The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton

Atmospheric and haunting, this is not a typical suspense novel nor a crime thriller. It's a mystery of sorts, but also a study of witchcraft and the dark arts. I could not put it down after I read the note to the reader."The Craftsman is the story of women, and witches. Of the children we love and must protect. And of the men who fear us."

WPC Florence Lovelady is 22 years old and the only woman on the police when the town of Sabden tries to solve the case of 3 missing teenagers in 1969. Being new and being a woman, she faces discrimination and frustration as she attempts to get involved with the investigation. When it's discovered that one of the victims was buried alive in a casket in a local cemetery, the clues lead to a local undertaker, Larry Glassbrook. He's remanded to prison and the book opens with his funeral and burial in his native Lancashire home 30 years later. Florence has returned to town for the occasion and has brought along her teenaged son, Ben. Events transpire that make Florence question if they actually arrested the right man...NO SPOILERS

The book is divided into two distinct time periods -- 1969 during the investigation of the case and then 1999 when Florence returns. There is so much interesting material within that it's hard to sum up in a synopsis. Whether or not you believe in witchcraft, you will be privy to information that indicates that it is not a lost art and that witches still practice and exist today despite historical evidence that society has tried to get rid of them by foul means for centuries. I was riveted.

The plot is complicated but very tightly woven and will likely leave you with more questions than answers. I understand that this is the first book of a planned trilogy (I hope that's accurate) and I promise I'm going to be first in line clamoring for #2 as I can't wait to learn more about the complex character that is Florence as I feel we've only been given a small glimpse into her psyche.

Different, yes! And I'm always enamored with a unique perspective on the familiar crime and punishment genre. I think this novel will give readers a lot to think about and much to discuss with others who read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur/St. Martin's Press for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Malice by Jennifer Jaynes

"This industry (big Pharma) was a machine...and a very powerful one at that."

Dr. Daniel Winters is a pediatrician and newlywed. Married to Mia and living on a beachfront property in Malibu, he's finally achieving all his dreams in the new practice at Healing Hands in Los Angeles, California. Trouble starts soon after the honeymoon when Daniel returns to work and is told about a new immunoceutical -- Respira -- that the doctors are expected to push on their young patients to prevent the common cold. It seems that there are undocumented adverse effects from this new vaccine and the powers that be do NOT want their patients to know. Things go from bad to worse for Daniel quite quickly and, not only does he suspect his new wife is lying to him, there's major trouble at work when one of his patients experiences a severe reaction to the drug. His new boss threatens him, other doctors who've gone public about Respira are killed, and Mia is sending private texts and sneaking off when she's supposed to be at work. NO SPOILERS but Daniel's life is about to spiral completely out of control.

This was a great thriller, very fast-paced and a bit unpredictable with the twists and turns. I read it over a matter of hours as I simply couldn't put it down. I love reading about anything "medical" and the whole topic of vaccinations was quite interesting from that standpoint. I've always been pro-immunization and can't always relate to or understand the hordes of anti-vaxers when I read stuff on social media, etc. because I do believe they are safe, effective and necessary. The new, FICTIONAL, vaccine in this book doesn't exist but I can understand the fears of parents who are told and nearly forced to get a new, untested vaccine for their child. All I can say is what I always say, do your research, consult with professionals and make an informed decision. I won't judge you for trying to do the best possible thing for your child as long as you are fully aware of all the consequences for whatever action you take.

Anyway, great read and I've never read anything else written by this author but I intend to rectify that in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-book ARC to read and review. I had a lovely couple of hours completely absorbed in the characters and the story. Absolutely riveting and timely medical thriller.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

The Dream Daughter by Diana Chamberlain

A Trip Through Time...

Well now. This book and its topics are so far out of my usual reading zone that I'm a bit taken aback by how much I enjoyed it. Perhaps I was secretly in need of a "feel good" story instead of crime and thrills! I don't want to say too much because I think readers would enjoy the drama more if they open and dive right in without any preconceived notions.

