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.

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Inside The Mind of John Wayne Gacy by Brad Hunter

Inside the Mind of John Wayne Gacy: The Real-Life Killer Clown by Brad Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages -

Publisher -

Source -

Blurb from Goodreads

Brad Hunter has spent over thirty years writing about some of America’s most horrific crimes. In this new book he enters the mind of John Wayne Gacy, the real-life ‘Killer Clown’, often said to be the inspiration for Stephen King’s evil Pennywise in It.

Gacy lured victims to his home with the promise of work or a warm bed and then duped them into putting on handcuffs, claiming he wanted to show them a magic trick. He would then rape and torture his victims before killing them by suffocating or strangling them. Twenty-six were buried in the crawl space beneath his home; others were buried elsewhere on his property, while a handful were dumped in the Des Plaines River.

Gacy was executed for his crimes in 1994, but many questions remain unanswered. How many victims were there? Did Gacy act alone? And what drove John Wayne Gacy to murder? What caused the seemingly normal Gacy to sexually assault, torture and murder at least thirty-three young men and boys? local Democratic Party circles?

Drawing on his many years’ experience investigating and interviewing perpetrators of terrible crimes, Hunter seeks to understand what drove Gacy to unleash a reign of terror in suburban Chicago.


My Review

True crime about John Wayne Gacy, a pillar in his community, friends in high places, a construction company giving jobs to young men who often were down on their luck. When stirrings of trouble arise, when Gacy's name is mentioned again and again still nothing seems to be done nor connected because he couldn't be involved in young boys going missing. The book goes into who John Gacy was, the things he did, his marriage, his façade.

I have read a lot of true crime and whilst they always focus on the bad guy, the book is about him of course it does actually cover the victims, who they were. There has clearly been a lot of research done into this one, we get snippets from Gacy's own written words/accounts.

People who knew Gacy, the way the police worked at the time, how had the police actually taken seriously what was in front of them there would not have been as many victims. It is scary how some of these deviants are seemingly so normal until they are in front of his victims. It is scary how despite having such a shady red flags background and criminal charges he still went unchallenged for so long.

The book goes from Gacy's childhood up until after he is arrested and his debt to society is "paid" - with his last meal and even last words. For a short book it packs a lot, he is an evil man who was allowed to kill and harm unchecked for far too long, 4/5.

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Silent Evidence by Clea Koff

Silent Evidence by Clea Koff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Avon

Source - Review copy & bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Every body has secrets...

Jayne and Steelie founded Agency 32/1 with one purpose in using their specialist forensic skills to help police solve crimes.

When a bundle of frozen body parts fall out of a van on a Los Angeles freeway, FBI agent Scott Houston knows just where to go for an off-the-record post-mortem. But to everyone’s horror, Jayne and Steelie quickly determine the parts aren’t from one body. The body parts are from multiple bodies.

A serial killer is on the loose. Worse, Scott’s call has put Jayne and Steelie’s lives in jeopardy, as their unique skills can uncover evidence to unmask the killer. Can they find the killer, before the killer finds them?


My Review

So this is my first time reading this author Jayne and Steelie are main characters who founded Agency 32/1, specialists in Forensics and help with cold cases identifying body parts and bringing closure to loved ones. When body parts are found and appear to be from different people the girls are invited in and consult on the case. A serial killer who is very knowledgeable in what they do and showing no signs of stopping, the FBI are on the case and the killer shows no signs of stopping.

I took a wee bit to warm to this one, it was a little bit, I don't want to say chaotic but that is the closest word I can get to in that different povs but not always clear. I am the first to admit my head space isn't the best at present and if a book takes me this long when I have no interruptions I know its a me issue. I had to keep tabs, the investigation, the issues between the hierarchy in the ranks/agencies. The spark between two of the characters and some throwbacks references to their history, I felt I was maybe reading a second book not first, like had I missed some story. I think it is a bit of how it is written and my mild readers block but I did settle to it.

The baddy was well done, evil, shocking, shady and sometimes makes the hair on the back of your neck stand. I would read more of this series and think it was a good start for book one and a foundation book, 3.5/5.

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Hideaway by Dean Koontz

Hideaway by Dean Koontz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 413

Publisher - Mass Market Paperback

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Strange visions plague a man after he survives a near-death experience in this chilling thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.

Surviving a car accident on a snowy mountain road is miraculous for Lindsey Harrison, but even more so for her husband, Hatch, who was clinically dead for eighty minutes.

After experimental procedures bring Hatch back to life, he awakens with the terrifying feeling that something is it out there . But it soon becomes apparent that the evil stalking Hatch is within him—a dark force of murderous rage that hides within us all...


My Review

Lindsey and her hubby Hatch are plunged into a freezing river, Hatch is clinically dead for eight minutes. However a doc has been working on Resuscitation with his specialised team to bring back people after they have been clinically dead for longer than the normal resuc time. Hatch is a perfect candidate and things are looking up. There is a sadistic depraved killer on the loose, not only is he killing and desecrating the bodies but he believes he is more than human and desperate to get back into Hell. When Hatch is back living his life he starts getting horrific and terrifying visions, seeing through the eyes of the killer. If Hatch can see into the killer, can the killer see through him and is he and or his family at risk?

The book is different, the resus stuff was interesting to read and different. The killer is a shocking vile creep, zero regard for human life and the more he desecrates the body as an offering to the devil the more chance he feels he has getting back into Hell, the only place he feels he has ever really belonged.

