The Intruder by P S Hogan

The Intruder by Phil Hogan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 281

Publisher - Black Swan

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

He has the key to hundreds of houses.
Maybe even to yours.

William Heming is an estate agent. He’s kept a copy of every key to every house he’s ever sold. Sometimes he visits them. He lets himself in – quietly, carefully – to see who lives there now, what they’re like, what they’ve been doing.

But what will happen when he gets caught?


My Review

William Heming is not your ordinary estate agent, William takes great interest in the people moving into his homes. He keeps copies of all the keys, he spies on the people moved into his home, he tracks them, he visits them and sometimes, just sometimes, he involves himself in their lives.

Told in first person point of view we get to hear exactly his thoughts and reasoning or the things he does. Flashes back in time to when he was younger also gives the reader a bit of insight into a bit more of his character. His outward persona is vanilla, non threatening, someone you wouldn't give another glance but William is a dangerous man, obsessive, a stalker and may even be in your house without you knowing.

Oooft after reading this, if you didn't change your locks when you moved into your house, you will. If you haven't checked your loft, you will. Every noise will have the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. I think the grab for this kind of book is how easily it could be true, it could happen to you. The atmosphere builds up very quickly, eerie, creepy without being over the top and wraps itself around you so have to find out how it plays out. The end was a bit too quick for me, they say an author is doing their job properly if they leave you wanting more. 3.5/5 for me this time, this is my first time reading this author, I would be interested in checking out more of his work!

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The Escape by C L Taylor

The Escape by C.L. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - over the course of 1 day

Pages - 433

Publisher - Avon

Blurb from Goodreads

The new psychological thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Accident, The Lie and The Missing.

"Look after your daughter's things. And your daughter…"
When a stranger asks Jo Blackmore for a lift she says yes, then swiftly wishes she hadn't.

The stranger knows Jo's name, she knows her husband Max and she's got a glove belonging to Jo's two year old daughter Elise.

What begins with a subtle threat swiftly turns into a nightmare as the police, social services and even Jo's own husband turn against her.

No one believes that Elise is in danger. But Jo knows there's only one way to keep her child safe – RUN.



My Review


Jo Blackmore has a lot going on, she has a condition that controls most aspects of her life, her daughter is her pride and joy. When Jo is approached by a stranger and her daughter is threatened it kick starts a change of events that will change Jo's life and everything she thought she knew.

The book kicks off with an unpleasant encounter for Jo, a request for a lift turns to a threat on her daughter. Jo is in an utter panic and speeds off to rescue her child, her husband listens to her claims but lets face it, Jo has priors for over reacting and Max is trying to be a good husband but Jo is being increasingly erratic. The book was multi dimensional for me, it tackles mental health, consequences of choices and actions, marriage, family, love, loss, violence and stalking. One mothers harrowing journey of trying to protect her family, keep her sanity and be mistrusted and questioned by those closest to her.

The vibe of fear and claustrophobic atmosphere is evident from practically page one, drawing the reader in to the story from the get go. At parts I was frustrated by some of Jo's choices however it echos, for me, the realistic fears and limitations of living with a condition that dictates almost every aspect of your life. Add to that a hefty dose of fear for your child's life, an inability to trust your own self and to be questioned by the one person who should have your back whilst trying to battle just going out and about. Taylor does well to create an every day family then pour on every parent's worse nightmare, a cat and mouse game and the breakdown of relationships all because of one incident.

I have read all of Taylor's books so far, I enjoy her writing style and had I not had lots of things getting in the way I would have read this in one sitting. Tense, atmospheric and leading the reader down a path where you trust no one, suspect everything and turn into a Jessica Fletcher desperately trying to solve the mystery before it is revealed to you. 4/5 for me this time, available to buy from all good retails in treebook and ebook, this is a standalone so you can grab it and jump right in.

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I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 5 days

Publisher - Sphere

Pages - 364

Blurb from Goodreads

A tragic accident. It all happened so quickly. She couldn't have prevented it. Could she?

In a split second, Jenna Gray's world is shattered. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape her past, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of the cruel November night that changed her life for ever.

DI Ray Stevens is tasked with seeking justice for a mother who is living every parent's worst nightmare. Determined to get to the bottom of the case, it begins to consume him as he puts both his professional and personal life on the line.

As Ray and his team seek to uncover the truth, Jenna, slowly, begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating.



My Review

A child is killed, as quick as a blink of the eye. Her only hope is to leave everything behind to try and start over. The police are seeking the hit and run driver. The chapters are split between Jennifer, DI Ray Stevens with the investigation and later Ian. The police are seeking justice for the death of a child, Jennifer is seeking some way to start over and Ian well Ian you will find out about as you get deeper into the story.

The first half of this book is a bit confusing, you feel like your missing something and the tale moves between the characters, mainly Jennifer and the police investigating the little boys death. It centers just after the accident and follows Jennifer as she cuts all ties and runs. The second half of the book is very dark, abuse, violence, secrets, relationships and lies are just some of the topics that are covered. We get a closer look at Jennifer and the events leading up to the accident. You start to make sense of what has happened, revelations are made and I personally didn't see the twist coming. Quite a few people have said they weren't too sure about the book when they start it but definitely keep going, it all falls into place.