Most of what I can say about the plot without spoilers is this -- a young woman receives the news that her husband, Joe, has been killed in Pleiku during the Vietnam War. The year is 1970. Caroline (Carly) Sears lives with her sister, brother-in-law and nephew in Nag's Head on The Outer Banks and soon discovers that she is pregnant. Unfortunately, the fetus has a heart defect that will result in death once the baby is born. The grief is unbearable for Carly, until her brother-in-law, Hunter, tells her a fantastical tale that may provide a way for this baby to survive. Does Carly have the courage to make a leap of faith in order to save her unborn child? You'll just have to read it to find out.

Note -- this will require a lot of suspension of disbelief and reads more like a fairy tale than contemporary fiction. Despite that, I enjoyed the trip down memory lane with all the details of time and setting. The writing made the characters come to life on the page and sure wrung out every emotion from tears (yes, I felt some prickling) to laughter. I would categorize it all as "uplifting".
I hope you enjoy this break as much as I did!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-book ARC to read and review. I've read most all of the books by this author, and will definitely be looking out for her next one.

This is a standalone and is not part of a series.

Silent Victim by Caaroline Mitchell

"You can't walk away from your demons...They'll catch up with you in the end."

Emma is married to Alex and they have a son, Jamie. They live in her childhood home on Mersea Island -- remote, foggy, and cut off from the mainland by tides at certain times of the day. Everything is going well for the little family until Alex gets a promotion and wants to move them away to Leeds. Emma knows that there's something she must do -- she must dig up the body of the man she killed and buried there on the property many years ago. Unfortunately, her lies and her secrets may have finally been exposed. NO SPOILERS

As Emma's life spirals out of control, the narrative takes the reader on a ride that will leave your head swiveling! Told in alternating points of view and going back and forth in time, we hear the man, Luke, her previous high school teacher, tell his version -- and wonder if he's a psychopath. We read about Emma's mental health issues and question her reliability as a storyteller. Alex is trying hard to sustain his feelings for Emma and sort through what he's told but is having trouble figuring out the truth. And then there's Emma's sister who is keeping some secrets of her own. You may be able to figure out where this is all going, but won't be able to put the book down until you've reached the end of this dramatic thriller.

I enjoyed the wild ride and hope you do as well.

Amazon.com purchase
This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

The Proposal by SE Lynes

"...momentous events, be they good or bad, catapult us from our core, leave us floating, weightless, lost."

Pippa Gates has no idea what is going to happen to her after she opens the door to a wandering salesperson hawking cleaning supplies and invites him into her house. Pippa is a teacher and struggling wanna-be author with a less than stellar published book to her name and a synopsis of her next one due to the editor -- tomorrow! Instead of actually working to meet the contract, she is procrastinating and drinking heavily. Seeking some kind of inspiration, she makes an unusual proposal to the shabby, down-on-his luck man -- tell her the story of his life for 200 pounds. He agrees and sits down at her kitchen table and she hits gold. How could she know that this evening will lead to an insane obsession that will leave her...NO SPOILERS.

This psychological thriller is, without a doubt, the most bizarre, messed-up story I have ever read, and believe me, I've read some humdingers. But I mean that in a good way! The characters of Pippa and the man at the door, Ryan Marks, are two deeply disturbed individuals that defy explanation. The narrative is told in an unusual format -- part being the private journal written by Pippa and the other main segments are blog posts by the author Pippa that are on social media. In addition are a few italicized ramblings recorded by Ryan. Trust me, it all makes sense when you read it.

I'm not sure when a book has hooked me so completely while all the time I'm wondering what the heck it is that I'm reading! Pippa shares a very twisty tale that could only be told by someone who is or must be totally warped. The things she thinks and says and does surely defy the concept of normal! I think you'll enjoy the crazy ride as much as I did. Don't miss it if only to be able to talk about it with a fellow reader after you finish reading it!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this e-book ARC to read and review. This is not the first book that I've read by this author and after this, I just have to see what she comes up with next!

This is a standalone, not part of a series.

Death on the River (Tara Thorpe #2) by Clare Chase

Misadventure or murder?

