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The Kitchen – Simone Buchholz, Translated by Rachel Ward

When neatly packed male body parts wash up by the River Elbe, Hamburg State Prosecutor Chastity Riley and her colleagues begin a perplexing investigation.

As the murdered men are identified, it becomes clear that they all had a history of abuse towards women, leading Riley to wonder if it would actually be in society’s best interests to catch the killers.

But when her best friend Carla is attacked, and the police show little interest in tracking down the offenders, Chastity takes matters into her own hands. As a link between the two cases emerges, horrifying revelations threaten Chastity’s own moral compass, and put everything at risk…

I received a review copy from the publisher, Orenda Books. I am grateful to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the blog tour for The Kitchen.

The writing in The Kitchen is exquisite. Here’s a crime story, a friendship story, a story of vengeance, of retaliation and of body parts being dredged out of the river – and it’s laid out for us by Simone Buchholz in a little over two hundred pages. She packs so much action, energy and description into the tightest and devastatingly effective narrative that no word seems wasted.

I’m no stranger to Buchholz’s Chastity Reiley books and I’ve always enjoyed the stories about the Hamburg State Prosecutor and the dual investigative and prosecutor roles she seems to hold. Her personal life always seems chaotic and that comes to the fore in The Kitchen as one of Chasity’s closest friends is attacked.

Unable to help her friend and under pressure from her boyfriend over where their relationship may be heading – Chastity feels she may be losing focus on the investigation into the human remains that have been found in the river.

What I loved about The Kitchen is that the reader is given some very broad hints as to where certain elements of the story may be heading. You keep reading and the hints and suggestions keep coming until you know what Chastity is not seeing. And it’s glorious. Because, if you’re keeping up, then one scene will have your stomach churning in horrified realisation.

There’s a lot of snappy dialogue, many cigarettes are smoked and emotions and frustration run high. Without doing spoilers I was happy with how the retaliation element of the plot was handled, I didn’t like the fact the events triggering that retaliation seemed to be all too avoidable but all too common. Tremendous writing to capture those emotions.

When a review of a translated book is singing the praises of the power of the author’s writing it also needs to sing the praises of the phenomonal work the translator contributed towards my enjoyment of a story. I would not have had the opportunity to experience the thrills and shocks in The Kitchen were it not for Rachel Ward taking Simone Buchholz’s words and making that tight, powerful narrative style shine for us.

At a time where I have been struggling to read and have lacked focus on many books I have tried to enjoy I realise I needed a book like The Kitchen to shake some life into my reading lethargy. The tight plotting, the snappy dialogue and the economy of Buchholz’s writing let me zip through this book and hold my attention – a very refreshing and timely read.

The Kitchen is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-kitchen/simone-buchholz/rachel-ward/9781916788077

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January 15

The Last Line – Stephen Ronson

May 1940.

With Nazi forces sweeping across France, invasion seems imminent. The English Channel has never felt so narrow.

In rural Sussex, war veteran John Cook has been tasked with preparing the resistance effort, should the worst happen.

But even as the foreign threat looms, it’s rumours of a missing child that are troubling Cook. A twelve-year-old girl was evacuated from London and never seen again, and she’s just the tip of the iceberg – countless evacuees haven’t made it to their host families.

As Cook investigates, he uncovers a dark conspiracy that reaches to the highest ranks of society. He will do whatever it takes to make the culprits pay. There are some lines you just don’t cross.

THE LAST LINE is a blistering action thriller combined with a smart noir mystery, played out expertly against the taut backdrop of the British home front.

I received a review copy of The Last Line from the publishers.

It has been far, far too long since I last opened the laptop to share my thoughts on a book. Time to dust off the cobwebs and get back to doing what I love the most – sharing the booklove and helping readers to find those books I think they really should be reading. Despite the lack of reviews I have still been reading my way through some wonderful stories and I have some catching up to do – where better to start than with Stephen Ronson’s excellect The Last Line?

This book made its way into my list of Ten Favourite Reads of 2023 – it’s an extremely readable and highly enjoyable historical adventure thriller. The wartime setting gives it a constant foreboding tension as the characters live with the constant threat of German invasion as the enemy troops sweep through France, just across the English Channel from where the events in The Last Line unfold.

The hero of the piece is John Cook. He’s a war vetran who’d seen more than his fair share of action on the front lines in Europe and now he’s home in Sussex and watching the incoming threat of a German army on the march. Unfortunately for Cook there’s more than just the potential threat of a German invasion for him to worry about. The Last Line opens with a dramatic confrontation between two pilots, a Spitfire pilot and a Messerschmitt pilot – the whole event witnessed by Cook. The reason he has such a good view of the confrontation is due to the fact both planes are grounded and the pilots are out of their cockpits.

