November 2

Hydra (Six Stories) – Matt Wesolowski – Audiobook

A family massacre. A deluded murderess. Five witnesses. Six stories. Which one is true?

One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the north west of England, 21-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, father and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the Macleod Massacre. Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one but Scott King, an investigative journalist, whose Six Stories podcasts have become an internet sensation.

King finds himself immersed in an increasingly complex case, interviewing five witnesses and Arla herself, as he questions whether Arla’s responsibility for the massacre was a diminished as her legal team made out.
As he unpicks the stories, he finds himself thrust into a world of deadly forbidden ‘games’, online trolls, and the mysterious black-eyed kids, whose presence seems to extend far beyond the delusions of a murderess…

Dark, chilling and gripping, Hydra is both a classic murder mystery and an up-to-the-minute, startling thriller, that shines light in places you may never, ever want to see again.

 

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my Audible books review copy.

 

I have seen early copies of Changeling reaching readers this week.  Changeling is a Six Stories thriller from Matt Wesolowski and I am very much looking forward to seeing what it will bring (mainly because of this review by Kate at Bibliophile Book Club).

Why am I so excited about Changeling? Well recently I had the pleasure (a chilling pleasure) of listening to Matt’s second Six Stories book Hydra.  If ever a series should be enjoyed as an audiobook then it must surely be this one.

Six Stories is a podcast produced by Scott King. He revisits a crime or an event and over a six part series of podcasts he interviews guests who will cast new light onto the known/established facts and listeners are challenged to reconsider the “official” findings or outcome of events.

As the books in the Six Stories series are each recreating a podcast show it makes complete sense that Wesolowki’s books are best enjoyed as an audiobook listen. It also helps that the actors/narrators who contributed to Hydra were exceptional and brought this creepy tale to life in a way I don’t normally experience with an audiobook. It is possibly more accurate to consider the Hydra audiobook as a dramatization than a reading.

How to do Hydra justice without spoiling the story?  Hydra focuses on a family murder – Arla Macleod killed her mother, step father and her sister.  There is a suggestion that her fascination with supernatural may have influenced her actions – Arla suggests that on the night of the murders she opened the door to mysterious Black-Eyed Kids.  Could these ghostly children have brought about the death of three innocents?

Arla’s story (and that of her fellow contributors) are chilling, tragic and desperate tales. I got too involved in the stories and became enraged at stories of bullying, frustrated at the ignorance of children and happy when the underdogs tried to stand up for themselves.  The author has done a fantastic job of capturing the best and the worst of human behaviour.

Hydra was wonderfully interlaced by dramatic events away from the podcast too.  No spoilers, however, the Six Stories host will come to realise that not everyone appreciates his work.  The local community does not like three brutal murders being brought back to the attention of a wider audience and a mysterious stranger certainly does not welcome the nature of discussions which are being broadcast.

Hydra is a wickedly chilling read. It takes a very clever narrative style and delivers a dramatic punch.  I urge you to try the audiobook but you really should ensure you read this story. A five star score from this reader.

 

Hydra is available in paperback, digital and (my recommendation) audiobook format.  You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=hydra+matt+wesolowski&sprefix=hydra+matt%2Caps%2C151&crid=2LDXHENNPTBB3

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October 13

Come and Find Me – Sarah Hilary

On the surface, Lara Chorley and Ruth Hull have nothing in common, other than their infatuation with Michael Vokey. Each is writing to a sadistic inmate, sharing her secrets, whispering her worst fears, craving his attention.

DI Marnie Rome understands obsession. She’s finding it hard to give up her own addiction to a dangerous man: her foster brother, Stephen Keele. She wasn’t able to save her parents from Stephen. She lives with that guilt every day.

As the hunt for Vokey gathers pace, Marnie fears one of the women may have found him – and is about to pay the ultimate price.

 

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things for the chance to join the Come and Find Me blog tour.

