Death’s Requiem by David J. Gatward

March 8, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Death’s Requiem by David J. Gatward
Publisher: Weirdstone Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Music can be murder.

When the body of internationally-renowned vocalist Gareth Jones is found hanging in the tower of a church, the walls daubed in occult symbols, the world of classical music, and the local dales community in which he grew up, is shaken to its core.

With the worst winter in years sweeping through Wensleydale, the spectre of a friend’s death haunting one of his team, and a killer driven by forces darker than he could ever imagine, Grimm and his team are up against the creator of not just a masterpiece, but a symphony of pain.

And it’s up to Harry to make sure that when the curtain comes down, there’s no chance of an encore…

DCI Harry Grimm and his brother Ben are really beginning to settle down into life in Wensleydale. With the people from the small town welcoming and for the most part friendly and the beautiful scenery, it’s hard for them not to both start feeling at home. Bad things still happen in small towns though, and Harry all too soon is finding himself wrestling with both a strange murder in the local church and a surprisingly professional group of animal smugglers.

I really enjoyed this next book in the DCI Grimm series. While I feel the reader would enjoy it more having read the previous installments, this book can absolutely be picked up and read as a standalone. The two main plot threads are very well explained and handled in this book – and even though the animal smuggling/kidnapping has been very loosely alluded to in previous books it was more of a throw-away sort of comment, the actual plot aspect and in-depth investigation is completely contained in this book. The murder begins and concludes in this book, and I feel adds an excellent counterpart to the animal/farming based plot and the two bounce very well off each other.

I am also very pleased to see the further development of a number of the main characters. Jim in particular I feel is coming along very well, from the very young and rather inexperienced police officer in the first book to now being heavily invested in his work and really learning and growing. I also was really pleased to finally see a bit more of Ben’s character – Harry’s brother. While the cast of characters could be seen as on the small side, I really feel they are each well drawn, individual to each other and there’s enough characters to feel like a good unit without there being too few or too many. The fact we can spend time with them all and watch them develop is an integral part to the story being really well rounded and enjoyable to my mind.

The occult/paranormal aspect to this story is very, very lightly handled – I really wasn’t sure to even give it a “paranormal” tag, but there is a “spell” cast in the past by a bunch of the local kids and with the fresh murder some symbols were left so I really felt while light and not a strong part of the plot it was present enough that it needed mentioning. Readers looking for a spiritual/occult/paranormal mystery should definitely not consider this a strong or heavily invested story – and equally readers looking to avoid a paranormal tale shouldn’t shy away from this. The small country town, the characters and the two mysteries are definitely the focus of this story – not the occult/paranormal themes.

Readers looking for a good bunch of characters, a small country town setting and two interesting, concurrent police procedural style investigations should be really satisfied with this book. I found it to be another excellent addition to this series I am really looking forward to the next one.

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Daddy’s Little Librarian by Lila Fox

March 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Daddy’s Little Librarian by Lila Fox
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

After an abusive boyfriend, there’s no way Ava will try another relationship any time soon. Since starting over in a new town, she’s met some new friends and has found a great job she loves. She couldn’t ask for more.

Sean has given up trying to find the woman he’s been looking for. He wants a sweet woman like what his friends have, and he isn’t going to settle for less. When he first spots Ava, he’s shocked. She’s small and beautiful, but the pain in her eyes is what grabs his attention, prompting him to make her world a better place.

Threats against her are what finally bring her to him, but he’s not going to complain. He has her where he wants her, and that’s in his bed. Besides pleasing her, he must first use all his energy to keep her safe from an unexpected enemy.

Sean had watched many of his friends begin relationships with their own littles and while at times he found it a bit hard, he always hoped one day he’d find his own woman. The moment Sean lays eyes on Ava he knows the small woman is his and his alone. Only Sean discovers Ava’s history is more complicated than he realized – can Sean and Ava find a way to each other?