From the opening exchanges we get a measure of Cook – the confrontation he witnesses, his reaction to the conversation he overhears and how he deals with the subsequent reprecussions help readers define what type of character John Cook will be. It puts us in a good place as it won’t be long before Cook is going to become caught up in a particularly deadly sequence of events and as I reader I enjoyed knowing this was a character I could root for.

What I did enjoy was the clever way Stephen Ronson sets up the mystery at the heart of his story, there’s a big incident very early on – Cook is implicated and the police will come calling. Under a cloud of suspicion and mistrust John Cook will continue with the tasks he set out to do and will face down anyone that may try to stop that. However it is not just the police that will come calling on Cook, as a former soldier he’s not fully off the radar of the army either. With an enemy on their doorstep and a real demand for skilled and trustworthy operatives, the army will seek out anyone they feel could be considered an asset and do whatever is required to acquire that asset. Cook is going to be facing a number of challenges.

There’s one puzzle which will just not go away – a missing evacuee who’s left London but seemingly not arrived in the safety of Sussex. Enquiries into what may have happened to the schoolgirl yield no results and Cook doesn’t even seem able to find many who actually care enough to help him. But as he keeps digging he finds that it isn’t just one girl that’s missing – there are multiple children leaving the city but vanishing before they can be placed with new families. Cook will make his way to Brighton to continue his investigations into the missing children – what he uncovers is a disturbing and vast network of lies and abuse of power.

It’s not all about John Cook doing this solo – he does have a few allies he can rely upon, most notably is Lady Margaret – local landowner and woman of considerable influence. She has her own agenda and is more than happy to enlist Cook’s assistance…when their paths cross there’s more than just a spark of attraction and their friendship and possible relationship is another fun development in the story.

I’ve skirted around a lot of the elements of the story which really made The Last Line shine for me. I really want you to read this book and I really don’t want to drop too many spoilers or flag up key elements of the plot. Suffice to say this book was an absolute gem for me last year. I liked Cook and Lady Margaret and would love to read more of their story, the wartime setting and threat of German attack gave the story a strange claustrophobia which really should not have been a factor in the Sussex fields. There was one scene which actually had me shouting “NO” at a decision Cook took at one of the most tense moments in the story.

If I finally cut to the chase…

I loved this story, it cut through the busy chaos that was the end of 2023, it held my attention when many other books just didn’t even get a second glance and, when I had finished reading, I immediately wanted more with these characters. Did I mention it was one of my favourite reads last year? Make it one of your favourite reads this year.

The Last Line is published by Hodder and Stoughton and is currently available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-last-line/stephen-ronson/9781399721233

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November 9

Murder on the Christmas Express – Alexandra Benedict

CAN YOU SOLVE THE CASE?

Eighteen passengers. Seven stops. One killer.

In the early hours of Christmas Eve, the sleeper train to the Highlands is derailed, along with the festive plans of its travellers. With the train stuck in snow in the middle of nowhere, a killer stalks its carriages, picking off passengers one by one. Those who sleep on the sleeper train may never wake again.

Can former Met detective Roz Parker find the killer before they kill again?

All aboard for . . . Murder on the Christmas Express.

I recived a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to board the Christmas Express blog tour train.

Oh my word…it has been over a month since I finished a book and shared a review. Reading slumps happen from time to time and often it can just be a case of finding the right book to kickstart the reading focus again. Step forward Murder on the Christmas Express – a fun murder mystery story which was apparently exactly what I needed to get my nose back into a book.

What I found so enjoyable about this story is that Alexandra Benedict gave me strong lead characters to love (and loathe) and a diverse gathering of entertaining supporting players – one of their number could quite possibly be a killer.

Our key focus is newly retired police detective Roz – she is leaving London and heading home to Scotland where her daughter is about to make Roz a grandmother. Roz’s colleagues bought her a ticket to the London to Fort William sleeper train as a retirement gift – she will travel in luxury into her new life and be at her daughter’s side as her first grandchild is born. However the country is in the grip of a terrible snow storm, there are very few trains running and everyone is desperate to get home for Christmas. Even boarding the train will be a fraught experience.

Also on the train are a celebrity couple, a quiz team, a harassed family, a handsome stranger, a stowaway and a young man travelling with his mother – who Roz takes a shine to. A fun mix and the quiz team introduced a great element to the story which complements another aspect I love about Alexandra Benedict’s books – the puzzles!

if you haven’t read one of Alexandra’s “Christmas” books you’ve missed a treat. She sets the reader a number of challenges and conundrums to look out for as you go through the story. Anagrams, Kate Bush song titles and the fact there’s a quiz as part of the story will keep puzzle fans on their toes – oh and you’ll also be trying to solve the murder mystery too. It was only at the end of the story I realised how cleverly the clues were laced through the whole book.

