A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 419

Publisher - Bloomsbury

Source - Friend gave me her copy

Blurb from Goodreads

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.


My Review

So I have never read this author but heard/seen the books/series all over book clubs, book tok etc but I got my copy off a friend who struggled to get into it. First heads up and warning, the opening chapter has animal death, Feyre is a bit Katniss Everdeen style character. Poor, struggling, she has her bow and arrow and is hunting to keep her siblings and father from starving. It is the event there that changes her life and sees her forced to live with immortal faeries that she and her fellow humans hate.

The book covers so much, family, character, strength, romance, survival, treachery, different beings, humans and faeries. I got Beauty and the Beast vibes from it too, instead of books/library it is paintings and a love of art. Some of the characters really annoyed me, like the whole family let the youngest, Feyre, go out hunting, risking herself whilst they stayed safe at home, only coming out with the lure of money from a sale from Feyre's hard graft. This is a tiny part but it really enraged me, some of the stuff that happens over in Faerie Lands. Like I love a riddle (I suck at them though) and any type of quest especially so much at stake however the shady underhanded behaviours of X was like really, why? How is that an actual show of power but that is just a wee thing that irked me too. There is a lot to like to be fair, it has magic, romance, hierarchy, evil, murder, lots of elements and the series is hugely loved by many, for me 3/5.

For me it is a good foundation and book one of a series, I will be reading book two to see what is next in store

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

One by One by Chris Carter

One by One by Chris Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 512

Publisher - Simon & Schuster UK

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

'I need your help, Detective. Fire or water?' Detective Robert Hunter of the LAPD's Homicide Special Section receives an anonymous call asking him to go to a specific web address - a private broadcast. Hunter logs on and a show devised for his eyes only immediately begins. But the caller doesn't want Detective Hunter to just watch, he wants him to participate, and refusal is simply not an option. Forced to make a sickening choice, Hunter must sit and watch as an unidentified victim is tortured and murdered live over the Internet. The LAPD, together with the FBI, use everything at their disposal to electronically trace the transmission down, but this killer is no amateur, and he has covered his tracks from start to finish. And before Hunter and his partner Garcia are even able to get their investigation going, Hunter receives a new phone call. A new website address. A new victim. But this time the killer has upgraded his game into a live murder reality show, where anyone can cast the deciding vote.



My Review

A dangerous and callous killer, victims picked at random, each death more gruesome than the previous. Hunter and Garcia are on the case once again, the killer is reaching out to them and showing them the murders in real time, online. When they take it a step further and broadcast live online, inviting Joe Public to take part - like the sickest reality show you will ever see. How do you begin to hunt a killer that has targets no-one can predict, is super smart and the world is watching every step of the way.

This is book five in the series and you can absolutely read as a standalone but the previous books are so good you should go back and read them first. Not for the faint hearted or squeamish as the books/killers are really graphic. Short chapters WHICH I LOVE but are brutal for the old just one chapter before bed.

A super smart killer, the cops are scrambling trying to get a lead but for once Hunter and co are many steps behind. Pacey, gorey, shocking, what we have come to expect from Carter but still manages to keep it fresh. 4/5 for me this time, got the next few waiting to be read, it won't be long!

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

The Soul Collectors by Chris Mooney

The Soul Collectors by Chris Mooney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 468

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Bought copy

Blurb from Goodreads


Charlie Rizzo has his family at gunpoint and when Darby arrives to defuse the scene, she finds him horrifically mutilated, with a mask of human skin sewn in place over his own face. Within minutes, a group of men disguised as SWAT officers bursts in and releases deadly Sarin gas, killing the Rizzo family outright and leaving Darby herself barely alive.

Where has Charlie Rizzo been held all these years? Who are The Twelve who have been executing this gruesome torture? And why are the FBI running scared in the face of this particular, chilling episode? Darby is facing the toughest case of her career...and, as the body count rises, one that will bring her into great personal danger and leave her in fear of losing her mind, if not her soul.



My Review

Darby has been called to a hostage situation, a kid that went missing years ago has apparently resurfaced and is now holding his family hostage. Bizarre in itself Darby heads in, backed up by SWAT and nothing goes as planned. As Darby investigates, the stakes are high, the killer will stop at nothing and noone could have guessed how deadly and dark things get.