In this second mystery featuring DC Tara Thorpe, she and Blake deal with "a group of self-serving and in some cases amoral individuals." The "Alcolytes" have lost their leader and mentor; Ralph Cairncross's body was found inside his classic Alfa Romeo submerged in the Forty Foot Drain. He was a controversial author who spent his time pushing his theories about the importantance of youth and the glory of dying young. At first written off as an accident -- Ralph was drunk driving -- Tara soon becomes convinced that there is more to it when the victim's sister insists that it was foul play. Since Tara is new to the team and because her boss, DS Wilkins is basically a jerk who doesn't really want the former journalist working under him, she starts looking into the situation on her own time at first. When another member of the Alcolytes dies under the guise of  "misadventure", Tara convinces DI Blake that this is more than coincidence. NO SPOILERS.

I really enjoyed this book as Tara uses her talents as a former investigative journalist in her new role as DC. Working under a difficult boss who doesn't want her to succeed and bashes her theories, she turns to Blake for support. The case becomes more complex as the author gives so many red herrings within the group of Alcolytes. Could one of them be committing murder, and why? Talk about a bunch of devious characters who admired Ralph Cairncross! His wife and daughter were not treated so well as he spent so much time with his little group of hero-worshippers. Could they be responsible for any of this? The team has its work cut out for them chasing down the Alcolytes and even as they firm up their theories, yet another of the members dies. Meanwhile, Wilkins stands firmly in his opinions frustrating Tara at every turn especially after an article appears in NOT NOW -- the old magazine that Tara used to write for before she quit and decided to become police.

There is so much going on within this very interesting and well-written book that kept me guessing about the entire case. I love the atmosphere created by the location, especially the snowy fens, as it gives the novel a bit of a gothic feel. The coldness of the winter, the isolation, the knowledge that someone sinister is lurking and watching combine to keep the reader enthralled. The devious characters and the ways in which they manage to avoid being totally truthful cause Tara and Blake some frustration and very late hours. The story builds to a great climax and gives a satisfying conclusion.

I'm really enjoying this series and can't wait for #3. It's a bit different to the gritty thrillers I typically read and a refreshing change up. Please continue to keep Blake an honorable man and avoid the romance trap! If you're thinking about picking this one up, be sure to read the first in the series before doing so as it provides so much about how Tara got to this point and who she is.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Murder on the Marshes by Clare Chase (Tara Thorpe #1)

Revenge or evening up the balance? A twisty tale with many red herrings...

"Death comes equally to us all, and makes us all equal when it comes." John Donne

Tara Thorpe is a journalist working for NOT NOW magazine when she is asked to investigate and write a feature about the murder of a charismatic and popular professor, Samantha Seabrook, a fellow of St. Francis's College at Cambridge. Professor Seabrook, young and athletic, somewhat impetuous and adventurous, had apparently been killed in a walled garden fountain. Several interesting clues come to light immediately and Tara's first problem is that she can't seem to get honest answers when she interviews Seabrook's colleagues at the institute. Her second problem is that the police, namely DI Blake and his team, don't feel that information should go both ways. They want access to her notes and recordings, but they aren't sharing everything with her. In addition, Tara, who has a history of being stalked, receives a message along with a handmade doll -- "It was a warning. This is a warning." And does this mean that her stalker has returned to terrorize her OR is the note an indication that the story Tara is working on has personal implications? NO SPOILERS.

This was a great first novel in a new series. I loved meeting the characters and enjoyed their interaction as their relationships deepen and develop. It was a bit of a class clash as those from Cambridge stall and hinder the police trying to solve the case. The bond between Tara and Blake is just developing and is not romantic...yet. Tara makes some big decisions by the end of this book and I'm thrilled that I can immediately pick up the second in this mystery series. Great storytelling with the added bonus of the setting at Cambridge add to the compelling nature of the tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I'm off to start DEATH ON THE RIVER...

Fatal Promise (DI Kim Stone #9) by Angela Marsons

Who lives, who dies? There's really no choice...Grief is a monster.

