Category: Book reviews

Review: The Last Friend by Harvey Church

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Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 9, 2018

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Fifteen years after Donovan’s daughter is abducted, Monica Russell knocks on his door. She claims she knew his daughter while in captivity. She claims she knows where his daughter’s remains are buried. She claims she knows the man who abducted, assaulted, and murdered his princess. She claims she can show him all of these things, but what price is Donovan willing to pay the young lady who claims to be the last friend to know his daughter?

Review:

Oohh I love the premise for this one, imagine thinking you may finally have answers about your missing child fifteen years later, crazy, right?! Donovan doesn’t know what to think when Monica shows up on his doorstep with all sorts of claims about his daughter, but she knows things that no one should know. He really wants to believe her, he would love to know the truth about what happened to her but can he trust Monica?

I love some unreliability and this was full of questions, Monica seemed legit but there was something niggling in the back of my mind the entire time, a feeling that she wasn’t being entirely honest. Donovan is a good guy, I really felt for him, I can’t imagine losing a child and not knowing what happened makes it all the more painful. I was wary of Monica and didn’t want her to take advantage of Donovan, he’s a desperate man who has nothing to lose and that’s always dangerous. The short chapters and fast pacing coupled with an intriguing storyline made this a page turner that I could not put down.

This was dark, twisty and well written with great characterization and a strong storyline. It wasn’t your typical missing child story since the child in question disappeared such a long time ago, it was about a fathers quest for answers at any cost. I think any parent could relate to Donovan’s need for the truth and wouldn’t find fault with his sometimes questionable decision making, I know I would do anything to find my own kids.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Review: Strange Weather by Joe Hill

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Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: October 24, 2017

Publisher: William Morrow

Genre: Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy

Blurb:

A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman, Joe Hill

“Snapshot” is the disturbing story of a Silicon Valley adolescent who finds himself threatened by “The Phoenician,” a tattooed thug who possesses a Polaroid Instant Camera that erases memories, snap by snap.

A young man takes to the skies to experience his first parachute jump. . . and winds up a castaway on an impossibly solid cloud, a Prospero’s island of roiling vapor that seems animated by a mind of its own in “Aloft.”

On a seemingly ordinary day in Boulder, Colorado, the clouds open up in a downpour of nails—splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. “Rain” explores this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads out across the country and around the world.

In “Loaded,” a mall security guard in a coastal Florida town courageously stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero to the modern gun rights movement. But under the glare of the spotlights, his story begins to unravel, taking his sanity with it. When an out-of-control summer blaze approaches the town, he will reach for the gun again and embark on one last day of reckoning.

Review:

This book would not be something that I would normally read, but after having heard from SO many people that Hill is a fantastic author I knew I had to give him a try. A collection of short stories seemed like the perfect way for me to acquainted with his work and overall I’m pretty impressed even though I didn’t love every single story.

I’m going to start with my least favorite and end with my favorite so I can end on a positive note! Snapshot had some parts that I really liked, Michael is an adult and is recounting a series of incidents from when he was twelve in the eighties. I love books set in this era so that was really cool and I liked the conversational style it had. I felt like a friend was telling me a crazy story from their past. I was pretty underwhelmed in the end, I found it predictable and the resolution was meh.

Aloft follows Audrey, an early twenties man who goes skydiving with some friends after one of them passes away to honor her memory. He is the sole focus and I found him to be well drawn for such a short amount of time spent with him. This had such a weird premise, it was pretty out there for me and while I liked it, I didn’t love it.

Rain focuses on an end of days type of event in Colorado and is told by a woman named Honeysuckle. I love a good apocalypse novel and haven’t read one in forever, so I was pretty into this bizarre tale of crystal spikes falling from the sky. This was dark and atmospheric and I really liked Honeysuckle and was invested in her. The ending left a bit to be desired but overall an entertaining read.

Loaded was the strongest in my opinion, maybe because it was so timely, but I thought it was extremely well done. It had a brief period with different timelines, present day, then back to the early nineties and I was impressed by how well this worked in a story that’s only a bit over one hundred pages, I’ve read full length novels that can’t pull this off as well! There are several characters in this story and they’re all linked by a mall shooting and the way things were plotted was smart and came together smoothly in the end.