It is a different type of book, a mix of medicine and revival (only for the start of the book really), the sadistic serial killer and his killing spree, the visions between the two. Hatch trying to get back to normal, both him and his wife had been lost in grief and now they have a new lease of life & look to bring another into their family who btw I absolutely loved, sassy.

Bit of a mixed bag but I liked it, creepy, eerie and a bit of everything mixed in, 4/5.

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Genesis by Chris Carter

Genesis by Chris Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 544

Publisher - Simon and Schuster

Source - bought

Blurb from Goodreads

A killing like no other.
A killer more twisted than he’s ever seen before.
A case that will test him to the limit.
Has Robert Hunter finally met his match?

‘Do you believe the Devil exists, Detective?’ the officer at the end of the line asks. ‘Because if you don’t . . . I’m sure you will once you get here.’

Robert Hunter is called to the most vicious crime scene he has ever attended. It is made even more disturbing when the autopsy reveals a poem, left by the killer, inside the body of their victim.

Soon, another body is found. The methods and signature of the murder differs, but the level of violence used suggests that the same person is behind both crimes. Hunter’s fears are confirmed when a second part of the poem is found.

But this discovery does more than just link the two killings – it suggests that this is the work of a serial murderer.

With no forensic evidence to go on, Robert Hunter must catch the most disciplined and systematic killer that he has ever encountered, someone who thrives on the victims' fear, and to whom death is a lesson that needs to be taught.

From #1 Sunday Times and multi-million copy bestselling author, Chris Carter, comes the most compelling and ruthless Robert Hunter thriller yet.


My Review

The opening chapter of this was so creepy I went my first time ever live on Tiktok (smbslt) as I was reading it home alone. The character comes home drunk after a night out and starts getting messages from her phone, asking how her night was then turning a little sinister. Then they send a wee video, well that was me, checked my front door and read it and the rest of the chapter on TT so I wasn't alone. Absolutely creeped me out and if you have read Carter before he has a knack for being creepy and bringing to life some seriously shady characters.

The killer is brutal, the victims are very different from each other and how they are killed yet Garcia and Hunter know they are related because of something the killer leaves at each scene. Not for the faint of heart or easily offended. The killer is cruel, sadistic, brutal and the murders are graphic and stomach turning.

The book also deals with a lot of triggering themes, there is a heads up at the start of the book and a page of contacts people who are struggling with mental health etc can access. If you haven't read the previous books you could start here but you miss a lot of the history and they are really good books so I would recommend going back.

Dragged in and hooked from the opening scene and the book doesn't drop pace. Despite some horrific and sensitive issues being dealt with I think Carter handles them well, we know he suffered a significant personal loss too and I think you can feel the emotion/sensitivity whilst still keeping his usual graphic/horrific killer/killings. I also think many will appreciate the page of contacts for people struggling, 4.5/5 for me and I look forward to the next one.

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Written In Blood by Chris Carter

Written in Blood by Chris Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time take to read - 3 days

Pages - 496

Publisher - Simon & Schuster UK

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

IF HE WRITES YOUR NAME DOWN, IT'S A DEATH SENTENCE . . Los Angeles, December 4th - exactly three weeks until Christmas day. Angela Wood, a master in the art of pickpocket, has just finished for the day - six hundred and eighty-seven dollars – not bad for less than fifteen minutes work.

As she celebrates her profitable day with a cocktail, one of the patrons in the lounge she’s in catches her attention by being rude to an old man. Angela decides to teach him a lesson, and steals the man’s expensive-looking leather bag.

Inside is no money ... no laptop computer ... nothing of any value ... at least not to Angela. Just a black, leather-bound book, surprisingly heavy. Curiosity takes over and in the comfort of her apartment, Angela quickly leafs through the pages.

That is when the worst nightmare of her life begins.
This is no ordinary book.
Read it at your own peril.



My Review

An exceptional thief decides to punish someone for their rudeness and steals something that puts her life in danger. A serial killer that wasn't on anyone's radar, killings follow seemingly no pattern or victimology. When Angela tangles with a cold calculated killer and takes what is his she tries to offload to the police and go about her business. Unfortunately for her she has no idea who she has robbed and Hunter and co may have to face a killer like none they have faced before.

This is book eleven, you could well pick this up as a standalone but the books are so good I would say go read them. Hunter is one of the best detectives, he has been head hunted by the FBI he is that good. Him and partner Garcia are up against a killer that has no fear, no set pattern and a unique insight into the killers crimes.

Brutal in how some of the killings are yet one or two have vibes of previous book kills or themes. I still really enjoy Carters books, the chapters are short, the storyline engaging and in this one very much cat and mouse yet it isn't always the police playing the role of the cat. Always interesting to hear from a cold killer and the *motives* of this killer is chilling, 4/5 for me. Looking forward to book twelve, can't believe that is me caught up with the whole series!

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The Caller by Chris Carter

The Caller by Chris Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 480

Publisher - Simon & Schuster

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

The terrifying new thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of I AM DEATH.

After a tough week, Tanya Kaitlin is looking forward to a relaxing night in, but as she steps out of her shower, she hears her phone ring. The video call request comes from her best friend, Karen Ward. Tanya takes the call and the nightmare begins.

Karen is gagged and bound to a chair in her own living room. If Tanya disconnects from the call, if she looks away from the camera, he will come after her next, the deep, raspy, demonic voice at the other end of the line promises her.

