Death Comes To Marlow by Robert Thorogood

Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 366

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne.

But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study.

The study was locked from the inside, so the police don’t consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she's concerned, Peter was murdered! And it’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again…



My Review

So this is book two, if you haven't read the first you absolutely should because Judith is absolutely hilarious! Judith (and co) solved a murder in the last book and the village was all ooooh but things have now settled. Judith is in her 80s, sharp as a tack and often in the mix of everything. She gets a call from Sir Peter, invited to the pre wedding drinks but something he says on the phone perks Judith's interest, she heads there with Suzie and Becks. Not too long into it they hear a loud noise and Sir Peter is dead, seemingly an accident within a locked room. Not much gets passed Judith and she is sure there is more to it than meets the eye, it is time to dig and investigate!

Honestly Judith is the type of character I don't think I could ever tire of reading, she is wild and gets into some situations. Becks is married to the victor and has a secret and Suzie has a new radio show and dog sits so they all have stuff going on as well as helping Judith investigate and dig into what happened. Oh on a separate note Judith does crosswords (the clues, I could never, my brain just won't) but she ends up on a side quest related to the crosswords she does and trying to find out someone's identity!

It is a busy book, skulduggery, murder, families, love, lies and some humour, it is a fab series and I need to get book three for sure. If you fancy some quirky characters with a dash of murder and exposing secrets, dudes this one is absolutely for you, 4/5.

View all my reviews

The Shark by Emma Styles

The Shark by Emma Styles
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 311

Publisher - Sphere

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

At the height of Australian summer, a serial killer dubbed The Shark stalks a beachside suburb, targeting young female swimmers whose bodies are later found on the shoreline.

Disempowered and angry at the failures of the police to protect them, two young women are hell-bent on revenge. Raych has lost someone and will go to any length to discover what happened to her, while Carmen suspects her own disturbing connection to the killer.

Together they form an uneasy alliance and, in a moment that changes the trajectory of their lives, Carmen and Raych abduct and imprison the prime suspect. Do they think they can save the day, or are there intentions darker? Can they trust one another's agenda? And when another young woman goes missing, what stops them from going to the police?

A dark and voice-led serial killer thriller that subverts the tropes of crime fiction at every turn, The Shark is an unforgettably propulsive novel about victimhood, power and autonomy from Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize-winner Emma Styles.


My Review

I loved the idea of this one, anything with sharks for me is a win let alone flinging a serial killer into the mix. The book chapters, so the first and opening is a male kidnapped by two females and then the chapters are split and alternate between Raych and Carmen. Raych talks about how it starts with her and Carmen and how they "met" not counting the three days they spent together in a mental health facility. They have both been stalking the same guy, the killer, Raych lost someone she loved, her bestie and the police have let them down, all of the victims. Carmen has her own reasons for wanting him and together they both fall together and end up unlikely allies.

So the book really took me a bit to settle to, both the girls have their own issues, mental health, home life but they have the same goal. Finding the person responsible for the deaths of local girls who are star swimmers, the girls have the same goal.

It is chaotic, choppy, disorganised and I think it adds weight to how troubled both girls are for different reasons but it did make things a struggle for me. There is a lot of ground covered in the book, we flip flop about to what they girls experienced, their time together in a mental health care facility, their issues. For Raych her sexuality and her encounter with her bestie right before she disappeared so there is a lot of emotion and unresolved questions let alone what actually happened to her. Is the killer stashing her somewhere. The plan is simple, kidnap the bad guy and do what is needed to get the answers they seek whilst avoiding the cops and if able, find and save Raych's best friend Piper.

The first three quarters was a bit of a rough ride for me. I did want to know more about the girls, why is Carmen's sister such a horror. What did happen to Piper, will Raych find her friend, will the killer admit to everything? I also was expecting there to be more sharks but I always want more when it comes to sharks lol. It was just a bit all over the place for me until the last quarter and then I really felt it came into itself, evened out and got a grip on what was happening. This was my first time reading this author, I would read her again but hoping the narrators are a wee bit more reliable, 3/5 for me.

View all my reviews

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 5 days

Pages - 402

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Number One bestselling author Jodi Picoult returns with her compulsive new novel - about the lengths we go to for those who have left us behind; about the staying power of love; and about how three broken souls might have just the right pieces to mend each other.
Jenna Metcalf was with her mother the night she disappeared in tragic and mysterious circumstances, but she remembers nothing.

Over ten years have passed, and still Jenna reads and rereads her mother's journals, hoping to find some clue hidden there, in the meticulous recording of her scientific research with elephants.

Desperate for answers, Jenna uses all her savings to recruit the aid of a private detective - and a psychic.

