Dialogue Tips on technique 5: Plot Tips on technique 6: Tense Tips on technique 7: No Safe Place Deborah Ellis. It was a night without comfort, and without sleep. The rain fell without mercy, and the waves tossed the boat around like a plaything. There were no lights to head for, and there was no rescue coming. Time will tell… This book was a pleasure to read, with its intrinsic plot and believable well- developed characters.
Give yourself a treat and read this series. Many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my digital copy. View all 44 comments. Aug 28, Dec 12, Mar 25, Carolyn rated it really liked it Shelves: Another excellent instalment in what is proving to be a very good series. In this episode a body is found in a freshly dug grave and girl are going missing after catching the commuter train home to Ragmullin from Dublin.
Detective Lottie Parker remembers a similar case from ten years ago, a missing girl, never found but last seen on the train, and wonders if a serial killer is at work. But why has he waited ten years to take another girl? I liked that there was less focus on Lottie's family and h Another excellent instalment in what is proving to be a very good series.
I liked that there was less focus on Lottie's family and her problems and more on the cases she and her team are investigating. Detective Lottie Parker's team of Boyd, Lynch and Kirby are as reliable as ever and their personal lives do feature without dominating the plot, although Boyd's younger sister Grace does play a major role. Lottie has a new temporary boss to deal with who she can't stand and the feeling is mutual so that's causing a lot of friction.
Lottie herself seems to be a bit more stable than previously, still popping pills and drinking but not so out of control. Her relationship with her kids seems to have improved, although that with her mother is still unresolved. The plot moves at a good pace as Lottie's team investigates the cold case and the current disappearances all while trying to avoid the new boss.
The ending is very tense as they race the clock to slot all the pieces of the puzzle into place. With thanks to Netgalley and he publisher Bookouture for a digital copy of the book. Gibney does it again! After reading the 3rd book in the series I couldn't wait to read the next one. Only problem with that is now I have to wait for the 5th book!! I have no patience! These last two books have been spot on.
The mystery starts off with the disappearance of a young lady that is eventually found half buried beneath a waiting grave. Not a spoiler--happens straight away When another young lady goes missing, tensions arise. Especially since McMahon is back as Lottie's new boss--no Gibney does it again!
Especially since McMahon is back as Lottie's new boss--no love lost between them! Lottie is still balancing home life and work and still struggling with it all. I am glad that her kids aren't the main focus of her investigations anymore. I think that's why I'm loving the last two books. I hope I don't have to wait too long for the next book. Mar 07, Adrian Dooley rated it it was amazing. The fourth outing for Lottie Parker and I honestly think this one is the strongest in an already strong series. A brilliant, captivating read.
We are back with Lottie in her home town of Ragmullin. A girl has gone missing and a body is found in a freshly dug grave just as a funeral is about to take place. Could this be the missing girl? As another girl goes missing and the cases shows similarities to events that happened in the town a decade ago Lottie realizes she may have a serial killer on he The fourth outing for Lottie Parker and I honestly think this one is the strongest in an already strong series. As another girl goes missing and the cases shows similarities to events that happened in the town a decade ago Lottie realizes she may have a serial killer on her hands.
Under immense pressure from a new boss who has it in for her can she find out what is happening to these girls and what, if any connection it has to a cold case from a decade ago. A case her outgoing boss told her to look into before leaving. Well, this was a brilliant read.
Utterly captivating from the first page to the last. There is so much to take in and enjoy in this story. Everyone was so well and clearly written that I knew exactly who I was dealing with at every stage when they reappeared in the story. A real mark of excellent and captivating character writing. The main story itself is great with a very satisfying conclusion and a brilliant journey in between. I love the character Lottie. The only downside is now I will have a wait for book five! Five of the strongest stars. If you have read this series up until this one then you are in for a real treat here.
You will be venturing into one of, if not the strongest series out there at the moment in this genre. View all 5 comments. Mar 11, Mandy White rated it it was amazing Shelves: I am a big a fan of this series and Detective Lottie Parker. Books 4 and still going strong. Just keeps getting better This time we see Lottie and her team investigating a missing person case This body has been dead for a while so it can't be their missing person.
So who is it? At the same time there are women going missing on the trains, just like a woman I am a big a fan of this series and Detective Lottie Parker. At the same time there are women going missing on the trains, just like a woman went missing almost 10 years ago to the day.