"You were not only building a team, you were building a family."

DI Kim Stone is back at West Midlands after a break and those left of her previous team are returning to work as well as coming to grips with what happened in the previous book #8 so if you have not read the series from the beginning, please do not go further in this book. I don't really feel that this can be read as a standalone. The rest of this review may give away details from previous installments.

The theme of this book is grief. People handle their emotional pain and loss in different ways, and Kim, Stacey and Bryant are no exception. In addition, they are faced with having to deal with a new officer in Dawson's place -- Penn "NotKev" who is there as replacement. Met with anger and resentment, Penn is not welcome. But they still have to work together and get the job done.

The murder case builds slowly. A doctor is found dead and shortly thereafter his son is in a fatal automobile accident. Then an elderly woman. The victims keep coming. How are they all connected and why are they being killed? As the evidence seems to magically appear leading them in the direction of a viable suspect, Bryant helps Kim Stone see that things are falling into place a bit too conveniently. Meanwhile, Stacey is looking into the disappearance of a 15-year-old girl.

Although the investigation is certainly a big part of this book, the main focus is on the psychological aspects that the characters are dealing with and we learn more about the type of person that Kim is and how she has learned to deal with her personal issues from her past. We see how strong the bond is between the team members and how they support and care for each other. Once the killer is identified and the confession explains the "why" of it all, the point is again driven home that the things that happen to you or to those you love affect you deeply and differently. 

I love this series and with every book I feel as if I'm going to a family reunion when I start reading. I miss the characters while waiting for the next one in the series and can't wait to "see" them again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. 

The Crying Season (Alton and Kane #4) by DK Hood

 Black Rock Falls, Montana -- "Beautiful one day, crazy as hell the next."

A merciless predator is stalking the trails and woods of Black Rock Falls during peak hunting and hiking season. The killer seems to focus on couples who are going off to secluded areas and trails to spend some quality time alone. But they don't come back and bodies have been found -- murdered in very gruesome fashion. Sheriff Jenna Alton and her partner, Deputy David Kane begin the painstaking process of investigation with hopes of finding this madman before there are more deaths. When they suspect that there have been cameras placed along certain trails, it comes to their attention that the killer may be linked to the Dark Web and pay per view. NO SPOILERS.

This is simply a very entertaining series with characters that have grown on me since book #1. Both Jenna and Dave have a previous life history of being covert operators and are now in Black Rock Falls staying hidden from those who knew them before. The pair has a great relationship that I wish would finally be taken in a more romantic direction, but I do appreciate that there isn't any "romance" in the books. They work well together and have set up a great support team to help with solving the crimes. The descriptions of the area are very compelling and set the tone for the dark investigations that seem to be cropping up in their little remote town.

I do love the series and can't wait for #5. Be sure to start with book #1 and read in order. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Truth and Lies (DI Amy Winter #1) by Caroline Mitchell

DI Amy Winter, the adopted daughter of a police officer, is also the biological child of parents known as a murdering du0 -- the Beasts of Brentwood. The couple abducted and killed young girls back in the 1980s. Amy's real mom, Lillian Grimes, is in prison and her bio dad is dead. DI Winter's past is shrouded in vague memories that are brought to the forefront when Lillian contacts her from jail and promises to reveal the location of 3 bodies if Winter will help get her appeal going, "because she was framed."

This detective crime drama forces Amy Winter to accept that the circumstances of her birth do not add up to the person she is now. Although her adoptive father is dead, Amy is a dedicated police officer who agrees to see Lillian so as to give the closure necessary to the families of the dead girls by finding the bodies and taking them home. Lillian is living up to her part, taking Amy to the bodies, when another young girl is kidnapped. NO SPOILERS.

The narrative shifts in time and point of view as the various aspects of the case come together. The characters are fairly typical of this genre and not fully developed in this first of what I expect is a new series. This was more mystery than pulse-pounding suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the e-book ARC to read and review.

Marked for Revenge (Jana Berzelius #2) By Emelie Schepp

"You shouldn't hold on to the past...everything changes."

