Strangers by Paul Finch My rating: 3 of 5 stars Strangers starts off with a bang and some strong chapters but unfortunately - for me it became unwieldy. The prologue is great and I liked Lucy (although she's a regulatory menace as a police officer!) but the story started to drag around the middle. There… Continue reading Strangers (Lucy Clayburn 1) by Paul Finch
Tag: Mystery
The Blue Pool by Siobhan MacDonald
The Blue Pool by Siobhan MacDonald My rating: 2 of 5 stars I'm afraid I struggled with this book. The premise sounded right up my street, but unfortunately I found the first half to three quarters boring. Nothing seemed to happen, I didn't warm to any of the characters and none of them was particularly… Continue reading The Blue Pool by Siobhan MacDonald
The Woman Next Door by Cass Green
Two suburban women. Two dark secrets. The almost perfect murder. Everybody needs good neighbours… Melissa and Hester have lived next door to each other for years. When Melissa’s daughter was younger, Hester was almost like a grandmother to her. But recently they haven’t been so close. Hester has plans to change all that. It’s obvious to her that… Continue reading The Woman Next Door by Cass Green
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena My rating: 4 of 5 stars Overall I really enjoyed this one; it is a good story although its pacing could have been more even. It starts well and ends well, but throughout the middle third, I felt the story was going round in circles, repeating information and… Continue reading The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
Exposure by Ava Marsh
Exposure by Ava Marsh My rating: 5 of 5 stars Wow, strap in for a wild ride! This is a brilliantly-written, bold and sexy book that is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Ava Marsh's writing is confident and assured; she has constructed a great plot, with depth, complexity, cold-hard reality and a dash of black… Continue reading Exposure by Ava Marsh
Dead Man’s Prayer (DI Frank Farrell 1) by Jackie Baldwin
Dead Man's Prayer by Jackie Baldwin My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoyed this debut book. The set-up felt fresh and original, the characters were mostly well-developed (Mhairi was a particular favourite of mine) and the conclusion galloped along at a great pace. I did find the first quarter or so a little… Continue reading Dead Man’s Prayer (DI Frank Farrell 1) by Jackie Baldwin
Missing, Presumed (DS Manon 1) by Susie Steiner
Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner My rating: 2 of 5 stars Despite an interesting premise and a darkly humorous tone, I found this a difficult book to get into. Normally I really enjoy the multiple narrator device, but on this occasion I found it muddled, and one or two of the strands unnecessary. I didn't… Continue reading Missing, Presumed (DS Manon 1) by Susie Steiner
Before I Let You In by Jenny Blackhurst
Before I Let You In by Jenny Blackhurst My rating: 5 of 5 stars Oh my oh my oh my, hands down, one of the best books I've read all year! Thank you to NetGalley, Headline and Jenny Blackhurst for the ARC of Before I Let You In.I love this book: it is clever, brilliantly… Continue reading Before I Let You In by Jenny Blackhurst
Out of Bounds (Inspector Karen Pirie 4) by Val McDermid
Out of Bounds by Val McDermid My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is an assured murder mystery in which DCI Karen Pirie's cold cases collide with some very current ones. I love Val McDermid's confident, clear, wry writing style and her well-developed characters. The threads of the plot are woven carefully together like a… Continue reading Out of Bounds (Inspector Karen Pirie 4) by Val McDermid
Saving Sophie by Sam Carrington
Saving Sophie by Sam Carrington My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book had an original premise and was overall an intriguing read; I'd be keen to read more from Sam Carrington. I found the character of Sophie to be a believable teenager and that of her mother Karen to be very sympathetic. The story… Continue reading Saving Sophie by Sam Carrington
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