As Hunter and Garcia investigate the threats, they are thrown into a rollercoaster of evil, chasing a predator who scouts the streets and social media networks for victims, taunting them with secret messages and feeding on their fear.



My Review

Imagine getting a video call from your loved one, restrained and captive of a psychopath. The threat is real, you have to answer two questions, just two, and your loved one will be freed. You have five seconds to answer, any failure to comply or wrong answers results in brief but brutal violence to your friend/family/partner. Can you imagine?

Hunter and Garcia are on the case, the killer leaves no traces and is brutal. What connects the victims if anything, how are they being chosen? Who will be next. Each killing is brutal, I mean really graphic in the details, none repeated ooooft not for the faint hearted.

As you know, this is book eight so if you have read the previous you know what his work is like this book doesn't differ. The chapters are short (which I love), the story has multiple threads and even though we are eight deep into the series Carter manages to keep it fresh, us on our toes and surprises along the way.

I feel we got a wee bit more of Hunter in this one too, a personal aspect as we are always so case focused and he keeps himself from interacting with others, out with work. I hope we get more of this in the books to follow, I have three more I think still to read. Hunter is one of my fave characters, he is super intelligent, faced multiple killers who are the devil incarnate and a loner by choice. We get wee nuggets of his past, him as a person as the books progress, I love it, 4.5/5 for me this time!

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The Other Emily by Dean Koontz

The Other Emily by Dean Koontz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Thomas & Mercer

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

A decade ago, Emily Carlino vanished after her car broke down on a California highway. She was presumed to be one of serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup’s victims whose remains were never found.

Writer David Thorne still hasn’t recovered from losing the love of his life, or from the guilt of not being there to save her. Since then, he’s sought closure any way he can. He even visits regularly with Jessup in prison, desperate for answers about Emily’s final hours so he may finally lay her body to rest. Then David meets Maddison Sutton, beguiling, playful, and keenly aware of all David has lost. But what really takes his breath away is that everything about Maddison, down to her kisses, is just like Emily. As the fantastic becomes credible, David’s obsession grows, Maddison’s mysterious past deepens—and terror escalates.

Is she Emily? Or an irresistible dead ringer? Either way, the ultimate question is the same: What game is she playing? Whatever the risk in finding out, David’s willing to take it for this precious second chance. It’s been ten years since he’s felt this inspired, this hopeful, this much in love…and he’s afraid.



My Review

Author David Thorne has never gotten over the love, Emily, of his life disappearing. He returns to the same place to write his novels & visit a killer who he believes knows what happened to Emily. When he meets the beautiful and mysterious Maddison he can't believe his eyes, she is just like Emily. the more time he spends with her the more she seems like and reminds him of her but Emily would be ten years old and Maddison is like she was back then. What is going on? How can Maddison be so like Emily and can the serial killer Jessop give him any answers?

This book has a bit of everything in it, it is weird, there are doppelgangers, romance, relationships, chats with a serial killer.....David needs to know the truth but he is also loving Maddison being there, it is like having Emily back.

This book is a bit of a genre mash up we have fantasy mixed in with the usual suspects, some creepiness, violence and a bit of a love story. The reader goes on a journey with David desperate to find out what happened, despite having a chance of happiness - some questions just need to be answered. The serial killer is a wee bit different too from some of those we see in books, the guy is in jail, guilty but still has a bargaining chip & feeds on emotions of others. I would like to read more about him actually I would have liked to have . I think this will be a marmite book, I liked that it was different and a mesh of genres, I would have loved it to be thicker. More history on the characters, more backstory and I hope we see David in another story, 4/5 for me.

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The Embalmer by Alison Belsham

The Embalmer: A gripping new thriller from the international bestseller by Alison Belsham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 416

Publisher - Orion Trapeze

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

Has the ancient Egyptian cult of immortality resurfaced in Brighton?

When a freshly-mummified body is discovered at the Brighton Museum of Natural History, Detective Francis Sullivan is at a loss to identify the desiccated woman. But as Egyptian burial jars of body parts with cryptic messages attached start appearing, he realises he has a serial killer on his hands. Revenge, obsession and an ancient religion form a potent mix, unleashing a wave of terror throughout the city. Caught in a race against time while battling his own demons, Francis must fight to uncover the true identity of the Embalmer before it's too late...


My Review

Guys this is not for the faint hearted, from the opening chapters it is graphic, brutal, we know what embalming is and we get an insight into what the killer does to his victims. He isn't called the embalmer for nothing and soon a body, mummified, turns up and the police investigate, hello Detective Francis Sullivan. If you have read the previous books in the series you will be familiar with Francis and Marnie - it is totally complicated.

Marnie, poor Marnie cannot catch a break. Every book she ends up involved in what is happening she also has a bit of a history with our Francis so there is tons of threads to the story, if you haven't read the previous you can get away with this one but I would go back.

The bad guy is icky, brutal - in what he does to his victims and his disregard for them, Belsham doesn't hold back in describing what happens so not for the faint hearted. With mummification there is nods and links to Egyptian mythology which I found really interesting as I do like that kind of stuff yet never seem to get round to reading it. Police investigation, gruesome murders, friction between Francis, his colleagues, Marnie, his family. There is a lot going on but you can follow it easily enough, nothing distracts away from the threads and you are pulled in quite quickly. I have read the previous books and very much look forward to the next in the series, maybe not be eating noodles next time just incase, boke, 4/5 for me this time.

