Avon – Grab This Book

The Doctor – Annie Payne

Care giver, life saver… or cold-blooded killer?

Running away from a past she’d rather forget, Doctor Alison Wilson has moved to a new town to take up the role of Medical Officer at failing hospital St Margaret’s.

Tasked with shaking things up, she quickly learns that things are worse than they initially seem: patient records are in disarray, staff morale is low, and there’s something afoot that she can’t quite put her finger on…

As Alison starts to dig into the hospital’s past, she gradually discovers a trail of lies that runs deeper and darker than she could have ever imagined.

There’s a cold-blooded killer in the hospital. And they’re hiding in plain sight…

I received a review copy from Avon via Netgalley.

Long time ago while I was still a teenager I was making the jump from reading Agatha Christie novels into “proper grown-up books” which is to say I was ready to leave behind Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and Tintin and start buying crime stories which you didn’t find in the children’s section of our local bookshop. That said, as I draw ever closer to my 50th birthday I still love a Tintin book!

One of the first authors I discovered – one of the early few that replaced Agatha on my TBR – was Robin Cook. He wrote medical thrillers, most notably Coma, and all his murder mystery stories were set in and around hospitals and featured a wealth of sinister phsyicians or medical staff who could (quite literally) get away with murder on their wards. There are far too few medical and hospital crime stories out there these days so when I saw The Doctor and read the blurb (as above) I was hit with a wave of nostalgia and knew I had to read this book. Boy was I glad I did!

Alison is taking over as a senior administrator in a failing hospital, she is leaving a busy London hospital and moving to a smaller place as she is leaving her broken marriage (after her husband had an affair) and seeking new challenges and a fresh start. Her introduction to the hospital isn’t the best as nobody seems to have known she is arriving, then when she starts trying to suggest changes there is resistance. While a certain amount of pushback is not entirely unexpected for a “new broom” looking to shake up a chaotic/shambolic operation there seems to be something not quite right at St Margaret’s hospital.

We follow Alison as she tries to integrate the new controls and measures which are badly needed to make St Margaret’s a more efficient operation but it is clear something isn’t right. Her meetings are inexplicably cancelled, reports she requests don’t arrive, colleagues are waiting for guidance on issues they brought to her yet Alison isn’t aware of their requests. She is blaming tiredness, mixups and she knows she is turning to a calming glass of wine far too often. These slips are undermining her self-confidence but they are also making her colleagues question her competence.

More alarmingly is the reader knows there is a killer in the hospital. We shadow them as they usher some patients to their deaths. It’s chilling and unsettling. The medical staff at our hospitals aren’t meant to bring death to their charges. Equally chilling is that the killer has their eye on Alison – she’s a threat and is going to be turned into a scapegoat or possibly even a victim.

Annie Payne is serving up a mystery, a thriller and a tense pageturner which I really enjoyed. As I alluded to at the start of my review, there are too few medical or hospital thrillers and I will always lap them up. More like this would be very welcome thank you.

The Doctor was published by Avon Books on 25 May 2023 and can be ordered here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-doctor/annie-payne/9780008562007

Category: From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

March 8

The Institution – Helen Fields

They’re locked up for your safety.
Now, you’re locked in with them.

Dr Connie Woolwine has five days to catch a killer.

On a locked ward in the world’s highest-security prison hospital, a scream shatters the night. The next morning, a nurse’s body is found and her daughter has been taken. A ransom must be paid, and the clock is ticking.

Forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine is renowned for her ability to get inside the mind of a murderer. Now, she must go deep undercover among the most deranged and dangerous men on earth and use her unique skills to find the girl – before it’s too late.

But as the walls close in around her, can Connie get the killer before The Institution gets her?

I recieved a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley

If you like a slick and cleverly plotted thriller with tension ramped up to the max and the darkness of the subject matter to be as dark as the bottom of the deepest coal mine…then it is time to get The Institution into your life. This is quite a read and I really, really enjoyed it but I’d forgotten Helen Fields doesn’t pull the punches when putting her characters through the wringer – proceed with caution.