Jenna knows her mother loved her. She knows she would not leave her. And she will not rest until she finds out what happened that night. In her most gripping mystery since House Rules, Jodi Picoult brings us a powerful story of a young girl's determination to uncover the truth, however shocking and life-changing it might be.


My Review

Another Jodi Picoult with an animal theme/focus, remember like with the wolves? But this time it is elephants and I know not everyone likes that but I do. So the book goes between present day, Jenna wants help to finally find out what happened to her mum Alice. Alice disappeared when Jenna was just a baby, now a teen she hires a psychic, Serenity and an ex cop now PI. Serenity was once famous before scandal reduced her to being the one thing she hated "a swamp with" charging to read peoples fortune by cold reading. The unlikely trio work together to try and find out what happened to Alice all those years ago.

The book flips between characters and when we hear from Alice, Jenna's mum that is where we meet the elephants. She studied them in the wild before meeting Jenna's dad and joining him at his elephant sanctuary.

I love anything with ghosts so the whole psychic thing I was absolutely YES and as the book goes on we find out what happened and why she is so disgraced. Same with the Cop turned PI. The elephants, oh the elephants. There is talk of death/harm and the things these beautiful beings go through and their behaviours, health and care. This won't be for everyone but I love learning about stuff and I love animals so it was a win win for me. At the end of the book she also adds links to check out, you can help out and learn more. There is even a live camera from a sanctuary, three free webcams you can watch elephants, support these fantastic causes and learn about the harm/Ivory trade and what you can do to help.

A few themes that some may find triggering and I can't cover them all without spoilers which we don't do. Elephants well fare and harm, loss, murder, mental health, love, lies, secrets, ghosts/medium, 4/5 for me. I do enjoy Picoults books so this is no surprise that I enjoyed this one but I think it could be a marmite for some.

View all my reviews

Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose

Buried Too Deep by Karen Rose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over a week

Pages - 517

Publisher - Headline

Source - Netgalley and bought copy

Blurb from Goodreads

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karen Rose comes another explosive novel in the New Orleans series, where some secrets are worth dying for—or killing to keep.

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

Employed as the nighttime security guard of Broussard Private Investigations, Phineas Bishop has been working through overwhelming PTSD episodes from his Army service while still utilizing his military skills. But when a violent break-in occurs at the office, the accusatory eyes of the NOPD glance to Phin, and he resolves to track down the intruder and clear his name.

Phin’s only lead and witness is Cora Winslow, a spirited librarian who also needs answers. Her father’s body has been discovered under a recently demolished building, murdered twenty-three years ago. So, who has been sending her the handwritten letters—written and signed by him—every year since she was five? Someone wants to keep Cora in the dark. And now, they’re coming for her.

As Cora’s bodyguard, Phin is surprised by his fondness for the woman’s fierce determination and research prowess. But New Orleans’s Garden District holds secrets as old as the streets themselves. With help from the entire Broussard P.I. team, Phin and Cora enter a labyrinth of fraud and homicide that threatens to bury them all.


My Review

The book opens with a shooting/execution then flips forward to present day Phineas Bishop is recovering/dealing with PTSD - working security at Broussard Private Investigations. When Cora J Winslow comes into the office needing help, her father has been found dead, died over 20 years ago however Cora has been getting letters from him all this time. The police aren't interested and soon Cora is being hunted and targeted but she doesn't know why. Phineas becomes her bodyguard, the squad take on her case and starts digging, what could be driving someone to hunt Cora and what is it she has that they want?

As with Rose books we always have a bit of spice, this one only has a little less than I remember from the others but still if you haven't read her before this is your heads up, there is some spice! We split between Cora and co and the bad guy so as the reader we are clued in a bit to what is going down.

This is book 3 of the New Orleans series, I don't know if I have read the previous ones and if I have it has been a while so you can absolutely read it as a standalone. There are themes and scenes with behaviours relating to PTSD and the long lasting/reaching affects it has, not only on the individual but their loved ones and daily life.

I do enjoy Rose books and I like how we have characters that have been in other series or maybe I am just thinking of the previous book(s), I need to check my blog/Goodreads, 4/5.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

The Institution by Helen Fields

The Institution by Helen Sarah Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 422

Publisher - Avon

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

To beat them, she’ll have to join them…

On a locked ward in the world’s highest-security prison hospital for the criminally insane, a nurse has been murdered and her newborn baby kidnapped. A ransom must be paid, and the clock is ticking.

Forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine is renowned for her ability to get inside the mind of a murderer. Now she must go deep undercover among the most deranged and dangerous men on earth, and use her unique skills to find the baby – before it’s too late.

