September 3

The Watcher – Kate Medina

If you see him it’s already too late…

‘A brilliant and believable female lead’ Good Housekeeping

Some secrets can’t be hidden.

The Fullers are the picture-perfect family, a wealthy couple with a grand home in the middle of remote woodland. But even they have something to hide – and it will prove fatal.

Some crimes can’t be forgotten.

Psychologist Dr Jessie Flynn and DI Marilyn Simmons arrive at the Fuller’s home to find a suburban nightmare. A crime scene more disturbing than anything they have ever encountered.

Some killers can’t be stopped.

Jessie knows that this is no random act of violence. And if she can’t unlock the motivation behind the crime and shine a light into this killer’s mind, the Fullers won’t be the only family to die…

 

I recieved a review copy from the publishers through Netgalley.  My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join The Watcher Blog Tour

 

I hadn’t realised The Watcher was part of an ongoing series and that Dr Jessie Flynn had appeared in previous Kate Medina books.  It certainly did not stop me enjoying The Watcher and it made me keen to go back and read the books which lead into this one.  As a reader there is no better feeling than enjoying a book by a “new” author then learning the author in question actually has an established back catalogue for me to get stuck into.

The good news for new Kate Medina readers (like myself) and committed fans of Jessie Flynn and DI Simmons is that The Watcher is a terrific read which perfectly hit the balance of psychological thriller and strong police procedural. The murders in the book were twisted and nasty which is what I enjoy in crime stories and when I finally realised the driving force which prompted the murders I felt there was a very satisfying build up to the reveal.

I don’t want to encroach into spoiler territory but Jessie is asked to assist DI Simmons (Marilyn) when he is called to a double murder of a successful couple in their luxurious home. The attending police are deeply unsettled by the vicious nature of the attacks and Jessie is asked to share her thoughts on potential motives behind the sadistic attacks.  Her initial conclusions are not entirely accurate and before long the killer strikes again to give further confusion to our investigators.

Kate Medina has done a wonderful job in pacing out The Watcher. It read so smoothly and I flew through the chapters as I always felt the story was enticing me to keep reading. There is a steady investigation progression, the threat of danger over some characters looms large and you want to know how that turns out. There is a fascinating side story around Jessie’s boyfriend and a problem he has been experiencing (something returning readers will very much appreciate) and I enjoyed the side story about the kennels – which you need to read to understand!

In brief, The Watcher was a hit with me. I want to read more in the series as I loved the characters.  The book is deliciously dark, creepy when it matters and it gave me a fair chance at working out killer and motive (but I didn’t).

 

The Watcher is published by Harper Collins and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DQ9T6HW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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February 11

Gallery of the Dead – Chris Carter

‘Thirty-seven years in the force, and if I was allowed to choose just one thing to erase from my mind, what’s inside that room would be it.’

That’s what a LAPD Lieutenant tells Detectives Hunter and Garcia of the Ultra Violent Crimes Unit as they arrive at one of the most shocking crime scenes they have ever attended.

In a completely unexpected turn of events, the detectives find themselves joining forces with the FBI to track down a serial killer whose hunting ground sees no borders; a psychopath who loves what he does because to him murder is much more than just killing – it’s an art form.

Welcome to The Gallery of the Dead.

 

My thanks to Rhiannon at Simon & Schuster for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour.

 

I can only say good things about Gallery of the Dead as I absolutely loved it. It’s a dark but totally gripping read in which Robert Hunter finds himself attending a murder scene and believing that the killer has been too efficient for this to have been his first kill.

From the opening chapter I was hooked – a woman arrives home, she potters through the rooms whilst chatting to her cat. It seemed all too normal, too domesticated and so I expected something nasty was about to happen.  Reading on my mind was whirring with possibilities over what Chris Carter could have in store…would she find something horrible? Is there someone in her house?  Will she receive a terrifying phone call?  From the very first paragraphs you are drawn in and you want to keep reading as you are sure something bad (really bad) is about to happen.

And it does.

Boom – he got me. And for the next few hundred pages Chris Carter was not letting me go – Gallery of the Dead is one of those rare gems where you don’t want to stop reading and the action and twists and shocks just keep coming. “One more chapter?” Hell no…I can give it another hour – at least.

Hunter is back in top form too (this is book 9 in the series).  Gallery of the Dead can be read entirely on its own, wholly self contained and easy to enjoy without knowing the back story.  His analytical mind and sharp eye quickly identifies “marks” left on the body of the victim (no spoilers here) and using the police database to search for similar occurrences he alerts the FBI to the murder he is investigating.

The FBI have already been aware of the killer (this is not his first murder) and they propose a liaison with the police.  The agent heading up the FBI taskforce is aware of Hunter’s skills and is keen to have him on board – but if you get Hunter you get his partner too and with that comes a wisecracking cop who will rub up the FBI agents in the wrong way. I loved the friction and rivalry between police and FBI and it was only made better by Hunter’s reaction to the sniping around him!

If you like a serial killer story, one which will not hold back on the grim detail and the sadistic nature of a murderous mind then you need to seek out Chris Carter’s books.  Gallery of the Dead is a brilliant read – entertainment to the max.

 

Gallery of the Dead is published by Simon & Schuster and is available now in hardback, audiobook and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gallery-Dead-Robert-Hunter-9/dp/1471156346/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1518307286&sr=8-1

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