Murder, abuse, danger on every corner and Darby is up against it trying to keep focused on the case, stay alive and not get too wrapped up in the issues in her personal life. The thought of something so cruel and organised out there is creepy and I hope we get more insight or back story in a future book.

Darby is super tough in this one but has a softer side when we see a glimpse into her personal life. Otherwise she is a bit of a one man band because she seems to be hitting walls at almost every turn. I defo wanted to see where it was going so a page turner from that perspective but a little unsatisfied with how some of it went and hoping to get more closure from the next in the series - I have it ordered. 3/5 for me this time, I don't remember much of the previous books that had relevance to this one so you could pick this book up and read as a standalone but I would read the previous ones if you are able.

View all my reviews

No Ordinary Girl by Cheryl Elaine

No Ordinary Girl: Mind : tainted. Body : broken. Revenge; in motion... by Cheryl Elaine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 3 hours

Pages - 179

Publisher - AAH Publishing

Source - Review copy/bought an ecopy from Amazon

Blurb from Goodreads

What started out as a night of celebration for Aimee soon turned into a nightmare. Snatched by cruel, sadistic monsters - the worst creatures mankind has ever produced - she’s thrown into a metal container, among other victims too frightened to make a single sound.

The game-keepers force everyone to play. They deliver torment and pain in equal measure. Every hunter has their own agenda and reasons to maim and torture.

Detective Johnson is one step away from catching the killers. Wrestling with his instincts as a father to serve justice his own way, this is no ordinary case for him. Can he stop the vile sadists before they damage more young girls, as well as his own daughter?

Aimee’s ordeal within the compound brings her to the conclusion that she’s no ordinary girl. But can she hang onto her sanity long enough to escape? And will she find a different way to play?

This crime thriller will keep you riveted. It’s no ordinary story.

Please note: contains graphic content.



My Review

Aimee and friend Kelly are heading out to celebrate in the hottest spot in town, what turns into flirting, drinks and joy becomes a hell neither could have imagined. Trapped and split up Aimee finds herself in a situation we only see in the worst kind of movie, she is now a pawn in a game for some of the sickest human beings imaginable. Where chances are slim to none for escape, Aimee has to get her head around what has happened to her, what is coming and start to plan how to survive.

Guys this is the second book I have read by this author, the other one is a completely different genre, it won't be my last! Very quickly the book becomes dark, depraved and you want to put the book down to get away from the horror but compelled to turn page after page. This is not a read for the faint hearted, think Hostel meets SAW and you are just starting to scratch the surface. Human life means nothing, rape, mutilation, brutality, horror are all just part and parcel for the game, human life is expendable and the supply is plentiful.

It isn't just horrific acts although there are plenty so be prepared. We have police investigation, survival, coping mechanisms, self preservation, the impact something like this has on human behaviour from different aspects. Those investigating, the families, the players, the victims and those who know it is only a matter of time before it is their turn. For such a wee book there is a lot going on, back stories on the bad guys and how the innocents react when in this kind of situation you can only imagine.

Stomach churning, bokey and you know the face you make when folk rip their nails down a blackboard am pretty sure I made that face more than once. I cannot believe this is a debut novel, you would think she had been perfecting her art for years. If you like a book that pushes you, horrifies, hooks, makes you uneasy but compels to keep going then look no further, 4.5 for me this time. This is absolutely one of the authors to keep an eye on and I do so hope this is just the start of the stories for the detective.

View all my reviews

Skin by Mo Hayder

Skin by Mo Hayder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - over 6 days

Pages - 384

Publisher - Bantam Books

Blurb from Goodreads

When the decomposed body of a young woman is found by near railway tracks just outside Bristol one hot May morning, all indications are that she's committed suicide. That's how the police want it too: all neatly squared and tidied away.

But DI Jack Caffery is not so sure. He is on the trail of someone predatory, someone who hides in the shadows and can slip into houses unseen.

And for the first time in a very long time, he feels scared.

Police Diver Flea Marley is working alongside Caffery. Having come to terms with the loss of her parents, and with the traumas of her past safely behind her, she's beginning to wonder whether their relationship could go beyond the professional.

And then she finds something that changes everything. Not only is it far too close to home for comfort - but it's so horrifying that she knows that nothing will ever be the same again.

