Tag Thriller

The Fall by Louise Jensen @HQstories #crime #thriller #mystery #NetGalley #bookreview

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I am delighted to share my review today for The Fall by Louise Jensen. This is a wonderful crime, mystery and thriller read that I really enjoyed.

My huge thanks to HQ Stories for accepting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

She promised she wouldn’t tell. They made sure she couldn’t…

At her surprise 40th birthday party, Kate Granger feels like the luckiest woman in the world but just hours later her fifteen-year-old daughter, Caily, is found unconscious underneath a bridge when she should have been at school.

Now, Caily lies comatose in her hospital bed, and the police don’t believe it was an accident. As the investigation progresses, it soon becomes clear that not everyone in the family was where they claimed to be at the time of her fall.

Caily should be safe in hospital but not everyone wants her to wake up. Someone is desperate to protect the truth and it isn’t just Caily’s life that is in danger.

Because some secrets are worth killing for…

MY REVIEW

The synopsis does a fabulous job of hinting at what this book is about. A young girl falls from a bridge, but this is not the only fall that is going to be brought up as the story of the girl and her family and relations is gradually teased out.

I loved what the author mentioned at the end of this book, she wanted to take a normal family and try to tear them apart and see if they could fit back together again! Did she succeed, well I think she definitely did!

Tegan and Caily are the best of friends and cousins. Their parents are twin sisters Beth and Kate. They live close to each other and the grandparents own a farm. The sense of family and the ties that bond is extremely strong. The twin connection is as well as the closeness of the cousins. Using the cost of living crisis as a way to stretch the family to the limits was a great way of testing how strong her character could become in times of crisis and adversity. Adding into the mix, a fall leaving one in a coma, the stresses of investigations and just that general feeling of one thing after another piling up. I do think the author chose a great idea and how she ran with it, or should I say, allowed her characters to run with it, made for very nerve-wracking reading.

It is good to come across a good-length book, this one is 448 pages so it gave me the chance to get to know the characters in more depth. There is a danger that a longer format can be filled with a bit too much padding, but not so in this case. It felt on point all the way through. There are things that made me sit on the edge as I tried to work out all the kinks and twists, I never got close to sussing things out by the way.

The author has taken this family and just piled onto them one thing after another. It really does show their strength but also the cracks are mounting, tempers fray and words are said. Stress, debt, illness and crime are all excellent nerve-jangling dramas for any family to deal with, having them all for one family makes for great reading.

Seeing this strong family begin to wilt and waver was particularly sad, but there was more to come. The ending of the story was a shocker and slowly all the nitty gritty bits and pieces were finally slotted into place. It made for a very sad but right feeling to finish the book.

If you like a fictional story that tests a family to its limits then this is definitely one for you. It has crime, mystery, family secrets and a threat looming over at all times. It just goes to show that you never know what goes on behind closed doors, even when those doors are close family! A fabulous book and full of tension that I would happily recommend.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Revenge by Kerry Kaya @KerryKayaWriter @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley #ganglandfiction #crime #thriller #bookreview

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I am delighted to share my review today for Revenge by Kerry Kaya. This is another fabulous read that continues in the Tempest series. Ideal for fans who love gangland crime thrillers.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my copy via the publisher Boldwood Books.

Revenge
Damage will be done…
After the brutal gangland murder of her husband Terry, Tracey Tempest just wants to move on. She’ll never get over Terry’s betrayal, but she’s determined his shady past won’t spoil life for her and her beloved boys Ricky and Jamie.


Max Hardcastle just wants a quiet life and to maybe see how things go between him and Tracey. He knows she’s been hurt in the past, but he’s nothing like Terry and he’ll do anything to keep Tracey happy and safe.


But some people have other ideas.


When Max’s car garage is torched, he’s certain someone still has a grudge to settle. And when the Tempest boys discover one last secret Terry’s been keeping, the fallout could tear their family apart.
Will the Tempests survive this storm? Or will revenge be their downfall?


Purchase Link – HERE

MY REVIEW

When Tracy Tempest’s husband was killed in a gangland murder, it took her a while to come to terms with just what her husband did for a living. It seems she was the only one who didn’t know just what a devious man he was. Her two sons, Ricky and Jamies, knew and were up to speed with how things had been over the years. Two years later and Tracy is starting to move on, she is in a new relationship with Max Hardcastle, he is no choir boy himself and it seems that someone is out to destroy him and his businesses as well.