It’s the Christmas holidays and there’s a train slowly making its way from London to the highlands. We know there’s a murder and we know the killer may have another few targets in mind but who will live to see the end of the journey? I lost myself in the snowstorm and right corridors of the murder express. There was so much I loved about the story but at risk of spoiling too much of the plot I can’t cover too much detail.

As a small aside, there are some challenging themes addressed in the story too which are dealt with sympathetically and respectfully. This is a well spun story which will challenge your deductive powers and entertain as you go – more of this would be very welcome.

Murder on the Christmas Express is available now in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/murder-on-the-christmas-express/alexandra-benedict/9781398519855

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September 19

Sleep When You’re Dead – Jude O’Reilly

In thirty-six hours, thousands of innocent people will die. There’s not a second to waste. And no time for sleep…

MICHAEL NORTH: THE PERFECT MI5 ASSET. Ruthless, brave, loyal and, best of all, disposable. The bullet lodged in his brain means he could die at any second.

Now, undercover in a doomsday cult on a remote Scottish island, he has thirty-six hours to stop the mass murder of thousands of people.

But in the world of the indoctrinated, Michael soon realises that everyone is a potential enemy. He’s used to his own life hanging by a thread – never before has it come so close to snapping.

I received a review copy from the publishers through Netgalley.

This book opens with a breathtaking, explosive chase through the streets of London. A terror attack by a lone protagonist intent on leaving a trail of carnage in his wake is fleeing from Michael North. Jude O’Reilly grabs readers right from the off and you can be in no doubt over how high the stakes are. This opening pursuit culminates in a deadly standoff and North finds he has to make a split second decision around his own survival or capturing a killer.

That high impact introduction to Sleep When You’re Dead sets the pace of the whole novel. In this third outing for Michael North there’s a race against time for our hero, the clock is literally ticking down towards a unkown event which threatens the lives of thousands of people. A cult who have been hidden away for years on a remote Scottish island appear to be on the verge of initiating an attack. But the nature of that attack is unknown and M15 want to send North to the Island to infiltrate the cult and stop their plan.

It’s a desperate mission, particularly as the islanders don’t welcome visitors and will naturally be suspicious of anyone suddenly arriving in their midst. But North is well used to being brought in to desperate situations and his interest is further piqued by the discovery an old childhood friend has been on the island making a documentary about its inhabitants. Many years have passed since North last saw Mia, a fellow survivor from their time in children’s homes, and someone he never expected to see again. While the lure of seeing his old friend helps North accept the mission, in reality he has little choice, such is the control Edmond Hone (his “boss”) has over him.

If you’ve read any of the previous Michael North stories then you’ll know there’s a second character who North relies upon. Teenage computer whiz and M15 asset, Fangfang Yu. Fang brings the tech knowhow, the sass and the humour to these stories and she’s lethal with a computer. Plus her Grandmother scares the hell out of North and his pugilistist pal Padrig “Plug” Donne. The trio of North, Plug and Fang have proven to be a formidable trio and each will need to bring their skills if a disaster is to be averted.

But while North is off to Scotland where he will have limited contact with Fang she finds she has her own problems to deal with. While snooping too deeply into a US Government computer system Fang trips an alert and brings the full attention of the American secuirty forces onto herself. It’s a distraction from her work with North and although she is Hone (and the UK’s) asset she is also expendible if the Americans have a vested interest in what happens to Fang. How will the teenage geek keep the elite of American intelligence off her back?

North is a terrific protagonist and you can’t help be drawn into this action packed adventure. O’Reilly hits the perfect balance of action and intrigue and there are moments of pure tension when nothing is going to draw your eyes away from the page. I am a fan of this series and Sleep When You’re Dead just keeps the good stuff coming – get onboard the Michael North Express Train, it is a journey you really should not miss.

Sleep When You’re Dead is published by Head of Zeus and is available in physical, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleep-Youre-Dead-Michael-Thriller-ebook/dp/B09B2VX85H/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1690322511&refinements=p_27%3AJude+O%27Reilly&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Jude+O%27Reilly

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September 2

The Silent Man – David Fennell

A father is murdered in the dead of night in his London home, his head wrapped tightly in tape, a crude sad face penned over his facial features. But the victim’s only child is left alive and unharmed at the scene.