 

I have read all the Marnie Rome novels and enjoyed each one immensely. Come and Find Me is my favourite. So far…

We join Marnie and her colleague DS Jake at a very difficult time. A prison riot saw several men brutally attacked, some prisoners died from their wounds. A fire took hold during the ensuing chaos and many prisoners suffered smoke inhalation. The man responsible has escaped confinement and the police are frantically hunting for him.

Marnie’s team are leading the manhunt but she has the added distraction that her adopted brother was in the prison but is currently unconscious in hospital after the incident in the prison. If he dies then Marnie may never learn why Stephen Keeps killed her parents.

DS Jake has his own personal problems. He has arrested his own brother to try and keep him away from the street gang which was threatening to take control of Saul’s life. While Jake feels he has done the best thing he could to protect his brother their mother is devastated and family tensions are high.

Personal drama aside the hunt to find prison escapee, Michael Vokey, makes for great reading. He was receiving letters from women who wanted to save him or who wanted to be with him. Will Vokey seek out these letter writers? Will they be safe? Vokey was in prison for entering the home of a single mum and terrorising her.

The investigation into Vokey’s escape is frustrating for the police and the women they are trying to protect are not minded to assist the police on finding Vokey.

Sarah Hilary has written a blinder. One interview Marnie conducted during this book made for one of the very best audio book chapters I have ever listened to. Masterful dialogue and amazingly narrated by Imogen Church who gave the scene so much more heart and feeling than I would have ascribed to it had I been reading it alone.

I do need to give special mention to the audio book as it was one of the best I have listened to this year.  Imogen Church narrates Come and Find Me wonderfully. The story had me hooked but the narration, hearing the characters every day for two weeks, made this feel more real and I got totally drawn into Marnie’s complicated world.

I cannot wait to see what comes next. If Sarah Hilary keeps true to past form then more compelling reading shall follow and we will be guaranteed more jaw-dropping moments.

 

Come and Find Me is published by Headline and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Find-Marnie-Rome-Book-ebook/dp/B072M1ZZX1/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1539282536&sr=1-1

 

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August 9

The Puppet Show – M. W. Craven

Welcome to the Puppet Show . . .

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless.

When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of.

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive …

 

I bought The Puppet Show on Audible and also had a reading copy which I received from Constable through Netgalley.

 

I listened to The Puppet Show through the Audible app – usually while driving to and from work each day. I say “usually” because I also make efforts to find ways to listen to The Puppet Show at other times too, walking round the shops, tidying the house etc.  This is something I NEVER normally do – my audiobooks are for the commute to work only, it takes something special for me to break that pattern.

I felt The Puppet Show merited that change to my routine, it was special enough to make me want to keep listening when my “normal” listening time was over.  In short – I loved it.

Washington Poe (and the author does explain the name) is called back to work to investigate a series of murders in Cumbria.  Poe has been suspended from duty pending investigation into an accidental release of a suspect’s name to a victims family.  An accident which had serious repercussions for those involved.  Why is Poe recalled from suspension?  Well his name has been carved onto the body of a victim and it looks like the killer has named Poe as a future target.

Poe accepts a return to duties and finds himself paired with a brilliant but awkward crime analyst who has never worked “in the field” before. The pairing of Poe and Tilly (his analyst) is great reading.  Tilly is an expert at tech, stats and probability while Poe is a seasoned cop with sharp instincts and street savvy. He also bucks at authority and has no time for bullies so the entitled and arrogant people who cross his path in The Puppet Show are in for a bit of a shock!

This book has been one of my standout reads of 2018 (thus far).  The perfect blend of police procedural, serial killer and engaging characters with a well balanced supporting cast made it a joy to read.

As I mentioned, I read The Puppet Show as a talking book so I need to address the “listening experience” too.  The audiobook is narrated by John Banks.  He gave Poe a wonderfully booming and confident voice which now defines how I imagine the character. He also made Tilly sound vulnerable and innocent which contrasted her perfectly with Poe.  The story was expertly handled under his care and this is easily one of the best titles in my Audible library.

A five star review is a certainty. I was hooked by the story, loved the characters and I just did not want it to end.