I enjoyed Ava and Sean’s characters. While in many ways Sean was fairly typical in the daddy trope – just wanting to take care of his little, make the decisions and protect her – it was really Ava to me who shone and made this book really interesting. Despite her near-instant attraction to Sean, she held her ground and didn’t let him walk all over her, Ava laid out her boundaries and even though obviously she lowered her guard to let Sean in, I felt for much of the story Ava did so on her own terms and in her own way. I found this both refreshing and really interesting to read.

Readers looking for an intensely complicated plot might not find this story fits too well with that. While there is certainly conflict and tension surrounding Ava’s safety, I found that this side to the plot was pretty much on the backburner for the majority of the story and didn’t really have a very strong impact for me, personally. That said, I wasn’t upset that much of the story mainly revolves around Ava and Sean building their own relationship and learning to mesh their lives together.

About halfway through the story Ava and Sean became physically intimate – so I also feel this was a good balance for readers looking for a more erotic leaning towards their story. While the Daddy/little kink was certainly present throughout the BDSM is fairly mild and I feel most readers of explicit stories shouldn’t’ find anything too outrageous here.

A well written and good story, I enjoyed this read.

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Daddy’s Little Chica by Lila Fox

March 3, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Daddy’s Little Chica by Lila Fox
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Amber hadn’t known happiness until she literally dropped into Cesar’s lap. Her first look at him made her yearn to be his in every way, but first she had to fight her family for the privilege, which didn’t end well.

Cesar is a man who knows exactly what he wants in his woman. Someone to give up control of her life and put it in his hands. When he comes across Amber, he knows she’s the one for him.

He doesn’t realize how much danger she’s in until he nearly loses her. She was made to be his little, and if he can’t have her, no one else will ever suffice.

Amber is well used to the disdain of her mother and half-sister, the constant criticism and put-downs, but since the death of her father many years ago she’d known no other life and simply had learned to make the best of it. When a random meeting with the handsome Cesar blossoms into something so much more can Amber and Cesar learn to trust and enjoy the special relationship only they can share together?

This is an enjoyable, quick story that I feel a number of readers will enjoy. Very strongly Cinderella-esque, I was pleased that much of the story focused on Amber and Cesar themselves and their slow fall into a romantic and magical love. Each of them really deserved their happy ending and I enjoyed watching them build the start of what would be a lasting bond between them.

While I thought the BDSM aspect to the story was fairly mild, and Cesar was very honest, gentle and up front with his needs and intentions, Amber was an innocent in so very many ways at times I paused to wonder if she really comprehended what Cesar was introducing her to. To be clear, at no time did I feel like Cesar was taking advantage or had malicious intent toward Amber, it was obvious he was deeply smitten and trying to gently introduce Amber to his own needs and kink. But I did worry a few times especially at the start of their relationship that Amber really didn’t have much of a clue what she was entering into.

Readers looking for an intensely sexual story might find the physical intimacy lacking in this story. Personally, I felt the slower pace Cesar and Amber took when it came to their erotic acts made the story both stronger and more believable. Amber in particular needed time to adapt in changing her own self-perception but also in understanding exactly the style and depth of relationship Cesar wanted. I was pleased they didn’t jump too quickly into bed or rush that part of their bond.

With a few cameos from characters of previous stories, this is a solid and fun read that I feel many readers can enjoy. In particular I feel readers who haven’t read much about the Daddy/little style of kink should find this a good “beginners” sort of book – not too intense but enough to give the reader an idea of what the dynamic can be in this style of story.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Wet Dream by Elizabeth Monvey

February 23, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Wet Dream by Elizabeth Monvey
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Liam Markwood has issues. When his mother dies, he gets news that he has a younger brother, disrupting his carefully controlled life. His distraction needs an outlet, so he decides to meet the sibling he never knew he had.

His brother’s uncle, however, has caught him completely off guard.

Dirk Wintersmith is a leather wearing, bike riding, tattooed bear of a man. The twinkle in his blue eyes beckons Liam. His innuendos promise nights of sensual delight. But Liam has never thought his own sexuality batted for the other team. That realization spins everything he thought about himself into chaos and he’s not sure if he’s ready to step over the crumbling walls.