Met Police detectives Grace Archer and Harry Quinn have more immediate concerns. Notorious gangster Frankie White has placed a target on Archer’s back, and there’s no one he won’t harm to get to her.

Then a second family is murdered, leaving young Uma Whitmore as the only survivor.

With a serial killer at large, DI Archer and DS Quinn must stay alive long enough to find the connection between these seemingly random victims. Can they do it before another child is orphaned?

My thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to join the Blog Tour and to the publishers (Zaffre) for my review copy.

I read a lot of good books but The Silent Man is a great book and I had a blast following the action.

DI Grace Archer is a woman with a whole world of problems. She’s had a long-standing enemy in London gangster Frankie “Snow” White and things appear to be coming to boiling point. Having not read the previous books* I am presuming past events have seen Frankie White blaming Archer for an incident which caused him a great deal of pain and cannot be undone (no spoilers). Frankie White is gunning for Grace Archer and nothing is going to get in his way.

From the early pages of The Silent Man the readers see the ruthless nature of White, the extent of his reach and the sinister methods he is prepared to adopt to get to Grace and her family. David Fennell creates tension right from the very start of this book and I found myself considering every new character as a possible threat to Archer. It’s a highly effective way to ensure I kept reading – I want to pick up a book and feel I am living the story and that I care about what happens to the characters, Fennell nailed that in The Silent Man.

Archer is a likeable character, a good cop and has a loyal partner at her side. You’ll root for her to escape the attentions and machinations of Frankie White and you’ll will her to track down the dangerous killer who has been targeting people in their homes. Wait, what killer? There’s not been talk of a killer so far…

Yes indeed – not content with pitching Archer against her nemesis the author also has a really nasty serial killer on the prowl and he’s the titular Silent Man. The killer operates under the cover of darkness, entering the home of his victim, incapacating them and leaving their body with masking tape wrapped around their head and a distinctive image penned onto the tape. The police don’t have much to work on but their first victim wasn’t living an angelic life so their initial focus is on people who may have been holding a grudge.

Conducting a murder investigation while avoiding the increasingly direct and dangerous attacks from Frankie White will keep Archer stretched and stressed. There’s so much going on that readers will be kept breathlessly entertained. It’s books like The Silent Man that I love to read: no pacing issues, no plots which feel like padding, no messing about – this is a full throttle thriller and I’m very much here for it.

If you’re a crime fiction fan and you want a stone cold page-turner to keep you entertained then you should look no further than The Silent Man.

* I said I hadn’t read the earlier books by David Fennell – I am righting that wrong immediately. I have a copy of The Art of Death sitting by my bed which I will be starting just as soon as I finish this review.

The Silent Man is published by Zaffre and you can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-silent-man/david-fennell/9781804181737

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August 22

Bloody Scotland 2023 – Sarah Hilary – Black Thorn

The countdown is on to Bloody Scotland 2023. This is Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival and this year another stellar ensemble of writers will arrive in Stirling to discuss all things criminal, both fictional and factual. It’s one of the highlights of the year and if you’ve never experienced the friendly buzz of a book festival then I’d urge you to browse the programme and get along to Stirling if you can. For those that cannot attend in person there is also the option to join digitally as many events are available to enjoy online. You can visit the festival website here: https://bloodyscotland.com/

Black Thorn

Blackthorn Ashes was meant to be their forever home. For the first six families moving into the exclusive new housing development, it was a chance to live a peaceful life on the cliffs overlooking the Cornish sea, safe in the knowledge that it had been created just for them.

But six weeks later, paradise is lost. Six people are dead. And Blackthorn Ashes is left abandoned and unfinished, its dark shadows hiding all manner of secrets.

One of its surviving residents, Agnes Gale, is determined to find out the truth about what happened. Even if that truth is deadlier than she could have ever believed possible . .

I received a review copy from the publisher via Netgalley. My thanks to Fiona Browlee for the opportunity to join this leg of the Bloody Scotland blog tour.

Black Thorn has been a stand-out read for me this year and I’m counting down the days to the Bloody Scotland festival as I cannot wait to hear Sarah Hilary talk about this book. I lived this story from the initial feisty scenes to the shocking conclusion where secrets are revealed and lies exposed.

Readers are cleverly brought (by courier) to the Blackthorn Ashes and once they have arrived it seems impossible to leave – right from the early pages you feel this is a place which is not going to be filled with happy memories. I’ve been worried about how I am going to review Black Thorn as it’s exquisitly written and is very much a story you need to experience for yourself and with minimal spoilers.