 

The Puppet Show is published by Constable and is available in Hardback, Digital and Audiobook versions.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Puppet-Show-Washington-Poe-Book/dp/B07D5G642H/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1533498247&sr=8-1

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July 18

Bloody January – Alan Parks (Audiobook)

When a teenage boy shoots a young woman dead in the middle of a busy Glasgow street and then commits suicide, Detective Harry McCoy is sure of one thing. It wasn’t a random act of violence.

With his new partner in tow, McCoy uses his underworld network to lead the investigation but soon runs up against a secret society led by Glasgow’s wealthiest family, the Dunlops.

McCoy’s boss doesn’t want him to investigate. The Dunlops seem untouchable. But McCoy has other ideas . . .

In a helter-skelter tale – winding from moneyed elite to hipster music groupies to the brutal gangs of the urban wasteland – Bloody January brings to life the dark underbelly of 1970s Glasgow and introduces a dark and electrifying new voice in Scottish noir.

 

My thanks to Canongate Books for my review copy which I received through Netgalley – I also bought an audible copy which I listened to through Audible.co.uk

Last September I attended the Bloody Scotland festival and one of my pals suggested I read Bloody January as it seemed like “my kind of story”.  Ten months later I finally started reading and I am really regretting that ten month wait.  Bloody January is very much “my kind of story” I utterly loved it.  So much so that I cheated on the audiobook version with a digital copy so that I could “read” it quicker – it’s that good!

Alan Parks takes us back to Glasgow in the cold, damp January of 1973. The lead character is Detective Harry McCoy, he enjoys the company of a working girl, drinks heavily, takes drugs, smokes (everyone smokes) and his best friend is head of one Glasgow’s criminal gangs.  I rather liked McCoy, we find he has come through some tough times and is not coping well.

McCoy is summoned to Barlinnie (Glasgow’s famous prison) to speak with a man he helped convict. He is given advance warning of a murder…can he stop a life being taken? Despite his reservations over the accuracy of this information McCoy tries to track down the girl but he arrives too late to prevent her very pubic death. The murderer then takes his own life but the question of WHY needs addressed and McCoy, with his young trainee “Wattie” in tow, are tasked with finding answers.

Much of the appeal in reading came from the interaction between the characters.  McCoy and Wattie were especially fun to accompany on their investigations.  Wattie has been moved from rural Ayrshire to learn how policing in “the big city” works – watching him find his feet is a blast.

Bloody January is a police procedural where none of the conventional procedures seem to be followed. It is a rough time, political correctness is totally unheard of and sexual equality is a tricky area for McCoy (as we get to see).   Alan Parks has done a cracking job of making the old town come back to life around his readers. The story, the setting, the corruption and poverty all  makes for brilliant reading and I loved reading about “old” Glasgow.

As I indicated at the outset I listened to the majority of the book on audiobook. Narration duties are in the very capable hands of Andrew McIntosh. I maintain that the narrator can make or break the audiobook experience – if the story sounds wrong then it will stop me enjoying the book.  The good news is that McIntosh is perfect.  Glasgow sounds suitably gritty and the characters come to life under his care.

I loved this step back in time. Bloody January is, without doubt, one of the books which I have enjoyed most in recent months. I can only hope that the characters which survive the tale (no spoilers) will return for another outing.

 

Bloody January is published by Canongate Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloody-January-Harry-McCoy-novel-ebook/dp/B072M55NHT/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

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July 2

The Dali Deception – Adam Maxwell (audiobook)

Five criminals. Two forgeries. And one masterpiece of a heist.

Violet Winters—a professional thief born of a good, honest thief-and-con-artist stock— has been offered the heist of a lifetime. Steal a priceless Salvador Dali from the security-obsessed chairman of the Kilchester Bank and replace it with a forgery.

The fact that the “painting” is a signed, blank canvas doesn’t matter. It’s the challenge that gives Violet that familiar, addicting rush of adrenaline. Her quarry rests in a converted underground Cold War bunker. One way in, one way out. No margin for error.