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An Evil Mind by Chris Carter

An Evil Mind by Chris Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 483

Publisher - Simon & Schuster

Source - Gift

Blurb from Goodreads

A freak accident in rural Wyoming leads the Sheriff's Department to arrest a man for a possible double homicide, but further investigations suggest a much more horrifying discovery - a serial killer who has been kidnapping, torturing and mutilating victims all over the United States for at least twenty-five years. The suspect claims he is a pawn in a huge labyrinth of lies and deception - can he be believed?

The case is immediately handed over to the FBI, but this time they're forced to ask for outside help. Ex-criminal behaviour psychologist and lead Detective with the Ultra Violent Crime Unit of the LAPD, Robert Hunter, is asked to run a series of interviews with the apprehended man. These interviews begin to reveal terrifying secrets that no one could've foreseen, including the real identity of a killer so elusive that no one, not even the FBI, had any idea he existed ... until now.



My Review

So I am playing catchup with the Hunter books and now reading them in order, this is book six in the series. Absolutely can read as a standalone but the previous are so good I would advise going back and reading them first. When an accident uncovers a brutal serial killer the police didn't even know was operating, the FBI have their hands full. The suspect claims he is innocent, a guy played in a bigger game and he will only talk to one person, Robert Hunter. As Hunter does what he does best he gets the guy to talk, a guy who isn't a stranger to Hunter and a can of worms, heartache and shocking discoveries will rock the FBI, smash open the case and Hunter.

So this book is a bit different from the others, the killer is a shocking controlled methodical sicko! We see the book go back and forth from present day to the past and we learn more about Hunter and his person life, things that have impacted on who he is now and how he interacts with others.

Absolutely a page turner, brutal, shocking and one of the most controlled and cunning bad guys, echoes of Hannibal Lector for me. I felt so much for Hunter this book, no idea what the future Carter books will hold but I have a few on my tbrm waiting, 4.5/5 for me this time.

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Cold Shoulder by Lynda La Plante

Cold Shoulder by Lynda La Plante
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 415

Publisher - Random House

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Lorraine Page is a down-on-her-luck ex-LAPD cop, recruited against her will to hunt for a serial killer. Cold Shoulder is the story of a young woman who has everything: a devoted husband, two beautiful daughters, and a successful career as a lieutenant with the Pasadena Homicide Squad. But when her partner is shot and dies in her arms, Lorraine's life starts to unravel. The after-hours drinking that once was social becomes her refuge, and soon she's not waiting until the end of her shift. From there it all comes undone with frightening speed: Drunk, she kills an innocent boy while on duty, is fired from the force, is abandoned by her family, and ends up living on the street as a prostitute. Cold Shoulder is the dramatic, frighteningly explicit account of Lorraine Page's fall and nightmarish recovery while caught between the danger of a serial killer on the loose and the manipulations of the old-boy police force that had ostracized her not so long before. The book reverberates with realism because it is based on a true story, one that has been meticulously researched and crafted by Lynda La Plante, a consummate expert in crime writing.



My Review

Thia has sat on my shelf for years, went on a bit of a buying splurge when I read this authors Bella Mafia and then Red Dahlia. Cold Shoulder opens with decorated officer Lorraine Page making a fatal mistake at work. Drunk and killing an innocent kid, career in tatters she hits the booze harder and loses everything including years of her life. Once she has hit rock bottom the road to recovery has to start, battling addiction/alcoholism does she not end up in the path of a serial killer. The last place Lorraine wants to find herself is with or helping the police. Past and present must be faced if she is to overcome her demons and face the challenge of helping stop a killer before they strike again.

Ooft what a busy book and some of the things Lorraine does! She is a very very unlikeable character, she goes to the very bottom of humanity with her addiction being the be all and end all. It is a gruelling journey to follow but we see glimpses of humanity and then fling in a killer, I got really pulled into this book. I forgot how much I enjoyed La Plante's writing, even when it is characters you really really don't like. You absolutely want to see where they head and what is next for them.

This is part of a trilogy, I have the other books as I bought a ton back when I found this author. It won't be long before I pick up book two and see where the story goes next. Some people may find upsetting the parts were addiction has it claws into the character, horrible choices and behaviours, dangerous situations, lack of care for herself, prostitution, endangerment and vile/selfish behaviour and attitude. Makes for very gripping reading though, 5/5 for me this time.

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The Girls He Adored by Jonathan Nasaw

The Girls He Adored by Jonathan Nasaw
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 448

Publisher - Atria

Source - Bought years ago

Blurb from Goodreads

For ten years, the charmingly disheveled veteran FBI Special Agent E.L. Pender has been investigating the apparently random disappearances of a dozen women across the country. The only detail the cases have in common is the strawberry blond color of the victims' hair, and the presence of a mystery man with whom they were last seen.

Then, in Monterey, California, a routine traffic stop erupts into a scene of horrific violence. The local police are stunned by a disemboweled strawberry blond victim and an ingenious killer with multiple alternating personalities. Pender is convinced he has found his man, but before he can prove it, the suspect stages a cunning jailbreak and abducts his court-appointed psychiatrist, Irene Cogan.