We arrive at a neighbourhood barbeque. The new neighbours are getting to know each other but there’s trouble brewing too – one of their number has sustained an injury in his garden and blames the developers for shoddy workmanship. There’s little sympathy on offer but the lack of food and the chaotic organisation of this gathering does show some friction exists in the new residential development. Then just as the reader feels they are getting to know the players in this tale a shift, a shock and six of their number are dead.

That’s how you catch my attention. What happened? Who died? Why is Agnes sneaking into the houses of her dead neighbours when the police have made it clear nobody should be near the properties? Questions you need to have answered and that’s why you’ll keep reading.

Agnes is the stand-out star of Black Thorn. She drives the story and is the main focus of events. Agnes can feel there is something wrong at Blackthorn Ashes, she tries to warn people something isn’t right within the development. Unfortunately her family are pouring their hearts and soul into these new homes – they have to be the very best – and the last thing they need is Agnes “acting up” and ruining things. Agnes appears to have been a difficult child, her autism was a challenge for her family to cope with and her relationship with her mother and younger brother has been strained. Consequently Agnes’s attempts to alert her family to the problems she can feel at Blackthorn Ashes don’t get given much credence.

We learn Agnes had previously left the family home and moved to London with her partner but things didn’t work out for them and Agnes has returned, just as the exclusive homes her father has built are sold to new residents. She arrives back in the not-so-warm embrace of her family at a time when they were already extremely stressed over the challenges faced by a small firm with all their hopes pinned on a new venture but things aren’t quite going to plan.

Events in Black Thorn are not told in linear fashion. The narrative spins back and forward with most events taking place within a timeframe of just a few weeks, however, there is a lot happening and Sarah Hilary makes the reader wait while she teases out the story making sure she gets the very best anticipation infused to the story. This is a book where you trust the author to give you enough information to begin to form your own conclusions as to what may be about to occur only for another layer of backstory to be peeled back to reveal more gems which will entirely challenge your conceptions and re-think your opinion towards some characters. There’s a dark mystery to be solved here, there are strong and wonderfully realised characters and there is a tension and uncertainty for Agnes which runs through the book.

Black Thorn is a sumptious read. From a tragedy early in the story Sarah Hilary builds up suspicions, anxiety and heartbreak. This is seriously high quality crime fiction – I can only implore you to read it.

Sarah Hilary will be at Bloody Scotland on the Everybody Needs Good Neighbours panel – Saturday 16 September at 7:30pm in the Golden Lion. She will be joined by Kia Abdullah and Louise Candlish. You can order tickets here: https://bloodyscotland.com/events/everybody-needs-good-neighbours-louise-candlish-sarah-hilary-and-kia-abdullah/

Black Thorn is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/black-thorn/sarah-hilary/9781035003884

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August 20

Bloody Scotland 2023 – Alice Bell – Grave Expectations

GRAVE EXPECTATIONS

Claire and Sophie aren’t your typical murder investigators…

When 30-something freelance medium Claire Hendricks is invited to an old university friend’s country pile to provide entertainment for a family party, her best friend Sophie tags along. In fact, Sophie rarely leaves Claire’s side, because she’s been haunting her ever since she was murdered at the age of seventeen.

On arrival at The Cloisters it quickly becomes clear that this family is hiding more than just the good china, as Claire learns someone has recently met an untimely end at the house.

Teaming up with the least unbearable members of the Wellington-Forge family – depressive ex-cop Basher and teenage radical Alex – Claire and Sophie determine to figure out not just whodunnit, but who they killed, why and when.

Together they must race against incompetence to find the murderer – before the murderer finds them… in this funny, modern, media-literate mystery for the My Favourite Murder generation.

I’m reviewing my personal copy of Grave Expectations. My thanks to Fiona Brownlee for the opportunity to host this leg of the Bloody Scotland blog tour.

There’s something for every reading taste at Bloody Scotland and on Saturday morning the place to be for fans of cosy crime is the Golden Lion – the Cosy Thrills panel begins at 10:30 am and I’ll be there to hear Alice Bell discussing the fabulous Grave Expectations. Selected by Radio 2 as a Book Club choice, this story has ghosts, a possible murder, a family with more than their fair share of trust issues and a tradition of booking terrible entertainment for their grandmother’s birthday celebrations.

The “entertainment” booked in Grave Expectations is Claire. She is a medium who has been booked by an old university chum to attend Nana’s birthday party and host a seance with the guests. Claire is skint and very much in the market to visit a large ancestral family estate out in the middle of nowhere as she can bump up her normal rates and maybe even get a nice dinner out of it. Things don’t quite go to plan.