And that this time, no one - not even Caffery - can help her ...



My Review

A young woman who has committed suicide or so it appears, DI Caffery is on the case and doesn't think it is quite so clear cut. Working alongside Police Diver Flea Marley the two try to get on with the job whilst acknowledging there is something between them. If that isn't enough to whet the appetite, Flea discovers something about her brother that could ruin both their lives and Caffery is being stalked. Can they solve the case, deal with their feelings and keep everything together whilst trying to deal with their own personal demons!

I wasn't sure if I had read Hayder before, I don't think I have and to be honest I think I need to start at the beginning of the series. Clearly a lot has transpired, it is after all the fourth book however I do feel the reader is at a disadvantage starting with this one and that is my fault. The chapters split between the two main police officers and we get a wee chapter here and there from the killer. There is some brutal animal treatment, in that they are skinned which made for really uncomfortable reading however it is relative to the main story line. I had major issues with the behaviour of one main character and some very questionable choices, I felt you had to suspend belief as I genuinely cannot see a cop doing some of the actions this one did. That in itself made the book a bit of a struggle for me and I failed to connect with any of the characters.

I am sure if you have read the previous books you may well love this one, I think my lack of knowledge on the back story impeded my enjoyment. I just couldn't get over some of the questionable choices made, maybe if I had read the previous books I would get where that character was coming from. Just a tad out of the realms of belief for me, coming from someone who likes horror and zombie reads I know I have a cheek! 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again however I think I would make a point of reading the books in chronological order first.

View all my reviews

The Butcher's Theater by Jonathan Kellerman

The Butcher's Theater by Jonathan Kellerman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Pages - 628

Publisher - Bantam

Blurb from Goodreads

They call the ancient hills of Jerusalem the butcher's theater. Here, upon this bloodstained stage, a faceless killer performs his violent specialty: The first to die brutally is a fifteen-year-old girl. She is drained of blood, then carefully bathed and shrouded in white. Precisely one week later, a second victim is found. From the sacred Wailing Wall to the monasteries where dark secrets are cloistered, from black-clad bedouin enclaves to labyrinthine midnight alleys, veteran police inspector Daniel Sharavi and his crack team plunge deep into a city simmering with religious and political passions to hunt for a murderer whose insatiable taste for young women could destroy the delicate balance on which Jerusalem's very survival depends.


My Review

1985, they find the first mutilated body of a young unidentified female in the slopes of Mount Scopus, Jerusalem. Inspector Sharavi is on the case with his team and before too long another body appears. The team know they have a serial killer on their hands and a tough job investigating in a city where political agendas are explosive, the U.N do not appreciate any questioning and the detectives keep hitting walls of silence. With a dangerous psychopath on the loose, racism and poverty aiding the killer the police have to put their wits and possibly their lives on the line to bring the killer down, before they strike again.

This is a huge read, a lot of it peters out and around the characters, going back to their personal history or past or musings which detracts from the main story line. We also get an insight into the killers past and to present day. There is a lot of jumping around, many characters which took a bit of getting used to and I needed to go back a few times to keep my characters right.

The setting of the books location was very well suited, I have never been to Jerusalem however the landscape, caves, slopes and poverty stricken areas enabled the killer to camouflage himself and carry out his "work". The book is riddled with racism, hate, lack of respect for human life, abuse, torture, murder and most definitely not for the faint hearted. If you like reading about killers with expansive details on location and local behaviors this will be the book for you. 3/5 for me this time, I found the animal torture, sexual deviancy and side stories just a bit much however Kellerman does have a way with words.

View all my reviews

The Missing by Chris Mooney

The Missing by Chris Mooney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 hours

Pages - 368

Publisher - Atria Books

Blurb from Goodreads

Darby McCormack was in high school when she first encountered the killer: someone murdered a woman in the woods where Darby and her two best friends were partying. His race to silence the witnesses was sure-footed and violent - but somehow Darby survived.

Twenty-five years later, Darby is a crime-scene investigator for the Boston Police Department, and a chilling case - a woman's late-night abduction - has her uncovering strange leads to missing women, past and present. As forensic clues lead her closer to a psychopath called the Traveler, Darby must finally resolve the nightmare of her past and come face-to-face with a killer who is determined to keep the missing - and the horrors they endured at his hands - from ever coming to light.