But the reason Violet fled Kilchester is waiting right where she left him—an ex-lover with a murderous method for dumping a girlfriend. If her heist is to be a success, there will have to be a reckoning, or everything could go spinning out of control.

Her team of talented misfits assembled, Violet sets out to re-stake her claim on her reputation, exorcise some demons, and claim the prize. That is, if her masterpiece of a plan isn’t derailed by a pissed-off crime boss—or betrayal from within her own ranks.

 

In theory this should be one of the easier reviews to write. I could just proclaim “I LOVED THIS BOOK” and whack a 5 star comment onto Twitter.  Job done.

Not quite…that would be criminally understating how much I enjoyed Adam Maxwell’s fantastically fun crime caper The Dali Deception.  I hope “crime caper” is an acceptable description but I cannot find a more apt snappy description.  It was shades of Oceans 11 (though Violet’s crew are fewer than eleven), it had the gangster pizzazz of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and the humour of Hot Fuzz.  I can only apologise that all my movie references are so out of date…I don’t see many films these days!

Violet is a crook (one of the nice ones).  She was forced to leave Kilchester after a planned robbery went wrong – well when her boyfriend sabotaged her plan. Now she is back and it does not take long before a new opportunity presents its-self – steal an original Dali and replace it with a replica so the crime goes undetected. Tricky, but Violet has a plan oh and if she should happen to cross paths with her treacherous ex then there may be the chance to put a few things straight there too.

This was an audiobook listen and I grudged the time that my commute ended and I had to pause the story.  Violet’s plan to steal an original (and most unusual) Dali from a heavily guarded underground location was brilliantly kept under wraps by the author who teased out clues as to how the heist would play out as the story unfolded.

She recruits a wheel-man, a computer expert, a con man and her muscle – all are wonderfully depicted in the story and they all clash, then bond and fall foul of calamity.  You cannot help but love them.

Every good story also needs a villain and Kilchester’s criminal underworld is certainly ruled by a big personality (even if that personality is not contained within a big body).

Always important for an audiobook – the narrator.  Big shout to RJ Alldred at this point, she was perfect and I hope to hear her narrate more stories soon – by far the clearest (and most pleasant) voice I have enjoyed listening to on my daily commute.

Did I mention that I loved this story?  It’s true – an easy 5 star read (or listen in this case).

 

The Dali Deception is available in digital, paperback and audio format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dali-Deception-Kilchester-Book-ebook/dp/B01G3VAEIW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1530549957&sr=1-1&keywords=the+dali+deception

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March 25

A Glimmer of Hope – Steve McHugh

Layla Cassidy has always wanted a normal life, and the chance to put her father’s brutal legacy behind her. And in her final year of university she’s finally found it. Or so she thinks.

But when Layla accidentally activates an ancient scroll, she is bestowed with an incredible, inhuman power. She plunges into a dangerous new world, full of mythical creatures and menace–all while a group of fanatics will stop at nothing to turn her abilities to their cause.

To protect those she loves most, Layla must take control of her new powers…before they destroy her. All is not yet lost–there is a light shining, but Layla must survive long enough to see it.

 

My thanks to Anne Cater for the chance to join the blog tour

Time to indulge in a bit of fantasy.  Stories where anything goes are a very welcome change from the usual diet of crime and police procedurals I tend to favour.  I love the idea that mythical creatures could be real, that they interact with humans or that they hide from them and live in the shadows.

Readers are introduced to Layla Cassidy, she is a kick-ass character who takes no nonsense.  An unpleasant scene in the pub with her ex followed by a clash with annoying neighbours shows she is a girl who can hold her own in a scuffle but can also show the self-restraint to know when to walk away from a situation without taking matters too far.

We find out in the fullness of time why Layla wants to show restraint.  Her father has a notorious reputation, jailed for horrific crimes which few could ever emulate. Yet a dangerous faction of non-humans want to recruit Layla’s father and they need to know where to find him. Unfortunately for Layla this means they will use her as a pawn intended to hold her captive until Layla will share her father’s location with them.  Layla has other ideas and makes attempts to escape from captivity before her captors can try to “influence” her to assist with their plans.