Claire is actually a successful medium, mainly because her schoolfriend Sophie is on hand to help. Sophie’s dead. She appeared to Claire after her death and their friendship picked up from where it had left off. Sophie is the best associate a medium can have as she is free to snoop around, listen to conversations without being seen and can also help drum up other spirits for Claire to chat to.

The evening before Nana’s birthday party Claire is encouraged to do a mini-seance for family members. There is the usual mix of believers and doubters in the small group but Claire does manage to convince Nana that she has been able to bring a ghost to the table (literally) and this is more than enough evidence Nana needs to enlist Claire to help her. Nana belives there has been a murder committed by one of her family and she wants Claire (and Sophie) to find out who was killed and identify the killer too.

Thus begins a murder investigation quite unlike anything I’ve read before. Claire and Sophie enlist the help of Basher (former cop but there’s a story there) and Alex who’s quite happy to help out and share their weed on the condition nobody tells their Aunt. A more diverse collection of sleuths you’d be pressed to find – particulaly as they can’t even all speak with each other. But they are utterly fabulous to read about.

The last author that had me laughing out loud as I read their books was Terry Pratchett. Taking up the mantle is Alice Bell (I hope she’s okay with that). Alice has laced Grave Expectations with comic asides, inappropriate interjections and hilarious set-ups that I was hugely entertained from the very first chapters. A large part of this comes from the fact Sophie can only be heard by Claire and, as such, she is not hesitant at making her feelings known. She fills the silence in conversations with the unspoken (and unfiltered) thoughts. It gives the author scope to lighten the tone of the story whenever needed and that makes Grave Expectations hugely entertaining to read.

I had so much fun reading this book. I am concerned the dead companion may put off some readers who enjoy their stories a little more “grounded”. But honestly this shouldn’t stop anyone from enjoying a smart and well worked mystery story. It’s refreshing to see a different approach to crime fiction and Alice Bell absolutely nails it by making the presence of the spirits in her story absolutely normal and non-sensationalist – we just accept Sophie (and others) are dead and get on with solving a murder. Glorious.

Alice will be appearing at Bloody Scotland on the Cosy Thrills panel on Saturday 16 September in the Golden Lion. Alice will be joined by JM Hall and Suk Pannu. You can order tickets here: https://bloodyscotland.com/events/cosy-thrills-jm-hall-suk-pannu-and-alice-bell/

Grave Expectations is published by Atlantic Books. It was a Radio Two Book Club selection and is available in hardback, digital and audio book format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/grave-expectations/alice-bell/9781838958398

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August 8

The Wild Coast – Lin Anderson

A remote shoreline. A lethal killer. As lone visitors disappear from the rural northwest of Scotland, campsites are becoming crime scenes. The Wild Coast is a chilling thriller from Lin Anderson.

When forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is brought in to analyse a shallow grave on Scotland’s west coast, she is disturbed by a bundle of twigs crafted into a stickman and left in the victim’s mouth.

Then, when a young woman is reported missing from a nearby campsite with another sinister figurine left in her van, it seems that someone is targeting wild campers. An idyllic coastline known for providing peace and serenity, now the area is a hunting ground.

As her investigation proceeds, Rhona is forced to reconsider her closest bonds. Rumours of sexual assault offences by serving police officers are circling in Glasgow, which may include her trusted colleague DS Michael McNab. Could it be true, or is someone looking to put him out of action?

All the while a young woman’s life is on the line and the clock is ticking…

My thanks to Pan MacMillan for the review copy I recieved and to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the tour for The Wild Coast

Well this got dark!

Confession time…The Wild Coast is the 17th Rhona MacLeod book from Lin Anderson and it is also my introduction to the series. I’ve seen Lin at several festivals and events and heard her speak (often) about her books. I do actually own around half of the books in the series already as I have been picking up the previous titles with the intent to catch up. But this is the first I have actually read and I am kicking myself this evening as I thought it was terrific. And far darker than I had expected.

Jumping into a well established series can seem daunting and the obvious question is “Do I need to read the books in order?” Undoubtably readers will get more enjoyment from following a series from the first book and following the character development over all the subsequent books in order. But if you don’t have time to commit to reading sixteen books before picking up The Wild Coast I can confirm there was no point in The Wild Coast where I felt I wasn’t enjoying the book because I hadn’t read what had gone before. Naturally there were character interactions and comments relating to prior events where I didn’t fully understand the context but it didn’t impact upon my understanding of the story I was reading. Nor would I expect every book in an ongoing series to be written in its own bubble – the balance was spot on.

So now you know returning readers are well covered and new readers (like me) can slip straight into events what’s the book about?