My Review

We open with a young Darby McCormack, drinking with her friends in the woods when they see a woman being murdered. The killer takes his revenge but Darby manages to survive, we flip to twenty three years later and Darby is a CSI. Investigating a young woman's abduction Darby finds a lead that will blow the case wide open and chase a killer who will stop at nothing to keep his game going.

Oooh I started this thinking just one chapter and then I will go to bed, I was still reading at 4am, I could not put it down. We follow McCormack and alternate a few chapters with the killer, the book draws you in from the get go with a murder within the first few chapters and the pace hottens up from there. As the investigation picks up McCormack realises this is a methodic, intelligent, psychopathic killer who has perfected his "art" over the years and isn't about to stop.

This book is not just a crime and murder story, it looks at the impact relationships and exposure have on human behaviour and choices. Secrets, lies, murder, love, partnership a bit of cat and mouse and police procedures. I actually gasped out loud reading a particular scene in this book and I haven't done that for ages. I loved this book, 5/5 for me & I had already bought the next four after the author joined our online book club so will certainly be reading him again.

View all my reviews

Dance With The Enemy by Rob Sinclair

Dance with the Enemy by Rob Sinclair
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 3 days

Pages - 361

Publisher - Clink Street Publishing

Blurb from Goodreads

Carl Logan was the perfect agent. A loner, with no real friends or family, he was trained to deal with any situation with cold efficiency, devoid of emotion. But Logan isn't the man he used to be, or the asset he once was. Five months ago his life changed forever when he was captured, tortured and left for dead by Youssef Selim, one of the world's most violent terrorists. When Selim mysteriously reappears in Paris, linked to the kidnapping of America's Attorney General, Logan smells his chance for revenge. Pursuing his man relentlessly, oblivious to the growing trail of destruction that he leaves in his wake, Logan delves increasingly deep into the web of lies and deceit surrounding the kidnapping. Finally, he comes to learn just what it means to Dance with the Enemy.


My Review

Carl Logan is our main character, a loner who works with efficiency, no hesitation and to order. However, after being at the hands of a terrorist when an op when wrong, Logan hasn't quite recovered yet. Pulled back for the job of uncovering who is behind the kidnap of an American attorney general and tasked to get him back Logan is back. Along the way he meets an unlikely partner but Logan doesn't work with people bar the boss, is this the exception and will they help or hinder.

Ooh this is my first dance with this author and had work not got in the way, I could have read it in one sitting. Carl Logan echos Jack Reacher but has an emotional and vulnerable side that we don't get from Reacher. A good guy who is a hired gun, acts on his own and often going over the boundaries of the law to get the job done. He isn't without his flaws and I think that makes him more appealable to the reader as even in fiction, no one is really perfect.

The story is fairly fast paced, from the opening chapter to present day and the case that bring Logan back. Some of the book is a bit brutal in places, from fairly graphic torture scenes and some killings so if you like your books light on that side this may not be the book for you. Many themes are covered, relationships, teamwork, procedures, murder and there are some sex scenes too, just an fyi!

The character of Logan goes through a transition as he recovers, trying to do his job and deal with emotions that he isn't used to, due to his traumatic experience. A flawed character you can't help but root for, this is book one in the series, I will certainly be following up the next adventure. 4/5 for me, thanks to Netgalley for introducing me to a new author, a new series and a great character!

View all my reviews View all my reviews

Blue wicked by Alan Jones

Blue Wicked by Alan Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Publisher - Ailsa Publishing

pages - 302

Blurb from Goodreads

'Blue Wicked' is a Gritty thriller set in the south side of Glasgow. Eddie Henderson finds himself as the unlikely investigator with information that there's a serial killer targeting the substance dependent underclass who inhabit the notorious Glasgow housing estates. The police force ignore his warnings but one young detective believes him and she helps him search for the truth, despite putting her own career at risk. Their desperate search for the truth on their own proves Eddie right and sparks off a massive manhunt, with Eddie and Catherine, the young detective, at the forefront of the investigation. The book contains a fair bit of strong language and Glasgow dialect, and has some very violent passages.