She has five days to catch the killer.

But with the walls of The Institution closing in on her, will her sanity last that long?


My Review

A few things, I didn't realise this was book two, I have book one up the stairs so you can read it as a standalone but may understand Connie a wee bit better if you have read book one first. Heading into the Institution under false pretences (to most of the staff and patients) to try and save a missing kid. Say what? What would a kid be doing in a secluded unit with some of the most dangerous killers/damaged mental health? Well her mum has been killed as she was literally ripped from her, now Connie the profiler is going in as the main carer for Patient B. By trying to profile the staff and patients she will try and locate the baby before it is too late.

Some of the most shocking/evil/deadly murderers and to be fair some of the staff aren't the nicest folk either and Connie doesn't know who she can trust. To the inmates and even some of the staff, the nurse has gone off on mat leave and Connie has to try and get through the barriers/games/delusions and complexities of each patient and analyze the staff too, tick tock.

So when I read the blurb I hadn't realised what they meant with missing child, the abduction of the kid is brutal (pregnant/forced removal) so heads up it is graphic. The bad guys have quite a bit of shady history hence them being in the Institution. A very dark book with some dark characters and Connie herself has been through it and has a history with mental health. We hear a bit of it and not sure if more is disclosed in book one which may account for some of her actions and behaviours. I was quite frustrated at times with some of her choices and even "NOOOO WHAT ARE YOU DOING" out loud. The book has a tense, doomy feeling throughout and you don't know what is around the corner or what is coming next, who you can trust. Really well written despite me being a wee bit frustrated at times with some choices but again maybe knowing Connie a bit more would likely explain it. Plus being trapped in a place cut off from everyone else (bad weather and remote) and add into that you are surrounded by some of the most scary and violent individuals plus a killer/kidnapper is or has been around. Ooft it is a mixed bag, 4/5.

View all my reviews

Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh

Pre order available now, on Amazon UK, out to buy August 1st.

Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 421

Publisher - Headline

Source - ARC

Blurb from Goodreads

Ruby Johnson is a nanny and maid to wealthy families in Manhattan's West 74th Street.
She knows their routines. Their secrets.
One night, on her way home, Ruby witnesses a neighbour's murder.

She knows the victim. She knows the killer.
She makes an anonymous call to the police and names the murderer.
But Ruby didn't tell the truth...
Because there's something wrong with Ruby Johnson.

Eddie Flynn, conman turned trial lawyer, must defend an innocent man accused of this terrible crime.
As Ruby's deadly game begins, one thing is certain.
It won't be the last murder this witness is involved in...


My Review

It is no secret I LOVE Eddie Flynn, if you are new to him do yourself a favour and go and read the previous books then this one. You absolutely can read this as a standalone but it is book 8 of an absolutely fantastic series so read the others if you haven't yet! Right, Eddie is a lawyer, previous conman (but not a bad guy like he never done anything to good people) now a lawyer who only represents innocent people. Having previously had a foot in the "underworld" he has an advantage over other lawyers and whilst they are often slimy/shady and some more crooked than the folks they represent - Eddie is a good guy with unconventional contacts at his disposal.

So Eddie is representing a guy accused of murdering someone in his neighbourhood, his posh affulent neighbourhood. Crème de la crème, he is a skilled rich surgeon and the victim is a rich wife who is known to have had many a dalliance with other married men. Someone witnessed the murder, they called it in anonymously and they have their own agenda, enter Ruby. Ruby is a nanny/maid to the rich and who knows all of their business and often secrets, how they operate because Ruby used to be one of them. Now instead of being a wealthy neighbour she works in the house she used to live in and the neighbouring houses. Ruby has fingered the wrong guy intentionally , Ruby has motives and reasons that only she knows. Ruby will have what she wants, she is master of a deadly game that noone but her knows they are playing.

Oooft talk about shady characters! The chapters jump between Ruby (the nanny) and Eddie and co as they try to work out a defense but when the prosecution have their killer and a seemingly bullet proof case Eddie and co sure have their work cut out. And in true Eddie fashion (trouble seems to follow him) they unknowingly shake up a hornets nest and soon they don't just have to look out for their clients!

Action packed but if you know the series this isn't a surprise, investigation and weeding through the facts and evidence of the case. Trying to prove the seemingly unprovable, odds stacked against them but Eddie's team are some of the best, sometimes not the most stable folks, some from the underworld and they work well together, often uphill battles.

