Last Orders: A gripping and twisty suspense thriller youll find impossible to put down (Gus Dury)

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So here is the thing. Catherine McKenzie wrote a book called Fractured. In Fractured the main protagonist Julie is in trouble because of a book she has written. That book is The Murder Game. So this book is a book from another book. And also its a great story. Take a group of law students, friends, randomly tangled in relationships, learning criminal law and eventually moving on to various careers within that.

Fast forward to a few years later, the friendships now somewhat fractured yes yes I did that and one of the group, Meredith, is assigned to a particularly sticky case. Not only sticky because of the defence being used but because this particular murder scene is all too familiar to Meredith…. Both timelines are intriguing, both are addictive, there is a great depth to the characters and an unpredictable quality about the whole thing that just makes you rocket through the read to find out what happens.

There are plenty of little twisty delights to be had here, also some great relationship entanglements that will have you shaking your head and the mystery element is beautifully drawn to make it more about the people than the actions. I really really enjoyed it. Now of course I want to read Fractured. It kind of has to be done. I shall track down a copy forthwith and see what happens to the author of The Murder Game.

She needs to write more books. Aubrey picks apart the inconsistencies to expose the first of many lies: The abduction is clearly personal—but why would someone play a high-stakes game with the life of a child? The more she presses for answers, the more Aubrey is convinced that her mother is hiding something. Desperate to save her young nephew, Aubrey must face harsh truths and choose between loyalty to her family and doing the right thing.

On review catch up for some books I read over the Summer — and this one, Someone Must Die, was a one sitting read for me which speaks to its addictive quality. I like a good mystery that has intriguing characters — this was the strength for Someone Must Die — the difficult choices facing main protagonist Aubrey and the family drama aspects were really compelling. I was especially fascinated by the historical roots of the story, the family background that has lead to the events unfolding now, Sharon Potts uses flashback really well here to keep you turning those pages.

A missing child is always an emotive subject and you are on the edge of the seat a bit hoping that all will turn out well. There are plenty of twists and turns and overall Someone Must Die was a well written, engaging crime novel that I would definitely recommend for fans of the genre. Meet PC Donal Lynch. Donal is new to working the beat in London, trying his best to forget that night.

So when a woman is murdered on his patch, Donal throws himself into the case. But how do you solve a case with no lead suspect and no evidence? This is one of those impulse buy books that worked out so well — spotted on a recent virtual shopping trip lets gloss over the fact that I was supposed to be getting something entirely non book related it accidentally fell into the basket. I guess we will never know. I mean crime fiction is always the best book fix out there when you can find the good stuff, even if occasionally a bit same old, so when an author can put a little extra fascination in the tale of your standard copper its always intriguing.

Great plotting with great characters is what I look for personally in a crime novel and this one had buckets of both. Plus a wry and ironic humerous tone that often had me smiling, occasionally even letting out a very unbecoming snort of a giggle. The supporting cast especially his journalist brother and murderous ex girlfriend are excellent and ever interesting, I was fully engaged with all of them throughout. The mystery element aint half bad either. The clues are there, including the ones that may not really be there, the investigative track is pacy and intelligent, there are some nice little twists and turns along the way and it has a banging ending.

Im very glad this is the start of a series, especially as James Nally has managed to pique my interest with a cleverly placed problem for Donal which will obviously bear more scrutiny. That plus the fact that it was a terrific story well told that made me wish I had book 2 already means this could become one of my favourite series. Ask me in a few years. Kate and Mannix Stokes and their children live beside Curragower Falls in Limerick, Ireland, in a house they love but can barely afford.

What her family needs, Kate decides, is a vacation. So when she sees a beautiful Manhattan apartment on a house swap website, it seems like a dream come true. They too need a vacation, and Hazel has long wanted to take her children back to her native Limerick. The house swap seems like the perfect solution. But this is anything but an ideal vacation, and the discovery of a body is just the beginning.

Twisted River is the story of two families — both hiding secrets of different kinds — who swap houses for holiday purposes, this event bringing things to a head. It starts with a body then tells the tale of what led to this moment. For me, Twisted River was an excellent character study and an intriguing and engaging tale throughout, bit of a page turner and written well with enough difference about it to make it stand out somewhat in the plethora of this type of story around at the moment.

The construction was effective — hearing from four characters, seeing their lives both before and afterwards, the author does a great job of blurring the lines so that things are unexpected and unpredictable. Siobhan Macdonald has a great eye for pace and atmosphere, exploring themes of marriage and loyalty, the things we keep hidden from each other and the cost of lies. I really enjoyed Twisted River it has to be said, was sympathetic to some characters whilst rolling my eyes at others, you get immersed into the lives of these people and it has a dark tone to it that appealed to me.