My Review

The prologue sets the scene for the horrors to come, we open with a rather gorey scene of animal torture. Introducing Eddie, a veterinarian who helps out the SSPCA with cases such as this as he specializes in animal abuse and poisoning. Eddie crosses paths with DC Catherine Douglas looking into the abuse cases and soon pair up as the killer branches out from animals to humans. An up hill battle commences to get the police to head Eddie and take notice of his findings to catch a sadistic killer before they can strike again.

You all know I have major issues with animal cruelty, I was forewarned before reading this and therefore I am giving you all a heads up. Sadly, because of the way many killers work it is a necessity to the tale and gives the story realism. The chapters are not too long which is always a good thing in my opinion, it allows the reader to nip in and out, especially if working or don't have time to read in one sitting. As the book is set in Glasgow some of the characters speak in Glaswegian slang, glossary and translations can be found at the back. Some of the language may be very offensive to some readers, the language is explicit and swear words are frequent with some of the characters, the C word being just one of them.

The scenes are pretty gorey, I have read many horrors, crime and thrillers but some moments in this really had my stomach going. The method of killing I found quite unique, the choice of victims fairly smart on the part of the killer. As much as the reader is horrified, you are compelled to go from page to page for the next horrific crime and hope the killer will be brought to justice before they can strike again. The glossary at the back of the book is really helpful however I think it would be better at the front as I didn't find it until after I had finished. Glasgow slang is fine for me however for many readers not familiar with it, this would be beneficial at the beginning of the book. A really good read, also featuring quite a bit of Glasgow which is an additional plus for readers who enjoy reading about other cities. If you like your crimes gritty and your murders cruel you will love this book! This is my first time reading this author & certainly one worth keeping an eye out for, I would certainly read him again just maybe not when eating! 4/5 for me this time, thanks so much to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

13 Bullets by David Wellington

13 Bullets by David Wellington
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Publisher - Piatkus

Pages - 373

Blurb from Goodreads

All the official reports say they are dead-extinct since the late '80s, when a fed named Arkeley nailed the last vampire in a fight that nearly killed him. But the evidence proves otherwise.
When a state trooper named Caxton calls the FBI looking for help in the middle of the night, it is Arkeley who gets the assignment-who else? He's been expecting such a call to come eventually. Sure, it has been years since any signs of an attack, but Arkeley knows what most people don't: there is one left. In an abandoned asylum she is rotting, plotting, and biding her time in a way that only the undead can.
Caxton is out of her league on this case and more than a little afraid, but the fed made it plain that there is only one way out. But the worst thing is the feeling that the vampires want more than just her blood. They want her for a reason, one she can't guess; a reason her sphinxlike partner knows but won't say; a reason she has to find out-or die trying.
Now there are only 13 bullets between Caxton and Arkeley and the vampires. There are only "13 bullets" between us, the living, and them, the damned.


My Review


Well, this was a vampire tale with a bit of a difference. The vampires are not like vamps as we know them, well not any I have watched or read about. They are most powerful when they feed, totally vulnerable when they sleep. They have hypnotic powers of control, ok this has been mostly popular throughout the years, they require you to self terminate to aid the turn. Just a few things that are new compared to the books I have read. Agent Arkeley has dealt with them before and only just made it out, this time he enlists the help of State Trooper Laura Caxton to defeat the new rising of vampires. By why her, why are the undead and half undead interested in her, why is Arkeley so invested in killing their one true master?

I liked and disliked this story probably in equal measures which is why I fenced it with a 3/5. It is always interesting to get a fresh spin on tales that have been around for years however some of it really annoyed me. If the vampires are so indestructible at certain times, why do they not overcome their subjects quicker? Why are not all made full vampires, why do the half deads flit between ferocious and cowardly? Why is there a need for self termination, I think for me, I needed more on the curse and the how and why of it.

There are quite a few themes in the book, the killings and blood lust are quite graphic in parts so not for the faint hearted. There are paintings with body fluid, lesbianism features strongly for one of the characters which, I understood for two scenes but otherwise there was no huge contribution to the tale, unless I missed subtle undertones?

There are more tales in this series and whilst I would read them, I won't be rushing out to buy them. I would love to know more about Arkeley right enough and Malvern so I would certainly read them if they came my way. I have read Wellington before, his zombie trilogy which I definitely prefer however I think this series does have potential.