Jaw dropping, frustrating characters, shocking behaviours, emotive, skulduggery characters, murder, bad guys and some very unstable people. Jumping between Eddie and Co and Ruby, the chapters flow seamlessly, when we were on Eddie I didn't want to leave, when we were on Ruby I didn't want to leave. Had work/life not gotten in the way I would have read this in one sitting. Gripping, keeping you on the edge of your seat, desperate to fly through it and see where it is going but not wanting it to end because it is just too fricken good!

I eagerly await the next Flynn book(s) with baited breath, I would LOVE to see him on screen (although someone asked me who I pictured when reading him and I am one of those who don't visual my characters as I go), I would need to think. I think what makes them such gripping reads/beloved is they aren't white as snow characters, they have flaws but they work together for the greater good. Eddie has often stood for the underdog and many a times we meet a pompous or read nasty character, often in the courtroom and Eddie brings them down a peg or two, I LOVE THAT. He is just a good dude, I could talk about him/this series all day, no surprises 5/5 for me this time. When you think you know where it is going - you just don't, for being on book 8 I do worry sometimes picking them up, will it have lost its magic? Absolutely not, fresh, page turning, fabulous and some scenes make you feel a bit Annie Wilkes lmao, if you know you know. I cannot recommend this book (and series) enough. Out to buy 1st of August but you can pre order now, moan Eddie, get them!

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

Murder Mile by Lynda La Plante Team Tennison Tour

Today we are reviewing Murder Mile by Lynda La Plante for the Tennison Tour.

Murder Mile by Lynda La Plante
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 419

Publisher - Zaffre

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Prime Suspect meets Ashes to Ashes as we see Jane Tennison starting out on her police career . . .

The fourth in the Sunday Times bestselling Jane Tennison thrillers, MURDER MILE is set at the height of the 'Winter of Discontent'. Can Jane Tennison uncover a serial killer?

February, 1979, 'The Winter of Discontent'. Economic chaos has led to widespread strikes across Britain.

Jane Tennison, now a Detective Sergeant, has been posted to Peckham CID, one of London's toughest areas. As the rubbish on the streets begins to pile up, so does the murder count: two bodies in as many days.

There are no suspects and the manner of death is different in each case. The only link between the two victims is the location of the bodies, found within a short distance of each other near Rye Lane in Peckham. Three days later another murder occurs in the same area. Press headlines scream that a serial killer is loose on 'Murder Mile' and that police incompetence is hampering the investigation.

Jane is under immense pressure to catch the killer before they strike again. Working long hours with little sleep, what she uncovers leaves her doubting her own mind.


My Review

This is book four in the Tennison series, you can get away with reading this as a standalone but you would be missing great books so I would read the others first. Jane is working her way up the ranks, slowly albeit faster than any female really in the 1970s! Keep in mind the attitudes of males especially in places like the police force and despite Jane being a higher rank she faces misogyny, derogatory and discriminatory behaviours/attitudes from some of her colleagues. Jane is a detective now and this book is investigating a dead body found amongst the gathering rubbish in the streets - there is a strike ongoing. Not long after another body is found and the pressure on Jane and the team is mounting, many eyes are watching and trying to manipulate from all corners!

By book four we are well versed with some of the shocking attitudes of Jane's colleagues, sexism is alive and well and she ends up on the biting end often. We see Jane contemplating her personal life issues as well as huge pressure/stress at work. I like the balance between personal Jane and work Jane because she has to be different with the way work is. I love the authentic feel you get for the time period, from what they wear, the music, even the "mundane" everyday things. If you are of a certain age you appreciate these things and how much it strengthens the world/timeline created.

We also get throwbacks/mentions/nods to things that had happened in previous books and I love how Tennison gets overlooked or put down and she shines through and shows her metal and intelligence over and over. I don't mean I like how bad she is treated because it rips my knittin but that the way they put her in a box or mistreat/belittle her and it just pushes her through.

I have the next couple of books lined up and can't wait to see what is next for our team especially in light of what happened in this one. Pacey, shocking and more than a few oh no they didn't moments, 4/5 from me for this one!

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over a week

Pages - 413

Publisher - Viking

Source - Bought


Blurb from Goodreads

One Thursday afternoon in the seniors' center, a decade-old cold case --their favorite kind-- leads the Thursday Murder Club to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers. A new foe they call "Viking", wants Elizabeth to kill former KGB chief Viktor, or he will kill her sweet best friend Joyce. Activist marked for death Ron and psychiatrist Ibrahim chase clues for Viking's identity, and investigate mob-queen prisoner from last book.

This third adventure ranges from a prison cell with espresso machine to a luxury penthouse with swimming pool high in the sky.