This is the second in a trilogy featuring public prosecutor Jana Berzelius. Set in Norrkoping, Sweden, this fast-paced police procedural focuses on the rampant drug trade and child trafficking. When a young Thai girl dies on a train and is found stuffed with capsules of heroin, the team of detectives that Jana works with tries to find out what happened to the friend who was traveling with the dead girl. In addition, Jana finds that this case has ties to her horrific past, and a man known as Danilo -- he knows all about her and she can't have him reveal her secrets. But there is worse to come when Jana's investigation reveals that someone close to her has ties to the network of crime. NO SPOILERS.

I love this series and have now read all three -- though, unfortunately, out of order as I read #3 first before I realized it. The books are very well-written and grab hold quickly with complex plots and interesting characters that have developed more with each book. The police team members are unique individuals and there is an occasional foray into their personal lives but most of the narrative is focused on the development of the case and the facets of investigation. Jana Berzelius herself is quite a complex woman with amazing fighting skills learned when she was a child. She's rather cold as a person and definitely keeps her private life, thoughts and feelings to herself so she has difficulty in creating or sustaining any relationships. Her tough exterior completely masks her inner turmoil but she is intent on succeeding at any cost. Destroy or be destroyed.

I'd like to thank Amazon Vine for a paperback ARC of this book to read and review. When I finished book #3, I thought there might be another book to follow because it seemed to leave many dangling questions and the story seemed unfinished. I'll definitely want to read more about Jana Berzelius in the future.

Marked for Life (Jana Berzelius #2) By Emelie Schepp

Edgy police procedural set in Sweden and featuring public prosecutor Jana Berzelius.

Although this is the first in the trilogy, it was the second one I read after falling hard for Jana Berzelius in book #3 (SLOWLY WE DIE). I just had to go back to the beginning because she is such an enigma as a character and I wanted to find out more about her back story. This book is where it all begins and the reader is introduced to the main characters as well as to the author's style of writing and the complexity that makes a great plot.

An official with the migration bureau is killed in his home and the only clue seems to be a handprint -- but forensic testing suggests that the print was made by a young child. How can that be as Hans Juhlen and his wife have no children. The case is becomes even more complicated when a young boy is found shot dead at the shoreline and can't be identified. Jana Berzelius begins to realize that this case may have a personal connection to her own past as she has a terrible history and the scars to prove it. Upon further investigation, the team finds evidence of child abuse and human trafficking.

I love this series. The excellent writing and the very unique characters combine with a compelling story line that just drag you in and will have you reading until you turn to the last page -- and want MORE. NO SPOILERS.

I love Scandinavian crime drama. The setting is always quite interesting to me especially when the author provides such significant detail about it. I can feel the cold temperature and imagine the city of Norrkoping though I've never been. I'm about to start book #2, MARKED FOR REVENGE, and then will just have to wait to see if Schepp continues with this very entertaining series and tells us more about Jana Berzelius.

Perfect Prey (DI Luc Callanach #2) by Helen Fields

"Four victims currently in limbo at the city mortuary. Death by strangulation, facial skinning, stabbing and crushing."  And there's more to come...

If you haven't yet picked up this series and moved it to the top of your TBR pile, I think you're missing some of the best crime fiction available. This series is awesome for many reasons: the plots, the action, the drama, and the characters. All of it, and more, bundled up to give you an evening or two of suspense and enough chills to keep you awake after you've finished the final page.

DI Luc Callanach, operating out of Police Scotland in Edinburgh, has been there less than a year. He'd left France under a bit of a cloud, and is still adjusting to his new position and his team. In this second book of the series, he's facing a set of gruesome murders with no leads or clues. His friend and colleague, DI Ava Turner, is working with him and the others but is somewhat distant lately due to personal matters. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard has sent detectives to Edinburgh in the hunt for a master cybercriminal. The man at the head of that force just happens to be an old acquaintance of Ava's and he, DCI Joe Edgar, does not like Luc at all! Can they all work together to bring their cases to a conclusion? NO SPOILERS.