During her attempted escape Layla will accidentally activate an ancient scroll and acquires new powers which make her a formidable opponent and will ope her eyes to a world she had no idea existed.  From this point on the action will really hot up and A Glimmer of Hope will twist and enchant.

I really enjoy Steve McHugh’s writing, he builds strong characters that I want to read about.  His stories have been well paced (A Glimmer of Hope is no exception) so there is a natural build up into the action and then events keep coming with twists and turns which bring me back for “one more chapter”.

A welcome and refreshing change to my normal reads – bring on the next, I enjoy these.

 

A Glimmer of Hope is released on 1st April 2018 and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glimmer-Hope-Avalon-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B01LW3WQ6K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1522002116&sr=8-1

 

 

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March 18

Scared to Death – Rachel Amphlett

“If you want to see your daughter alive again, listen carefully.”

When the body of a snatched schoolgirl is found in an abandoned biosciences building, the case is first treated as a kidnapping gone wrong.

But Detective Kay Hunter isn’t convinced, especially when a man is found dead with the ransom money still in his possession.

When a second schoolgirl is taken, Kay’s worst fears are realised.

With her career in jeopardy and desperate to conceal a disturbing secret, Kay’s hunt for the killer becomes a race against time before he claims another life.

For the killer, the game has only just begun…

 

Rachel Amphlett has just released the 5th Kay Hunter book (Call to Arms) and I have already seen some cracking reviews for it already from my fellow bloggers. Expect to see a review here in due course too as this is a series I really enjoy.

But what if you don’t want to jump into a series at book 5?  Many readers (myself included) prefer to join a series at the first book and watch the characters develop. So I am jumping back in the Kay Hunter timeline to review Scared to Death, the first book and where the fun begins.

Not that there is much fun to be found for Kay as we start Scared to Death.  A kidnapped girl, two distressed parents who have paid the ransom and not told the Police of the family plight and the shadow of an incident at work which Kay is trying to move on from. That’s just her work life – at home there has been a significant incident which Kay cannot just brush off and it is fascinating watching how she reconciles work pressure with home anxieties.

Unfortunately the recovery of the kidnapped girl ends in tragedy – it seems the kidnapper (now a killer) had no intention of letting the girl survive and she was held in a perilous location from which she could not have expected to be saved. The motivation behind this cruel stunt becomes clear as the story unfolds and it made for an intriguing twist for the reader, making it clear that Kay and her colleagues would have their work cut out.

Having read several of Rachel Amphlett’s books I knew that Scared to Death would be a story I enjoyed – I was not disappointed.  What lifted the enjoyment was the fact I “read” it as an audiobook – so technically Alison Campbell read Scared to Death and I just got to listen in.  The narration was brilliantly done – some audiobooks I will pass on when I don’t enjoy the narrators style – but Alison Campbell nailed this for me and I will now likely join her again for Call to Arms (book 5) rather than read it myself again.

In short, if you have yet to read Rachel’s brilliant Kay Hunter series then you are missing out.  Scared to Death is the easy starting point but all the books can be read as stand alone.  If you like an audiobook then you can’t go wrong with this offering, great story, terrific reader and more of the same to follow.

 

Scared to Death is available in digital, paperback and audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scared-Death-Detective-detective-thriller-ebook/dp/B01N9DS5NG/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

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January 2

The Night Stalker & Dark Water

In January my day job changes and my mega commute of the last 5 months will cease. Between July and December I would spent around 5 hours each day driving the same road, home to office and home again. To pass the time I would listen to talking books, but as I was seldom awake while I was home I fell behind on reviewing those listens…catch-up time.

 

Today I have reviews for two Robert Bryndza books. Huge thanks to Noelle and Kim at Bookouture for the Audible review copies.