My Review

Book three in the Thursday murder club series, if you haven't read the other two you can read this as a standalone. The gang have a new mystery to investigate, the disappearance and suspected murder of a news reporter who stumbled upon something big. They interview her colleagues, get themselves into all manners of mischief and like a dog with a bone refuse to drop anything until they get their answers. As well as that we have one of the group being threatened, blackmail and set up to commit a muuuuuuurduuuuuur.

We have the usual antics, humour, nonsense and digging to get their answers, we also see a more serious side as one of the partners of our group has dementia and we see a bit more to that side. We always get embroiled in the case they are checking out but this book also gives us a bit more of the personal side of our much loved characters.

We see some bit characters that may or may not feature in future novels. I think Osman has created a perfect mix here, characters we care about, like, loathe, laugh at and or with and new fresh adventures to keep us intrigued and enjoying, 4/5.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

6 Ripley Avenue by Noelle Holten & giveaway

6 Ripley Avenue by Noelle Holten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 2 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - One More Chapter

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

ONE HOUSE
EIGHT KILLERS
NO WITNESSES

Jeanette is the manager of a probation hostel that houses high risk offenders released on license.

At 3am one morning, she receives a call telling her a resident has been murdered.

Her whole team, along with the eight convicted murderers, are now all suspects in a crime no one saw committed…

My Review

What a tag line, One House, 8 killers, no witnesses. I mean I am a Holten fan anyway so I was going to be reading this regardless but it is a great draw! Its a bit like a halfway house, these criminals are really dodgy bad guys, murderers, out with restrictions, they must be home between hours of X and Y. Substance testing, meetings etc, they are all dangerous and committed really bad crimes, therefore the community of course were up in arms about this house opening but it is established and going.....when a murder happens in the house *gasp* and everything really kicks off!

The book goes between characters points of view AND we hear from the killer without knowing who the actual killer is so I went a little Murder She Wrote and had tons of suspects, lmao I never get it right *sigh*

The unlikely friendship between the reporter Sloan and Helen, elderly lady who lives next door to the problem house, is sweet and I really felt for Helen. Helen was against the house from the beginning but finds sometimes keeping your enemies closer helps. Sloan is a character who has overcame some horrific personal battles, death of a loved one from murder, addiction only to come out the other side. Helen is lonely and connects with Sloan over their joint interest in no.6.

The book has some real unsavoury characters, skulduggery, insight into the killer I mean we hear directly from them without knowing who they are. The reader is drawn quickly into the story and kept intrigued and guessing as you go, looking forward to Holtens next, 4/5 from us!

View all my reviews


AND we are doing a wee giveaway so if you are in the UK and read ebooks you have the chance to enter and win a copy of 6 Ripley Avenue. It is UK only because Amazon doesn't allow me to gift outside my own country and the book is sent from Amazon to your kindle. Competition runs to the end of the month, entries are checked so please only complete those you have done.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The No,1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 233

Publisher - Abacus

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Warm, humorous and uplifting, Alexander McCall Smith's hugely popular novels featuring Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of Botswana's only female private detective agency, have become international bestsellers, sold over seven million copies, and been translated into 26 languages. These acclaimed productions, complete with vibrant music, bring the exotic world of the books vividly to life.

The Daddy introduces us to Mma Ramotswe as she embarks on her first case and takes on a new secretary, the resourceful and talented Mma Makutsi. Together, they must find the truth about a Daddy who appears to have returned from the dead—as well as investigating a wayward teenage girl and attempting to find a vanished child. First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 10 September 2004.

The Bone sees the determined duo following Mr Patel's daughter to find out whether she has a boyfriend. They must also solve the darker and more frightening case of the finger bone found in a car—does it belong to a missing boy snatched by a witch doctor? First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 17 September 2004.

Starring Claire Benedict as Mma Ramotswe and Nadine Marshall as Mma Makutsi, these dramatisations are guaranteed to appeal to all fans of the engaging lady detective.



My Review

So I have read Smith before (the Bertie books) and assumed this one would be humourous too (it does say so), whilst there are snippets of "humour" there is a lot of dark issues within the book too. Domestic violence, spousal gaslighting, missing persons - it is a busy wee book.

The main character Mma Precious Ramotswe is a super strong individual, despite having some really hard situations to overcome she does, she is positive, has ideas galore and determined to make her business a success.

I love travelling to other places/cities/countries via books and in this one we hit Botswana Africa and I love descriptions of places/people and animals native to X place. Some of the things within the book may offend or upset some people, there are different cases explored and different topics. For being a thinish book it covers a lot, I believe this is a long series so will get book two when I come across it, 3/5 for me this time.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

Silent Parade by Keigo Higashino

Silent Parade by Keigo Higashino
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Abacus

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Detective Galileo, Keigo Higashino’s best loved character from The Devotion of Suspect X, returns in a complex and challenging mystery—several murders, decades apart, with no solid evidence.