This is a brilliant follow on to the previous book, Travy has had to deal with the death of her husband as well as learn some home truths. She is now more aware of the gangs and the lives her sons and new partner are involved in. While she may be aware she is not fully grasp the seriousness of what is to come. Naive, yes she is but loyal and fiercely protective of her sons.

It is great to see another instalment in this series and the author brings you up to speed with some of what happened in the previous book. This one starts with a bang, quite literally as a car dealership goes up in flames, not a simple accidental one either, this one was planned. But who by is the question. Several other gangs are included in this story and they have been mentioned before, but they all have something in common, they cannot be trusted and they will each look out for their own.

This author is brilliant at injecting tension, drama and danger into her novels and this one is no expectation. There are some spectacular twists and scenes that she has worked into this story and it had me on the edge of my seat. I do like the Tempest family and Max, they seem to be the more moral ones in the story, that does not mean they are not brutal or any less dangerous though.

As the story progresses the author brings in other twists and characters, they all have a place in this story but what part they play is not always clear until it needs to be.

If you have not read the previous book I would definitely suggest you do, although it isn’t strictly necessary, it does give a brilliant intro to this family and the events.

This is open for fans who like a hard-boiled, dangerous and toxic gangland crime setting. It is a fabulous book and storyline and one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kerry Kaya is the hugely popular author of Essex-based gritty gangland thrillers with strong family dynamics. She grew up on one of the largest council estates in the UK, where she sets her novels. She also works full-time in a busy maternity department for the NHS.

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Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

The Predators by Tony J Forder @TonyJForder #ThePredators #crime #thriller #policeprocedural #bookreview

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I am delighted to share my review today for The Predators by Tony Forder. This is the 2nd book in the DC Roston Chase series and it is another fabulous book. I adore this author’s books and I am loving this new series, a great place to start if you have not read any of his books yet.

The frozen corpse of a female hiker discovered on snow-covered downs presents DS Royston Chase, DC Claire Laney, and Trainee DC Alison May with a fresh murder case to investigate.

The more the body thaws the more it reveals, and as the investigation gathers momentum hopes are dashed of an early and successful outcome. It soon becomes clear that the victim and her killer were not the only ones on the hillside when the murder occurred, and the police are desperate to locate everybody who was.

But when the operation is interrupted by a series of related abductions, with all witnesses swiftly falling under suspicion, Chase realises that their case is far more complex than any of them could ever have imagined…

MY REVIEW

Once again the author has done a fantastic job of completely flummoxing me. I had no idea how this story would pan out and when I did start, it was only because the author led me there.

Chase, Laney and May are called to look at a body that has been found, frozen and in the elements for some time. When they start to put the scant clues together they are left with even more of a puzzle than when they started. When five more people who are connected with the case go missing there is something that the team are missing. They are joined by another unit and together they are really grasping to find the connections.

DS Royston Chase is a character I like, he can be a bit tunnel minded at times but with good reason. He does focus his mind to the nth degree, but he has a way of switching off to allow his mind to relax and focus instead on his family. They keep him grounded while at home but at work, well that falls to DC Claire Laney. Outspoken, brash and trying at all times to embarrass her boss. It is a hilarious combo but one that does work rather well. The two of them banter and poor Trainee DC Alison May is never quite sure who is being serious about making fun of her. It’s not just the job she has to learn, but how her two superiors work.

The setting is a semi-rural one and the exposure and expanse of the area add to the overwhelming feeling that I got and the team showed. You expect more questions than answers at the start of an investigation, but the questions are not really getting the answers or the results that would usually help. With the rural setting, it makes the usual security, shop, road cameras and the like a no-go for information, there are blackspots for mobile coverage and the people that may know something can’t be found.

The further this continues the more intriguing it gets, while I am giving the impression that this case may be slow in getting answers, the pacing of the story is anything but. It is brilliant for details and the author keeps the ideas and thoughts of his characters constantly thinking and using everything at their disposal to discover a chink that will allow them to proceed further.

This is a complex case but also it is one that had me hooked. It follows the investigation and brings the reader into a close-knit and tight group of people who are all invested in discovering the right outcome.

The first book was excellent at introducing the key players in this series and with this second book, the author has added a little more detail. Once again bringing the reader a story that delves into some tough themes but done in a way that does not go into detail, there is no need to.