The Institution is a prison for dangerous killers. Each inmate in the isloated, high-security ward has committed multiple murders, is considered to be dangerous and can hold no real expectation of ever being freed. They are closely guarded and under the medical care of a team who provide psychological care but also employ any type of restraint or chemical assistance to keep their charges docile and calm. It’s a thankless place to work and there’s a high level of frustration on show amongst the staff. One employee appears to have been more popular than others but my use of “was” in the previous sentence may give an indication as to her fate.

A murder in a locked ward where all the inmates are known killers. A kidnapping too. Into this maelstrom comes Dr Connie Woolwine. She is going undercover on the ward to try to use her profiling skills to work out which of the convicted killers was responsible for the murder of the poplular young nurse. But there’s a real time pressure as the woman’s kidnapped daughter isn’t expected to live unless she can be found and returned to her family quickly.

This is a story where I can’t really share much about the plot without slipping into dangerous “spoiler” territory. The crimes described are brutal and could be upsetting for some readers. The locked room mystery element of the book is wonderfully set up and really had me scratching my head. There are obviously unpleasant characters in the story as there is a secure wing full of violent killers. But the staff that Connie finds herself working beside are equally complex and unpleasant too.

There are only a few people that Connie can trust and the nature of her undercover role will mean she is often cut-off from their support. Watching Connie cope with the intensity of her situation made for utterly compelling reading and when cracks start to show, well that is when Helen Fields really gets into the tension groove. I hit a point in the story where I realised there was no way I’d stop reading The Institution until I actually finished the whole book.

Another terrific thriller from Helen Fields – she always delivers.

The Institution is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B85RCGXM/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

Category: From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

July 13

Watch Over You – M.J. Ford

The hunt is on. And this time, it’s personal…

When DS Josie Masters is called out to a house in North Oxford to investigate a serious incident, things take a personal turn. The body is Harry’s – her friend and former colleague.

Josie thought Harry lived alone, but evidence suggests he’d had a lodger – a young woman who has fled the scene.

And as more killings stun Oxford, the police discover the picture is more complicated than it appeared.

The young woman is on the run, and someone is following her – leaving a stack of bodies in their wake…

My thanks to Avon who provided a review copy through Netgalley

I have been back into police procedural reading this week with the entertaining Watch Over You. It sees lead character Josie Masters returning to work after her maternity leave and finding herself thrust directly into a murder investigation.

Thrust may not be the best word to use in this instance. Josie is determined she will not be stuck behind a desk on her return to duty so she takes the opportunity to get involved in active cases as soon as she gets into the squadroom. Unfortunately for Josie the first incident she attends turns out to be the death of a friend and former colleague. His body is found in his home, a nasty head injury appears the cause of death. Josie had bonded with Harry (the deceased) during her maternity leave and the pair often met for a chat in Harry’s local pub. Josie cannot let someone else handle this case.

While inspecting Harry’s house for signs of an intruder Josie and the Scene of Crime team find evidence to suggest Harry had a house guest. He never mentioned this to Josie and there is no sign of anyone else in the house now, yet the evidence is clear – Harry hadn’t been living alone. So where was this mystery (female) guest?

When questioned neighbours indicated they had seen a young girl in Harry’s house. There is also the suggestion that the girl had been angry and was spotted running away from Harry’s house on the day of the murder. Josie had a suspect but very little to go on other than knowing she was looking foe a young girl with long blonde hair.

Fate was to throw Josie a helping hand – but at a steep price. A double murder elsewhere in Oxford shows a link to Harry’s death. The link being the blonde girl. The police now know her name and it seems she may be connected to another case Josie’s colleagues have been working on, the death of a young drug dealer.

The body count is mounting up and Josie is no closer to finding the blonde girl. However there is a new added complication – the blonde may also be in danger. Can Josie find her to get the truth about Harry’s death before it is too late?

Watch Over You is a perfect pick for readers that want to be in the thick of an investigation. The story does have a few cut-away moments which set up some key background events, however it is very much Josie’s story. The death of her friend. Juggling baby and a busy return to work. Dealing with a difficult ex and reintegration with her colleagues. Plenty going on and the author balances the story well.

Watch Over You is published by Avon and is available in paperback, audiobook and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XZ6GRVL/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

April 29

The Girl Who Got Revenge – Marnie Riches

Revenge is a dish best served deadly…

A twelve-year-old girl is found dead at the Amsterdam port. An old man dies mysteriously in a doctors’ waiting room. Two seemingly unconnected cases, but Inspector Van den Bergen doesn’t think so…

Criminologist George McKenzie is called in to help crack the case before it’s too late. But the truth is far more deadly than anyone can imagine… Can George get justice for the dead before she ends up six-feet under too?