Overall definitely recommended for fans of psychological thrillers. When the artist Marianne Glass falls to her death, everyone insists it was a tragic accident. Yet Rowan Winter, once her closest friend, suspects there is more to the story. Ever since she was young, Marianne had paralyzing vertigo. Telling the tale of a friendship lost and leading into a tragedy where all is not as it seems, creatively speaking Lucie Whitehouse has a deft touch, a storytellers eye and a beautiful atmospheric sense.

The only slight thing was I felt the backstory dragged a little in the central part of the novel, over egging the pudding so to speak so I did have a few moments where I lost interest for small periods of time. Having said that, it then picks up and heads towards a terrific and unexpected ending, more of what I like from this author and overall I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Bugbears aside, Keep you Close is a classic example of a psychological thriller and if you like that sort of thing which I most definitely do when done well you will love this and I am really looking forward to what the author comes up with next. Character driven and often intense this was for the most part expertly executed and addictive. When a Lesley Kinnock buys a lottery ticket on a whim, it changes her life more than she could have imagined.

They move with their year-old daughter Rosie to an exclusive gated estate in Buckinghamshire, leaving behind their ordinary lives — and friends — as they are catapulted into wealth beyond their wildest dreams. But it soon turns into their darkest nightmare when, one beautiful spring afternoon, Lesley returns to their house to find it empty: As Lesley and Maggie desperately try to find Rosie, their fates hurtle together on a collision course that threatens to end in tragedy.

The truth could hurt more than a lie. One moment really can change your life forever. Gone Astray is another psychological thriller of the type so in favour at the moment, with family and tragedy and secrets and lies. Gone Astray is at the higher end quality speaking of this popular genre, with an addictive fast moving plot focusing on the family and their family liaison officer — a slightly different take on things that worked very well and kept me engaged and intrigued throughout. Michelle Davis builds an addictive and cleverly written plot around a hugely life changing event, there is a lot of the darker side of human nature in this novel and we all know I like a walk on the dark side.

It was also a plus that the police officer involved was specifically a family liaison officer — this gave a different edge to the investigation threads of the plot and Maggie Neville was a beautifully drawn character who with any luck is about to be part of a series. Overall I would definitely recommend this. Give it a go! But his investigation soon becomes more complicated when he realizes it may not be discs the thief was actually interested in….

As the lies begin to unravel, Cal is headed straight into the heart of a dark secret as his search uncovers more startling truths about Promise Falls. Broken Promise is best read first. Broken Promise was an excellent start to this trilogy, a twisty turny delight of a tale and Far From True continues along that path, answering some questions, asking others and embedding the reader further into the secrets and lies that hide beneath Promise Falls…. This is set in the immediate aftermath of the events of Broken Promise, as such it works really well, despite the length of time since I read the previous story it kicked right back in.

Cal and Barry are both great characters within a large cast, Linwood Barclay having a knack for creating flawed and fascinating people to pepper his pages — and what I have been really enjoying about this trilogy so far is the layers that he has been adding slowly but surely — giving a snapshot of the events within one community and managing to BAM hit you with unexpected twists when you are just not looking in that direction. Or for that matter with any of this authors previous books.

Pressurised by senior officers desperate for a result a new initiative is clearly needed, but what? You have totally old school writing and atmosphere — think Christie and indeed Ms Sayers and you will probably get a sense of what this novel is like. The characters are beautifully drawn, they feel like old souls in new bodies — all of them are intriguing, engaging and the author weaves some wonderfully quirky interactions into the narrative, some of the set scenes so to speak are a joy to behold.

Add to that a great mystery, that twists and turns and misdirects you the entire time, the centre of the story has an unconventional heart and soul that will totally absorb you. It is a bizarre tale in a lot of ways but GOOD bizarre, a little gem of difference within a genre of brilliant but similar stories and one that I would highly recommend.

Alex Delaware first meets beautiful and emotionally fragile actress Zelda Chase when called upon to evaluate her five-year-old son. Years later, Alex is unexpectedly reunited with Zelda when she is involuntarily committed after a bizarre psychotic episode. But tragedy strikes and shortly after her release, Zelda is discovered dead in the grounds of a palatial L. Meanwhile, Alex is caught up in another quest: And when other victims vanish from the same upscale neighborhood, worry turns to terror. This is Alex Delaware 31 now — that is an incredible body of work especially when you look at the standard throughout — ok there has been the occasional dip but for the most part these have been engaging, intriguing and brilliant reads, Breakdown being no exception.

And each different mystery brought to the doorstep of our dynamic duo has its own dark underbelly and different way of getting to the reader. In the case of Breakdown a child is missing, a child who is already vulnerable by virtue of having a disturbed mother — but as ever there is a lot more to it than that. I like Jonathan Kellermans own unique writing style very much — he uses what I call pragmatic prose to draw you in and keep you turning the pages. He still manages to surprise, he still manages to add layers to characters you would think to know off by heart by now.

Not everyone could pull off a series of this length and keep it at such a high calibre but somehow he does. You can pick up any of them and enjoy it in case you are gulping at the thought of 31 books and have not yet started, just pick one and dive in if you fancy giving them a go. Twenty years ago she ruined his life. The only question is, who would go to such great lengths to frame him—and why?

For Olivia, representing Jack is a way to make up for past regrets and absolve herself of guilt from a tragic decision, a secret she has held for twenty years. But as the evidence against him mounts, she is forced to confront her doubts. The man she knew could not have done this. But what if she never really knew him? I was immediately on board with Olivia Randall, a strong and independant female lead, as she agrees to help an ex boyfriend navigate a triple murder charge — years ago Olivia disposed of her relationship with Jack Harris in a very brutal and definitive way, sending him into a downward spiral and making Olivia truly regret her actions.

Now, 20 years later, Jack is a widower, in the wrong place at the wrong time when the wrong victim died, he is caught up in a system determined to convict him. Olivia believes that he is incapable of such action but how well does she really know him? There was a beautiful flow to this one and a great storyline — the author drip feeds the information, we discover as Olivia does and the legal wranglings are brilliantly addictive and really keep you engaged.

Is Jack a cold blooded murderer? Helplessly drawn like moths to the light, two girls go missing in an evocative and gripping tale. They called them the Moth Girls because they were attracted to the house. They were drawn to it. Or at least that is what is written in the newspapers that Mandy reads on the anniversary of when her two best friends went missing.

Five years have passed since Petra and Tina were determined to explore the dilapidated house on Princess Street. But what started off as a dare ended with the two girls vanishing. The Moth Girls is a tense and atmospheric character fuelled novel that is beautifully written and very compelling.

Mandy is watching a house being demolished — years earlier that house swallowed up her two best friends. They went in, they never came out. As the memories of that time begin to surface, she realises that she may know more than she thought as seemingly obscure events take on new meaning.. Often surprising and with an authentic feeling throughout, the ending too matched the rest, not necessarily expected yet realistic.

I liked the dynamic between the three girls as Mandy looks back over their friendship — their mixed and matched personalities — Mandy herself is a mess of contradiction at times, obviously affected deeply she just wants to know the truth and move on. You can purchase The Moth Girls here and follow the author on Twitter here. Delivering a tour de force of a crime story with our favourite characters heading back into normal territory and being those we love to read about.

Plus the trademark construction is back at its finest — where the crime in question is explored from many angles, giving us a picture of all those caught up in it, from the before during and after. What this author does incredibly well are people. From all walks of life, those who end up on the radar of Lynley and Havers are always fascinating whatever their background. In this case we have an author, a publicist, a mother who has lost a child to suicide and those that surround them — the sheer intricacies of all the interpersonal relationships make for some great reading and it is utterly compelling throughout.

As an entirety this series is simply stunning in its complexity, gorgeous prose, character building and addictive reading quality. Michael Hendricks is not a good man. But he is very good at his job. And he never kills civilians. He only hits hitters. Wow but this one hits the ground running and doesnt let up — an intriguing thrill ride of a novel, fast paced, brutal with that touch of insanity that makes a read a breathtaking one. So Michael Hendricks is a skilled killer. He has his own moral code and is intensely loyal to the very few people he cares about. So the scene is set for a desperate struggle to be the winner in a war of violence — and the author takes us on a shockingly savage at times yet so addictively readable road to the final solution without giving much room to stop along the way.

I liked the way that this was set from several viewpoints, I adored the pure energy of it — duelling assassins, blurring moral codes, some intricate plotting to keep things interesting and a genius pitch perfect ending. Overall a fabulously fun read. Is to love someone really to leave them behind? When Simone first met Mack, he was that guy. Too charming for his own good, and way too sure of himself. But just as they are about to get serious, Mack disappears without a trace.

I enjoyed this one — there were some good characters and an intriguing plot as Simone tries to track down her boyfriend Mack when he suddenly disappears — despite him leaving a note saying not to, of course she does…. Books like this are great for when you want a fun mystery story that keeps you turning the pages despite being pretty certain what you are going to find.

Well written, engaging, I would call this a perfect coffee break crime story, one of those for a long train ride. Loving the spate of new Crime Fiction that is around at the moment and Dead Eyed is a perfect example of what I mean — fast paced, full of twisty goodness, a well drawn and intriguing main protagonist and a well constructed and horrifically addictive storyline.

A really excellent debut — presumably of a series — a series I shall be looking out for in the future. There, row after row of tumbledown houses hide dark secrets — none darker than Billy, the youngest Farren. And when your life has bled away, he takes a final, gruesome picture for his wall. But what is the meaning of the horrific ritual Billy enacts with every murder? He faces a dilemma and some tough moral judgements and this, for me, made this one of my favourites of the series so far.

But she does not have it all…. Things shaken up anyway by the fact that they are no longer partners, the relationship between our two main protagonists is still a highly intriguing one, the ongoing portions of Shutter Man were terrific. On top of that, I was fascinated by the concept of not being able to recognise faces. In fact I could not really get my head around it — imagine not being able to identify those closest to you by looking at them. Of course this being a Richard Montanari novel that concept is all wrapped up in blood and death….

Overall a really great read again from a series that so far has not hit a downturn. Clever descriptive writing, involving and dark mystery elements and engaging and often brutal characters mean that these come highly recommended by me. Victims like Katherine Hennepin, a young woman strangled and stabbed in her home.

The only thing to do is move on to the next murder case — because there is always a next one. As Alex is his go to guy for the weird and horrific, they start to try and make some sense of it all. But as ever these things are never easy and before we know it BAM things are getting darker.. The characters have grown so beautifully over time, with all the ups and downs, you know them so well — and yet every time you have something new and even after all this time those we know best can act in an unpredictable manner — it keeps things fresh and never fails to keep you intrigued.

Motive was basically another great story, involving some terrifically drawn characters with all the disturbing twisty turns you can hope for within a series that could potentially run a good few years yet. My name is Simon. To his astonishment, the defendant is a ten-year-old boy — Simon — a fragile child with a chronic illness who insists that he was a murderer in a former life. A dastardly, twisty turny tale that will leave your head spinning. Robert Stern is a defence attorney, highly successful but with a huge loss in his past that drives him to work excessively and not think too much about anything else.

When an ex girlriend asks him to help a dying child who believes he was a killer in another life, Robert is sceptical. This was a strange, unpredictable and insanely mad reading experience, this author knows how to mess with your head and keep you on your toes whilst playing with your emotions and making you question everything. It flows along with no breathing space, locking you into the characters lives and experiences and sending you off into wild flights of fancy about what might actually be going on. Add to that a really emotive subject matter handled very well and realistically despite all the unrealistic situations Robert finds himself in and you have a heady mix of emotional resonance and pure thrill ride.

Is reincarnation a thing? Twisty turny eminently readable goodness. That is what this one will give you. Plus a possible toothache from grinding them throughout. She is newly engaged to Bennett, a seductive but possessive and secretive man. She returns from class one day to find Bennett mauled to death, and her dogs, a Great Pyrenees and two pit bulls she has rescued covered in blood.

The Hand That Feeds You is a psychological thriller that has an awful lot going for it. The addictive quality is spot on, I read this in one sitting, readability factor high. Upon recovery she discovers that he was not who he claimed to be, in fact nobody seems to know who he is. Further investigation shows that she is not the only one he has been taken in by him and death seems to follow him around…. Overall though I had a few issues here. The resolution is so predictable, unbelievably so, although right up until the last moments I did wonder if the authors were doing a terrific job of misdirection.

Still that was a slight disappointment given the quality of the writing and the depth of storytelling that had gone before. Also at points for me the plot got over convoluted and nonsensical, especially in relation to the actions of certain characters. On the plus side I did like Morgan as a character although she was actually entirely unlikeable.

She is set up as intelligent and proactive yet has a decent amount of vulnerability. Darren Evans was only eleven when his beloved sister Carly and four other teenage girls disappeared, sparking a huge police investigation. Eventually, a woman confessed to their murders. But although she admitted her guilt, Olivia Duvall refused to say what had happened to those five missing girls. Or where their bodies might lie. When Darren, one of the relatives of a possible murder victim takes a job at the jail in order to confront her, this was potentially going to be an extremely compelling read.

Ultimately it both was and was not — the twist was kind of uninspiring but the book was still very intense in places, when the author was exploring the more psychological aspects it was very well done. Ali Knight writes with an involving and very readable style — There was a lot about The Silent Ones that I truly thought was fabulous, I would definitely recommend it for fans of thrillers.

For every case Temperence Brennance has solved, there remain innumerable unidentified bodies in her lab. Information on some of these is available online, where amateur sleuths sometimes take a stab at solving cases. Whilst I have loved some more than others, the author never disappoints me, they are always darn good reads, excellent construction, great mystery elements and intriguing development for our favourite main characters.

As ever she is like a dog with a bone yes yes I know and will not give in until the truth comes out. Anyway, as ever this is scintillating stuff when it comes to the forensics — unsurprisingly given the vast range of knowledge and experience in the hands of the author — and it has a beautiful flow to it which is sometimes annoying in a good way as Kathy Reichs has a habit of finishing her snappy chapters with a sentence that means you simply have to read the next.

I want to give a nod to one of the recurring characters — Slidell — who I disliked intensely when I met him some books ago and who I now worship with the passion of a true reader. He is so beautifully ironic and a perfect foil for Tempe, their interactions make up some of the best parts of the novels these days. The dark humour the author adds to proceedings lives and breathes in this relationship and due to some developments in this instalment I believe we will see a lot more of him. Overall then an excellent addition to an already excellent series. I am a loyal fan because I have been given no reason not to be — I loved this one and am already anticipating the next.

A beautiful set up here for some great stories to come. In this instalment, Kasia goes missing, devastating Kiszka and bringing him back once again to Natalie as he seeks her help. The ongoing developing relationship between these two is one of the highlights of this series for me, Anya Lipska brings a subtlety and gorgeous undertone to their interactions which makes for compelling reading. The Polish culture is brought to vivid life in the stories, with particular and authentic emphasis on the merging of that with the British way, there are some really insightful and fascinating relationships that show this beautifully, both the good and the bad.

I think this is my favourite so far. It should be the best day of their lives. Too bad they never get to see it. On the cusp of their twenty-first birthday, he strikes. His victims are always twins, their ritualistic murders planned in exquisite detail, down to the moment when they breathe their last together. It worked really well — the tale is one of a killer, thought to be in jail, who kidnaps twins on the eve of their 21st birthday and kills them at the time of their birth. When another set of twins goes missing the game is afoot. There were some gorgeous little twists and turns in this one, the whole subject of twins I find fascinating.

Part of the plot involves a support group for surviving twins — losing a sibling is never easy, with twins if there is any truth to the duality theory must be incredibly difficult. The subject is explored in a really interesting way here as the different participants have different stories. Then there is the mystery element which is well imagined, often tense edge of the seat stuff, the opening portion sets the scene really well, in a heart stopping way and from there on in it is totally addictive reading. Overall then another really good novel from the pen of Lisa Jackson that has ensured I will continue to read these wherever possible.

And I really should go back and fill in the gaps. He needs to get away from it all for a while; the recent loss of his uncle, the end of his relationship, even his uni course. But as they set off on their scenic adventure, Dante and Asmir quickly realise that their trip might not be quite as relaxing as they had first thought.

Euro Crime: February

The bus is full, the trip long and the mix of different personalities could be deadly. Our characters are well drawn and emotionally connectable — I was especially fond of Dante who is simply trying to get his life back on track and ends up in an untenable situation. Overall then a great read — it was fast for me because I did not want to put it down until I found out the resolution. Twenty-five years have passed since a savage killer terrorized California, massacring three ordinary families before disappearing without a trace.

The haunted child who was the only surviving victim of his rampage is now wanted by the FBI for brutal crimes of her own, and Special Agent Matthew Roarke is on an interstate manhunt for her, despite his conflicted sympathies for her history and motives. But when his search for her unearths evidence of new family slayings, the dangerous woman Roarke seeks — and wants — may be his only hope of preventing another bloodbath. It is highly recommended that you read Book 1 of the series, Huntress Moon, first. This series has, so far, been totally brilliant. Huntress Moon, pitch perfect part one, set us up for Blood Moon which is simply superb — a rollicking roller coaster ride of a novel with some hugely compelling characters and a story arc that will leave you breathless.

Add to that a fast paced and highly intriguing mystery element in the cases surrounding these two and you really do have a unique addition to the crime genre, one that I would highly recommend. But he knows you. Soon he would be able to touch her, to feel the warmth of her blood. And when the time came, nothing would stop him.

Jennifer Knight investigates a routine stabbing in the quiet town of Haven, she is shocked at what seems like a personal message from beyond the grave. When more bodies are found, Jennifer is convinced the killings are somehow linked.

Crime/Mystery

What she discovers is more chilling than she could possibly imagine. The murders mirror those of the notorious Grim Reaper — from over twenty years ago. A killer her mother helped convict. Read this one in a day — it is highly addictive and written in such a way as to really get you turning the pages, a great crime fiction novel with a beautiful little Supernatural twist. Terrific main protagonist as well in DC Jennifer Knight — she is really well drawn, enigmatic in her own way, obsessive compulsive with a touch of humour about her that really brings the character to life.

Wonderfully atmospheric throughout, this is a really terrific first novel, one that definitely makes you want to read the next in the series. A pitch perfect ending just puts the cherry on the top of the cake! On the night of 22 December , a plane crashes on the Franco-Swiss border and is engulfed in flames.

The miraculous sole survivor is a three-month-old baby girl. Two families, one rich, the other poor, step forward to claim her, sparking an investigation that will last for almost two decades. Is she Lyse-Rose or Emilie? After the Crash is a really superb mystery thriller — one that hooks you in immediately and leaves you hanging on every world while you wait to find out the outcome. So the premise is very clever — a baby is the sole survivor of a plane crash. Two families claim she is theirs — in the days before DNA and with such a young child, how on earth do you work out who she is?

Especially when there are no real clues. The court eventually decides but then begins years of investigation by the losing relatives determined to get at the truth. The backstory is mostly told through the journal of the detective who has been on the case from the start. Hired by the rich family, he spends years of his time trying to get to the truth — in the end he leaves his journal to the child concerned. It is beautifully imagined, the mystery of who the baby now a grown woman actually is — some absolutely fabulous characters that evoke real emotion within the reader — and some lovely little twists and turns on the way to the truth finally revealed.

A real page turner, one that has you changing your mind at every step, feeling a kinship with this girl who does not know her name and keeps you hanging on to every word as more and more facts come to light. It is a character driven tale with a terrific mystery element, some real thrills along the way, gorgeously translated and ultimately a really really terrific read. So who is the survivor? The journey to discovery is an enigmatic and highly intriguing one. Oh what sheer joy it is to pick up another Thorne novel from Mark Billingham — you just KNOW you will not be disappointed, this really is a most marvellous series.

In the last novel Thorne and cohorts had a horrible time — here we find him away with Helen for a holiday. Always heart stoppingly addictive, I read this fast — when it comes to Crime Fiction Mr Billingham really is at the top of his game, each novel bringing something a little different and for such a long running series it maintains a fresh new feel each time.

Not that easy to pull off but seemingly effortless in this case. Keenan featuring forensic profiler Sean Rooney. So The Father turned into a pretty good crime story but for me I struggled with the first part, the use of language and the flow took a bit of getting used to. This was down to the main protagonist Sean Rooney having mental issues — he maintains an inner dialogue that I found hard to follow until I was used to it.

Once we had passed that point though, it was excellent — dark, disturbing and very compelling, with a hard literary edge that served the tale and the characters within extremely well. Sean was a deeply emotional and well drawn person to take this journey with — one thing that impressed me a lot was how the author tackled his issues and allowed them to be front and centre giving an authentic and honest look at how his particular medical problem manifests. Not feeling the need to play down that side of Sean meant that the whole thing had an added realistic flavour and made the whole tale utterly fascinating.

The mystery element is intelligently done, violent yes, but also highly engaging, the first little issue I had with it aside, it was a real page turner. Overall then a great addition to the genre — a thriller with heart and ultimately an extremely satisfying read. Really clever psychological thriller from Sabine Durrant- following one womans journey through both grief and release as she discovers there was more to her husband than meets the eye. This was another gorgeously twisty turny tale as Lizzie comes up on the year anniversary of her husbands death in a car accident.

Lizzie knows him all too well however and she cannot shake the feeling that somehow, somewhere he is still watching. Her friends, family and the police put it down to grief, Lizzie is not so sure. Meanwhile we hear from Zach in the form of a diary he kept. An obviously dark and twisted individual, I very much enjoyed seeing things from his point of view as Lizzie remembers those same incidents — both of them making very different observations. Cleverly done to keep you off kilter — is Lizzie simply imagining things or could Zach possibly still be alive — Added to that some great external characters muddying the waters and some genuinely creepy moments and you have a masterful and engaging tale which will keep you turning those pages.

Definitely recommended for fans of this genre and a good one to try if you are only just dipping your toes into the world of psychological thrillers. There are rules that every player of every game must abide by, no matter how dangerous the sport. Toronto has become the backdrop to a macabre set of artistic installations: Driven by a complex personality she pursues only the facts, only the things she can see, but never casts a judgement.

But she also has a dark and dangerous secret — one that will threaten her very survival. Eleanor Raven is a beautifully drawn character, dark and delicious, highly intelligent and one who doesnt suffer fools gladly OR apologise for who she is. This makes for a great read especially when she is faced with a dangerous killer, one she is uniquely placed to capture.

Still, he leads her on a merry dance and it is fascinating and addictive storytelling with a seductive and sensual edge. The mystery element is well imagined and will keep you guessing — the dark underbelly of Toronto comes to vivid life as Eleanor and cohorts follow the trail that leads to danger and desire — a really terrific tale that will keep you up long into the night. Available now kindle 22nd Sept Paperback from Faber and Faber. On a searing August day, Melisandre Harris Dawes committed the unthinkable: Melisandre was found not guilty by reason of criminal insanity, although there was much skepticism about her mental state.

Freed, she left the country, her husband and her two surviving children, determined to start over. But now Melisandre has returned Baltimore to meet with her estranged teenage daughters and wants to film the reunion for a documentary. In this story, she is reluctantly drawn into the case of Melisandre Harris Dawes, a woman who allowed her daughter to suffocate in a hot car one day whilst she sat by and did nothing.

Found to be criminally insane, she has been living away from her other two daughters. Now back, she is involved in a documentary film, but someone is watching and waiting and Tess finds herself stuck in the middle. Some emotional and heart wrenching issues here, all enveloped in an intriguing mystery and giving a lot of food for thought.

Personally I detested Melisandre and all that she stood for, but even so I could not make up my mind whether the death of her youngest daughter was deliberate.

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Some clever writing and a great psychological depth to the character will keep you going back and forth on that one…. Beautifully drawn, she is engaging and a great anchor to the rest of the tale. Their Father has re-married and his new wife was probably the character I sympathised with most. A baby of her own now, she longs to be there for her stepdaughters but they dismiss her attempts to love them. Overall then a terrific character driven mystery story that will keep you turning those pages until the final revelations — the subject matter is horrific but handled with grace and authenticity whilst still being a fantastic crime fiction novel.

Jane Bennett, senior Detective Sergeant for the murder squad at her London police precinct, is having a terrible day.

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But neither of them has the luxury of time to dwell on past grievances. Jane has just received a phone call from a good friend saying that her husband Mark Leech, a retired policeman, has disappeared. Andof course twisty turny goodness which I always love. So Jane is seriously worried about Mike Lockyer, for good reason it seems.

But she has far more on her plate than just an emotionally absent boss — whilst hunting for a missing colleague, a body is discovered which sets off an ominous chain of events.. I love the characters, perfect for crime fiction, especially a series — enigmatic enough to keep you wanting more but realistic enough that you believe every word.

The mystery element is very addictive, I was desperate to know what had happened to Mark whilst wondering if Mike would ever recover his sang froid. What with Jane chasing a killer and Mike haunting the corridors, this was an amazingly atmospheric read that gripped throughout. It is a talent for sure to be able to create that kind of shiver in a reader. Overall then a really really good tale and one I would highly recommend to fans of Crime fiction and Thrillers.

A dying man, if he is any kind of man, will live beyond the law. The elderly German, Karl Uxkull, was senile or desperate for attention. Why else would he concoct a tale of Nazi atrocity on the remote island of Delphi, off the coast of Donegal? And why now, 60 years after the event, just when Irish-American billionaire Shay Govern has tendered for a prospecting licence for gold in Lough Swilly? A cleverly done and absorbing thriller come crime mystery here, highly engaging with some great characters and a fascinating premise. I do like a book with an historical flavour, especially one that has elements of lost treasure and one that has a purely addictive quality that keeps you on your toes.

There are some political shenanigans, often convoluted but believable plot developments and an intriguing backdrop and sense of time.

Tom Noone is a compelling character who gets mixed up in a dangerous game and the whole thing is beautifully done. The scene setting is terrific, you get a real feel for the area, the characters have great depth and are highly appealing, the story twists and turns its way to a super conclusion, so really really a great reading experience.

Overall it is an eclectic and often unexpected tale, intricately constructed and with a very authentic feel to it that just adds to the ambience and makes it difficult to put down. I very much enjoyed it and can certainly recommend it unequivocably for fans of the genre. DI Mark Tartaglia spends a night in a west London hotel with a woman he has just met. When he is called out to the same hotel the next morning to investigate a murder, he realises it must have taken place while he was there.

Still reeling from the shock, he learns that another case he has been investigating — the body of a homeless man found in a burnt-out car — is also not what it seems. Tests reveal that the corpse has been assembled from the body parts of four different people. Under mounting pressure from the media and unsure where his loyalties lie, Tartaglia must solve this new macabre puzzle before the Jigsaw Killer strikes again.

Here we have Mark Tartaglia working on a case that has come a bit close to home, involving someone he cares about. Meanwhile there is a macabre killer at work and Mark will have to keep his wits about him in order to prevent further deaths. This had everything I look for in my crime fiction — some great characters, a well constructed and intriguing mystery and a beautiful flow to it, easily read as a standalone, I did not feel I was missing out by having come to it here. There are some great little twists and turns in there to keep you on your toes and the mystery element is well developed and perfectly paced.

Overall a terrific read — I have added this series to my must have list and very much look forward to what comes next. Paperback June from Piatkus. But soon, as Wesley delves in to the events of the past more people die. Meanwhile archeologist Neil Watson is investigating a ruined village that tumbled into the sea during a storm at the time of World War I.

Events take a cryptic turn when he encounters a year-old mystery with echoes in the present. As a terrifying truth is revealed, Wesley has to face a great danger, especially if he is to save someone very precious to him. Now of course I review as well as read so it was pure joy to receive this one in the post, as usual it was brilliant , an evocative mixture of crime and history, a lot of intrigue and a very fascinating premise. If you have not read these before you could actually pick any one up and read it as a standalone without losing out, this one being no exception, so do not be put off by the backlog!

In this instalment there are several strands — a body is found in a hotel room, a documentary is being made at a local dig, and an old Ice House is about to reveal a horrific secret. Told in present day and the past, Wesley will have his work cut out for him if he is to get to the bottom of a long ago mystery at the same time as solving a very modern murder.

These are so beautifully readable, always addictive I read half in one sitting and half in another practically without blinking as Kate Ellis weaves many different strands of plot into a fascinating web of intrigue, emotion and edge of the seat moments. Then we have Neil Watson doing his thing and ending up with more than he bargained for and as usual the characters pop and the whole thing is utterly compelling.

Overall a series I would highly recommend you get your teeth into if you havent already — and if you HAVE this will please you just as much if not more than all the rest. My name is Nicky Frank. Not in the dark, not in the rain, not with her injuries. But one thought allows her to defy the odds and flag down help: I have to save her.

Her disjointed thoughts, feelings and memories are what made this novel for me, I was fascinated and very emotionally involved with Nicky as she struggled to make sense of what was going on around her. The mystery element is complex and beautifully done with little strands heading out in various directions, eventually leading to some dark deeds and extremely wicked people.

Nicky wants the truth but may not be prepared or able to take it, Wyatt is determined as always and will push to get to the heart of things. All in all this is a terrifically readable, often surprising and always engaging mystery thriller, with some cameo appearances from our favourites and an additonal insight into what makes Wyatt tick. He has a team that feeds off his talent; ghost writers, agents, publishers. So when he decides to take a year out to write something of quality, a novel that will win prizes and critical acclaim, a lot of people stand to lose their livelihoods.

Then again, maybe he was set up by one of his enemies. I really enjoyed this novel although it turned into something a little different than expected. A very good read with a great premise, this is very much a character piece over and above any kind of mystery — whilst there is somewhat of a mystery element it is mostly a rather intriguing look at friendship and consequences. John Houston has disappeared leaving behind a murdered wife. The police are attempting to track him down as their prime suspect and his friends are endlessly speculating whilst most also assume his guilt — except for one.

Who sticks with the idea that John Houston is innocent, and agrees to help him. It just flows along beautifully, has some great interaction and dialogue and the author gives a real depth to the characters, which makes the whole thing highly readable. Add to that a little ironic view of the publishing industry and it is fun as well as often intense. The police assumed she was a runaway.

But now a body has been found in woods near Blyth. But when he and DS Nicola Freeman start to reinvestigate, they discover that nothing is as simple as it seems. An extremely clever and addictive mystery story to be found here, another great crime novel and it kept me on my toes throughout.

I have been lucky lately to find a lot of new crime novels, one of my favourite genres — this is a top notch addition to my must read authors list. Some brilliantly drawn characters lead us along — the most fascinating of which is one Lucas Yates, someone who has a past with missing teen Emma Thorley — now presumed dead — and who was not that fond of her. Then we have DI Michael Gardner, a man haunted by his past when it comes to his present colleague relationships, with the sense that he did not do the search for Emma justice at the time of her disappearance.

These two very different but equally compelling characters made this book for me — I was eager to find out the outcome for both. The mystery element is beautifully imagined and very well constructed — as the story ebbs and flows there are some great twists and turns and Rebecca Muddiman has a great turn of phrase and descriptive prose that keeps you deep into the story throughout. Overall then highly recommended for Crime Fiction fans, an excellent addition to my list of author favourites. Rachel Teller and her husband David appear happy, prosperous and fulfilled.

The big house, the successful business. However, control, not love, fuels their relationship and David has no idea his wife indulges in drunken indiscretions. When Rachel kills a man in a hit and run, the meticulously maintained veneer over their life begins to crack. An extremely clever, addictive and fun psychological thriller, I absolutely hated every single character in this book. Loved to hate them and could not stop reading about them no matter how I tried though. So we have Rachel then, telling the story. After a drunken night with her lover, she runs down a man and kills him.

Rather than calling the police she hides the body and returns home to David who is also determined to cover it up. Cue a lot of shenanigans, some twists and some turns, but mostly a terrifically intelligent insightful character piece about a lot of people you most definitely would want to avoid like the plague in real life. They are however extremely authentic and believable. Like calls to like I guess, they all seem cut from the same cloth but with different consequences.

But during the reading of this I ground my teeth, growled a lot and often paced around for a bit after putting it aside for a while. As Rachel got further and further into the mire, as she pulled other people into her vortex, despite the fact that she had been through a lot in her life, I found myself being mostly sympathetic towards the dogs and hoping someone would rescue them soon….

David is an extraordinarily well drawn character. McNidder and Grace 29 May Sold by: Amazon Australia Services, Inc. What other items do customers buy after viewing this item? Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Most helpful customer reviews on Amazon. I sure enjoyed the crap out of it on an intellectual and on an emotional level both. I'm pretty sure that if I browse hard enough, I'm going to find a couple negative reviews of this novel that claims that 'nothing ever happens'. There is a murder investigation at the center of the plot, but it's only a part the life Doug Michie's trying to keep together.

Lots of 30somethings will feel as compelled as I was by Doug Michie's existential struggle. Another terrific impressionistic hardboiled novel by Tony Black, a writer of considerable skill. Don't miss out on that. I found this novel to be nothing more than a hate filled rant against the protestant faith, loyalism, and unionism. I know nothing of the author's upbringing, but it appears he was raised to hate the Protestant faith.

The sort of ramblings you'd expect from the resident drunk at your local boozer except less coherent and structured. Get to Know Us.

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