The story opens in one of the remote corners of Scotland. In a campsite on the route round the North Coast 500 (a journey around which follows the road up one coast of the Scottish Highlands, crosses the very North of the country and then slides back down the other coast) a woman vanishes from her campervan. She’d arrived the day before, befriended two small children in a neighbouring caravan and then during the night she disappeared. The two children are potential witnesses to what may have happened but other than the sign of a small struggle and a mysterious wooden figure of a man which police found hanging in her campervan there is not much evidence of what may have ocurred.

Rhona MacLeod is called to the scene when a woman’s body is discovered, buried not far from where the missing woman was last seen. But to Rhona’s surprise she discovers the body has been buried for several weeks and cannot be that of the missing woman from the nearby campsite. This poses a new problem for Rhona and the police – does that mean two women have been targeted? Is the premier tourist attraction in the Highlands too dangerous for lone travellers?

Meanwhile back in Glasgow there’s a separate investigation underway. There are strong, persistant rumours of police officers committing violent sexual attacks on women in the city. Rhona’s colleague, Michael McNab, has been behaving in an extremely odd manner and it is causing his friends and colleagues to take note of his behaviour. McNab is spending time in the clubs where attacks have happened and victims frequented – he can’t easily explain his actions but now he’s going to have to think carefully about what he tells people as one of his colleagues has spotted him in a place he really had no right to be in.

With Rhona spending time out of the city, assisting with the investigation into the body recovered in the Highlands, McNab seems to be sliding further into trouble. Something was going to happen. Something bad. I could feel the author building up to a crash for one or more of her cast – when the moment came it wasn’t what I had expected but it was very nicely done. I’d been looking in the wrong place and I was wholly committed to seeing this book out before I got out my chair!

What had initially felt like a slow burn was suddenly a dark and sinister story and it was fully ignited around me. The missing girl, the murdered girl, the children on their holiday who met the nice lady that went missing, their anxious mother and their overbearing father, the forensic scientist the children are comfortable speaking to, the nervous policeman attending clubs he should avoid. All these threads started to pull together. The clever, clever plotting taking the reader to an extremely uncomfortable place and shining a light on a particularly unpleasant crime.

I really wasn’t expecting The Wild Place to take me where it did. Is there any better feeling for a reader than to be entertained and thoroughly caught off guard? Whether you’ve been a Rhona MacLeod fan for many years or, like me, you’re just meeting her for the first time – this is a cracking read which will make you crave more.

The Wild Coast is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format and you can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-wild-coast/lin-anderson/9781529084566

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August 7

The Bone Hacker – Kathy Reichs

EVEN ON AN ISLAND PARADISE, DANGER STILL LURKS.

Called in to examine what is left of a body struck by lightning, Tempe traces an unusual tattoo to its source and is soon embroiled in a much larger case. Young men – tourists – have been disappearing on the islands of Turks and Caicos for years. Seven years ago, the first victim was found with both hands cut off; the other visitors vanished without a trace. But recently, tantalizing leads have emerged and only Tempe can unravel them.

Maddeningly, the victims seem to have nothing in common – other than the unusual locations where their bodies are eventually found, and the fact that the young men all seem to be the least likely to be involved in foul play. Do these attacks have something to do with the islands’ seething culture of gang violence? Tempe isn’t so sure. And then she turns up disturbing clues that what’s at stake may actually have global significance.

It isn’t long before the sound of a ticking clock grows menacingly loud, and then Tempe herself becomes a target.

I recieved a review copy from the publishers. Thanks also to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the tour for The Bone Hacker

I remember buying Deja Dead when it first released. I remember looking forward to each new Kathy Reichs book as soon as I had finished reading the latest release. I remember watching the Bones TV show and I loved that too. I started reading The Bone Hacker and remembered exactly why I always enjoy returning to the world of Tempe Brennan – each visit is an assured and entertaining story and Kathy Reichs can draw me in every time.

The Bone Hacker (great name) sees Tempe flying south to the Caribbean to investigate the newly-found remains of three young men who all disappeared in similar circumstances over a period of years. While on her way to this investigation on the beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) a boat washes ashore carrying a macabre collection of dead passengers. As she is there could Brennan also help the small team the TCI staff to process this scene and help determine what may happen.

Brennan can’t help but feel Detective Ti Musgrove is playing her a little but she’s also impressed with the woman’s determination and focus so she goes along with the suggestion and becomes involved in two cases at once. Musgrove has her own battles to fight – she suspects the missing men may have been targeted by the same people (or person). She is also keeping quiet any potential gang related activity on TCI as an island that welcomes and relies heavily upon tourists is not allowed to have a serial killer or any gang related problems. Political pressure is something Brennan is very familiar with.