A popular young girl disappears without a trace, her skeletal remains discovered three years later in the ashes of a burned out house. There’s a suspect and compelling circumstantial evidence of his guilt, but no concrete proof. When he isn’t indicted, he returns to mock the girl’s family. And this isn’t the first time he’s been suspected of the murder of a young girl, nearly twenty years ago he was tried and released due to lack of evidence. Chief Inspector Kusanagi of the Homicide Division of the Tokyo Police worked both cases.

The neighborhood in which the murdered girl lived is famous for an annual street festival, featuring a parade with entries from around Tokyo and Japan. During the parade, the suspected killer dies unexpectedly. His death is suspiciously convenient but the people with all the best motives have rock solid alibis. CI Kusanagi turns once again to his college friend, Physics professor and occasional police consultant Manabu Yukawa, known as Detective Galileo, to help solve the string of impossible to prove murders.



My Review

So this is book four in a series, I haven't read the others and started here, I think reading the earlier books may well have given me a bit more connection to the characters. Imagine your beloved daughter going missing and her remains found a few years later in a house fire. Everyone knows the killer and their guilty but they get off because of evidence issues. What is worse is it isn't the first time he has been connected to something like this and also went free then. If all of that isn't bad enough the arrogance of the killer to be around and taunt the family with his presence.

So the book splits a bit, we have the family of the victim, hard working, family orientated and very loved in their community. The police investigated, the guy visiting the family at their workplace and just being a very smart but lacking any kind of morality, hate him! A big festival happens locally and what do you know the bad guy dies under suspicious circumstances. The police are looking into it and with his connection to the local girls death the suspects are plentiful.

It is a busy book and I liked the professor helping out with the investigation, unofficially of course. There are a fair few players and despite us jumping around them it wasn't overly difficult to follow. I liked it I didn't love it, not sure if that would have changed had I read the earlier books. This was my first time reading this author, I would read them again, 3/5 for me this time.

View all my reviews

The Poison Machine by Robert J Lloyd Blog Tour

Today is my stop, closing the blog tour for "The Poison Machine" by Robert J Lloyd.

The book is available to buy now, treebook and ebook, click HERE for the link to Amazon.

About the Author: (from Amazon)

I grew up in the London suburbs, south of the river, and then in Sheffield.

At school I wanted to be an artist, thinking I was going to be the next great English painter. I did a BA degree in Fine Art, in Coventry, but moved more into art theory, ideas, and writing.

My MA thesis was on Robert Hooke and the ‘New Philosophy’, detailing his work as Curator of Experiments of the Royal Society, and as architect of the new London after the Fire. The ideas and characters I came across when researching him stayed with me; years of tinkering resulted in The Bloodless Boy and its sequel The Clockwork Assassins.

I'm represented by Gaia Banks at Sheil Land Associates literary agency. Many thanks are due to Gaia, who has championed both books with an astonishing energy and attention to detail.

I'm married, with three splendid children and a very lovely wife, and I live in the Brecon Beacons.

Follow me on Twitter as @robjlloyd.

On Facebook, I'm Robert J Lloyd.

I would love to hear from you if you've read all - or part - of the books. Reviews would be very welcome, too!

The Poison Machine by Robert J. Lloyd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 6 days

Pages - 464

Publisher - Melville House

Source - Arc

Blurb from Goodreads

Harry Hunt must go to Paris in search of a spy and imposter who has knowledge of a plot to kill the Queen of England in this thrilling and addictive sequel to The Bloodless Boy.

1679. A year has passed since the sensational attempt to murder King Charles II. London is still inflamed by fears of Catholic plots. Harry Hunt—estranged from his mentor Robert Hooke and no longer employed by the Royal Society—meets Sir Jonas Moore, the King’s Surveyor-General of the Board of Ordnance, in the remote and windswept marshes of Norfolk. There, workers draining the fenland have uncovered a skeleton.

Accompanied by his friend Colonel Fields, an old soldier for Parliament, and Hooke’s niece, Grace, Harry confirms Sir Jonas’s suspicion: the body is that of a dwarf, Captain Jeffrey Hudson, once famously given to Queen Henrietta Maria in a pie. During the Civil Wars, Hudson accompanied the Queen to France to sell the Royal Jewels to fund her husband’s army. He was sent home in disgrace after shooting a man in a duel.

But nobody knew Hudson was dead. Another man, working as a spy, has lived as him since his murder. Now, this impostor has disappeared, taking vital information with him. Sir Jonas orders Harry to find him.