It is one that I adored and it was good to come back to these characters, it didn’t take me long to remember them and their quirks and habits which is for me great as I do read quite a few books.

If you are looking to start a new series then this one is a good one to start with as this is only the second book, so not too much catching up to do. The Predators is a perfect title, snappy, to the point and relevant. A police procedural that definitely falls within the crime thriller genre and one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tony J Forder is the author of the bestselling DI Bliss crime thriller series. The first seven novels, Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, If Fear Wins, The Reach of Shadows, The Death of Justice, Endless Silent Scream, and Slow Slicing, were joined in December 2020 by a prequel novella, Bliss Uncovered. The series continued with The Autumn Tree and Darker Days to Come, and The Lightning Rod. The next, What Dies Inside Us will be published in autumn 2023.

Tony’s other early series – two action-adventure novels featuring Mike Lynch – comprises both Scream Blue Murder and Cold Winter Sun. These books will hopefully be joined in 2024 by The Dark Division.

In addition, Tony has written two standalone novels: a dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, and a suspense thriller set in California, Fifteen Coffins.

The Huntsmen, released in October 2021, was the first book in a new crime series, set in Wiltshire. It featured DS Royston Chase, DC Claire Laney, and PCSO Alison May. The second book, The Predators, will be released on 15 May 2023.

Tony’s first 8 novels were originally released by a publisher specialising in crime fiction. In 2020, Tony decided to strike out on his own, and subsequently negotiated the return of all publishing rights to himself. Each of those 8 books has subsequently been re-released under his own imprint, Spare Nib Books.

Tony lives with his wife in West Sussex, UK, and is a full-time author. He is currently working on the two more Jimmy bliss books.

Links
All of Tony’s links can be found on Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TonyJForder

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Savage Sisters by Heather Atkinson @HeatherAtkinso1 @rararesources @BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley #crime #thriller #gangland #bookreview

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I am delighted to share my review of Savage Sisters by Heather Atkinson. I adore this author’s gangland crime books and this latest one is an amazing read.

My huge thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of the book from Boldwood Books. book

Jane, Carly and Rose Savage are savage by name, savage by nature.
Having lost their mum too young, and with a bedridden father too ill to work, the sisters learnt early to stand on their own two feet. The family’s flat in the rough streets of Glasgow’s Haghill is their fortress, but when Carly’s ex-boyfriend Cole Alexander is released from prison, trouble soon comes knocking at their door. The Alexanders have beef with the Savages, so the girls call for back up in the shape of their uncle Eddie and his two gorgeous but dangerous sons, Harry and Dean.
As a turf war breaks out, the Savage sisters have choices to make. Stick to the straight and narrow or fight for what they deserve? And when the vicious girl gang Jane used to lead, the Unbeatable Bitches, are thrown into the mix, their minds might be made up for them. Because once a Savage always a Savage, and when the chips are down, there’s no one more deadly than a Savage sister.


Purchase Link – HERE

MY REVIEW

What an amazing start to a gangland thriller. It soon became obvious to me that I was not going to put this one down until I had read it from start to finish in one sitting.

Savage by name and savage by nature!

Three sisters Jane, Carly and Rose Savage spend their days either working or caring for their ill father, while the youngest Rose is still in school. They lost their mum to cancer and their dad has early-onset Parkinson’s. He was once a feared man as were his daughters, but priorities change and they are now happy to keep their heads down and out of trouble. This is what was happening until Carly’s ex, Cole Alexander, was released from prison. His elder brother Ross thought Carly was a bad influence on Cole as she wanted to avoid the family gang business. While Coel was inside things had settled but now he is out she and her family are threatened to keep away from Cole. It’s a shame Cole doesn’t keep away, he is desperate to make amends with Carly. It is Carly’s father Alex who finally makes the decision to call his brother and nephews in.

This is a fabulous, fast-paced and danger edge of your seat crime thriller, if you are a fan of gangland crime then this is one you want to keep your eye out for.

The author has created some characters in the Savage family and some absolute psychopathic creations in the Alexander family. That does not mean that the Savage family are all innocent and sweetness, but when pushed they definitely know how to make a stand and defend themselves. Savage is one word for this family another is brutal, but that could apply to all of the characters involved.