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for the chance to join the blog tour

Returning visitors to Grab This Book will know that I am a huge fan of the George McKenzie The Girl Who books by Marnie Riches. For once I found that I was following a series from the first release of the first book and then impatiently waiting for the next book to be written. Then the next. Then the next. Now The Girl Who Got Revenge has arrived and I am delighted.

Before I get to the actual story the housekeeping…it is the fifth book in a sequence. There are not any major spoilers relating to events in the first four books and you do not have to have read all the earlier titles to enjoy The Girl Who Got Revenge. This may also be a great time to highlight that until now The Girl Who titles were only available in digital format for your Kindle/Kobo/E-Reader. The good news is that all 5 books will be available in paperback which I hope means they will find their way to new readers

The Girl Who Got Revenge was another storming page turner. George and Van den Bergen are back at their very best even though the hypochondriac, Van den Bergen, is ever more determined he is rushing towards diagnosis of a terminal illness. It places his relationship with George on rocky ground again, yet when he watches an old man die right in front of his eyes it will shake the policeman to his core.

The old man’s death appears a tragic case of someone reaching the end of their days, however, at the autopsy a surprising discovery links his death to that of a second person – could there be more to his death than first thought?

Elsewhere, the police are required to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a young girl who was being smuggled through The Netherlands in the back of a truck with dozens of other refugees. The situation is highly emotive and once again Marnie Riches takes a topical plight and builds a compelling story.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about The Girl Who Got Revenge (or indeed about ALL the books in this series). These are fantastic stories, which enthrall, entertain and captivate me in equal measure. George McKenzie is the feisty lead character that I love reading about and as soon as I finish one book I start longing for her return.

Five star thrills and pure reading enjoyment.

The Girl Who Got Revenge is published by Avon and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Who-Got-Revenge-addictive-ebook/dp/B076P22L95/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1524952013&sr=1-1&keywords=marnie+riches

Category: 5* Reviews, Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

January 13

The Cover Up – Marnie Riches

Watch your back. Everyone else will be.

How far would you go to protect your empire?

Manchester’s criminal underworld is reeling from the loss of its leader, Paddy O’Brien. In the wake of her husband’s death, Sheila O’Brien takes charge of the city, and for once, she’s doing things her way.

But she hasn’t reckoned with the fearsome Nigel Bancroft, a threat from Birmingham who is determined to conquer Manchester next.

As a power tussle begins, Sheila is determined to keep control of the empire she has won – even if it means she has to die trying…

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour

Marnie Riches takes us back to Manchester as we revisit Sheila O’Brien. Following events in Born Bad Sheila now heads up the criminal empire built up by her late husband. However, keeping control of the drug supply, the prostitutes and the protection money is going to prove challenging – particularly when Birmingham crime lord Nigel Bancroft is looking to expand his territory into Manchester.

The housekeeping…The Cover Up is the second book in the Manchester series – reading the first book (Born Bad) would certainly help introduce the characters and explain their background but it is not essential. I have a total goldfish-memory and I struggle to remember character names and relationships across all the books I read; but Marnie Riches deftly interweaves the backstory you need into the narrative of The Cover Up to ensure new readers will enjoy the latest events.

And what a treat lies ahead! Sheila faces constant challenges to her authority and she will need to show that she has the mettle to take her late-husband’s place. She relies heavily upon his former right-hand-man, Conky, who has also replaced his former boss in Sheila’s bed. While juggling attempts to establish a legitimate business empire and keep her criminal activities ticking over we see Sheila trying to bring friends closer to ensure she can trust those in her closest circle. What I had not been expecting was where some of her new alliances may be formed.

The Cover Up has many strong personalities all pushing for dominance and all seeking to eliminate their competition. There are are traps and dangers, subterfuge is rife and nobody can be trusted. It makes for enthralling reading and the story zips along at a cracking pace.

If you enjoy a dark thriller and like strong characters who will do whatever it takes to survive and protect those closest to them then The Cover Up is perfect reading. I loved this book and flew through it in quick time, once I started reading I did not want to stop. More of these please Marnie!