With the help of clues left in a book, a flying man, and a crossdressing swordswoman, Harry’s search takes him to Paris, another city bedeviled by conspiracies and intrigues. He navigates its salons and libraries, and learns of a terrible plot against the current Queen of England, Catherine of Bragança, and her gathering of Catholics in London. Assassins plan to poison them all.



My Review

This is book two in a series, you can absolutely read this as a standalone however there is backstory and happenings from books one that I think would enrich reading this so go get that book first! We are back with Harry, after an embarrassing encounter he is now away from his mentor and beloved society on a private case. His friend (previous soldier) and the lovely Grace will be accompanying him on their investigation, a body has been discovered, identity in question and a possible imposter to check out. Harry has his hands full and that is before getting onto tracking down a disappearance, there are murderers around, skullduggery and a plot afoot to take down the queen.

So first thing I am going to say historical fiction was never a first pick for me and plots that involve any kind of royalty doesn't tend to be a first pick for me. I read and really enjoyed the first book so was happy to read book two and see what is in store for Harry and co.

Harry is a very human character, he gets embarrassed, he knee jerk reacts but he is basically a decent guy and dedicated to his task(s) but he really makes some questionable decisions.


I do like reading about meetings/mentions of actual historical figures/times and meeting characters with relatable issues. For example Harry, he is a smart bloke but because he gets embarrassed he ends up going off on a different direction/job choice because of the slight he received. Or how he interacts with women and remains completely oblivious of his words/lack of actions when around or in relation to the woman he has long held a torch for.

The book has different story paths and we go along with Harry on his as well as getting insight into the shady bad guys and their dastardly plans, murder/robbery and darker still. King, Queen and all manners of important people are throughout the book as well as a stint in one of the jails, ooft I really felt for the person at that point. The author really paints a vivid picture of the horrific conditions and depending on your imagination, quite boak worthy.

I like Harry although not all his choices and I did feel for him quite a few times throughout the book, Grace too. I love how strong a character she is as often women in those time periods can be very wallflowerish, family/home orientated, focused only on a husband and being seen and not heard type. That isn't Grace nor a few of the females we come across in this one to be honest, I am all for it. 4/5 for me this time and I hope Lloyd is planning of bringing more out. As I said historical isn't my first pick by any stretch of the imagination although I have found myself reading a wee bit more of them as I get older however none of them are quite like these!

View all my reviews

Crimsom Lake by Candice Fox

Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over months (was on my phone)

Pages - 348

Publisher - Forge

Source - bought (ebook Amazon)

Blurb from Goodreads

Crimson Lake, by Sydney-based, Ned Kelly Award-winning author Candice Fox, is a thrilling contemporary crime novel set in Queensland, Australia, perfect for readers of authors like James Patterson, Harlan Coben, Lisa Gardner, and Tana French.

How do you move on when the world won’t let you?

12:46: Claire Bingley stands alone at a bus stop
12:47: Ted Conkaffey parks his car beside her
12:52: The girl is missing . . .


Six minutes in the wrong place at the wrong time—that’s all it took to ruin Sydney detective Ted Conkaffey’s life. Accused but not convicted of a brutal abduction,Ted is now a free man—and public enemy number one. Maintaining his innocence, he flees north to keep a low profile amidst the steamy, croc-infested wetlands of Crimson Lake.

There, Ted’s lawyer introduces him to eccentric private investigator Amanda Pharrell, herself a convicted murderer. Not entirely convinced Amanda is a cold-blooded killer, Ted agrees to help with her investigation, a case full of deception and obsession, while secretly digging into her troubled past. The residents of Crimson Lake are watching the pair's every move... and the town offers no place to hide



My Review

So I accidentally read book two first whoops then we watched the series, Troppo, based on this book. Ted has moved to a small town to escape his horrific recent past. A cop, disgraced, accused of a heinous crime against a minor. The local cops are bullies and determined not to let Ted get comfortable in their small town. Enter Amanda, she is from said small town but very much an outcast for a crime against one of their own she also misses or ignores some social queues. Ted and Amanda end up an unlikely duo as Ted helps, reluctantly, Amanda with her private detective business. Investigating a missing person but small towns don't like people poking their noses into stuff and certainly not two ex cons like Ted and Amanda.

Oooft the book is quite brutal in parts, we flip back to Ted's past and how he got to where he is whilst he struggles with his new reality in a new town/place unable to escape his past. We also meet Amanda, my goodness Amanda is absolutely chaos! The book is quite different in points and it was good to fill in some gaps between the series and what I had read in book two.