This is one of those books that had me so addicted and the more I read the more I needed to know. The stories of the different families and how they are linked and what they have done in the past give some indications of what is to come, but it was the way the author felt like she had given them free-rein to do what was in their nature that really made this a fabulous read for me. I know they are fictional characters but I was so invested in them that they almost became real. The imagery that the author built up was amazing.

I adore this book a huge amount and it is one that I would definitely recommend if you are after a brutal, gangland crime thriller with some great scenes. I should add that there is a bit of a romance in this and it will be interesting to see if this continues in the next book. I can’t wait to see what the auhtor has in store for the Savage Sisters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Atkinson is the author of over fifty books – predominantly in the crime fiction genre. Although Lancashire born and bred she now lives with her family, including twin teenage daughters, on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. Her gangland series for Boldwood, set on the fictional Gallowburn estate in Glasgow begins with the title Blood Brothers.

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Death on Cromer Beach by Ross Greenwood @greenwoodross @BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley #crime #thriller #policeprocedural #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today of Death on Cromer Beach by Ross Greenwood. I am a big fan of this author and have read several of his books over the years. Death on Cromer Beach is the start of a new series and it is a brilliant way to start!

My huge thanks to Boldwood Books for granting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

Publication Date – 26th April 2023

The first in a new series from bestselling author, Ross Greenwood!

A brutal double murder on a Norfolk beach horrifies the town of Cromer. The way the victims died is chilling and so Norfolk’s Major Investigation Team task DS Ashley Knight to manage the case.

It soon becomes clear that the murders were carefully planned and the finger of suspicion points to an organised crime gang, but as the evidence mounts, a far more sinister theory emerges. 

Ashley has been allocated a young but opinionated partner in Hector Fade, and sparks soon fly. Annoyingly for Ashley, Hector is no pushover and looks destined for great things.  When the pair delve into the case, they struggle to understand who would inflict such suffering on their victims and hope the crime is a one-off from a deranged and dangerous individual. But then another body is found.

There’s a killer on the loose who must be caught, or other victims will meet their fate by the sea.

MY REVIEW

I have read several of this author’s books and when I saw he had a new series I definitely needed to check it out.

DS Ashley Knight, loner, single, middle-aged, has just been asked to investigate a double death on Cromer beach. She has also been saddled with one of the fast-track detectives, Hector Fade.

Finding a double murder on her local beach is not something Ashley would have expected to get a call out to, especially when there is more to this than meets the eye. She has a bad feeling and she is not wrong as more bodies surface.

This first book in this new series is so good, it has such a tense and atmospheric feel to it. Having to deal with a double murder and then more as another and another body turns up is tough on the whole team. What makes this case even harder is that the link is tenuous but it is a link. Those connected are so varied and have many problems and this also makes trying to work out events, truths and lies very difficult.

In between the questioning and interviews, the author takes the time to have Ashley and Hector get to know each other, a great way to fill in some details about them. They are very opposite and so their differences can show. Discovering more about them helps to understand their characters a little more, there is more to each than you first imagine.

Having more to it than first expected also goes for the case. There are reasons for it to have a connection to an event from years ago. What this connection is and how it is worked into this story is such a good one. There are twists and misdirections and an overall sense of danger and of something lurking and waiting.

This is a fabulous first book in the series and I do hope that Hector is not fast-tracked out too soon as I do kind of like him. Ashley is a tough one, and she does get on well with her younger colleague, Between them, I do think they would make a great team, but then I am not writing the books 🙂

If you are looking for a new series then this is one you need to look at if you are a fan of tough, gritty crime thrillers. There are so many unexpected things that occur and this adds to the mystery and the suspense. Excellent storyline and great characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish and I would definitely recommend it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born in 1973 in Peterborough and lived there until I was 20, attending The King’s School in the city. I then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.

I found myself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually when things had gone wrong. It was on one of these occasions that I met my partner about 100 metres from my back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed. I’m still a little stunned by the pace of it now.

Fifty Years of Fear book was started a long time ago but parenthood and then after working in sales management all my life, I randomly spent four years as a prison officer. Ironically it was the four a.m. feed which gave me the opportunity to finish the book as unable to get back to sleep I completed it in the early morning hours.

I’ve now written five further books. My second book, The Boy Inside, was picked up by a publisher, and Lazy Blood is also out. All my books are thought-provoking and told with a sense of humour. Reading the reviews has been great.

The first three books are stand-alone, however, some of the characters cross over, and you can see how at times, their lives overlap.