In a house on a secluded ridge in Oregon, Irene must navigate through the minefield of her captor's various egos -- male and female, brilliant and naive, murderous and passive -- all of whom are dominated by Max, a seductive killer who views her as both his prisoner and his salvation. Irene knows that to survive she must play along with Max's game of sexual perversion. Only then will she be able to strip back the layers to discover a chilling story of a shattered young boy -- and all the girls he adored.

A sexually charged thriller of extraordinary originality and page-turning suspense, The Girls He Adored moves furiously from the inner recesses of the psyche to its final, startling climax. Jonathan Nasaw brilliantly portrays two equally intense characters -- a deviant killer and the expert who can unlock his darkest secrets -- and introduces one of the most likable sleuths in recent fiction.



My Review

I have had this on the shelves for a while and heard folk talk about it even longer. A bag guy is in jail, he is very very dangerous, on par with Lecter. court-appointed psychiatrist, Irene Cogan. is brought in to assess a prisoner witholding their identity but also presenting as multiple personality disorder (mpd)..............and stage set! FBI Special Agent E.L. Pender has been convinced for years there is a serial killer on the loose and risked much to prove it, could this guy be the one who has evaded him for years?

Guys this book is not for the faint hearted, the bad guy has multiple personalities, some cunning, some psychotic/murderous/naïve. This was a huge draw for me, I have read hundreds of crime books and mpd doesn't feature in many of them. This one was so compelling because they are all so different and getting to see how the psychiatrist assesses them and interacts with this bad guy was so good. There is a huge aspect of sexual deviancy/abuse/violence and real bottom of the barrel aspects of humanity so again NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!

Compelling, shocking, twists, so so dark in some parts but it pulls the reader in from the very first pages, NEEDING to know where it is going to go. There are another four in the series, I have no idea where they are going to go but I am absolutely ordering book two (as we type), 4/5 for me this time. My first dance with this author, absolutely won't be my last!

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The One That Got Away by L A Detwiler

The One Who Got Away by L.A. Detwiler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 400

Publisher - Avon books

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

The next chilling thriller from the bestselling author of THE WIDOW NEXT DOOR…

“Get out while you can. You’ll die here…”

Adeline Evans has recently moved into a home for the elderly. A safe space, where she can be cared for.

When she begins to receive cryptic and threatening notes, she is certain that someone is out to get her.

But the residents are warned against listening to a woman who is losing her memory. It would seem Adeline is tormented by the secrets in her past, and that the menace is all in her mind.

Until danger comes down the corridor and starts knocking in the night…

A compelling serial killer thriller from the bestselling author of THE WIDOW NEXT DOOR, perfect for fans of A.J Finn, K.L. Slater and Teresa Driscoll.


My Review

Adeline Evans is our main character, a new diagnosis of early dementia and losing her husband relatively recently, her and her daughter agree it is time for a nursing home. Adeline still has her wits, for the most part and the biggest issue is being back in her hometown. Her daughter Claire wanted them both back there after her father brought the town to her attention. Adeline is furious, after everything they ran away from, why why would he do this. Adjusting to a nursing and her condition is task enough but some of the residents and staff are downright hostile. When she makes a friend she is warned that not everything is as it seems and she needs to keep her head down if she wants to stay safe!


Eeek so the book splits into a few parts, present day and back to when Adeline was a teen and the drawn out what she ended up running from. We soon come to know there is a serial killer operating in Adeline's home town. She also has issues from her past she is struggling to stay ahead of, she just wants to be with her new love & free of her nagging parents. We also hear from the killer and snippets of news reports covering the killings.

I did much prefer the past parts of the book, it worked better for me and I felt compelled to read because I wanted to know the who, why and what of it all. Present day - the nursing home, there was so much, even suspending reality I found myself getting a bit annoyed and ratty with the present chapters. Some of the characters are truly horrific, horrible, abusive and nasty and some of the best books have these "baddies" such as they are but I found myself thinking really? several times. I wanted retribution, comeuppance and a bit more of the why.

I also thinks the fact it was in first person narrative helps create the real feel of someone with dementia, the confusion and fear with their thoughts however I found it confusing at times. It certainly lends an authentic feel/voice to the character and how they are struggling and experiencing everything that is happening to them. I feel like I am being quite harsh and I didn't hate the book but I got really frustrated, I would have liked to have reached in and shouted "What are you doing, DO THIS, DO THAT". Even with present day Adeline you can forgive some of the reactions but young Adeline, some points I was like WHY WOULD YOU NOT DO X,Y,Z. Some people absolutely loved this book so don't take my grumpy moaning take because I did say I didn't hate it, I did enjoy parts of it and think she gave Adeline (modern day) an authentic voice I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. 2.5/5 for me, this was my first time reading this author, I would absolutely read her other books - this one just sadly wasn't the best fit for me.

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Fear the Dark by Chris Mooney

Fear the Dark by Chris Mooney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 485

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Bought online

Blurb from Goodreads

Fear grips a town in Colorado as a murderer targets entire families in their own homes. As police and the FBI struggle to contain the situation, they bring in forensic investigator and serial killer expert Darby McCormick.

What she finds is a brutal and elusive predator who stays one step ahead of their investigation.

As Darby navigates the blood-ties and broken promises that divide the locals, she knows that all the while the killer is watching, waiting and circling his next target: her.

She must not only meet evil—and somehow survive—but also be prepared to face this small town's dark heart ...