 

The Night Stalker

If the Night Stalker is watching, you’re already dead…

In the dead of a swelteringly hot summer’s night, Detective Erika Foster is called to a murder scene. The victim, a doctor, is found suffocated in bed. His wrists are bound and his eyes bulging through a clear plastic bag tied tight over his head.

A few days later, another victim is found dead, in exactly the same circumstances. As Erika and her team start digging deeper, they discover a calculated serial killer – stalking their victims before choosing the right moment to strike.

The victims are all single men, with very private lives. Why are their pasts shrouded in secrecy? And what links them to the killer?

As a heat wave descends upon London, Erika will do everything to stop the Night Stalker before the body count rises, even if it means risking her job. But the victims might not be the only ones being watched… Erika’s own life could be on the line.

 

The second Erika Foster novel. A series which my fellow bloggers all seemed to love (and I thought had sounded fantastic) but I was late to the party.  The good thing about playing catch-up is that there are several books waiting for me and I don’t need to wait months for the next installment!

The Night Stalker is a serial killer tale – one I really, really enjoyed. The victims are found in their homes, bound and suffocated; murdered in the place where they should have been safe from harm. As Foster considers the first victim, tied to his bed with a bag over his head, she cannot discount the possibility that the man died as a result of a sexual encounter gone wrong. The investigation will be complicated as she tries to uncover the man’s private life and unearth any secrets he may have tried to keep.

When a second victim is discovered the stakes are raised as is the pressure on Erika and her team.  A prominent media personality is dead, the press are clamouring for information and her bosses are demanding significant progress in made on the investigations.  Erika needs to find a possible connection between the two men but she cannot know if there is one – perhaps the victims were selected at random.

For the reader there is the chilling bonus of being able to follow part of the story from the viewpoint of the The Night Stalker.  We see the killer watching the next target and follow them as they break into the victim’s home. When the Night Stalker becomes aware of Erika’s investigation the Stalker then focuses on her – unknown to Erika she is a target.

Robert Bryndza is great at pacing the action and there were some fabulous twists through the story. The Night Stalker is gripping reading (or listening in this instance) and it significantly builds on the character of Erika Foster and her colleagues – setting up the rest of the series nicely.

 

Dark Water

Beneath the water the body sank rapidly.  She would lie still and undisturbed for many years but above her on dry land, the nightmare was just beginning.

When Detective Erika Foster receives a tip off that key evidence for a major narcotics case was stashed in a disused quarry on the outskirts of London, she orders for it to be searched. From the thick sludge the drugs are recovered, but so is the skeleton of a young child.

The remains are quickly identified as eleven-year-old Jessica Collins.  The missing girl who made headline news when she vanished twenty-six years ago.

As Erika tries to piece together new evidence with the old, she discovers a family harbouring secrets, a detective plagued by her failure to find Jessica, and the mysterious death of a man living by the quarry.

Is the suspect someone close to home? Someone doesn’t want this case solved. And they’ll do anything to stop Erika from finding the truth.

 

Book 3 and a rather distressing cold case for Erika and her team to take on. Except her team are not her team any longer – she has been transferred to a new station and it seems we will be robbed of the company of Moss and Peterson. Fortunately resurrecting an old investigation (a missing girl who vanished from her street some 26 years earlier) merits extra staff numbers and the trio will soon be reunited.

Dark Water has a very different feel from the first two novels but not to the detriment of excellent storytelling.

Erika will need to wade through boxes of old investigative notes but she could always seek out the assistance of the original investigating officer. This may lead to problems as the officer she needs to consult left the force in disgrace and has drunk herself to oblivion in the intervening years.

When a girl has been missing for 26 years there will inevitably be someone who knows where she has been all this time, someone who may not wish the police to look too closely into the case again. Who can Erika trust to reveal the truth after all those years? Certainly not the alleged pedophile who was once the prime suspect but now holds the police over a barrel after someone (convinced of his guilt) took matters into their own hands.

Of the three Erika Foster books I listened to over the last 5 months I think Dark Water just edges it as my favourite, though that *may* be down to the ongoing development of the characters and my appreciation of the books growing!