A story that shows you can never outrun your past, actions or lack of have consequences and sometimes the past can destroy your future. This is the first time I have read this author and I would certainly read her again. 4/5 for me, a story that lulls you into thinking one thing then throws a curve ball and packs a punch!

The book is quite gripping, particularly I felt the second half when things start to fall into place. The chapters are quite short which I always like in a book

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Review - City Of Fire by Robert Ellis

City of Fire by Robert Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 5 days

Publisher - Pan Books

Pages - 380

Blurb from Goodreads

When a businessman arrives home to find his wife in bed, carved from belly to throat with a very sharp knife, the elite Robbery-Homicide division of the L.A.P.D responds in full force and Detective Lena Gamble prepares for her first major case.

At first all fingers point towards the victim's husband, but best-case scenarios only happen in films and it soon transpires that this murder is one of a series of brutal crimes against women and the work of a killer dubbed 'Romeo' by the ravenous Hollywood media.

Lena is all too aware of the peril of the public eye - she has found herself in it before, on the night of her rock-star brother's unsolved murder five years ago. And now she risks a far more dangerous fame as a cloud of conspiracy descends on her investigation and she edges towards Romeo's deadly line of sight . . .Lena must catch this psychopath before she becomes his next glamorous victim . . .

'Ellis's writing is a cut above that of most authors in the crowded serial-killer field' "Sunday Times"




My Review

The book opens up at a child's home, it's time for birthday cake when things take a horrific turn. We flip to present day, a business man comes home to find his beautiful wife horrifically murdered. The husband is a suspect however it becomes apparent this murder is the work of a serial killer who is dubbed with the name Romeo due to the nature of his crimes. Detective Lena Gamble is on the case, it is high profile and it is not the first time she has been in the limelight after her rock star brother was killed years before. Will she catch Romeo before Romeo turns his eye on her?

This is my first dance with this author, it is quite a dark and descriptive book, especially with the murders and sexual violence. It is a fairly fast paced book with some disturbing scenes dottered throughout, this is definitely not for the faint hearted.

The book centers around the killer, we read passages from the killers thoughts and what he is doing and this is identified through the chapters being in italics. Then we go back to the present day and investigation whilst the police are trying to catch him and like it to previous cases. Lena's brothers murder comes up throughout, she has never gotten over it or closure and I felt the story was split it could have been two different tales. By the time you reach the end of the book you do have clarification and closure but I felt it would have worked better had the story been about one or the other. That said there are a lot of twists and turns throughout and if anything, you certainly won't be bored!

I would read this author again, 3/5 for me but I strongly recommend picking this up with caution as it is graphic and brutal in parts, especially if you have a vivid imagination.

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PRR - Cut Dead by Mark Sennen

Cut Dead by Mark Sennen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - sadly due to a busy schedule I dipped in and out over 6 days

Publisher - Avon

Pages - 406

Blurb From Goodreads

DI Charlotte Savage is back, chasing a killer who was last at large ten years ago, a killer they presumed dead …
Now he’s back and more dangerous than ever.

When three headless bodies are found mutilated in a pit, it’s a particularly challenging case for DI Savage and her team. The victims bear the hallmarks of a killer who butchered girls to their death; a killer who was never caught.

Could this be a copycat or has the original murderer resurfaced? With a steady stream of bodies arriving at the morgue and gruesome secrets from the past emerging DI Savage is up against it to find the killer before he strikes again?

Part thriller, part police procedural, a must-read for fans of Mark Billingham and Tim Weaver.



My Review

The story opens up with a prologue, in the past and giving us the starting point for our killer. We then flip to present day and DI Charlotte Savage is soon called to a gruesome burial site. Headless corpses and suggestion of a serial killer who operates on a specific timescale, can the police work out the significance of that and the message he leaves behind? The killer has struck before and it seems like he has resurfaced, Savage must work with her team to unravel the clues before the killer strikes again.

I read the book before this one but not the first in the series, I have to say I felt with this book the writer has came on leaps and bounds. The story flips between the investigation, police findings and the professional relationship between Savage and Riley. As well as this case Riley is looking into a potential lead from an old case that has special significance for Savage. Add into the mix a prison officer has gone missing and foul play is suspected.

It is a busy story with lots of twists and sidelines going on, the killer also has a voice every so often, written in italics so there is not confusion it is him. This gives small glimpses of what is going on with him and potentially driving him although in small parts which some readers may find irritating although I personally thought it was well done.

The murders are brutal, sadistic and there is details within the story that gore lovers will find riveting and put off others who like their crime to be totally procedural and less graphic. All in all I felt it kept you interested, went at a really good pace and by the end most of your questions were answered. A few were left unanswered and for some I think there will be closure within the next book but not all of them. For me it is a 4/5 and I will definitely follow the next installment to see if Savage will finally get some closure. Thanks to the publicist for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available to purchase now from all good retailers and you can find the author on Twitter @MarkSennen.

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