The book covers some really shocking themes, child abuse, murder, bullying, violence, abuse of power, corruption and adorable geese. The relationship with Ted and Amanda is very different to a lot of duo team mates/partners in books etc and a really engaging take on two damaged, flawed and seemingly dangerous individuals. I love the medical examiners character, she doesn't play a huge part in either the book or show but what she does, I really like. I am sure there are 3 books so I need to check that and get it, hoping for season 2 on the show too, 4/5 for me. I have read this author before, combo with James Patterson so I do like her writing.

View all my reviews

Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs

Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 10 days

Pages - 310

Publisher - Arrow

Source - bought or gift

Blurb from Goodreads

As a child, she was told to forget about the missing girl. But some memories don’t die….

The discovery of a skeleton in Acadia, Canada, reawakens a traumatic episode for forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan: Could the young girl’s remains be those of Évangéline Landry, Tempe’s friend who disappeared when Tempe was twelve? Exotic, free-spirited, and slightly older, Évangéline enlivened Tempe’s summer beach visits…then vanished amid whispers that she was “dangerous.” Now, faced with bones scarred with inexplicable lesions, Tempe is consumed with solving a decades-old mystery — while her lover, detective Andrew Ryan, urgently needs her attention on a wave of teenage abductions and murders. With both Ryan and her ex-husband making surprising future plans, Tempe may soon find that her world has painfully and irrevocably changed once again.


My review

When Tempe was younger her childhood friend and sister went missing & no matter how much Tempe asked questions she got no answers. Fast forward present day, bones of a young girl has been found, older bones with strange lesions, could this be Tempe's old friend, just coincidence? It certainly drags up memories and questions from Tempe's past.

This is book 10, I have gaps I think in the series as I would pick them up and read as I found them (sorry I know this makes people twitchy) but I find you can follow it fine. Tempe's relationship features in this one well her lover or ex lover, officer Andrew Ryan (he is a detective) well I suppose you can say it is complicated. So the two themes go along side, the bones investigation/Tempe's past and the ongoing issues with Andrew. They work together on a case so it is complicated, is it over, things are getting in the way, attraction - I suppose it I had read them more recently or in order I may be a bit more invested,

I always find these books interesting because of the anthropological aspect, I love when you learn things from books or spark interest to look into things more yourself. It isn't my fave of the series but still interesting read, 3.5/5 this time.

View all my reviews

After Dark by Jayne Cowie

After Dark by Jayne Cowie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 374

Publisher - Headline Accent

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads


WELCOME TO A WORLD WHERE WOMEN HOLD THE POWER.

They dominate workplaces, public spaces and government.

They are no longer afraid to cross a dark car park, catch the last train, or walk home alone.

With the Curfew law in place, all men are electronically tagged and must stay at home after 7pm.

It changed things for the better. Until now.

A woman is murdered late at night and evidence suggests she knew her attacker.

It couldn't have been a man because a Curfew tag is a solid alibi... Isn't it?


My Review

Whilst this is a work of fiction I think it hits of some very real and relevant points and issues. Long long history of violence and murders against women, in this book things have turned around. Women have had enough of it and passed a law against women being murdered. Men are all tagged, checks done, they cannot be out within certain hours. And yet now a woman is found brutally murdered but there is no way a man could have done it, is there?

We go through view points of four of the main characters, Pamela - officer, Helen - teacher & in a newish romance, Sarah and Cass - mother and daughter with a very tumultuous relationship. A lot of the characters are very unlikeable to so many reasons. Cass is a bit of a brat, torn over the guidelines to protect women and how it impacted (unfairly in her opinion) on her and her da's life. Pamela trying to do her job and like many officers fighting an uphill battle, politics and almost everyone against the idea that could possibly be a man. And Helen, poor Helen - she seems like such a nice person but the more we learn of her and her relationship the more twitchy I got. Despite the many unlikeable characters it makes for compelling reading, a shady character can be really engaging.

The idea of men being punished purely because of their gender, tagged/tracked, only able to do some jobs due to the restrictions on their gender. The book also brings in assessments for when couples want to live together, have a baby and offers options to terminate pregnancy if the test shows it to be a boy. It pushes boundaries and challenges the reader to live in a world faced with some questionable practices and a lot weighing in on your gender, sound familiar? I love when fiction touches into reality but flips social constructs of accepted ideas that in reality we actually live with.

I think this would be a belter of a book for a reading group/discussion as it will evoke some very emotive responses from readers. 4/5 for me this time and I will absolutely be reading this author again.

View all my reviews Out to buy now and at time of posting it is only £4.99 (UK) for the treebook, click HERE for Amazon.