Kathy Reichs paints a beautiful picture of the Caribbean settings and we can enjoy Brennan enjoying the food and scenery while being vexed at not having all the equipment or support she feels she needs to do her job effectively. The slower pace of island life isn’t conducive to her plans of a quick and thorough review of the remains which she was brought in to examine.

As with all Kathy Reichs novels the technical detail which underpins Tempe’s work is integral to the narrative. The reader is informed and educated while Brennan conducts her work; we discover at the same time as the characters what secrets or mysteries each victims body may be hiding. The author’s experience lifts these books above many others who try to emulate a post-mortem or anthropological examination without truly understanding nuances and subtleties that someone who’s lived the role could know.

It’s been a couple of years since I least read a Tempe Brennan novel – I quickly realised how much I’d missed them. The Bone Hacker was a real treat and I was shocked and surprised and entertained at all the right places – top stuff!

The Bone Hacker is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-bone-hacker/kathy-reichs/9781398510838

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August 2

Zero Days – Ruth Ware

Her husband has been murdered and she’s the only suspect. What should she do?

Hired by companies to break into buildings and hack security systems, Jack and her husband Gabe are the best penetration specialists in the business. But after a routine assignment goes horribly wrong, Jack arrives home to find her husband dead. It soon becomes clear that the police have only one suspect in mind – her.

Jack must go on the run to try and clear her name and to find her husband’s real killer. But who can she trust when everyone she knows could be a suspect? And with the police and the killer after her, can Jack get to the truth before her time runs out?

I received a review copy from the publishers. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the tour for Zero Days

I’ve never met a Ruth Ware book I didn’t like. These are books I actively seek out as I know the likely outcome is that I am going to be gripped for a few hours while wrapped in a a world created by a wonderful storyteller. Zero Days did exactly what I had expected – great story with a lead character I was fully invested in and rooting for them to overcome all the challenges she was facing.

Because I knew I’d be reading Zero Days I purposefully did not read the blurb and went in “cold”. The story opens with Jack Cross breaking into an office. It’s straight into the action as Jack is finding her way through the fence, over a wall or any seeking any possible route which will take her to the building she needs to enter. Guiding Jack’s progress and offering “helpful” advice is her husband – Gabe. He is at home and communicating with Jack waiting for her to infiltrate the target building and access their computer systems, that’s when his skills come to the fore as Gabe is a computer expert.

Despite their illegal endeavours the couple are breaking and entering with a valid reason. They are penetration specialists, routinely engaged by firms who challenge them to break into offices and stress-test their secuity protocols. Ideally their customers are hoping Gabe and Jack will fail but Jack seems to love the excitement of sneaking into buildings and snooping where she knows she’s not meant to be.

Jack’s having a good deal of success and manages to evade security guards and slip past doors which are meant to be secure but when she reaches the computer servers her good fortune wavers and Jack’s evening and her life will slide into chaotic dispair. While trying to access the server room Jack makes a mistake and alerts secuity to her presence. She flees the scene (Gabe on comms tying to help her) but she is caught and finds herself being escorted to the local police station. While this is not a new experience for Jack, her bad luck continues as their client is not contactable at 1am and she finds it hard to get someone to clarify to the police she is legitimately entitled to break into the building she was fleeing from.

Finally released from custody Jack returns home to the ultimate nightmare. She finds Gabe dead at his computer…murdered. Stunned into a shocked stupor Jack finally manages to pull herself together enough to call the police. However it soon becomes clear to Jack that SHE is the primary suspect in her husband’s murder. When it becomes clear to Jack the police are not listening to her claims of innocence she seizes the opportunity to escape from the police station where she’s being questioned and goes on the run.

But Jack can’t run forever. She needs to know what happened to Gabe. Why did his killer take some of his computer equipment? And, most importantly, how can she convince the police she isn’t a murderer?

Those questions are not going to be answered here – this is a spoiler-free zone and Ruth Ware has provided all the answers and much more besides in Zero Days. Best you grab a copy and find out more about Jack’s story for yourself.

What I can promise is that this is a pacy action thriller that will keep you turning the pages long into the night. Jack has few people she can turn to and the police know this so her options are severely limited. Her skills at infiltrating places she’s not meant to be will undoubtedly come in handy but how can she know where she needs to be? Ruth Ware skilfully takes Jack and her readers on a journey of discovery and shock revelations and it’s fabulous reading.

Another fantastic thriller from an author you really shouldn’t miss.

Zero Days is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. It is published by and you can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/zero-days/ruth-ware/9781398508392

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