Abel’s Revenge is something a bit different. It’s a modern-day love story set against the backdrop of an escalating serial killer. There’s a whodunnit element to it, and some smiles along the way.

Shadows of Regret was inspired by my time on the women’s side of the jail in Peterborough, and analyses the close relationship between victim and villain. You won’t have read a book like it.

I hope you enjoy reading them.

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

The Monk by Tim Sullivan @AriesFiction @HOZ_Books #policeprocedural #murder #NetGalley #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today of The Monk by Tim Sullivan. This is part of the DS Cross series, I have not read them all but I am aware of the uniqueness of Cross and how he applies it to his work.

My huge thanks to Aries & Aria Fiction for granting my request to read this title via NetGalley.

Publication Date – 27th April 2023

To find a murderer, you need a motive . . .

THE DETECTIVE
DS George Cross has always wondered why his mother left him when he was a child. Now she is back in his life, he suddenly has answers. But this unexpected reunion is not anything he’s used to dealing with. When a disturbing case lands on his desk, he is almost thankful for the return to normality.

THE QUESTION
The body of a monk is found savagely beaten to death in a woodland near Bristol. Nothing is known about Brother Dominic’s past, which makes investigating difficult. How can Cross unpick a crime when they don’t know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk?

THE PAST
Discovering who Brother Dominic once was only makes the picture more puzzling. He was a much-loved and respected friend, brother, son – he had no enemies. Or, at least, none that are obvious. But looking into his past reveals that he was a very wealthy man, that he sacrificed it all for his faith. For a man who has nothing, it seems strange that greed could be the motive for his murder. But greed is a sin after all . . .

Perfect for fans of M.W. Craven, Peter James and Joy Ellis, The Monk is part of the DS George Cross thriller series, which can be read in any order.

MY REVIEW

I have not read all the books in this series, but I have read one of them and found it an easy series to get into. I then seem to have missed a couple more and now come across this latest one. again another one that is easy to pick up given that it is a series. The character of DS George Cross was very easy to remember as he is socially awkward and has a very specific way of dealing with his life, those of people he knows and of the crimes he is investigating.

He is tenacious and it is this tenacity that has helped him navigate his way through tricky investigations before and will do so again this time as well. While he has always been able to look at crimes from the outside, this time he discovers a connection that makes one of his friendships a little strained.

Luckily for him, he has people around him who know how he works and he has built up a level of respect. He really is a character I like given his very literal understanding of everyday conversations, sarcasm, joking and general banter.

When the body of a monk is discovered it leads Cross and the team along a route that even surprises them. Everyone comes from somewhere and even a monk has a past, even one that has been left behind. As the team investigate there seems to be something more than first meets the eye.

Having different threads in this story the author is able to weave what would seem like a complex case. If I was to try to explain it, well it would be complex, but the way the author lays it out makes sense. Leads are followed, but not always successfully or with full understanding. Progress is slow and is hampered by not having knowledge of all the facts.

While this is a police procedural first and foremost, the author does bring in the out-of-hours or off-the-job aspect to his main characters. It is a chance to get to know more about Cross and what happened to his mum and dad when he was younger and they went their separate ways.

Being on the spectrum, Cross is shown to struggle with changes in his routines and these revelations do up skittle him. He is however a professional and is able to departmentalise so his focus is where it needs to be. Being a stickler for having every ‘I’ dotted and ‘T’ crossed he will always keep working at things that niggle him.

This is a fabulous story and as I mentioned this does not have to be read in order. It does mention this is the book blurb so I will be going back to read the previous ones I have missed. If you are a fan of crime, thriller and police procedural stories then this is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Sullivan is an acclaimed screenwriter. He originally read English and Law at university – the latter forced on him by his Dad – but instead, he wriggled free of those parental ambitions and pursued his own, to make films. His writing credits include A HANDFUL OF DUST, starring Kristen Scott Thomas, WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD, starring Helen Mirren and Helena Bonham Carter, JACK AND SARAH (which he also directed) starring Richard E Grant, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen and LETTERS TO JULIET, with Amanda Seyfried. He is also a Television director whose credits include SHERLOCK HOLMES and COLD FEET and CORONATIONS STREET. He has written extensively in Hollywood in both live-action and animation, working with Ron Howard, Scott Rudin and Jeffrey Katzenberg on the fourth SHREK movie.