The Cover Up is published by Avon and is available in paperback, audiobook (narrated by the author) and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cover-Up-Marnie-Riches/dp/0008203962/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1515835942&sr=1-1

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

January 5

Games With The Dead – James Nally

Irish runaway. Insomniac. Functioning alcoholic.
Life is about to get complicated for DC Donal Lynch.

When a young woman is kidnapped, Donal is brought in to deliver the ransom money. But the tightly-planned drop off goes wrong, Julie Draper is discovered dead, and Donal finds his job on the line – a scapegoat for the officers in charge.

But when Donal is delivered a cryptic message in the night, he learns that Julie was killed long before the botched rescue mission. As he digs further into the murder in a bid to clear his own name, dark revelations make one thing certain: the police are chasing the wrong man, and the killer has far more blood on his hands than they could even imagine.

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour

The third novel in the Donal Lynch series but Games With The Dead can easily be read as a stand alone novel without the need to have read the earlier books. I can confirm this with a degree of certainty as I had not read the first two books and still thoroughly enjoyed Games.

The description of the novel (as above) led me to believe this may be a kidnap/murder tale and it is…but it is so much more as well. The story opens with the police attempt to recover a kidnapped woman: Julie Draper. DC Donal Lynch is the man tasked with delivering the ransom payment and “rescuing” Julie from the kidnappers. Regrettably all does not go to plan and Donal will be held liable by his bosses.

With his work life in a crisis there is no respite for Donal at home either. His girlfriend has been distant and remote since the birth of her son and Donal is hitting the drink too hard. Not helping matters is the fact Ireland are in the soccer World Cup Finals (it is Summer 1994) and all Irish footy fans are swelling the takings at pubs up and down the land as they cheer on their heroes in the USA. With Donal being urged on by his brother to shake off his other half we see our hero’s emotions pulled every which way.

I am reluctant to share too much of what happens to Donal during Games With The Dead, but he is given the opportunity to work for a different team within the police and it will place him in more danger than he is accustomed to facing – it makes for gripping reading.

While reading Games With The Dead I got wholly drawn into the story and Donal’s perils kept me turning the pages well into the night. After the initial kidnap drama had reached its unexpected endgame I was not sure what may lie ahead for Donal – what James Nally had in store for DC Lynch was an absolute treat for this crime fiction fan.

Highly recommended, some 90’s nostalgia and a thumping great read.

Games With The Dead is published by Avon and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Games-Dead-Donal-Lynch-Thriller-ebook/dp/B072S4QY15/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1515088897&sr=8-1

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

November 4

Shadows – Paul Finch

As a female cop walking the mean streets of Manchester, life can be tough for PC Lucy Clayburn. But when one of the North West’s toughest gangsters is your father, things can be particularly difficult.

When Lucy’s patch is gripped by a spate of murder-robberies, the police are quick to action. Yet when it transpires that the targets are Manchester’s criminal underworld, attitudes change.

Lucy is soon faced with one of the toughest cases of her life – and one which will prove once and for all whether blood really is thicker than water…

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for my review copy and the chance to join the tour

A new Paul Finch book is always met with much excitement at Grab This Book so when Shadows hit my Kindle I could not wait to start reading.

Lucy Clayburn returns for a second outing following her debut in Strangers. Having read Strangers will help you better understand a couple of the conversations in Shadows, however, Shadows can definitely be read as a stand alone novel. Both are great reads so you are not going to be unhappy whichever reading option you opt for!

Lucy had a terrible start to her police career and has been working hard to restore her credibility and prove her value to the department. Events in Strangers has significantly helped and her stock is rising but now an old acquaintance is looking for help as one of his friends has been caught in possession of narcotics – if Lucy can have a lesser charge pursued he can provide information on a violent armed robber.

The possibility of catching a serial offender gives Lucy the opportunity to join the high profile team that work on capturing armed robbers. She embraces the opportunity and tries to ensure she shines through careful planning and preparation. It is great to see Lucy getting the chance to step-up and her enthusiasm and determination make her an engaging a likeable character.

Away from Lucy’s case the reader gets to see what the “bad guys” are up to. Established (and high profile) criminals are being attacked in places they believe to be safe. It looks like there are new players in town and they are intent on disrupting the old guard and taking out the competition. Their mission is deadly and the story takes a dark turn when they met out their unpleasant lessons and establish their authority. It makes for gripping story telling and I got completely caught up in events.