View all my reviews

Prime Suspect by Lynda La PLante

Prime Suspect by Lynda La Plante
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Publisher - Dell Publishing Company

Pages - 263

Blurb from Goodreads

In the dark night of the soul . . . . If Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison hadn't been a woman, she might not have noticed the victim's shoes . . . . and that they didn't match the size given on the info sheet now so obviously misidentifying the dead blonde as a hooker named Della Mornay. Being so through, so good at the details, made Jane a top investigator; being a woman made the boys in the squadron want to see her fall on her face. But Jane Tennison was determined to catch the madman stalking women in London's street shadows. She had a prime suspect, and she needed to make the charges against him stick. She also needed to keep her own secret in check: she couldn't let anyone see that she was falling apart inside, as her obsession with cracking this case and breaking out from under the heel of the station house boy's club took over life, destroying her relationship with the man she loved, pushing her closer and closer to the dark urges of a killer . . . .


My Review

The book opens with the discovery of a body of a prostitute, in her apartment by her land lord, believed to be Della Mornay. DCI Jane Tennison finally gets a crack at the case and soon spots some things the previous lead detective did not. Jane already has opposition from her male colleagues without calling into question her predecessor's investigation but Jane holds no prisoners and is determined to crack the case. With her mind set she will leave no stone unturned, even if it means exposing secrets best left hidden or her own personal relationships.

I like La Plante and have read her before however not this series or character. I found Tennnison hard to get on with at parts, harsh with witnesses and like a dog with a bone, she will do what needs done to get her results, by the book of course. Trying to break through the boys club must be hard but she is tough as old boots and isn't out to make friends. The victims need justice and Tennison will get it, even if she has to go against the teams wishes.

The is a good story, I do like how La Plante writes although, as stated Tennison isn't my favourite character although I would maybe warm to her eventually. I would read more in this series and I have most of this authors books on my tbr anyway, 3/5 for me this time.

View all my reviews

Review - The Countess: A Novel of Elizabeth Bathory by Rebecca Johns

The Countess: A Novel of Elizabeth Bathory by Rebecca Johns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 days

Pages - 287

Publisher - Broadway Books

Blurb from Goodreads

Was the “Blood Countess” history’s first and perhaps worst female serial killer? Or did her accusers create a violent fiction in order to remove this beautiful, intelligent, ambitious foe from the male-dominated world of Hungarian politics?

In 1611, Countess Erzsébet Báthory, a powerful Hungarian noblewoman, stood helpless as masons walled her inside her castle tower, dooming her to spend her final years in solitary confinement. Her crime—the gruesome murders of dozens of female servants, mostly young girls tortured to death for displeasing their ruthless mistress. Her opponents painted her as a bloodthirsty škrata—a witch—a portrayal that would expand to grotesque proportions through the centuries.

In this riveting dramatization of Erzsébet Báthory’s life, the countess tells her story in her own words, writing to her only son—a final reckoning from his mother in an attempt to reveal the truth behind her downfall. Countess Báthory describes her upbringing in one of the most powerful noble houses in Hungary, recounting in loving detail her devotion to her parents and siblings as well as the heartbreak of losing her father at a young age. She soon discovers the price of being a woman in sixteenth-century Hungary as her mother arranges her marriage to Ferenc Nádasdy, a union made with the cold calculation of a financial transaction. Young Erzsébet knows she has no choice but to accept this marriage even as she laments its loveless nature and ultimately turns to the illicit affections of another man.

Seemingly resigned to a marriage of convenience and a life of surreptitious pleasure, the countess surprises even herself as she ignites a marital spark with Ferenc through the most unromantic of acts: the violent punishment of an insolent female servant. The event shows Ferenc that his wife is no trophy but a strong, determined woman more than capable of managing their vast estates during Ferenc’s extensive military campaigns against the Turks. Her naked assertion of power accomplishes what her famed beauty could not: capturing the love of her husband.

The countess embraces this new role of loving wife and mother, doing everything she can to expand her husband’s power and secure her family’s future. But a darker side surfaces as Countess Báthory’s demand for virtue, obedience, and, above all, respect from her servants takes a sinister turn. What emerges is not only a disturbing, unflinching portrait of the deeds that gave Báthory the moniker “Blood Countess,” but an intimate look at the woman who became a monster.



My Review

I must admit, I have never read anything about Countess Bathory but I have heard of her and the story of murdering her staff and bathing in blood. She is an interesting figure and I was delighted to get this off of a friend to read.

The book opens as a letter from a priest, he does not believe the Countess is innocent however, he finds these letters written by her, from her prison and passes them on. We follow the story from the Countess being imprisoned and then she recalls back from her early childhood, to events and happenings in between, up until her death.

The book is fairly slow going, until just about halfway I would say, how she finds herself being sent to live with her future mother in law. Her brief encounters with her to be husband and his polite, cold, disregard for her. This continues through their marriage until he witnesses her cruelty to one of their staff, which bonds them together. After this the pace picks up and there is some torture although there is nothing close to a gore fest some people may be expecting due to the details usually surrounding Bathory.

Otherwise is was an interesting tale, the writer has a talent and she paints quite a vivid picture giving you a feel for the times the novel is set in. This was my first time reading this author and I would read her again, I feel I would like to read a factual book on the countess and learn what evidence they actually had. 3/5 for me this time.

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

ARC - Bad Blood by Mark Sennen

Bad Blood by Mark Sennen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 5 days

Publisher - Avon

Blurb from Goodreads

‘We’re going to find them, sort them, pay them back …’

When the body of a six-year-old girl is found buried beneath a patio, nobody is surprised when a local paedophile is murdered shortly afterwards. But when a member of DI Charlotte Savage’s team is abducted and several men are executed in cold blood it becomes apparent that there’s a psychopath on the loose with no mercy for his victims…

It becomes clear that the killer isn’t selecting his victims at random and soon Savage is in a race against time to stop him. But what if this man has a message for Charlotte herself? One she won’t forget in a hurry. It’s payback time. Deadly payback time.

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


My Review

This is the second in a series, I was given an ARC copy from the publisher so this is my first encounter with this author. I think, personally I would recommend you go and get the first book in the series instead of starting with this one as I believe it will make the story more enjoyable. The story opens with the prologue, we meet the mastermind bad guy, Ricky Budgeon and a very brief look into his views on what has happened prior and brings him to the actions that follow. A bit vague? I thought so too and the theme follows throughout the story but it does all come together and information is released in snippets.

We move on to Savage, who turns out to be DI Charlotte Savage, at home with her family when she gets a reminder from a colleague about the PSD (Public Standards Department) inquiry meeting regarding her actions in a previous case. I believe this is also something that happened in the last book although I am not 100% sure. We then go to another scene where a body is discovered and DI Savage is called in, our story really starts here. Soon a child’s body is discovered, linked to an old residence of a paedophile and soon a paedophile is found murdered.
Shortly after that a member of DI Savages team goes missing, bodies are turning up murdered in vicious and horrific crime scenes and Savage and her team are running out of time to solve the mystery and save their colleague.


Exhausted reading all that? It is quite a lot to take in and to be honest, had I read the first book and had a feel for some of the characters it would probably have been a lot easier to get into. As it was I felt there was a lot of characters to try and get to know, a few different stories lines going on and I had to re read bits to try and establish what was going on.
There is a lot happening and plenty to keep you interested and intrigued as to what is going to happen and who is linked to whom but I would suggest reading it in big chunks or in one go if you can. Reading this over a few days can be a bit hard going as it is such a busy story.
It is quite violent and gorey, there is a lot of swearing and quite a few terms that are racist so be warned it may offend quite a few readers. DI Savage I found to be hard to like, she has been through a lot which may attribute to her attitude and almost total disregard for her professional standards and behaviour. She seemed like a loose cannon at times rather than a level headed leader of a police team and lead investigator in a high profile case. As I said I think maybe going back and reading the first book would give a bit of clarity and help with the enjoyment and understanding of this book.


All your ends are eventually tied up, most things are linked and explained although at the end of this book a character throws a curve ball that will pull followers from the first story to get the third book. I have only read book two however I want clarification and closure on this particular issue from the stories, a rather clever ploy from the author, always leave them wanting more. A rather mixed bag for me, it annoyed me on so many levels but got me there in the end and had enough intrigue to keep me going to the end so 3/5 for me this time. Thanks to Avon Books for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review and for introducing me to this author whom I will read again. This book is available to buy from all good retailers from the 26th of September 2013, in paperback format and for the kindle.

View all my reviews