He has now embarked on a series of crime novels featuring the eccentric and socially-awkward, but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross.

He self-published the first two books and once they’d achieved over 200,000 downloads he came to the attention of Head of Zeus publishers. So thanks to all his readers for this success and their shared love of George.

The novels are set in Bristol in the southwest of England, Cross’ methods often infuriate his colleagues and superiors “not so much a thorn in my side as a pain in my arse,” according to his boss DCI Carson. But his conviction rate, thanks to his dogged persistence and attention to detail, is the best in the force. Tim has now written the first four in the series with The Patient being published on March 3rd 2022.

Tim feels confident in his claim that he is the only crime writer around who has also co-produced and written a My Little Pony movie for Hasbro. MY LITTLE PONY – A NEW GENERATION is now available on Netflix.

Tim lives in North London with his wife Rachel, the Emmy award-winning producer of THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA and PIONEER WOMAN. Their daughters live nearby.

For more stuff about Tim visit his website http://www.timsullivan.co.uk

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 x

Dark Mode by Ashley Kalagian Blunt @AKalagianBlunt @RandomTTours @ultimopress #thriller #suspense #psychologicalthriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 4 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for Dark Mode by Ashley Kalagian Blunt. This is indeed a dark story and one that had me hooked. The story explores the dark side of the internet and it is so addictive.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book from the publisher Ultimo Press.

Once you’re online, there’s nowhere to hide

Is it paranoia – or is someone watching?

For years, Reagan Carsen has kept her life offline. No socials. No internet presence. No photos. Safe.

Until the day she stumbles on a shocking murder in a Sydney laneway. The victim looks just like her.

Coincidence?

As more murders shake the city and she’s increasingly drawn out from hiding, Reagan is forced to confront her greatest fear.

She’s been found.

A riveting psychological thriller drawn from true events, Dark Mode delves into the terrifying reality of the dark web, and the price we pay for surrendering our privacy one click at a time.

MY REVIEW

The main character Reagan Carsen has good reason for keeping off the internet, not wanting to leave digital footprints in any way, shape or form. In this day and age, it is a hugely invasive part of our lives. We all use it, we are all reliant on it and it is becoming more and more difficult to avoid detection.

For Reagan though, as we discover, she has good reason for avoiding the web. She is running a business and the footfall is getting less and less as people are simply not aware that she is there. It takes her new boyfriend to help her set up online, he himself is not a fan but does have the internet for his own social media. She notices the benefits as her sales increase and her best friend Min is delighted that she has finally joined the technological age.

I did mention that Reagan has a past, it comes crashing at her feet when she discovers a body. There is something familiar about the body. It looks like her!

I have to say that this book was an amazing one, the author doesn’t hang around in getting the scenes laid out. From the opening pages, this is a fabulous well paced book. There is tension on every page as the author uses some wonderful atmospherics to show how on edge Reagan has become. Her story emerges in dribs and drabs and this suits her character a lot.

Having mentions of the dark web in the synopsis always tends me to stop and take notice. It is something I don’t know much about but it also terrifies me. I can imagine the fear that Reaan felt as she discovers what is starting to happen.

This is a book that made me feel on edge, it shows how a person’s ignorance of technology can be used against them in a startling and shocking way. This story has a strong psychological aspect to it and I have to say the author has done this so well.

There is a brilliant note from the author at the end about some of the books she has used for reference. One of these is on its way as I wrote this review!

If you are a fan of tense, stalker and psychological stories then this is one you really should pick up. It does have mentions of the dark but nothing that becomes over technical thank goodness. I adored this one a lot and I would definitely recommend it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ashley Kalagian Blunt is the author of How to Be Australian and
My Name Is Revenge. Her writing appears in the Sydney Morning
Herald, Overland, Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books,
Australian Book Review, Kill Your Darlings and more. Ashley teaches
creative writing and co-hosts James and Ashley Stay at Home, a
podcast about writing, creativity and health. Originally from Canada,
she has lived and worked in South Korea, Peru and Mexico.

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A Truth for a Truth by Carol Wyer @carolwyer @zooloosBT #policeprocedural #crime #thriller #bookreview

yvonnembee 6 Comments

I am delighted to share my review today for A Truth for a Truth by Carol Wyer. This is the 4th book in this series and I do urge that you read these in order. The main character has a unique something about her! 🙂

My huge thanks to Zoe at Zooloos Book Tours for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this fabulous book.