My Review

This is book five in the Darby McCormick series, you could pick this up and read as a standalone but honestly, do yourself a favour and go back and read the others, they are fab. Darby is pulled in by the small town cops to help with catching a serial killer targeting families. Darby is an expert in serials, she has dealt with and survived (just) a few up close and personal, she is also a forensic investigator and bloody good at what she does. The wee town cops want this sorted before they are squeezed out by the bigger cops just waiting to pounce and take over.

The killer is methodical, leaves no traces, is super smart and determined. Throughout the book we actually hear from the killer, their urges and their focus on the cops as they close in. A game of cat and mouse begins and of course Darby is in the thick of it, working in a team where some of course don't want a woman. Darby is more than fit for them!

I love Darby's character, she is strong, maybe even more so from what she has survived, even when rattled she puts a face on it and shy's away from nothing. She is great at her job and sometimes her temper and sense of what is right can get her into trouble - I think that is why she is so popular with readers!

Great pace, short chapters which I love anyway but being ill recently it allowed for me to actually get a fair bit of reading done when I was really struggling. The characters are great, Mooney keeps you on your toes and firing through the pages to figure out where the story is going and how it is all going to end. Darby is like a cat with nine lives but you worry for her along the way because this killer seems to be more dangerous than those she has encountered and you fear her luck is going to run out. Hence not being able to put the book down for long, I HAD to know where it was going, the who, why and how - and will she make it to see another book! 4.5/5 for me this time, I have the next in the series waiting to be read and need to buy the other(s) - not sure how many is actually in total!

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Lust Killer by Ann Rule

Lust Killer by Ann Rule
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 295

Publisher - Berkley Books

Source - bought from Amazon

Blurb from Goodreads


When young women begin mysteriously disappearing in Oregon, Police Lieutenant James Stovall leads a relentless search for a killer. With little evidence available, and the public screaming for answers, he must find a remorseless, brutal killer whose identity will shock them all ...

One by one the young women vanished without a trace ...

Pretty Linda Slawson disappeared while trying to make a living selling encyclopedias door to door.

Lovely college girl Jan Whitney never completed her two-hour drive home on the freeway.

Beautiful pre-med honor student Karen Sprinker failed to show up for a lunch date with her mother.

Stunningly attractive Linda Salee dropped out of sight while her boyfriend waited and worried for hours.

By then the pattern was clear. Oregon's massive police search was under way. But not even Lt James Stovall, the brilliant investigator in charge, suspected how grisly the crimes were - or who the man who killed like a sadistic monster would turn out to be ...

"Rule springs surprises and revelations with a novelist's skill.'
- Seattle Times



My Review


I read/watch a fair amount of true crime books/programmes but I have never heard of this guy before. Jerome Brudos was a serial killer in the 1960s based in Oregon, was a family man and brazen enough to conduct his atrocities with his family in the house, no idea what was going on.

His wife was a very naive woman who took her husbands word pretty much as gospel, when he told her never to go out into the freezer and tell him what she needed out. Never to go into his "workshop" and encouraged her to dabble in some dress up/photography even though it made her uncomfortable.

The author takes us through his life, his perversions, the ignorance of his poor wife, the police investigation and shows us how easy it is for an innocent to get trapped in a world of suspicion and murder helped by the word of a gossip neighbour. First time reading this author, absolutely would read her again and she apparently had loads of books on true crime, 4/5 for me this time.

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Secrets of the Dead by Murray Bailey

Secrets of the Dead by Murray Bailey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 5 days

Pages - 334

Publisher - Heritage Books

Source - Review Copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Beware the surgeon. He’s not here to save you!

Atlanta, Georgia.
When a body dump is found, FBI Special Agent Charlie Rebb, thinks a serial killer has resurfaced. Called the Surgeon by the media, his tell-tale technique has everyone wondering why. But then the murders seem to stop again.

Cairo, Egypt.
Alex MacLure is contacted by a student who thinks he’s uncovered a conspiracy involving the pyramids. He asks for Alex’s help to piece together a message using new discoveries from the Amarna Letters.
But the student disappears and Alex is arrested for a murder. Meanwhile the special agent sees a sign that the Surgeon is now in Egypt.

MacLure links up with Special Agent Rebb to track down the killer. As he decrypts an ancient story MacLure realizes this is a race against time. The Surgeon must be stopped before he completes his terrible and startling mission.



My Review

This is my first time reading this author, it is kinda split into two stories that really combine into one. FBI Special Agent Charlit Rebb thinks a serial killer has resurfaced and she is determined to catch them. Alex MacLure is an archiologist but also an expert on egyptian texts/symbols and I want to say Egyptian history? He is contacted by a student talking about a conspiracy in regards to the pyramids. Alex of course is drawn, goes to meet the student and instead gets arrested for murder, in Egypt. Eventually his and Rebb's paths cross and both their searching may be well linked.

So the book skips about a wee bit, we learn a bit from Alex's side, what he does, his location(s) and the same for Rebb her investigation and she heads over to Egypt when another body pops up with striking similarity to her own cases. Has out killer fled to pastures new?

The book has conspiracy, Egyptian history, a throwback in time that coincides with what MacLure is looking into in present day. With the Egyptian stuff I had to keep going to google to check stuff out, some of it I knew from my brother as he is hugely into the Egyptian history/stories. It is really interesting stuff and I do need to read a proper book on the history of the pyramids/Egyptians legends.