Again, this is a very well-written police procedural and crime thriller with a very complicated plot and enough red herrings to keep even those most savvy reader enthralled and guessing. I love the characters and their interactions as they race against the clock and attempt to unravel the connections and apprehend those behind the murders. I am desperate for book #3 (PERFECT DEATH) which is not due out in the US until later this year! I've been looking for an ARC but have had no luck and patience is not one of my virtues!

The grisly nature of the crimes and the descriptions/detail may be off putting to some readers, so beware. Part of the story also involves the dark web so there's a fair amount of technical jargon as well. I enjoyed (?) every aspect of this book and highly recommend it. I suppose it could be read as a standalone, but you'd be missing out on some great backstory about the characters.

If you're into this genre, be sure to put this book and the whole series on your list. Although I have the ARC of the 4th one in the series queued up to read, thanks to NetGalley UK, I don't know if I can read it without reading #3 first! Oh, the dilemma of a fan!

Perfect Remains (DI Luc Callanach #1) by Helen Fields

This police procedural, the first in a series featuring Detective Inspector Luc Callanach, is truly the definition of a gripping suspense crime thriller.

"How is life as a French-Scottish former Interpol agent in the wilds of Scotland?"

Life for DI Callanach is busy. He's not even unpacked his new office when he's called to attend the discovery of a completely burnt body found in the Cairngorm Mountains. Forensics indicate that the remains are those of Elaine Buxton, a lawyer from Edinburgh who had been reported missing a few weeks prior. As Callanach and his team take on the investigation, they shortly realize that they are dealing with a master criminal. And soon, another prominent woman goes missing. Racing against the clock, Callanach meticulously chases every clue despite the confounding evidence and the lack of critical information. Can he pull himself together and let go of his personal past to focus on the case? NO SPOILERS.

Excellent writing, fabulous well-drawn characters, incredible description and enough grisly detail to satisfy even the most dedicated of hardcore genre readers. This book was a "stumbled upon" for me and I can't believe I missed hearing about this series! I cannot wait to read the second, third, and fourth and look forward to seeing Luc Callanach's personal and professional growth as it continues. I could barely put this down, and had to force myself to go at a slower pace just so I could absorb everything. This is one story that will leave you chilled and never ever again will you be immune to the smell of mothballs...Sorta kidding. Anyway -- I highly recommend it to fans of this genre.

Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins Publishers for this e-book ARC to read and review. I'm off to start #2 -- PERFECT PREY.

First in a series.

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

"We are all drowning slowly in the tide of our opinions, oblivious that we are taking on water every time we open our mouths."

A Mississippi morning. Gunfire erupts in a health center that performs abortions. The women inside, along with a male doctor, are held hostage by a gunman who is seeking retribution because his daughter had been to the clinic and was counseled, he believes, to obtain an abortion. But the situation is more complicated than that. The hostage negotiator, Hugh McElroy, has a real crisis on his hands as he arrives at the center -- he's just found out that his daughter, Wren, and his sister, Bex, are inside. NO SPOILERS.

I must admit that I had some reservations about reading this book but, immediately after I downloaded it today, I started reading and just finished it a little while ago. I was totally glued to the pages of this story. Not only was it extremely even handed regarding its highly inflammatory subject matter of abortion, it was written in an unusual time structure going from present to past, in reverse order to the way I usually prefer my books to flow. So it ends with the beginning and follows with an epilogue that answers all the questions. At no time did I feel that I was being persuaded to take a side, nor were there subtle hints as to any author bias. It was obvious from the author's end note that she had done a tremendous amount of research, even to the point of spending time in a clinic and observing the termination procedures. The characters -- both those that were pro-choice and those who were anti-abortion (or pro-life) were all in the scenario and represented the various beliefs, wishes and desires with their reasons for doing and feeling as they did.