I have yet to read a Paul Finch book that I have not enjoyed – Shadows is another great read and I highly recommend it.

Shadows is published by Avon and can be ordered in paperback or digital format here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-gripping-thriller-bestseller-Clayburn/dp/0007551339/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509788309&sr=1-1&keywords=paul+finch

Category: Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off

August 3

Perfect Prey – Helen Fields

Welcome to Edinburgh. Murder capital of Europe.

In the middle of a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach. He dies minutes later. In a crowd of thousands, no one saw his attacker.

The following week, the body of a primary school teacher is found in a dumpster in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf.

D.I. Ava Turner and D.I. Luc Callanach have no leads and no motive – until around the city, graffitied on buildings, words appear describing each victim.

It’s only when they realise the words are being written before rather than after the murders, that they understand the killer is announcing his next victim…and the more innocent the better.

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for a review copy of Perfect Prey and the chance to join the tour.

One day.

A single day.

I started Perfect Prey at 8.30am this morning in a Starbucks coffee shop and at 11.58pm this evening (well now yesterday evening) I finished the last chapter. It was fantastic. I am enjoying a summer where I seem to be only choosing great books to read but Perfect Prey has been a wonderful high point.

Luc Callanach was first introduced in Perfect Remains – he arrived in Edinburgh from France where he had worked for Interpol. Luc now works for Police Scotland, his arrival and the problems which forced his move to Scotland are covered in Perfect Remains – reading the books in order is recommended but not essential.

If you are a fan of crime fiction then reading both books IS essential. Helen Fields is making Edinburgh a very nasty place to be and I am loving her work. Her tales are dark, the crimes that Callanach is called to investigate are both graphic and disturbing and I found both Perfect books utterly gripping.

In Perfect Prey Edinburgh is rocked by a series of high profile brutal killings. Over a very short space of time 3 vicious deaths have shocked the residents of the capital and the reputation of the city world-wide is suffering. Pressure is placed on Callanach and his colleague, Ava Turner, to come up with results (and fast). What is not helping is the presence of an old flame of Ava’s. He is also a cop – up from London to work on a high profile tech/internet operation, his presence unsettles Callanach as the two do not hit it off. It also disrupts the effective working relationship that Callanach and Turner had established. With the two at loggerheads the investigations stutter – they are reliant upon their colleagues to keep communications flowing.

With little progress being made and more lives in danger, Callanach reaches out to two contacts from outwith the Police. By going off radar and involving civilians he risks his career but who can he really trust when vital information from the investigations is leaking to the press?

I want to tell you about evil murderers. I want to discuss Luc and Ava. I want to share all the great twists and that terrible thing that happened….but they would all be spoilers and you really need to find them out for yourself. What I really need is for it to be January 2018 so I can read the next book.

Perfect Prey is a must read. The Callanach books are already firmly established as a series I want to follow. Don’t let these books pass you by – brilliant, brilliant stories.

Perfect Prey is published by Avon and is available now in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Prey-DI-Callanach-Thriller/dp/0008181586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501715565&sr=8-1&keywords=helen+fields

Follow the tour

Category: 5* Reviews, Blog Tours | Comments Off

June 30

The Boneyard – Mark Sennen

Malcolm Kendwick is charming, handsome – and a suspected serial killer.

When the partially clothed body of a woman is discovered on Dartmoor, all eyes are on one man.

There wasn’t enough evidence to convict Kendwick of his suspected crimes in America, but DI Charlotte Savage is determined to bring him to justice. She’s certain the woman’s murder, so soon after Kendwick’s return to Devon, is no coincidence. But Savage hadn’t anticipated one thing: Kendwick has a perfect alibi.

When more human remains are discovered at an isolated dumping ground, a full-scale murder investigation is launched. Savage realises it’s up to her to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.

She knows Kendwick is hiding something.
Is there a limit to how far she’ll go to find out what?

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for my review copy and the chance to join the tour

As I was nearing the middle of The Boneyard I had decided that I really liked Mark Sennen’s writing and Charlotte Savage was a character I could get behind. Then I hit a twist to the story I’d not expected and I suddenly realised that The Boneyard was going to get really dark – Fan-bloody-tastic. That’s how we like ’em.