There is a scene in the jail, particularly the toileting and general "facilities" as well as the interrogation that gave me a bit of the boak and a jolt. You here about interrogations in other countries in the news or from folks true live stories and whilst this wasn't a huge or integral part of the story it did stay with me.

A busy wee book, lots happening and will keep you hooked. I will be looking at the previous books by this author as I did enjoy it and I do like a book where I learn about stuff. Or have interest sparked in a subject I have briefly looked into before, 3.5/5 for me this time.

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Slash by Hunter Shea Blog Tour

Today is my turn on the blog tour for Slash by Hunter Shea, perfect for a October read for sure!





About the author:

Hunter Shea is the product of a misspent childhood watching scary movies, reading forbidden books and wishing Bigfoot would walk past his house. He doesn’t just write about the paranormal – he actively seeks out the things that scare the hell out of people and experiences them for himself. He’s the author of over25 books, including The Jersey Devil (Pinnacle)and We Are Always Watching (Sinister Grin). Hunter’s novels can even be found on displayat the International Cryptozoology Museum.

The Montauk Monster was named one of the best reads of the summer by Publishers Weekly. He was selected to be part of the launch of Samhain Publishing’s new horror line in 2011 alongside legendary author Ramsey Campbell. He’s an avid pod caster and can be heard and seen on Monster Men and Final Guys every week. Living with his crazy and supportive family and two cats, he’s happy to be close enough to New York City to see the skyline without having to pay New York rent. You can follow his travails at www.huntershea.com.

About the book:




Five years after final girl Ashley King survived the infamous Resort Massacre, she’s found hanging in her basement by her fiancé, Todd Matthews. She left behind clues as to what really happened that night, clues that may reveal the identity of the killer the press has called The Wraith. With the help of his friends, Todd goes back to the crumbling Hayden Resort,a death-tinged ruin in the Catskills Mountains. What they find is a haunted history that’s been lying in wait for a fresh set of victims.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched recently in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners,and exciting, original voices.

Slash is out to buy NOW and a perfect read for October.

For my stop I have my review, thanks to Anne from Random Things Tours for having me on the tour, I really do need to check out this guys back catalog!

Slash by Hunter Shea
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 256

Publisher - Flame Tree Press

Source - Review Copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Five years after Ashley King survived the infamous Resort Massacre, she’s found hanging in her basement by her fiancé, Todd Matthews. She left behind clues as to what really happened that night, clues that may reveal the identity of the killer the press has called The Wraith.

With the help of his friends, Todd goes back to the crumbling Hayden Resort, a death-tinged ruin in the Catskills Mountains. What they find is a haunted history that’s been lying in wait for a fresh set of victims. The Wraith is back, and he’s nothing what they expected.


My Review

Everything is fine in Todd's life, his fiance Ashley hasn't had the easiest time since escaping the claws of a maniac five years ago, the sole survivor. When Todd comes home to find Ashley has killed herself his world is turned upside down. Ashley leaves some hints to what happened five years back and Todd heads back to the abandoned resort to get some answers. What really happened that night, why did they never find the killer and why after five years was Ashley never free from it.

Oh guys! I LOVE an abandoned building and this one is a resort, a resort where five years ago a massacre took place with only Ashley surviving. Now Todd is heading back to the scene of the crime and we are going with him. The killer was never caught but that doesn't mean he has gone for good and Todd may just get exactly what he is looking for!

The killings are brutal, gruesome, sadistic, horrific and you can start to appreciate why Ashley could never sleep or get over it as details are teased out across the story. A build up of eerieness especially once we hit the resort and I LOVED the fact we have inclusive of "crime fans" or should I say fanatics, folks who became obsessed with what happened there and Ashley. It gave a more modern feel to this type of story, we have lots of murder, spooky, eerie type stories but they don't always include real life things ie podcasts, folk obsessed with serial killers, groupies` or unsolved murders. I think this is the second book I have read by this author and I really do need to check out his other stuff. If you like creepy, dark, tense and can cope with some shocking style murders, brutal in their cruelty then this is absolutely for you, 4.5/5 for me this time!

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Random by Craig Robertson

Random by Craig Robertson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 329

Publisher - Simon & Schuster

Source - Bought (bookstore I think)

Blurb from Goodreads

Glasgow is being terrorised by a serial killer the media have nicknamed The Cutter. The murders have left the police baffled. There seems to be neither rhyme nor reason behind the killings; no kind of pattern or motive; an entirely different method of murder each time, and nothing that connects the victims except for the fact that the little fingers of their right hands have been severed.
If DS Rachel Narey could only work out the key to the seemingly random murders, how and why the killer selects his victims, she would be well on her way to catching him. But as the police, the press and a threatening figure from Glasgow's underworld begin to close in on The Cutter, his carefully-laid plans threaten to unravel - with horrifying consequences.


My Review

Told in first person narrative we open with the killer, awaiting his next victim, people watching but instead of usual intrigue and being nosey he is lining up his next victim. We watch him zone out his date and hone in and assess/dismiss whether this could be the person to be murdered. We follow the killer follow his prey until the moment he strikes. We read about his killing via a newspaper which reports every so often throughout the story.

This book is the start of a series, the heart of the book is around the killer, his life, thoughts, routine and eventually we get a better understanding on who he is as a person. It will be interesting to see where the path of the other books go as the police input is flashes between the news clippings and small interactions.