Both the above books are narrated by Jan Cramer and she is absolutely marvellous. Having listened to the first three Erika Foster novels, and not actually reading any of the books first, my perception of all the characters has been defined by Jan Cramer’s depiction of them.

I have a dilemma now over whether to get book 4 on audio or pick up a Kindle copy – whatever I choose I already know I am looking forward to my next encounter with Erika Foster.

 

The Night Stalker and Dark Water are published by Bookouture and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Robert-Bryndza/e/B0089KJBVM/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

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December 31

My Favourite Audiobooks – 2017

Earlier this year my day job changed and my daily commute suddenly involved 5 hours of driving. This ate into my reading time but a subscription to Audible meant I could listen to all the books I wasn’t getting a chance to read.

So after six months and many, many miles I thought I would share the books I enjoyed the most.

It should be noted that three audiobooks made it into the list of My Ten Favourite Books of 2017 it should come as no surprise that they are also included here (the first three).

 

 

Whiteout – Ragnar Jonasson

Whiteout sees the return of Jonasson’s popular Icelandic cop Ari Thor What made Whiteout special for me was the way the author took the smallest cast of possible suspects and made a brilliant “whodunnit” murder mystery. I have compared Ragnar Jonasson’s works to that of Agatha Christie in the past…Whiteout only reaffirms my assertion.

 

 

 

The Beauty of Murder – AK Benedict

The audiobook of The Beauty of Murder was recommended to me by JS Law (author of The Dark Beneath). Boy did he call that right! The Beauty of Murder is a serial killer story in which the killer has the ability to travel through time. Loved that twist and it gave The Beauty of Murder an edge which most books simply didn’t have. The time travel is not just a clever gimmick though, this is a wonderfully compassionate and clever story. With much of the action taking place in and around Cambridge University (with a Philosophy Lecturer as a lead character) it throws up some interesting discussion points too. Hugely enjoyable but with one of the saddest moments of my reading year too…

 

Block 46 – Johana Gustawsson

I was captivated by this tale which takes the reader from WW2 concentration camps to present day and shows how a serial killer was able to stay hidden for decades.

Two narrators on the audiobook really highlighted the “then” and “now” side to Block 46 and the story was outstanding.

 

 

 

 

This is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay

I generally don’t read non-fiction, however, both my parents worked for the NHS and I grew up hearing about life in and around hospitals. When I learned of Adam Kay’s “secret diaries of a junior Doctor” I knew I had to read this book.

It was magnificent. I laughed, winced and shed a tear over his tales. Dr Adam narrates his own book and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Funny, graphic, sweary and over all too soon – I loved this!

 

 

Dark Suits and Sad Songs – Denzil Meyrick

My first DCI Daley thriller and I have already bought more in the series.

An explosive opening throws Daily into a political thriller which will have him facing unknown foes both from home and from far overseas.

With his home life in a shambles, his oldest friend and colleague battling a drink problem and an international hitman loose in his home town Daley is going to have a busy few days.

All with added UFO sightings too!

 

 

From The Cradle – Louise Voss & Mark Edwards

A chilling kidnap tale which kept me hooked.

The heart of the story is the investigation into the missing children and it was great following the ebb and flow of their enquries.

Louise Voss and Mark Edwards kept the twists and surprises coming throughout the story and it had an ending I would never have seen coming.

 

 

Storm Front – John Sandford

I love John Sandford’s books and the Virgil Flowers series (of which Storm Front is one) are well worth seeking out.  They are consistently great crime thrillers yet Flowers brings the humour to his investigations which made Storm Front great listening.

 

 

Quieter Than Killing – Sarah Hilary

I am a huge fan of the Marnie Rome series but this was the first time I had “met” Marnie in audiobook.  The narration by Imogen Church was fantastic, bringing much loved characters to life.

Quieter Than Killing is a great read but then I have never been disappointed in a Sarah Hilary novel – she writes stories with an edge.