It is all happening. Of course while these cases are going on Lottie is dealing with her family and the revelations from the previous book. Life just isn't meant to be easy for poor Lottie. I really enjoyed this book. I love the relationships of the team as well and the families, it makes it all more real that these police have lives too. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions View all 3 comments. Mar 24, Amy rated it really liked it Shelves: Her and Boyd are one of my favorite duos, they just have such a wonderful rapport that leans to the sarcastic side which is right up my alley.
This spans the course of five days as Lottie and team work relentlessly to find missing women and a killer. It all seems like it could be related to a cold case but per usual there are more questions than answers which always keeps things fresh and exciting. Strong, sharp writing, highly complex plotting and characters that I truly care about combine together to make a recipe for success for me! No Safe Place in three words: Intricate, Sharp and Gritty.
Mar 02, Book Addict Shaun rated it really liked it. The Lost Child will take some beating just because of the emotional response it drew from me and how well the overall story was told. Lottie really is a fantastic character. I love following along with her complicated home life as she attempts to hold down her job and her trio of teenagers. She lives each of them and you get a true sense of just what solving crime means to her. This time around she really has her work cut out for her with a new but familiar boss and a news hungry journalist.
Given how this book ended, I am massively excited to see where book five takes us. In terms of the storyline in No Safe Place I felt it was incredibly strong. A story of what ifs and how family jealousy can spawn some incredible evils onto the world. I was oblivious to how everything connected right up until the very end so must award points to Patricia for that. When the reveal came I felt it was a realistic resolution and everything was then tied up nicely.
These books have a great flow to them and I just really enjoy reading them. This is a series that is going from strength to strength and if Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza are the crime Queen and King of Bookouture, Patricia Gibney is hot on their heels. Highly recommend this series. Apr 14, Michael rated it really liked it. There are a few things you can always count on with a Patricia Gibney novel featuring Detective Lottie Parker.
Firstly the crimes get darker and twisted with each installment, and Lottie's personal life remains forever in chaos that for me at least I would not have any other way! This time Lottie and her Team of Boyd, Kirkby, and Lynch have their skills tested when a young woman's body is found in a cemetery in an open grave. The suspicion is she is Elizabeth Bryne who disappeared a few days earl There are a few things you can always count on with a Patricia Gibney novel featuring Detective Lottie Parker. The suspicion is she is Elizabeth Bryne who disappeared a few days earlier.
When two more young women go missing from Ragmullin pressure is on for Lottie and her team. Complicated matters further are Lottie's new boss who clearly has it in for her, a nosy reporter and her family issues. The stakes are high for Lottie's team as they try and stop a killer all the while wondering if a ten-year mystery could reveal why this tragedy has occurred. It's a cliche to say that a book will keep you guessing to the very end but just like with the previous books in the series this quote is very much justified. With a story that hits the ground going from the onset, you will be questioning who done it from the word go.
There are plenty of potential suspects but for me at least I was shocked with the eventual conclusion. Throw in Lottie who continues to be her usual convoluted self and you have another gripping read and I can't wait to see what she and team tackle next. Mar 17, Pamela rated it really liked it Shelves: Good Golly Miss Lottie!
Another good one by Ms. Lottie is a messed up cop, mom and lover, but you just can't help rooting for her and liking her. It's nice to get to know more about her team as these books progress. As usual, I am looking forward to the next one. Mar 20, Denise added it. A recently dead body found in an open grave, a missing girl and a stand-in boss who won't let her chase her cases in her own way.
Not to mention the usual havoc on the home front -- it's not easy working full stop when you're a widow with 3 children and a new grandson. Lottie's life is very complicated and she doesn't always handle things During the course of the investigations, a ten years old missing persons case looks to have some similarity to the current situation.
It's coming up on the anniversary date of when Lynn O'Donnell got off the train in Ragmullin and was never seen again. It seems that the girl in the grave, Elizabeth, and the missing girl, Mollie, were also on the train before they went missing. This is so much more than a hunt for missing girls or to solve a murder. The investigation by Lottie and her team is complicated and tedious. There is definitely something rotten in Ragmullin and the menace is probably in their midst.
Although you may figure out where this is going, the process is excellent police procedural. I note that others have said that this can be read as a standalone, but I disagree. There is too much of Lottie's backstory that gives history for her behaviors both professionally and personally. I have read 1, 3 and unfortunately missed 2 -- which I need to rectify. I want to know ALL about Lottie. Can't wait for the next in this great series. Mar 06, Mark rated it it was amazing. I really enjoyed this book, one of those books you pick up and feel at peace with as you know its well written, you love the writing and characters and you settle down to a fine read The book is all about a murder, 2 women going missing, a 10 year disappearance of a daughter that was unsolvable and a family with secrets View all 6 comments.
Lottie Parker is not someone I would like to sit down over coffee and chat. That's OK because she wouldn't want to visit with me either. She has time for two things, work and her kids, and that's it. A widow with three teenagers and a young grandson barely give her time to breathe let alone eat.
She also helps with her mom and has recently uncovered a mess of family secrets. She is a prescription pill popper and struggles with alcohol. To her credit she is one darn fine Detective Inspector who y Lottie Parker is not someone I would like to sit down over coffee and chat. To her credit she is one darn fine Detective Inspector who you would really want to investigate your case.
This one involves missing women who have one thing thing in common. They all ride the early commuter train from Ragmullin to Dublin. As the investigation unwinds, there is a tie to a disappearance of a woman ten years ago. It is almost the anniversary of that event which may have triggered current events. Nothing goes easy for Lottie. Her commanding officer goes on sick leave and is replaced by an arch enemy from Dublin.
Her mother won't get out of bed. Her daughter and grandson are off to NYC to visit the rich grandfather of the baby and Lottie worries they won't return. Her personal relationship with her partner, Boyd, heats up. I worry about Boyd because he is such a great guy. So thoughout the book you will learn what happened in Abdul, Rosalia and Cheslav's childhood. This book is non-stop action from the beggining, first it starts off talking about Abdul, then when he meets the other two it starts telling you what happened their life.
Even though it talks about Rosalia and Cheslav, whenever the three of them are together the author always writes about Abdul's point of veiw. I can only think of one bad thing in this book, whenever the author changes chapter she sometime talks about one of teens childhood, and when she does that she doesn't have a chapter title saying that.
So every time she switches chapters you never know what part the author is going to talk about. In conclusion this book is fantastic! I think everyone should give this book a shot, I rate this book a 4 out of 5, so if your looking for a good book to read this should be one of your first choises, and it's not that long. Oct 01, Levi Erdmann rated it really liked it.
The plot of this novel is very interesting. It starts off with a boy named Abdul who wants to cross into England and be free. His entire family is dead and he is forced to stay with his uncle who treats him badly. He ends up running away and has to eat in a homeless shelter on his way to Iraq. He gets to the border of the Mediterranean Sea and pays a smuggler to get him to England.
He and 4 others load onto a small skiff and try to go to England. They knock the smuggler out of the skiff and are The plot of this novel is very interesting. They knock the smuggler out of the skiff and are alone. They find an American yacht and toss the few people on it overboard. Cheslav, Rosaile, Abdul, and Jonas all make it to England in the yacht without getting caught by the coastguard. In between the story, it flashes back to each of the immigrants childhoods and how they ended up where they are and every characters story is very unique and is very shocking when they tell it.
For example, Cheslav originally attended a Siberian military camp and then he got transferred to play the trumpet at large military events. The four immigrants eventually end up in a small village and stay in a furnished cave and live there for about two days. Then Abdul leaves to go to Arsenal's arena and to Penny Lane to drop off a medallion that his friend Kalil had given him. My personal opinion on this book was that I've never actually read a more realistic book.
You learn the life of a modern day illegal alien and their journey to get to the country they want. I liked this book because of how suspenseful it was and all of the action that is in the book. Reading a book in the perspective of a person in poverty is a real mind changer on what you have because I am in the middle class and I have the basic essentials and more while Abdul didn't have any of that. The one thing that really hit me was when he didn't get to eat for days at a time and his showers were going to a library and washing himself in the sink.
I would recommend this book to a person in high school because of some of the content in it is a little inappropriate for younger kids. It has a lot of action which is why I think guys would like this book a lot. Also if you like a little bit of sadness and some heartwarming moments, this novel has a few of those. Abdul, a fifteen year old Iraqi, is an orphan whose father and brothers were killed in Iraq by American bombs in Two years later, his mother was driving him and an orphaned neighbor, Fatima, when two men shot and killed her for driving a car.
The story begins in Calais, where Abdul gets caught in a riot while attempting to get food. He stabs a policeman and starts to run. Eventually, Abdul begins his voyage out of Calais and gets on an illegal boat taking immigrants out of the country.
Over the course of the ride he meets many immigrants, including Jonah, Cheslav, and Rosalia. Eventually, they discover that their boat is filled with hidden heroin, and that their journey was, in part, a drug smuggling operation. Later, Abdul and the three other children are the only ones left on the boat and encounter two men with a yacht. They steal the yacht, and set out for England. Interwoven into the action is Cheslav, Rosalia, and Jonah's stories.
You learn about how they got to the boat and their backstories. Eventually, the boat approaches land along the coast of Cornwall, England. Once they disembark from the yacht, they meet Gemma and get to know her in her secret cave. Gemma and her mother take the teenagers in, care for them, and do what they can to help them complete their journey.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down! I think this book would be a great fit for middle school or high school students. It teaches a lot about stereotypes and the way people from other backgrounds are perceived by the world. The book could also be used within the context of history to teach about the Iraq War beginning in , and other European countries and cultures.
I also think that the book has a strong message of friendship, and how to be reliant on one another. I would highly reccommend this book to adults and students, and I thought it was great!!! Feb 22, Dijah Musah-McLean rated it really liked it. The story takes place in Calais, where Abdul,a young teenage migrant roams the streets.
Devastating events have cost him his family, and friends when he lived in his old country. Though now he can escape to a better place, away from all the war and disaster. He meets with a smuggler who claims he can take him and others there on his boat. Where Abdul meets with two other migrants who both possess the same dream of going to England as he does.
In chapters, the author describes the past lives of the three migrants Abdul, Cheslav, and Rosalia. Their loss, struggles, and the over-all devastating experiences leading them up to that point. I believe that this book shows much strength in many catagories. The author of this novel does a good job of explaining the event that is occuring, giving you a clear visual image in your mind, making you feel like your right there watching the character. The author also describes the expressions of the characters realistically making them seem beleivable.
For example the author describes "he looked at Cheslav as if his opinion mattered very much" page The author is refering to an expression probobly lots of us have been given before. And since the topic of the story is very realistic already, the descrption only seems to make the story better. In my opinion I beleive that this book is truly incredible. The writing style of the author explains every detail of the book. While still at a level that is understandable and realistic. I beleive the author chose the best point of view, because it shows the perspectives af all the characters.
And while also being able to present the story of their past in in a detailed manner. Though I especially like this book because of the genre. This novel is realistic-fiction, presenting actual situations that people can relate to because the aspects of it actually occur in real life.
I absolutly loved this novel. And If I were to rate it, I would rate 5 out of 5 stars!!!! Feb 22, Zach rated it it was amazing. Im reading no safe place By Deborah Ellis it is abought three outlaws who meet trying to start their new lives. I do not know how she came up with the book but it was fantastic! My opinion is that it was a fantastic read I loved how the book would flash to their lives as kids and how they got there. All three of the main charactors were wanted by the cops but when stuck on a boat heading to thier new lives they got to know their painfull backstories Abduls was on pg rosilies was on pg9 Im reading no safe place By Deborah Ellis it is abought three outlaws who meet trying to start their new lives.
All three of the main charactors were wanted by the cops but when stuck on a boat heading to thier new lives they got to know their painfull backstories Abduls was on pg rosilies was on pg and cheslaves backstorie was on pg I think one of the books weeknesses is that there is not non stop action or adventure. The books strength is that you get to see there lives as kides and how they got to where the are now. I loved this book because it is thre outlaws trying to start a new life after there family was killed or left them to die but insted they got up dusted themselfs off and started a new life together.
As a recap no safe place by Deborah Ellis is a fantastic third person book that I hope you read! Dec 16, Joey Melisi rated it it was amazing. Nov 15, Erin Dwan rated it really liked it. No Safe Place is an important book.
My opinion is that it was a fantastic book. No trivia or quizzes yet. Then Abdul leaves to go to Arsenal's arena and to Penny Lane to drop off a medallion that his friend Kalil had given him. I couldn't find anything truly wrong with it. A story of what ifs and how family jealousy can spawn some incredible evils onto the world. I cared about them. They are all part of my extended family, you know the kind — people you love one minute and want to kill the next!
Ellis offers a glimpse into a world that we as a society are otherwise oblivious to. This book places a name and a face to the countless middle-eastern children whose lives the war destroyed, these people who are all but hopeless. Enter Abdul, a fifteen year old with just a dream and a gold medallion. His story, as are those of the other children he befriends on his way to England, is riveting and horrifyingly real.
Ellis' depiction of life in Calais provides a No Safe Place is an important book. Ellis' depiction of life in Calais provides a brutally true-to-life description of the difficulties illegal migrants struggle with today. I appreciated how shockingly honest the first part of the book was, but I was a bit disappointed with the ending.
I questioned the likelihood that three teenagers and a small child could so easily outsmart two grown men, thus stealing and eventually sinking their yacht, but I let it go. This isn't what spoiled the book for me, though. To be completely honest, the ending sucked. It was like a magical fairy-tale ending, very uncharacteristic of the rest of Ellis' work. Although the ending was disappointing, I still enjoyed the book a lot. It's a great read, and I believe that this book is very important and eye-opening.
No Safe Place is vital in today's world, and it calls attention to the people who need it most. This work of realistic fiction by Deborah Ellis tells the story of three young people who are trying to illegally cross the borfer from France into England. There backgrounds are culturally mixed: Abdul is a fifteen year old Kurdish boy from Baghdad, Chreschav is fourteen year old from Russia, and Rosalia is a fourteen year old Roma girl who struuggles to identify with a "homeland", as she has moved so frequently. Each of these young people is escaping from something, and their stories are rveal This work of realistic fiction by Deborah Ellis tells the story of three young people who are trying to illegally cross the borfer from France into England.
Each of these young people is escaping from something, and their stories are rvealed through flashbacks.
In between the flashbacks, Ellis focuses on the present, during which these young people are stranded on a boat, hoping to making it safely to England. Ellis is an excellent storyteller and she paints a clear picture of each of the characters with vivid descriptions and dialogue. This book deals with many themes, but perhaps the most dominant is self-identity. Each of the characters sttruggles with the juxtaposition between the way they see themselves and the way that they are seen by others. For this reason, this book would be a great starting point for a discussion about labels and stereotypes and how we see ourselves vs.
A great book dealing with difficult and important themes. Sep 24, Jean rated it really liked it. Deborah Ellis has a gift for telling the stories of children who are living in difficult, dangerous situations. In this one she tells the story of four young people, thrown together by chance, trying to escape from Calais to a better life in England. Throughout the journey we learn their stories and the circumstances of their lives that brought them to the breaking point.
Ellis focuses on Abdul as the main character. He has been orphaned and has escaped from Baghdad and the horrors of war and re Deborah Ellis has a gift for telling the stories of children who are living in difficult, dangerous situations. He has been orphaned and has escaped from Baghdad and the horrors of war and religious tyranny. As he boards a boat with others waiting to be smuggled into England, he meets Rosalia, a Roma, who is also orphaned and is escaping a life of white slavery. And there is Cheslav, an angry young Russian who is escaping from the Russian Army.
Also on board is the smuggler's young nephew, who is English and is an orphan as well. These four young people must make the perilous journey from France to England and from their past into an unknown future. A very well-written and engrossing story.
The ending is uplifting but probably unrealistic. But it is enough to give some hope that maybe there is a safe place somewhere for unwanted young people. Feb 27, Raj P rated it really liked it. Abdul is 13 years old and has been in the united kingdom as a immigrant. Abdul came to the unite kingdom because of his country is in war with the united states. After coming to the UK he meets a girl from russia named cheslav's. They all saved eat other lives at least once.
They all were in the same troubles and sometimes came to death. In the book No safe place by Deborah Ellis i liked the parts where Abdul, Cheslav's, and Rosalia always helped e Abdul is 13 years old and has been in the united kingdom as a immigrant. In the book No safe place by Deborah Ellis i liked the parts where Abdul, Cheslav's, and Rosalia always helped each other and ha each others back. They also always told the truth to each other even though how bad it is.
I did not like the part when Abdul travelled around half the world by himself and them has to live on the streets then living with his family in his little home.