DI Kate Young’s team is hunting for a killer. What they don’t know…is that the killer is her.

DI Kate Young has known for years that her boss, Superintendent John Dickson, is a violent and evil man. But when she finally confronts him and accidentally shoots and kills him, she’s forced to cover her tracks before anyone can pin his death on her. With revelations about his corruption soon to become public knowledge, Kate sets up a trail of evidence to make it seem that Dickson has conveniently vanished…

But Kate knows the corruption doesn’t end with Dickson. As she heads up the team investigating his supposed disappearance, she also pursues other loose ends. Stanka, the sex worker who supplied the evidence against Dickson, leads her to crucial information on another corrupt officer, DI Harriet Khatri, and her dubious involvement with sex traffickers.

As the noose starts to tighten on Kate, she finds herself targeted by traffickers, the bent cops on her force and even her own team of detectives. Can she stay one step ahead of them all and bring Harriet to justice? Can she trust anyone around her? And can she possibly get away with murder?

MY REVIEW

Oh my goodness this series is amazing. It is one of those that you really should read in order as there is something about its main character that does need to be understood. Detective Kate Young has dealt with some tough stuff while working for Superintendant John Dickson. She has some information about him that she knows will have repercussions if it gets out. Trying to get the final pieces of information and to prove his guilt she arranged to meet him. After a tussle, he gets shot.

Understanding what makes Kate tick is key to this story as well as the ongoing storyline about the death of her husband, the sex traffickers and a girl she saved and befriended is something that is explained in previous books, they are all brilliant reads by the way!

As Kate tries to keep her cool she is also tasked with finding the man she killed. Balancing her emotions is tough and she is constantly walking on eggshells, trying not to slip up, making sure she has covered all the bases. trying to work in an open and honest way with her team and also keeping things secret is pulling her apart.

The investigations that are running and the people involved could make this a very confusing book, that is if I were to try to explain it in more detail. Luckily for us, we have the wonderful ability of the author to keep the lines clear and not muddy the waters. It makes for a story that flows and weaves its way through those involved and brings others into this evolving plot.

This is a tense thriller and the psychological aspect of it is so good. It gives a nice twist to the character of Kate and gives her her own special trait. The others in her team have their roles to play and they also have their own storylines, not as prominent but they are there.

Doubt, distrust and suspicion are evident on every page and this adds to the thrill of the story. Kate herself is someone who you should be able to trust, but she is definitely overstepping the line. Once this would never be an issue, but now… who knows how far she will go!

This is one that will appeal to fans of police procedurals and crime thriller stories. I do seriously suggest reading this in order to be able to get the full realisation of how Kate works and for the ongoing storylines. Another brilliant book in a brilliant series that I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author and winner of The People’s Book Prize Award, Carol Wyer’s crime novels have sold over one million copies and been translated into nine languages.

A move from humour to the ‘dark side’ in 2017, saw the introduction of popular DI Robyn Carter in Little Girl Lost and proved that Carol had found her true niche.

In 2021, An Eye For An Eye, the first in the DI Kate Young series, was chosen as a Kindle First Reads. It became the #1 bestselling book on Amazon UK and Australia. The third, A Life For A Life, is due out March 15th, 2022, but is available to preorder.

Carol has had articles published in national magazines ‘Woman’s Weekly’, featured in ‘Take A Break’, ‘Choice’, ‘Yours’ and ‘Woman’s Own’ magazines and written for the Huffington Post. She’s also been interviewed on numerous radio shows and on BBC Breakfast television.

She currently lives on a windy hill in rural Staffordshire with her husband Mr. Grumpy who is very, very grumpy.

When not plotting devious murders, she can be found performing her comedy routine, Smile While You Still Have Teeth.

To learn more, go to www.carolwyer.co.uk

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

Do No Harm by Jack Jordan @JackJordanBooks #DoNoHarm @SimonSchusterUK @Tr4cyF3nt0n #crime #thriller #PaperbackPublication #bookreview

yvonnembee

I am delighted to share my review today for Do No Harm by Jack Jordan. Today sees the paperback release of this book and I was delighted to receive a copy.

My huge thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers and the Publisher Simon & Schuster.

My son has been taken. And I’ve been given a choice…
Kill a patient on the operating table. Or never see him again.