Jodi Picoult is not afraid of writing about controversial subjects and I believe that her purpose must surely be to open up dialogue about issues that tend to polarize people. In today's society, we seem to be bombarded by so many differences of opinion that result in responses that range from arguments to violence. What was once personal and private has become center stage. Activists on both sides of the abortion issue have various methods of rallying people to action or agreement. Lawmakers weigh in, deciding what is legal and what is not. Unfortunately, it's hard to remain objective in the face of it all as most of us no doubt feel pressures from different factions. At the end of the day, each person will have to come to their own perspective knowing, however, that it all boils down to the question of relevancy. And the fact that the way you feel one day may change depending on circumstances.

I am quite glad I was given an opportunity to read this and I'll be thinking of it for a long time. It would make an excellent choice for a book club, but I'm not sure everyone feels comfortable in this climate to share honest opinions without fear of judgement.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this e-book ARC to read and review. I look forward to reading and hearing what others think of it.

This book is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Perfect Girls (DI Rachel Prince #3) by Alison James

"Pretty. Spoilt. Popular. Self-absorbed. Entitled." DEAD

DI Rachel Prince, an international liaison investigator for the UK National Crime Agency, is off to the USA in what will prove to be one of the most challenging cases of her career. Alone and without support from her partner, DS Mark Brickall, she is sent to find details about a murdered UK woman whose body was found rotting in a dumpster at the back of a Macy's store in LA. Phoebe Stiles, 25-years-old, had been dead for quite some time -- all the while, however, she had appeared to still be in contact with her parents via phone and had also filmed a commercial even though forensics found that Phoebe was already dead then. If that's true -- who went to the filming in her stead? Rachel Prince will crisscross the United States while doggedly pursuing the killer. This particular sociopath is quite busy as other bodies begin to appear. What emerges is a very chilling and complicated story of deceit and revenge. NO SPOILERS.

I really enjoyed this third in the series featuring Rachel Prince. She's fairly stereotypical as a character in this genre as she's a bit aloof and easily obsessed by her cases. She has difficulty in personal relationships but her determination to close her cases forces her to try to play nice with others. The series is very well-written and demonstrates great attention to detail as the complex case keeps the reader entertained. Equal parts police procedural, crime drama, and suspense thriller, PERFECT GIRLS kept me glued to the pages and I would have finished it in one sitting had it not been a holiday weekend! I can't wait for #4 and highly recommend the series to any fans of this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the e-book ARC to read and review.

#3 in the Detective Rachel Prince series.

Keep You Safe by Rona Halsall

Note -- original title GUILTY LITTLE SECRETS

Natalie is put in prison for embezzlement, though she claims that she is innocent. She's also found to be a drug addict, hooked on OxyContin. Through various means, she comes to realize that she's been framed and the only thing in her mind is getting out and back to her infant son, Harry. Finally, she gets out of prison and heads to the Isle of Man because she has found that is where her ex husband, Tom, has taken her son. No spoilers, but she meets a guy on the ferry across to the island. In addition, there is a Polish bad guy after her because of something that happened to his sister while they were both at the same prison.

If you really loved this book -- stop here and don't read any further.

OK. I don't really like to write reviews about books I didn't enjoy. This one didn't do it for me and I almost did the unthinkable (for me, anyway) and nearly marked as DNF. I really don't care for books full of angst and with a constant stream of consciousness where the main character goes on and on ad nauseum about the same old thing. Constantly about Harry. Her lame brained ideas to go get him from his father and "rescue" him. Her actions and the many coincidences that defied my ability to suspend disbelief. I just couldn't get into the story and it was so predictable that I really could have read the first and last chapter and called it done. The narrative is told in a "then" and "NOW" fashion and although I'm not that fond of the style, it worked OK though it took forever for the gist of the whole story to be teased out. I didn't even like the main character, Natalie. The ending was contrived, and let's just leave it now.

I understand this is a debut, and though I like psychological thrillers, this whole plot line has been done to death. I would consider trying a second novel by this author in hopes to see a more original story. I thank NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book to read and review. My apologies to all for my opinions and I'm sure that others will find something different to mine to write about! If you're really picky and you like suspenseful thrillers with twists that leave you guessing and tension that makes you race through the pages, you may want to look for another book.

This is a standalone, not part of any series.