Set in Glasgow which is always nice to read about a place you know and I don't think I have read many books set here. I think this is a good start to a series and I am looking forward to the rest of the series, I have book six I think it is so I need to go buy book two now.

I think this one stands out, for me, as a bit different from the copious amounts of other books I have read like this is the killer is pretty human. Yes yes I know all of them are but some are sadistic, void of humanity but this killer is different, I thought, as he IS pretty human. Yes he is brutal in his killings and at one scene I was like oh God no no don't do that but as we follow him in his mission and learn more about him dare I say you feel a bit sorry for him. He isn't like so many of the other serial killers created in books and once you read this I think you will get what I mean. 3.5/5 for me this time, a good start and I will be buying book two, my first dance with this author it won't be my last.

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Perfect Death by Helen Fields

Perfect Death by Helen Sarah Fields
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 2 days

Pages - 448

Publisher - Avon

Source - Gifted from a fellow bookworm

Blurb from Goodreads

There’s no easy way to die…

Unknown to DI Luc Callanach and the newly promoted DCI Ava Turner, a serial killer has Edinburgh firmly in his grip. The killer is taking his victims in the coldest, most calculating way possible – engineering slow and painful deaths by poison, with his victims entirely unaware of the drugs flooding their bloodstream until it’s too late.

But how do you catch a killer who hides in the shadows? A killer whose pleasure comes from watching pain from afar? Faced with their most difficult case yet, Callanach and Turner soon realise they face a seemingly impossible task…


My Review

How do you catch a killer when you aren't even sure there is a murder? That is the problem faced by Luc Callanach and newly promoted Ava Turner. Throw into the mix a former respected colleague has been found dead, by his own hand, the team are thrown for six. When it becomes apparent they have a serial killer loose, Callanach is on the case, Turner is under pressure from her boss who isn't convinced they have a serial killer and distracted and on the case of her former boss's death Turner is pulled in many directions and making very risky decisions.

Ooooh a serial killer, stalking his victims and they have no idea they are in any danger. A killer in plain sight, the most dangerous - looks benign, calculating, cold and everything for their own gratification. There is so so much going on in this book, Turner and Callanach's relationship is under strain, she has been promoted so has to deal with things differently, she now has more bureaucratic nonsense to deal with. The shock and loss of someone she loved and respected so much, there is no way he would take his own life is there? Torn and focused on that she ends up in some very difficult and dangerous situations, made worse by not wanting to risk anyone else.

The killer himself is one that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand because of how easily he infiltrates lives, the impacts he has and how easily he can take life. Not knowing what drives him either but how he manages to flit in and out without causing alarm ooft, one of the best and freakiest killers brought to life from the pages I think. The "normality" he can portray, so non threatening I think it was the coldness and predatory behaviours that actually made my blood run cold rather than the acts he committed. I know how bad that sounds, murder is heinous and one of the worst offenses we can do to another living being but when you read the book you will know what I mean. Absolute evil, Fields is genius in her creation in this one and if all that isn't enough for you we also have the interaction and relationships with the officers, work force, families - it has so much going on but all relevant and had life not got in the way (you know socialising, talking to people, not locking oneself away in a room to read) I would have read this most likely in one sitting. I look forward to the next in the series 4.5/5 for me this time.

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The Collector by Fiona Cummins

The Collector by Fiona Cummins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < than 1 day

Pages - 400

Publisher - MacMillan

Source - Fellow book worm

Blurb from Goodreads

The Collector by Fiona Cummins is the gripping sequel to Rattle.

Jakey escaped with his life and moved to a new town. His rescue was a miracle but his parents know that the Collector is still out there, watching, waiting…

Clara, the girl he left behind, is clinging to the hope that someone will come and save her.

Life has fallen apart for Clara's mother as she starts to lose hope.

The Bone Collector has a new apprentice to take over his family's legacy. But he can't forget the boy who got away and the detective who had destroyed his dreams.

Detective Etta Fitzroy's life collapsed when the Collector escaped. With Clara still missing, and a new wave of uncannily similar murders beginning, will she be able to find him again?

The Collector is back and this time he has nothing to lose . . .


My Review

First if you haven't read the first book, "Rattle" I suggest you do otherwise you have missed so much of the back story. This is the sequel and we have the same characters from the first book, the Bone Collector isn't happy he has lost all of his collection and is looking for the one who got away. He needs an apprentice, he needs new specimens and he knows exactly who and what he wants, nothing will stop him this time! On the other side is the officer who tangled with the collector and can't settle knowing he is still out there. What follows is a race against time, a cat and mouse game, who will survive?

We open with a news article covering the wee girl who went missing, then skip to young Saul, a troubled kid who has to look after his alcohol dependent mother, keep face with his friends and deal with his emotions. Someone is watching Saul and has great plans for him. Detective Etta Fitzroy's still picking up the pieces from her losses on the Bone Collector case, starting to rebuild her life when the past reaches out, the game is on.

Saul is a huge part of the story, Etta actually doesn't play a huge part. We get a microscopic look into Saul's life, follow the Bone Collector in his quest, snapshots with Etta and little Clara Foyle's mother as she struggles to accept her daughter is gone. The story grips the reader from pretty much the opening chapter because we have had the back story (so again if you haven't read Rattle please check it out) and we need to see what comes next. I love getting a story where you follow the bad guy and their plans/skulduggery. I am looking forward to the next from this author, 4/5 for me this time!

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