Marnie is investigating a series of vicious beatings across London but she cannot tell if she is hunting a single person or a vigilante group. It is not long before the stakes are raised and danger will lie ahead.

 

The Girl in the Ice – Robert Bryndza

The first Erika Foster thriller and a dark and murderous tale from a frozen London. This was one of the first books I listened to (two more in the series soon followed) and I became a firm fan of Robert Bryndza’s wonderful thrillers.

 

Chase – Shaun Hutson

My last pick was the chilling Chase. I love a horror tale and Mr Hutson writes some of the best. An English couple are on a driving holiday in remote USA but the trip will bring them face to face with forces they could not have ever envisaged. Their dream holiday, tinged with tragedy even before they set off, becomes a nightmare roadtrip.

After rescuing a young girl from two killers the couple flee to keep the girl safe – the killers are in pursuit and they know the area far better than the holidaymakers.

Chilling and as nasty as I had anticipated – great listening.

 

 

 

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December 19

The Deathwatch Journal – Ian Rankin

A gripping original story for BBC Radio 4 by award-winning crime writer Ian Rankin, written for the landmark Radio 4 Book at Bedtime.

Saughton Prison, Edinburgh, 1962.

Prison guard Thomas Scott watches over a condemned man sentenced to hang for the murder of his wife.

His prisoner is a guilty man, that’s for sure. William Telfer has done enough bad things in his life. And Scott has been in his job long enough to know that guilty men often proclaimed their innocence right up until the moment the noose was placed around their necks. But as they wait out the days until his execution, Scott begins to suspect that Telfer is innocent of this murder.

An innocent man could be hanged by the neck until dead. And his jailer doesn’t know what to do about it….

To find out the truth, Scott must explore Edinburgh’s darkest corners. And he is running out of time.

 

My thanks to Helena at Penguin Random House for a review copy of the audiobook.

 

The Deathwatch Journal was written for BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime and it is perfectly pitched – both for the audience and also for the intended hour of listening.

The story of a condemned man, William Telfer, who has been found guilty of murdering his wife and is sentenced to hang in 1960’s Edinburgh. The story is also that of his guard, Thomas Scott, who spends time with Telfer and begins to question whether his prisoner is really guilty of the crime for which he is due to hang.

Despite being a murder tale there is no graphic violence and not explosive set pieces. We follow Thomas Scott to his work where he will chat with Telfer (who tries to elicit information from Scott to learn more about his guard) and Scott records Telfer’s disposition, activities and diet in a Deathwatch Journal.

As the two men chat Scott becomes less inclined to believe Telfer may be guilty of murder. He starts a private investigation, looking into some elements of Telfer’s trial which left unanswered questions. His digging will cause ripples and it is not too long before awkward conversations will take place with individuals who are quite happy to see Telfer hang.

The story plays out in very enjoyable fashion and the 1.25 hour running time slipped away all too quickly. Away from the prison we get a look at Scott’s personal life and a nostalgic nod to the 1960’s lifesyles and the exciting prospect of a “new town” being built to the West of Edinburgh.

The Deathwatch Journal is narrated by Jimmy Chisholm and his voice lends its-self perfectly to the tale. The tough guys from Edinburgh’s harder days are suitably intimidating.  Thomas Scott comes across as an amiable likeable character and Mr Chisholm comfortably manages  (where other narrators have not fared so well) to give all the characters their own “voice”.

I listened to the Deathwatch Journal without reading the blurb beforehand and enjoyed the mystery of the tale – the afterward was also an unexpected surprise which made me appreciate the story even more (cryptic – but sorry…no spoilers).

Ideal late night listening and well worth setting aside a couple of evenings to enjoy The Deathwatch Journal.

 

The Deathwatch Journal is published by Penguin Random House and Licensed by BBC Worldwide Ltd.  It is available on CD or as an Audible download here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deathwatch-Journal-Original-Story-Radio/dp/B0759Z6L3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513640372&sr=8-1&keywords=deathwatch+journal

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