If you like short story collections and don’t mind supernatural elements in your thrillers, give this a shot. I liked that I could easily read each section in a single setting and appreciated the great sense of place and atmosphere in each story, they were all highly original and engrossing.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #imwayr

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly post to share what you recently finished reading, what you’re currently reading, and what you plan on reading this week. It’s hosted by Kathryn at Bookdate.

What I Read Last Week:

Little Broken Things was a gentle suspense with gorgeous writing.

I’ve jumped in and out of this series and Crossing the Line was my favorite so far!

Moonlight Over Manhattan was fabulous and I found a new author!

Follow the Snowflakes was a sweet novella.

Faking It was such a fun read with a sassy heroine.

I just adore this series, Broken Bones was amazing.

Currently Reading:

Up Next:

I don’t have a firm schedule this week with Christmas approaching. I have SO much to do still and my personal life has been super stressful as well. We’ve been building a house for the last year and have been planning to move in right after Christmas. Saturday night someone broke into the house and stole a ton of stuff from the brand new TVs we were surprising our kids with for Christmas, my daughters new bunk bed and bedding, my washer and dryer, a bunch of tools and so much more. It’s devastating to say the least and it breaks my heart for my poor husband. He has worked tirelessly to make this house our dream home and while we’re so grateful this happened before we were living there, we’re heartbroken and beyond frustrating. It’s putting a damper on what should be a joyful time of year, but we’re staying positive and hoping the jerks who did this will be caught.

All of that to say, I don’t know how much I’ll be around. I’m still reading because it truly keeps me sane, but I have so many other demands on my time so I’m not able to read as much as I usually do. On top of the house stuff my kids have had a spate of minor illnesses and have been home more than usual and I haven’t even started packing for our eventual move. If I don’t get a chance to check back in before Christmas I want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday! I’ll be working on my top reads list ASAP and will have it up soon.

Review: Before I Knew by Jamie Beck

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Release date: August 22, 2017

Publisher: Montlake

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

On the second anniversary of her husband’s suicide, Colby Cabot-Baxter is ready to let go of her grief and the mistakes made during her turbulent marriage. Her fresh start comes in the form of A CertainTea, the restaurant she’s set to open along Lake Sandy, Oregon, with help from her family. But when her executive chef quits just weeks before the grand opening, Colby is pressured to hire old family friend Alec Morgan. His award-winning reputation could generate buzz, but their friendship has withered since her husband’s reckless dare cost Alec’s brother his life.

Distracted by guilty secrets concerning the tragedy that changed his and Colby’s lives, Alec self-destructed and lost his famed restaurant. With his career in tatters, he’s determined to use this opportunity to redeem his reputation and to help the woman he’s loved from afar find happiness again.

But secrets have a way of coming out. When Alec’s do, they might destroy the new life he and Colby have rebuilt together.

Review:

Before I Knew is the first in a new series following the Cabot family. It’s billed as a romance and it most certainly is, but this wasn’t the lighthearted read I was expecting it to be and unfortunately I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped because of this. I like to escape with a romance as a break from the dark thrillers that make up the majority of my TBR and since much of this one deals with heavy, depressing topics it wasn’t quite the break I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, it was well written and overall an enjoyable read, I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I started it.

This focuses on Colby as she’s grieving the loss of her husband Mark and trying to move on with her life. I did like Colby and found her to be relatable and interesting, but everything she’s been through was so heartbreakingly sad I felt emotionally drained myself. This isn’t inherently a bad thing as anytime an author makes me feel something I’m impressed because that’s one of the main reasons I read a book in the first place. Alec had a similarly devastating history as well so there wasn’t much levity to break up the angst they were both experiencing.

Overall this was a well thought out and well written story that was on the darker side compared to most romances I read. I was interested in the characters but not overly invested in them which is a shame. I don’t know that I’ll be continuing with this series as I prefer to keep my romances light and my thrillers dark, but if you want a romance that has depth and darkness without violence and gore try this!

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to Booksparks for my review copy.

Dark Minds: A Collection of Short Stories for Charity @Bloodhoundbook

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Happy Saturday everyone! Last year I had the pleasure of reviewing Dark Minds for the blog tour and this year they’re running a fantastic giveaway! I’ll be sharing my review again, but first here’s some details about the book and how to enter the giveaway.

Blurb:

A collection of short stories from some of your favourite authors

You think you know darkness? Think again.

Bloodhound Books presents Dark Minds – a collection of stories by authors who have come together to produce an anthology that will lure, tantalise and shock its readers.

What took place By the Water?

What goes on behind A Stranger’s Eyes?

And what is so special about Slow Roast Pork?

From master authors such as Lisa Hall, Steven Dunne, Louise Jensen and Anita Waller, readers can expect a one hell of a ride…

Dark Minds is a collection of 40 crime and thriller short stories from authors including; Louise Jensen, L.J. Ross, Lisa Hall, Steven Dunne, Betsy Reavley, M.A. Comley, Alex Walters and Anita Waller plus many more.

Sounds great, right?! Here’s the giveaway details.

Review:

I have to start by saying that the proceeds from the sale of this brilliant collection go to two very worthy causes, Sophie’s Appeal and Hospice UK. I’m honored to be one of the stops for the blog tour today and can’t wait to tell you all about this phenomenal compilation. Check out the book trailer as well.

Since there are forty stories in this collection I won’t review every single one separately, but I do want to mention that as a whole they are fantastic. There were none I actively disliked, I really enjoyed something about each of them. I’ll highlight my favorite ones, but there really is something for everyone here, especially if you’re a thriller fan. I haven’t read many short stories but this experience opened up my eyes and made me realize how enjoyable it can be. Who knew a few pages could pack such a huge punch?

The Shoes Maketh the Man by Louise Jensen 

Being a huge Jensen fan I was ecstatic to see she was one of the participating authors for Dark Minds. Her story is about an elderly man named Bill who’s wife Maureen has passed leaving him a widow.  Pensioners are being murdered in his area, is he next? It was creepy and pulled off quite a twist within a few pages.

Never Tell a Lie by Tara Lyons 

This is about an un named man who has an obsession with a beautiful woman named Fiona who he meets when she visits the coffee shop where he works. It’s obsessive, dark and menacing.

By The Water by Betsy Reavley 

Christine wakes up in a mental institution and has no idea why or what happened to land her there. Freaks me out just thinking about it! This was very chilling.

Slow Roast Pork by S. E. Lynes 

An un named woman this time who’s husband, Peter disappears. She seems distraught but does she know where he is? Or is she just a good actress? This was chilling in its intensity.

Sticky Fingers by J. T. Lawrence 

Nikki is a kleptomaniac, she’s not hurting for money she’s actually a wealthy housewife. She just can’t help herself, but is her time finally up? I loved the glimpse into her twisted mind and thought processes.

Hidden by K. A. Richardson 

Don’t want to say anything besides it is extremely creepy and graphic but excellent in its depravity.

I’ve Gone by Anita Waller

Laura’s husband Kevin is missing all that’s left is a note that says I’ve gone. This one was heartbreaking and shocking.

Be Careful What You Wish for by Peter Best

Sammy has found herself unwittingly entangled with the mafia in NYC. This is very action packed and there are twists until the very last sentence.

Dangerous Actions by M. A. Comley 

Joanne and Beth  are two best friends who meet a new guy on Facebook but social media can be deadly… I can’t say much more than that, but I was thoroughly impressed!

Captive by Stephen Edger

Daisy is kidnapped by Tim when she’s 6. There is quite a lot of action and intensity for a short story. My pulse was pounding as waited to see what her fate would be.

That’s just a taste of what this amazing collection has to offer, there are so many excellent stories that you have to read for yourself! It’s SUCH a good cause, grab your copy, you won’t be disappointed.

Overall rating: 5/5

You can grab a copy on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

#Audiobook Review: Broken Bones by Angela Marson @writeangie @bookouture

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Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: November 3, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Narrator: Jan Cramer

Blurb:

They thought they were safe. They were wrong.

The murder of a young prostitute and a baby found abandoned on the same winter night signals the start of a disturbing investigation for Detective Kim Stone – one which brings her face to face with someone from her own horrific childhood.

As three more sex workers are murdered in quick succession, each death more violent than the last, Kim and her team realise that the initial killing was no one-off frenzied attack, but a twisted serial killer preying on the vulnerable.

At the same time, the search begins for the desperate woman who left her newborn baby at the station – but what looks like a tragic abandonment turns even more sinister when a case of modern slavery is uncovered.

The two investigations bring the team into a terrifying world of human exploitation and cruelty – and a showdown that puts Kim’s life at risk as shocking secrets from her own past come to light.

Review:

This book has been out for more than a month now and despite my excitement about a new Kim Stone book, I held off on reading it as soon as I got my hands on it. I know that sounds weird, especially since this is one of my favorite series, but I knew as soon as I finished I would be desperate for the next book anyway so I decided to show some restraint for once in my life. My patience paid off because I ended up having the opportunity to listen to the audio version and it was outstanding, it definitely enhanced my experience, I absolutely loved it.

I think everyone has heard me rave about this series and Marsons talent as a writer several times before, so I’ll try and spare you and won’t repeat myself too much and just say that these books honestly just get better, sharper, and darker in each installment and are always intricately plotted and shocking.

Two things make this series standout among a hundred other police procedurals for me. First, Marsons always seems to have her finger on the pulse of society and addresses current issues in a compassionate and educational way while still managing to be exciting and fresh. This time Kim and team are dealing with immigration issues, prostitution and even slavery. Using extremely important issues in her novels lends an authenticity that is unmatched, it serves to bring a human connection to an otherwise grim plot. Secondly, she keeps her characters constantly evolving, she reveals new things about their pasts and who they are in each book and oftentimes surprises me with said revelations, which is difficult to do.

Cramer is the perfect narrator for this one, her voice is soothing and so easy to listen to. I know many people say that their mind wanders anytime they try and listen to an audiobook and my attention never strayed throughout this for a minute. Between Marsons riveting story and Cramer’s fluid voice I was utterly absorbed. It doesn’t hurt that I could listen to an English accent all day long either, but seriously read this book. Even better, listen to this book, I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Throwback Thursday: Faking It by Leah Marie Brown @leahmariebrown

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Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 12, 2015

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Genre: Chick Lit

Blurb:

Haven’t you ever told a little lie in the name of love?

Vivia Grant couldn’t be happier. She has her dream job and is about to marry her dream man. Does it really matter that she’s led him to believe she’s a virgin? After all, being in love makes every experience feel like the first time anyway! But an unexpected encounter with an ex-lover is about to expose her embarrassing lie…

When Vivia’s fiancé discovers the truth, he ends their engagement—via text—and uses his connections to get her fired. Unemployed and heartbroken, Vivia begins planning her new future—as a homeless spinster. But her best friend has a better idea. They’ll skip the Ben & Jerry’s binge and go on Vivia’s honeymoon instead. Two weeks cycling through Provence and Tuscany, with Luc de Caumont, a sexy French bike guide. Too bad Vivia’s not a big fan of biking. And she’s abysmal at languages. Will she fib her way through the adventure, or finally learn to love herself—and Luc—flaws and all?

Review:

I’m joining in again with Throwback Thursday which was created by my good friend Renee at It’s Book Talk . She started this weekly feature as a way to highlight old favorites and read books that have already been published. I have so many older books on my TBR that get ignored in favor of review copies and I figure participating in Throwback Thursday will help me to read at a least one older title a week!

I have a small confession. My love of reading may have started when I was a young child but what truly made me a bookworm was Chick Lit. Bridget Jones, Becky Bloomwood, and Rachel White are some of my all time favorite fictional characters, period, regardless of genre. Over time my tastes evolved and I began reading wider and found myself drawn to darker themes and my love affair with thrillers exploded and now they pretty much dominate my TBR. I still go back to my beloved CL quite often, it’ll always be one of my go to genres when I need a pick me up but it’s been a long time since I read a CL book that reminded me of the books I used to adore. Until now. Faking It had that fabulous, female empowerment vibe coupled with outrageous comedy and a dash of sexy romance that was missing from my reading life!

Vivia has an over the top type of personality that a memorable heroine needs, she’s totally hysterical AND super realistic. Everything about this one was authentic in terms of the characters and especially the dialogue, nothing was choppy or forced, the writing had a natural ease that kept me flipping pages at a rapid pace. This was a little racier than what I usually read, the sex scenes where steamy, R rated but not raunchy and relevant to the plot, which added a fun sass. I’m excited this is the first in a series, I’ll be reading the next book ASAP as I seriously can’t get enough of Vivia!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Blog Tour: Follow the Snowflakes by Angelina Kerner @KernerAngelina

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Follow the Snowflakes: A Christmas Novella by Angelina Kerner

Follow the Snowflakes front cover.jpg

Author Name: Angelina Kerner

Book Title: Follow the Snowflakes: A Christmas Novella

Date Published: December 15, 2017

Genre: Chick-lit, contemporary romance

Publisher: KDP Select

Synopsis:

At 28, it’s bad to be single. After four years of relationship struggles, Cat is ready to try anything.

That’s when her friend tells her about her class’ Dear Santa letters. One little boy asked for a new mommy, and she suggests Cat meets the kid’s dad, just to see where things go. Cat figures it can’t hurt…until she meets a stranger in the midst of a car accident. The man is handsome with a sad look in his eyes. He still wears a wedding band and she’s not sure his heart’s available, even if he makes her heart race. But, maybe he’s a widower? Cat wonders if she should resign herself to being an old maid, or whether she could possibly be the answer to a little boy’s Christmas wish, unless there’s a third option – a future with the stranger.

Review:

Angelina Kerner has made me a fan of novellas even though they’re not usually my book of choice. She has a unique ability to make you feel something for the characters she creates in a really short period of time. This was cute, sweet and light, totally ideal for this time of year.

Cat was a quirky and fun heroine, she marches to the beat of her own drum and I really liked her. I don’t want to discuss the plot because it’s so short, but the blurb gives you enough of an idea of what to expect. I will say that a little boy asking Santa for a new mommy is just about the sweetest thing ever! This was a bite sized treat of a book with warmth, humor and romance, absolutely precious.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Author Bio:

Angelina Kerner.jpg

Angelina Kerner’s writing career started at a young age when she discovered that her creativity could be channeled through a bit of ink and paper.

She moved around during her younger years from Novosibirsk and Kaluga Russia to finally settle in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. This startling contrast between the fierce snow of Siberia and the bright sun of the American West is a crucial source of inspiration and humility: the forces of people is to be found not only in their spirits, but in their land too.

Angelina’s curiosity in the human condition led her to pursue courses in psychology and blossomed into a master’s degree in Topographical science. It was with a burning fire that she rejected the status quo offered to her generation, and after many meaningless jobs, she decided that writing could be the canvas in which she could express this dichotomy. While working full time behind counters and registers, she persisted in supporting her family, her full-time coursework, and her creative dreams.

She dared to believe in her talents, and most importantly, in her ability to make a real mark on this world.

Like any creative soul, there was time for doubts, self-loathing, and loneliness, but never fear. She worked on countless experimental narratives, universes, genres, until her voice crystallized into her first published narrative. She is now the author of Deity’s Soulmate and Seven Hours: Challenge Accepted. Her next project involves a competition for a beautiful phoenix. Angelina currently divides her time between her family, work, writing, lots of cats, and two celestial dragons.

Author Links:

http://www.kernerangelina.com/ (Website)

https://www.facebook.com/AngelinaKernerFiction (Facebook)

https://twitter.com/kernerangelina (Twitter)

https://kernerangelina.live/ (Blog)

https://www.pinterest.ca/angelinakerner/ (Pinterest)

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14651070.Angelina_Kerner

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R&R Book Tours

Blog Tour: Moonlight over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

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Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: November 28, 2017

Publisher: HQN Books

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Determined to conquer a lifetime of shyness, Harriet Knight challenges herself to do one thing a day in December that scares her, including celebrating Christmas without her family. But when dog walker Harriet meets her newest client, exuberant spaniel Madi, she adds an extra challenge to her list—dealing with Madi’s temporary dog sitter, gruff doctor Ethan Black, and their very unexpected chemistry.

Ethan thought he was used to chaos, until he met Madi—how can one tiny dog cause such mayhem? To Ethan, the solution is simple—he will pay Harriet to share his New York apartment and provide twenty-four-hour care. But there’s nothing simple about how Harriet makes him feel.

Ethan’s kisses make Harriet shine brighter than the stars over moonlit Manhattan. But when his dog-sitting duties are over and Harriet returns to her own home, will she dare to take the biggest challenge of all—letting Ethan know he has her heart for life, not just for Christmas?

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Moonlight over Manhattan! Check out TLC Book Tours for the full tour schedule.

Review:

Oh my god you guys, this was the most adorable book I’ve read in a long time! I don’t think I’ve been introduced to a cuter fictional couple in…well maybe ever actually. I absolutely adored every single page of this feel good read and am now a huge fan of Morgan and can’t wait to go back and read some of her earlier work.

Harriet was my idea of the perfect romantic comedy heroine. She’s cute, smart, kind and funny but she is far from perfect, they type of person any woman could relate to. I love the idea of challenging yourself to do things outside of your comfort zone and I so admired her courage. Ethan is the type of romantic lead that you can’t help but swoon over, he’s a handsome doctor for crying out loud but the cliches stop there. They were both extremely well developed and just so much fun! Their relationship progressed at a natural rate, no instant love or annoying, overused tropes to be found here, but their connection was undeniable, magical and flirty.

This had a whole lot of heart alongside some sass, there were also a few sexy moments and enough romance to knock me off of my feet. It’s set in NYC during the holidays, is there anything more romantic than that?! I think not. I can’t say enough good things about this one, it was perfection in my eyes and had exactly what I want when I’m in the mood for a romance and a surprising amount of depth and maturity that I wasn’t anticipating but I wholeheartedly appreciated.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.

Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family.

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Connect with Sarah

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Review: Crossing the Line by Kerry Wilkinson @bookouture

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Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: December 12, 2017

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

A serial killer with a past. A detective with a secret…

Twenty-five years ago, the Stretford Slasher murdered eight women and was locked behind bars for life. But after the notorious serial killer dies in prison, there is a new series of attacks bearing all the hallmarks of the originals. Victims are being targeted in broad daylight and people are scared to go out…

Recently promoted Detective Inspector Jessica Daniel is heading up the investigation. To unmask the culprit, Jessica must first unravel the truth behind decades of secrets. With so many leads, she enlists the help of Detective Superintendent Niall Hambleton – the man who arrested the Stretford Slasher.

Will Jessica be able to connect the crimes before someone else gets hurt? And how far will she go to solve the case?

Fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza and Rachel Abbott will be hooked by this pacey, addictive crime thriller, guaranteed to keep you turning the pages until the unforgettable ending.

I have to start by wishing Kerry a happy US publication day!! I’m so pleased to be participating in the blog blast for this awesome series today.

Review:

I started this series at the beginning and then unfortunately I fell behind as the old TBR pile has grown to epic proportions. But when I heard that we’re almost caught up to the UK releases here in the good old US I knew I had to jump back in a try and catch back up with Jess. I’m so glad I did, I had the best time reuniting with her and her team and while I’ve definitely missed out on some things not having read a few books, I easily caught up and I really didn’t feel confused or lost, so you could most definitely jump in here if you would like and I think you would be fine.

I’ve really come to love Jess, her sense of humor greatly appeals to me, she’s sarcastic and blunt, but that’s a coping mechanism because underneath it all she’s actually pretty warm and caring. I find her to be really relatable, she works hard and she constantly bends the rules, she’s wonderfully human and I can always understand why she skirts the boundaries. Izzy was the newest team member in the last book I read and I was pleased to see that not only is she still around, but so is Dave! I swear the rapport between Jess and Dave always makes me laugh, it’s so natural and fun.

Wilkinson keeps things moving at a rapid pace and there’s various subplots so there are no moments of boredom. This is set in the spring but Manchester is experiencing unseasonal weather with below freezing temperatures and I loved how the weather played such a huge role in the investigation. If you enjoy police procedurals with a strong, kick ass female lead you have to try this series! This was the best book for me in the series (that I’ve read!) and I’m really excited to make time for the next book.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 bestsellers in the UK, Canada, South Africa and Singapore, as well as top-five books in Australia. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States.

As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy – a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults – a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry has spent far too long living in the north of England, picking up words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’.

When he’s short of ideas, he rides his bike or bakes cakes. When he’s not, he writes it all down.

Upcoming US releases:
Behind Closed Doors (Jessica Daniel 7): Out now
Two Sisters (standalone): Out now
The Girl Who Came Back (standalone): Out now
Crossing The Line (Jessica Daniel 8): December 2017
Scarred For Life (Jessica Daniel 9): late-2017
One Cloudy Night (standalone): Spring 2018
The Death And Life Of Eleanor Parker (standalone): June 2018
For Richer, For Poorer (Jessica Daniel 10): 2018
Nothing But Trouble (Jessica Daniel 11): 2018

  Social Media Links:

http://kerrywilkinson.com or http://facebook.com/KerryWilkinsonBooks