The man lies on the table in front of me.
As a surgeon, it’s my job to save him.
As a mother, I know I must kill him.
You might think that I’m a monster.
But there really is only one choice.
I must get away with murder.
Or I will never see my son again.

I’VE SAVED MANY LIVES.
WOULD YOU TRUST ME WITH YOURS?

MY REVIEW

This is a fabulous story that initially made me stop and think. You put your life in the hands of a surgeon, you trust them to do their best to keep you alive. But, what if that same surgeon then decides that you have to die while you are being operated on?

This is the story of heart surgeon Anna, a single parent, going through a divorce and her son has just been kidnapped. She will have to kill a patient to see her son alive again and get away with it. This is not just one story it is also woven into a story with another character. This second character is one that has a different past and different priorities than Anna.

What a brilliant idea the author had when he decided to use a surgeon as a murderer. Just the thought of this is chilling in itself. As I read through the alternating chapters between the main characters, the author gradually built up their histories, their lifestyles and their current struggles. Other characters are brought in and so the cast does expand, but not so much as to become overwhelming.

I am going to be a bit vague as there is so much more to this story than a simple “woman kills man during surgery” scenario, the author gives so much more for the reader to get caught up in. There is a strong mystery element as well as the obvious thriller and crime, but it is how someone can alter their attitude and their moral stance to save someone close to them.

The story is so well paced and the tension builds as police are investigating another crime, and this in itself has its own storyline. That one is just as heartbreaking as following Anna as she deals with a stressful job and her missing son.

This is tense and really has an addictiveness to it. It soon became evident that I would not be leaving this book to one side for long before I would pick it up again. I read this over the course of a day as I needed to know how things would pan out for all those involved.

If you are a fan of crime and thriller books then this is one I would definitely recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, and Night by Night and an Amazon No.1 bestseller in the UK, Canada, and Australia. After selling at auction in the UK and numerous foreign territories, Do No Harm is set to be the thriller of the summer in 2022. The idea for Do No Harm came to Jack after undergoing a minor medical procedure where he had to be sedated and trust strangers with his welfare. After the anaesthesia wore off, Jack began scribbling his notes, wondering to himself just how iron-clad a surgeon’s oath is, and what it would take to break it…

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

After the Burning by N. S. Ford @nsfordwriter #dystopian #thriller #shortstories #bookreview

yvonnembee 2 Comments

I am delighted to share my review for a collection of short stories. After the Burning by N.S. Ford is a wonderful selection of dystopian fiction.

“Things did not vanish. They were cleansed away.”

Five spine-chillingly plausible tales for our times. In a society without books, a labourer makes a shocking discovery. An artist starts an underground club for art made by humans instead of artificial intelligence. Parents who refuse to have their baby implanted with a communications chip must fight for their rights. A child goes on a school trip to the extinct natural world. Just before a general election, everyone becomes addicted to a new superfood.

A must-read collection of dystopian stories. They are works of fiction but, unless we act now, will soon be a reality.

MY REVIEW

This is a fabulous book of short stories that have a dystopian theme. I do like this genre and to have a story that gives a glimpse into a possible future is always scary and it also makes for very addictive reading.

The five short stories are a great mix and each one is a different topic but within the umbrella of dystopian fiction.

A story about school trips in a futuristic world is an eye-opener and also rather sad when I sat and thought about it. This is one that I do think is a possibility if things don’t change.

The story of the artists really caught my attention and this is one that again I can see happening as AI becomes more and more prevalent in our society.

Technology is something that is always developing so the story of having a computer chip implanted is another one that I really enjoyed. I didn’t expect the twist in that one!

Books are a big part of my life and are something that I cannot imagine not having. So reading about the discovery of a box and its contents was interesting as well.

The one I really enjoyed was the superfood story. This is something that did for a small part remind me of the book Soylent Green (if you know, you know!) but wasn’t quite as macabre but still shocking.

Overall these are well-written and really imaginative. They are short but detailed with nice twists to them. With collections of short stories it is difficult to rate as some I like more than others but all of these were good. This is a book I would happily recommend if you are looking for some entertaining and eerie dystopian stories.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

N S Ford is a book fanatic, blogger and cat lover who lives in the UK. She is the author of two cross-genre psychological thrillers, ‘We Watch You’ and ‘They Lie Here,’ plus a new collection of dystopian short stories, ‘After the Burning’.

Many thanks for reading my review, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx