows what to expect. A desperate family, a ticking clock, and long hours away from her husband and daughter. But she has no idea just how close to home this case is going to get.

Because the criminal at the heart of the disappearance has something she never expected. His weapon isn’t a gun, or a knife: it’s a secret. Her worst one. And her family's safety depends on one thing: Julia must NOT find out what happened to Olivia - and must frame somebody else for her murder.

If you find her, you will lose everything. What would you do?

This clever and endlessly surprising thriller is laced with a smart look at family and motherhood, and cements Gillian McAllister as a major talent in the world of suspense and a master of creating ethical dilemmas that show just how murky the distinction between right and wrong can be.



My Review

Ooooh get strapped in for a wild ride. Olivia is 22, gone missing and when the cops (Julia and co) investigate they find CCTV when Olivia goes down and alley and never comes out. Where did she go, her family is distraught and Julia is a straight laced cop who will stop at nothing to find her. HOWEVER when Julia is threatened with the thing most important to her and told she mustn't find Olivia she is between a rock and a hard place. Does she protect that which is most important to her whilst compromising Olivia and her own integrity or does she stay true to who she is, give Olivia her best chance/investigate whilst ruining her own life? Decisions decisions.

So basically we have a missing person, a cop being threatened/compromised plus the side line of her family life, issues with husband and teen daughter. Some shady and skulduggery behaviours and people, *gasp* and oh your are kidding WHY WHY would you do that. It is a perfect example of how you are just one decision/action away from spiralling your whole life.

Decent pace, page turning to see ooh where is this going to go, what is X person going to do now. This is maybe the 2nd or 3rd book I have read by this author and got another on my tbrm.

Crime, police investigation, family issues, morality, criminal activities, family ties and more, 4/5 for me this time. She is quite different to a lot of the crime/thriller offers we have so if you haven't read her before it is absolutely worth picking up and giving her a whirl.

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Profile K by Helen S Fields

Profile K by Helen Sarah Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - AVON

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

He’s going to kill you. He just doesn’t know it yet. There’s something wrong with me. For years I’ve hidden it. Suppressed it. Blended into society. But The Test awoke something within me. It was just a routine application designed to get to know me better – with results that would show me everything I was capable of. But it showed me that the wickedness is still inside me – and that I am capable of the worst possible things. And now that I know that, there’s no telling what I’ll do next…


My Review

Ooft, the opening chapter just gets right into it and gives us an intro into the bad guy then we meet Midnight. She works in a powerful business that offers profiles to help colleges/businesses with applicants/suitability. When midnight comes across a profile K - basically someone who is off the scale abnormal like ticking all the boxes for being a killer/psychopath in their responses to what they see. When it becomes apparent that someone is killing women in a horrific way but also one that Midnight recognises who can she turn to? The business is all about the business, money, power and with that corruption is rife because the business/reputation must always comes first.

Very much a cat and mouse as Midnight tries to learn more about who she is convinced in a killer and the killer now has Midnight on their radar but very little information to go on apart from her name. The book breaks down really three fold, Midnights pov and happenings, the killers pov and outside the company ie Midnight's private life, being carer to her twin and why she does what she does like everything revolves around her and her care.

Creepy, atmospheric, the killing aspects is horrific and not for the faint hearted. In between all of that what have family, friendship and relationships. I tutted and NOOOOOOOO/FGS Midnight what are you thinking, don't do/say that, ahhhhh. That being said sometimes people behaving daft/questionable is very reflective of real life. Stalking has a big part in the book too so just an fyi/headsup for you. We have read Fields before and will read her again, she has a knack for creating bad guys/creeps and Profile K is no exception, 4/5 from me.

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Taste of Blood by Lynda La Plante

Today is my review as part of the #TeamTennison project, enjoy.

Taste of Blood by Lynda La Plante
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days (in and out as able)

Pages - 403

Publisher - Zaffre

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Detective Jane Tennison made a bad choice.

She was the one who put in a transfer to the quiet, local police station in Bromley, keen to escape the relentless pressure of her former West End department.

Now she regrets her decision. The tedium of petty crime investigations even makes her question remaining in the force.

But then a complicated domestic assault case lands on her desk - one that might still result in a murder charge if the victim dies of his injuries.

The warring neighbours who witnessed the assault intrigue Jane. The case has a sinister underbelly, she can sense it. And when Jane discovers a handsome young boy had recently disappeared after the tragic death of his girlfriend, every family in the private close becomes a suspect.

As Tennison hunts for the link between the crimes, she uncovers a truth more shocking than she could have contemplated. One that will either make her career - or break it.


My Review

Jane has transferred to a smaller/quieter station, really what was she thinking, we all know she loves to be in the thick of it. The new place mostly investigates small crimes - not a long more than petty squabbles in some cases and it isn't long before Jane questions her choice. An ongoing feud with neighbours turns into an assault with one landing in hospital, badly injured. Jane and co have to investigate and as is with Jane's track record there may be more to the incident and squabbles than first thought. Neighbours can often have secrets and some darker than others, could that explain the erratic behaviours by some of the residents?

So whilst this book looks at an assault and then ?a missing person (older case) we find Jane doing what she does best, digging where folk don't want her to until she gets her answers. We also get a lot more of the person side with Jane, family, relationships and touching on loss and issues that often come hand in hand. She is a bit more tetchy and feisty in this book, she has found her feet and her voice and is a strong character who doesn't suffer fools gladly.

At one point I wanted to hug her, I also went through a few irritational moments with her. This book has a very domestic feel to it both in the investigation and her private life. I like that, this is book nine, we have been with Tennison from the start so it is nice to get a bit more meat from the characters as well as the police stuff. 4/5 for me this time, a few themes that will be emotive to some people. Huge fans of La Plante and really enjoying the Tennison series, looking forward to the next book and seeing what is next for oor Jane.

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The Know by Martina Cole

The Know by Martina Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 5 days

Pages - 629

Publisher - Headline

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Joanie Brewer' s children meant the world to her. She'd do anything to protect them, even resorting to prostitution and petty crime in order to feed and clothe them. So when her beautiful teenage daughter is raped and murdered, only one thing will stop Joanie's pain - seeing her daughter's killer brought to justice. Joanie knows who he is and she'll do whatever it takes to nail him...7


My Review

This one has some hard hitting themes, from the opening prologue you learn a child has died and been the victim of a predator. There are quite a few references to deviants so just a heads up not for the faint hearted. Joanie is working in the world's oldest profession, a lady of the night. Her oldest son is starting to make a name for himself and coming into his own with all things within the criminal world. Her eldest daughter has absolute middle child syndrome and is acting out trying to find her place and who she is. The youngest Kira is the antithesis of them all, sweet, innocent, loved and adored by them all well maybe not Jeanette so much (middle child) but even she can't keep up being mad at the wean.

The story has many dark themes, sa, murder, rape, violence, drug dependency, absolute deviants so you can imagine how seedy things get. The language can be pretty offensive and some of it not used nowadays but reflective of the characters and their time/place. Racism and white supremacy rears its ugly head in this one too so something to really grate on and hate many characters for.

When you think things couldn't get any worse, Cole keeps you on your toes and keeps shocking and bringing it. If you have read her books before you know what to expect. Short chapters and if you want a break from your own reality and sinking into shady characters and all manners of skulduggery, this is as good a place to start as any. It is a standalone too, 4/5 from us but proceed with caution, it is pretty shocking.

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The Botanist by M W Craven

The Botanist by M.W. Craven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 448

Publisher - Constable

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

'I swear I'm one bad mood away from calling it black magic and going home . . .'

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he'd still have his thumb left. There's the insanely brilliant, guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. He's known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria.

And then there's Estelle Doyle. It's true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street but this time has she gone too far? Shot twice in the head, her father's murder appears to be an open and shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints going in. Since her arrest she's only said three words: 'Tell Washington Poe.'

Meanwhile, a poisoner the press have dubbed the Botanist is sending high profile celebrities poems and pressed flowers. The killer seems to be able to walk through walls and, despite the advance notice he gives his victims, and regardless of the security measures the police take, he seems to be able to kill with impunity.

For a man who hates locked room mysteries, this is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe's life . . .



My Review

Hello Tilly and Poe, if you haven't read the previous four books, go do it, seriously they are fab and you need the backstory so you love/appreciate the dynamic duo. Someone is murdering people, poisoning them and doing it with "flare" and the whole world watching. Their targets are high profile/celebrity style individuals who are bad/horrible people, so bad that normal folk would be rooting for the bad guy and Tilly and Poe have to help try and crack the case. Where do you even start when you have no idea how they are doing it or who will be next unless the baddy tells you?

As in true Craven fashion we don't just get one thread to follow/focus on, this time we have another case, the quirky/unique pathologist, Estelle, friend of Poe, is accused of murder. Not only accused but the case is looking pretty water tight. Poe is up to his eyes with this high profile poisoner but no way is he going to leave a friend going down. Regardless of how much evidence or how strong the case may be, nor his commitments, Poe isn't going to leave his friend hanging.

Engaging, grabs you pretty much from the opening - the Tilly and Poe books are a big fave in here. We have shady bad guys and I am not talking about the killer, like the folk chosen to die/be targeted are some of society's absolute horror bags. Racism, sexist, folk who think they are above the law, people who say just about anything, the more offensive and sick (for them) the better because it gives them more attention/profile/views. Ugh I got really annoyed at some of them & the flower/poems sent one might say poetic justice? Ooft. I can normally read these books in one sitting/day, I just took a bit of time with stuff going on. Tilly remains Tilly, socially awkward at times, no filter but with a heart of gold and Poe, Poe gets under many folks skin and sometimes treads the line of the law but always from a good place and he is a good/loyal guy. Banter, funnies, shocking, murder, vile people, good people, a whole mixed bag and as per, a page turner, very much looking forward to the next installment, 4/5.

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No Mercy by Martina Cole

No Mercy by Martina Cole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over a few days

Pages - 436

Publisher - Headline

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Family always comes first. Until now.

Get ready for the ultimate summer read with the explosive new novel from Sunday Times No.1 bestseller and 'undisputed queen of crime writing' ( Guardian ) Martina Cole.

Diana Davis has been head of the family business since the death of her husband, an infamous bank robber. She's a woman in a man's world, but no one messes with her.

Her only son, Angus, is a natural born villain, but he needs to earn Diana's trust before she'll allow him into the business.

Once he's proved he has the brains to run their clubs in Marbella, he is given what he's always wanted. It's the beginning of a reign of terror that knows no bounds.

But Angus has a blind his wife, Lorna, and their three kids, Angus Junior, Sean and Eilish. And as the next generation enters the business, Angus has a painful truth to learn. Even when it comes to family, he must show no mercy...


My Review

Diana Davis is a woman to be reckoned with. In the world of drugs/crime/violence it isn't known for having women in the face leagues. Diana has proven herself time and time again and her eldest Angus is desperate to make his own mark in the game & butts heads a bit with mother dearest. We span across the years as Angus becomes a face in his own right, has his own family & faces the threats & issues that comes with the territory of drugs, violence and crime.

It has been a wee while since I read Cole & I don't know why, i do enjoy her books. For anyone not familiar with her work the characters are gritty, grim, shady, violent, some are very loyal and almost all swear like troopers. This book, like some of the others, features some dark themes that others may find triggering, SA, abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, mental health, murder, violence etc.

Short chapters which I love, characters that you love to hate, action and skulduggery costly afoot or the threat of. I will be checking to see what others I have still to read and getting them. If you want to leave behind your own world and submerge into the gritty no holds barred world of criminals then look no further, 4/5.

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The Dirty Dozen by Lynda La Plante

Carrying on the #TeamTennison tour, we have my review for book five of the series "The Dirty Dozen" enjoy.

The Dirty Dozen by Lynda La Plante
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out as able over a week

Pages - 490

Publisher - Zaffre

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

April 1980 and Jane is the first female detective to be posted to the Met’s renowned Flying Squad, commonly known as the ‘Sweeney’. Based at Rigg Approach in East London, they investigate armed robberies on banks, cash in transit and other business premises.

Jane thinks her transfer is on merit and is surprised to discover she is actually part of a short-term internal experiment, intended to have a calming influence on a team that likes to dub themselves as the ‘Dirty Dozen’.

The men on the squad don’t think a woman is up to the dangers they face when dealing with some of London’s most ruthless armed criminals, who think the only ‘good cop’ is a dead cop. Determined to prove she’s as good as the men, Jane discovers from a reliable witness that a gang is going to carry out a massive robbery involving millions of pounds.

But she doesn’t know who they are, or where and when they will strike...


My Review

Book five in the Tennison series, Jane is doing well and now made it onto the Mets Flying Squad, the first female to do so. It is the 1980s so be ready for sexist, racist, chauvinistic, offensive language from the police and the bad guys. A gang are committing robberies, scoring big and the team are investigating. Jane is quite confident in her abilities and why she got onto the team, through her hard work, merit and record. She finds herself met with hostility both with some of her new team mates and the only other female in the office (not an officer).

The thing I like about Jane is she is almost always counted out and she brings it although admittedly she does have a few lapses in judgement at times. The other thing I really like is when they palm her off with nonsense or what they think is insubstantial she treats every job with the same level of efficiency - usually to her advantage.

As well as the investigation we get a bit as usual from Jane's private life, her family this time, a bit of office shenanigans, a rough estate and some shady characters/behaviours. Threats, violence, murder and all the things we have come to know/love and expect in the Tennison series, page turner, shocking turns of events and enough variety to keep it fresh even though we are five books into the series, here is to number six, 4.5/5.

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Born In A Burial Gown by M W Craven

Born in a Burial Gown by M.W. Craven
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 304

Publisher - Constable

Source - Bought


Detective Inspector Avison Fluke is a man on the edge. He has committed a crime to get back to work, concealed a debilitating illness and is about to be made homeless. Just as he thinks things can’t get any worse, the body of a young woman is found buried on a wet, Cumbrian building site.

Shot once in the back of the head, execution style, it is a cold, calculated murder. When the post-mortem reveals she has gone to significant expense in disguising her appearance, and the only clue to her identity is a strange series of numbers, Fluke knows this is no ordinary murder.

With the help of a psychotic ex-Para, a gangland leader and a woman more interested in maggots than people, Fluke must find out who she was and why she was murdered before he can even think about finding her killer. As the body count rises and his investigation takes him from poverty stricken estates to picture perfect Lake District villages, he realises his troubles are only just beginning.

Because someone, somewhere has a plan and if Fluke can’t figure out what’s happening, he may just be next.



My Review

So I came to Craven's books with the Tilly and Poe series and I LOVE them so I was a bit cautious approaching this because I can be a pie like that. You know what I mean like you enjoy something so much so when you try something different by the same author you can be biased against it. Anyways, Fluke is a cop (detective inspector) and manages a team of misfits, we don't see too much of them in this book but his partner Towler is ex army or marine, I like him. He is nuts, an absolute machine of a man, fantastic at what he does and has some mouth on him, if swearing upsets you this isn't the book for you. There was one line "Listen, you little tit," I was howling, the character isn't Scottish but I heard it in a Scottish accent and haven't heard someone insult someone calling them a wee tit in years! The character is brilliantly brutal and he isn't even the main dude. Anyway, back to Fluke, we know quickly there is something wrong with him but he is back at work, pushing on and folk don't know, nor do we what is wrong with him. As the book progresses I was so impressed by the realism of a lot of the medical stuff and actually the author has been through the mill, medically, himself and the authenticity of that really shows in those parts of the book.

The opening chapter is brutal/graphic and quite dark, the male prostitute who witnesses a body dump and there begins our story. The body is passed to Fluke's team because the higher ups don't think it is going to be anything more than maybe a domestic however it turns out to be an execution (no spoilers its on the back cover) and things really kick off. I also liked the in depth chat on how they work out information with bugs/flies/maggots etc information from a dead body and how that helps with the investigation.

The book bounces between the investigation and Fluke trying to do his job whilst battling a condition he is keeping from his colleagues. It is a pretty dark, twisted thriller and book one of two (I checked Fantastic Fiction) and will be getting the second one. I hope we get to know more of the team but Fluke and Towler make for good reading, 4/5.

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A Tiding of Magpies by Steve Burrows

A Tiding of Magpies by Steve Burrows
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Point Blank

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

When his most celebrated case is suddenly reopened, Detective Chief Inspector Jejeune‘s long-buried secrets threaten to come to light. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Lindy, faces an unseen threat of her own, one from which even Jejeune may not be able to protect her. Between fending off inquiries from the internal review and an open murder case that brings more questions than answers, Jejeune will have to rely on the help of the stalwart Sergeant Danny Maik more than ever. But Maik is learning things that cause him to question his DCI‘s actions, both past and present. In the current case, and in the former one, the facts seem clear enough. But it is in the silences, those empty spaces between the facts, that the truth is to be found.



My Review

Ooft Jejeune is under investigation from internal affairs, well his most high profile and celebrated case. Jejeune's girlfriend Lindy is under threat (and not aware) and Jejeune tries to protect her from an evil adversary who will stop at nothing. As well as all this we have a new case/death to be investigated, this is book five of a series, I would recommend reading them before this.

So I really like these books, they are different, murder mystery but also has birds mentioned, Jejeune is an avid bird watcher/lover and I do like learning about species and googling books that come up. There is talk of murdering birds in this one, like on a mass level, rewarded by the government (basically a threat to one species purity by another). I looked this up because I am nosey and it was an actual thing :(

I didn't find myself engaging as much with this one, the things you come to like about Jejeune isn't quite there in this one, to the point his colleagues notice his change too. Preoccupation with the threat to Lindy, his big case and a secret he has been keeping.

It is still an interesting story for sure but not my favourite of the series, I have another to read after this so hoping it gets back to what it was in the previous four books, 3/5 for me this time.

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The Love Killers by Jackie Collins

The Love Killers by Jackie Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days on and off

Pages - 294

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

POWERFUL MEN, BEAUTIFUL WOMEN AND EXQUISITE REVENGE... Beth, Lara and Rio -- three exotic women with a common cause and vengeance in their hearts.

They're out to avenge a murder and they'll go to any lengths. Their targets: the heirs of the Bassalino crime family. Their weapon: sex. The result: a bloodbath of sexual mayhem through the lethal corridors of organized crime.

Three beautiful women set out to prove that when it comes to revenge, the female is far deadlier than the male -- especially when they're "THE LOVE KILLERS. . .



My Review

A powerful woman, Margaret, activist, saving women from a life of abuse/exploitation, helping them to find their own voice is killed, an organised hit by mafia style criminals. Margaret was very loved and despite her killer being almost untouchable those who love her will not let it go unpunished.

Beth, Rio and Lara take matters into their own hands and take their own revenge, using their womanly ways they get close to the boss man and go after the main man by targeting the things he loves most.

I read Collins growing up so sex, violence, murder, abuse, manipulation are themes you often find so not for the easily offended. I loved the idea of these very different women going after very powerful men, can't say I loved the way they did it, each woman going after their target very differently. Some of the scenes are uncomfortable to read and you are dealing with some of the absolute dregs of humanity. It makes for a quick, shocking and dark at times read, 3/5 for me this time!

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The Housewife by Alex Kane

The Housewife by Alex Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 278

Publisher - Hera Books

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Even perfect mothers have secrets…

Leah. She’s the perfect mum to ten-year-old Samuel, wife to loving husband Thomas, head of the PTA. But her closet is full of skeletons - and if the truth gets out, her world could be destroyed.

Annie. She’s the gangster’s moll with a brain. She might be a woman, but she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty to play the men at their own game. But what no one knows is the devastating secret haunting her.

Terry. He’s the king of Glasgow gangland, working his way up from estate to mansion. From drugs to guns, there’s nothing he won’t stop at to grow his dirty money. He might be a hard man, but his weakness is women.

As their three stories collide, the lives of each will never be the same. Because even perfect women hide dark secrets… Don’t they?


My Review

We open with someone being buried alive and trying to crawl out but the dirt keeps coming! Ooft nice shock opener. Meet Terry, gangster boss who keeps a tight leash on what is it, respect is earned and disrespected dealt with, harshly. We have two leading ladies in the book and flip between both, Annie seemingly comes from nowhere into Terry's life and fits in perfectly. Leah is miles away from the estate life and living with her hubby and 10 year old son Samuel. She has the PTA, drinks with the girls and a pretty tidy/nice life. As with all these types of books, everyone has secrets and things they need to hide but some are worse than others and some you just cannot outrun!

A lot of the scenes take place in the murkier parts so we see neglect, manipulation, drugs, coercion, shady and bad characters oh and murder of course! The book setting is Mainshill Estate in Glasgow, Mainshill Estate is fictional but absolutely drawn from real estates and if you are familiar with Glasgow then there are places you will absolutely recognise, see inspired Mainshill.

We see a glimpse of some of the darker side of humanity, the chapters are quite short and Kane creates a small world of dodgies, crime/gangsters and those who hang off their coat tails wanting a piece of the pie, ruled by them and the world they live in. 4/5 for me this time, perfect escapism with some shade, violence and stepping into a world of hardened criminals and some right dodgy biscuits :D

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The Defence by Steve Cavanagh

The Defence by Steve Cavanagh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 3 days

Pages - 320

Publisher - Orion

Source - Gfift

Blurb from Goodreads

The truth has no place in a courtroom. The truth doesn't matter in a trial.

The only thing that matters is what the prosecution can prove.

Eddie Flynn used to be a con artist. Then he became a lawyer. Turned out the two weren't that different.

It's been over a year since Eddie vowed never to set foot in a courtroom again. But now he doesn't have a choice. Olek Volchek, the infamous head of the Russian mafia in New York, has strapped a bomb to Eddie's back and kidnapped his ten-year-old daughter Amy.

Eddie only has 48 hours to defend Volchek in an impossible murder trial - and win - if wants to save his daughter.

Under the scrutiny of the media and the FBI, Eddie must use his razor-sharp wit and every con-artist trick in the book to defend his 'client' and ensure Amy's safety. With the timer on his back ticking away, can Eddie convince the jury of the impossible?

Lose this case and he loses everything.



My Review

If you have followed my reviews or bookish accounts (always_reading on insta, smbslt on TT/Twitter) then it is no surprise I LOVE Eddie Flynn. What may surprise is I came to the series late so still had the first three to read. This is book one in the Flynn series, Eddie is a lawyer but he also has a history of being a gifted conman, slight of hand, pickpocket etc. This makes Eddie unique in that he still has some contacts from his old life but he is also a good guy, he has morals too. He is forced to defend a bad guy with a huge empire and string of bad guys behind him and has no problem letting Eddie know just how high the steaks are, you lose my case you lose someone precious to you!

Ooft drama galore, we see Eddie work his magic/charm in the courtroom but also try to keep a step ahead of the bad guys who are watching his every move. Eddie is super cool under pressure and the curve balls just keep coming at him.

It is so nice learning a bit more about who Eddie is and where he got to the place he is today. If you have never read Cavanagh books before this is a perfect place to start, Eddie origins. If you have you can still read this as a standalone. Action, shocks, murder, skulduggery and some brilliant choices/play by Eddie when he is under so much stress and has so so much to lose. 5/5 for me, I have the next two in the series and can't wait to sink into them, just need to find which of my hunners of books shelves I have put them on!

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The Last Girl to Die by Helen Fields

The Last Girl To Die by Helen Sarah Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon Books

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

The island watched and wept…

In search of a new life, sixteen-year-old Adriana Clark’s family moves to the ancient, ocean-battered Isle of Mull, far off the coast of Scotland. Then she goes missing. Faced with hostile locals and indifferent police, her desperate parents turn to private investigator Sadie Levesque.

Sadie is the best at what she does. But when she finds Adriana’s body in a cliffside cave, a seaweed crown carefully arranged on her head, she knows she’s dealing with something she’s never encountered before.

The deeper she digs into the island’s secrets, the closer danger creeps – and the more urgent her quest to find the killer grows. Because what if Adriana is not the last girl to die?



My Review

This is a standalone. A young girl has gone missing, the police don't seem overly convinced, the family are at their wits end so hire a private detective, Sadie. The police don't like her interfering and worse when she finds Adriana, dead and mutilated. There is a killer on the loose, Sadie and the police are at logger heads, the locals are shaken, some helpful, some not so much and as with all small towns, lots and lots of secrets.

Oh guys Sadie is feisty! She will not take any nonsense from the local police, nor will she be threatened nor bullied out of town. Her promise is to her clients, the poor girls family and she won't stop digging until they get the answers.

Some of the scenes are absolutely brutal and what is done to Adriana, graphic descriptions as Sadie is a PI and going through her findings and us with her as the reader so be warned. There is a lot of anger, hostility, threats and brutality, Fields doesn't shy away from creating scenarios and characters that are reflective of the uglier sides of humanity.

It has a good pace, horrific murder and then trying to pull through secrets, lies and sure is there not always folk hiding stuff for one reason or another. Sometimes Sadie annoyed me I was like don't do that, don't say that, ahhhh why are you touching that! But she was also fierce and despite being scared in X situations she never backed off from trying to get answers and keeping her word. 4/5 for me this time, I do like Fields books and whilst this one had a few graphic shocks (I have a shell we got on the beach I can now never look at the same way) along the way it is gripping and well for me anyway, kept me guessing.

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The Mother by Alex Kane

The Mother by Alex Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages -

Publisher - Hera Books

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

Being head of a family is what she knows best
A decade ago, Cara Fraser, wife to one of Glasgow’s most notorious gangsters, was left a widow after Kyle Fraser was slain on the city streets.

The intervening years haven’t been easy – not least as Kyle’s murder left her to bring up little Ryan and Sean alone.

Now, Ryan and Sean are adults, and honouring their father’s memory by rising up to become the top gangsters on the dark streets of Glasgow.

Cara’s kept her head down, but has spent the last few years vowing to take vengeance on the crime family who killed her beloved husband and left her children without a father.

Glasgow gangland is about to discover that a mother will do anything for her family… even murder.



My Review

The blurb focuses a lot on Cara Fraser and her sons, Ryan and Sean and whilst the latter part of the book they do come more to the front it is the Bryson's who feature as the main runners at the start. Angie Bryson & her husband Dale have their fingers in a lot of pies and Cara's husband Kyle and brother Ian work for the Brysons, distributing drugs primarily. Angie and Cara don't get on and Kyle and Ian have put their plans in motion to become the top dogs. The timeline splits between then and now when the Frasers have decided, again the time is right, the time is now.

There is a lot of rivalry, competitiveness as often there is in gangland type books, fights for power, actions and consequences, shady underhanded behaviour and of course some people will go to any levels for what they feel is due them. Revenge, pride, business, drugs, rivalry, family, murder and is it even a gangster stle book if we don't have betrayal.

There are quite a few relationship dynamics, some you are shaking your head at antics/choices and behaviours but in this lifestyle it is a different world. One characters behavior though I was almost screaming NOOOOOOOO what are you doing?!?!?!

I have read a few of Kane's books and have another couple on my tbrm, when you pick up the books you can get lost in a different world or chaos and danger just waiting for some consequence to their actions. Bad behaviour, shady choices and the old secrets can never remain in the past dun dun dun, 4/5 for me, a wee bit of build up setting the scene and then you are plunged right in! This is a standalone, if you like gangster/ganglands then this is for you - oh and it is set in Glasgow.

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Deadly Cry by Angela Marsons

Deadly Cry by Angela Marsons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 373

Publisher - Bookouture

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

You have to stop me from hurting anyone else. I don’t want to do these horrible things. Help me before I’m forced to do it again. And I will do it again because I have no choice. I’ve never had a choice.

In a busy shopping centre, a little girl clutches a teddy bear, clinging to it in the absence of her mother, Katrina. Hours later, Katrina’s body is discovered in an abandoned building. For Detective Kim Stone, it looks like a quick, functional murder. But Kim’s instincts tell her there’s more to this senseless murder than meets the eye. What was the motive for killing a young mother out shopping with her child?

Days later, a second victim is found in a local park, her neck broken just like Katrina’s and her six-year-old son missing.

But with her colleague, Detective Stacey Wood, working on another unsolved crime and a member of the team grieving the loss of a close relative, Kim is struggling to make inroads on what is fast becoming a complex case. And when a handwritten letter from the killer lands on Kim’s desk addressed to her, and pleading for help, she knows time is running out to bring the little boy home alive.


My Review

A little girl left abandoned in a shop, hours later her mother is found dead, no signs of torture or sexual components so why would someone kill her? Soon another victim is found and Stone knows this is someone who won't stop until they stop them. Fling in a rape case Stacey is looking into and things start to get hairy, when a case is closed noone appreciates an officer digging into them.

If you have read the previous books you know your characters, Stone is one of my faves, she isn't loveable, she is rough around the edges, standoffish but she is fantastic, loyal and her relationship with her dog/team, I just love it.

The book is a good pace, as with all the predecessors, there are a fair things going in, the murders, the rape cases. Also one of the team trying to get through grief and look out for his brother who is struggling with the recent bereavement. A bit of everything and Marson's has yet to let us down, fresh, emotive and characters you can empathize with or at least invest in. 4/5 for me this time, got the next one waiting to be read!

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