Background – I own all the Charlotte Savage books, but this was the first I’d read. One of the best bits about blogging is seeing what your pals read (and what they enjoy)! I bought the earlier books in the series on recommendations of friends but I just hadn’t found time to start reading them. Now I will need to make time and get caught up, I loved how Mark Sennen built up The Boneyard and he kept me hooked.

A British man has been released from prison in the United States. He was accused of the murder of a number of young women but released on a legal technicality (his confession was obtained under dubious circumstances).

*no spoilers*

The killer (Kendwick) elects to return to the UK and Savage finds herself on escort duty, bringing him in to settle in her area in the South West. She is far from happy about the situation – particularly when Kenwick displays extreme contempt and arrogance and virtually goads the police about his background and the crimes he seems to have committed.

It is not long before a dead girl is found on the moors and suspicion inevitably points to Kendwick. Is he so self assured that he believes he can get away with murder right under watchful eyes of the police? Savage thinks so but proving it will be tricky.

Kendwick leaps off the pages and you cannot help but be repulsed by him. The reader is willing Savage to find the evidence she needs to have him returned to prison, but does she have the right man? The feisty interchanges between K and Savage make for captivating reading. As I eluded to above, this is a dark take on the behaviour of a serial killer and Sennen has spun a brilliant tale.

Got a holiday coming and want a cracking read for the beach? Take The Boneyard with you, you’ll not be disappointed.

The Boneyard is published by Avon and is available now in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boneyard-Mark-Sennen-ebook/dp/B01MFI395K/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Category: Blog Tours | Comments Off

May 28

Watch Me – Angela Clarke

YOU HAVE SIX SECONDS TO READ THIS MESSAGE…

The body of a 15-year-old is found hours after she sends a desperate message to her friends. It looks like suicide, until a second girl disappears.

This time, the message is sent directly to the Metropolitan Police – and an officer’s younger sister is missing.

DS Nasreen Cudmore and journalist Freddie Venton will stop at nothing to find her. But whoever’s behind the notes is playing a deadly game of hide and seek – and the clock is ticking.

YOU HAVE 24 HOURS TO SAVE THE GIRL’S LIFE.
MAKE THEM COUNT.

Today’s review for Watch Me is the first to be written by my book-reading, coffee-loving buddy Lou.

For some time it has pained me that I just don’t have enough hours in the day to read all the books I am given the chance to review – Blogger Guilt is a thing! So Lou has kindly offered to help me out by sharing her thoughts on some of the books I have just not had the chance to get to yet. As Angela’s new novel, Trust Me, is just a few weeks away from publication it was time Watch Me got a long overdue review. Over to Lou…

I have to admit, when I see a book blurb with “compelling!” or “page-turner!” my cynicism kicks in and I assume PR hyperbole; Watch Me fully deserves the accolades. Shorter than I would’ve liked but much better than I expected, Angela Clarke is steadily producing a series based on the concept of social media as a tool for murder.

It starts with the victim of schoolyard bullies, introduces the reader to the idea of Snapchat as a suicide note, then progresses the story’s timeline through the chapter headings (Tuesday 16^th March, Wednesday 17^th March), speeding up until we are counting down the hours, then the minutes.

As a way to build momentum this was somewhat lost on me as I was eagerly flipping the pages already, but for those with a more leisured approach to a new book I can only suppose it would help to ratchet up the tension. (It could also be seen as a nod to social media’s inbuilt time-stamping function, but I have no idea if this was planned or simply a fitting coincidence).

Nevertheless, the story is slick and convincing and I was drawn in by the mystery of DS Nasreen Cudmore’s Big Secret. I was less invested in Freddie Venton’s personal dramas, but if that’s because I’d rather go for a drink with Cudmore than Freddie, I can’t quite decide.

Which, in a nutshell, is the beauty of Watch Me. Relatable characters, a fast-moving plot, and a disturbing imagining of the dangerous potential of a medium deigned for fun.

Watch Me is published by Avon and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Watch-Me-Angela-Clarke-ebook/dp/B01D4WO2Y0/ref=pd_sim_351_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=61PYMCEH5AY81EZJ8K2D

Category: From The Bookshelf | Comments Off