Liam had no love for either of his parents, both of whom were incredibly toxic and vindictive. When his mother died though she left Liam one final bombshell, the fact he had an unknown brother in Colorado Liam had never heard of. While it takes Liam a while to process this new information, he nevertheless decides to follow up on this new supposed brother – and what he finds in the tiny Colorado town is a whole lot more than he bargained for.

I really enjoyed this quite different style of biker romance. Not a traditional MC story – there isn’t really a club or group of the bikers – this is very much the “sexy biker meets the uptight business man” style of trope and I found myself really enjoying the pace and writing of the story. Dirk and Liam had some good chemistry and sizzle without being too unrealistic. The plot of Avery – Dirk’s nephew and Liam’s potential half brother – also kept the story moving at a good clip and I felt was an excellent contrast to the bubbling romance between Dirk and Liam.

The balance in this book was really good. I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s style and found the meshing of Avery, Dirk and Liam getting to know each other, the conflict and uncertainty of their biological relationship as well as each of their own more emotional baggage was a really solid foundation for the story. There was some great and steamy romantic times between Dirk and Liam though I was thoroughly pleased they didn’t fall into insta-lust nor jump directly into bed, that helped the relationship feel more important and realistic to me. I also enjoyed how each of the three men discovered their own rhythm and grew their connections and relationship.

Overall I found this to be an excellent story with a lot going for it. I really enjoyed it and will happily read more by this author.

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Tweed Me by LM Kennedy

February 22, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Tweed Me by LM Kennedy
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Kendra Richmond hates musicians and when Denver Colorado’s home town rock star, Tyler Dyne, friends her back on Twitter, she’s skeptical to believe he’s more than a cocky front man. Talked into meeting him for a coffee, under the guise of helping with a charity show, Kendra ends up driving him to a family emergency and finds herself drawn into his private world of heartache and loss.

Having grown up in a home with an absent artist father, Kendra wants nothing to do with Tyler’s fast paced life nor his flirtatious conversations and pushes him away. Tyler won’t take no for an answer, however, and vies for her affections by opening his heart, revealing he is more than a bad boy in need of taming. When Kendra discovers he’s the recipient of a kidney transplant, with no family to ground him, she can’t deny the feelings she’s developed and the desire to be close to him.

Tweed was the biggest trending band around and the buzz surrounding them is enormous. With cheap tickets and catchy promo – like only physical ticket sales and one ticket able to be purchased per person – the hype is real. Kendra had heard of the band but wasn’t one to usually follow a trend, so she’s a little taken aback when her two room-mates and best friends are serious when they suggest the three of them camp out overnight for a ticket to the concert. Kendra has zero interest in Tyler – the lead rock star of the band – but life often has a way of turning things around.

I found this to be a fun and fast paced rock star style of story. While I strongly suggest readers crack open this story with a disconnected brain and a loose hold on reality or logic – it is absolutely a fun and happy style of story to embrace and fall into. I thought Kendra and her two friends were modern and relatable, Tyler’s character was personable and friendly, but still a mysterious and super sexy rock star hero – so this story absolutely has all the critical elements of an enjoyable and delicious read.

Readers looking for an intensely erotic story won’t find that here – while there is a good amount of chemistry and sizzle between Tyler and Kendra they don’t really become physically intimate on screen until the very end of the story story. Also, much of the plot surrounds the blossoming romance between Tyler and Kendra, this isn’t a complicated or convoluted style of story. I do think the pace keeps the reader engaged and happy to roll along with the romantic developments between Tyler and Kendra. I admit readers looking for a plot heavy or conflict-intense style of story might be left disappointed readers looking for a happy, sexy and fast story should find this suits their needs.

For a fresh, younger style of rock-star falls for the girl next door sort of story this is a good and fun example of the trope and a quick and enjoyable read.

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As The Crow Flies by Damien Boyd

February 17, 2022 By 1 Comment


As The Crow Flies by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer, Seattle
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Rock climbers can’t afford to make careless mistakes. But Detective Inspector Nick Dixon’s former climbing partner, Jake Fayter, died doing just that. Or so it seems. Dixon suspects foul play, but his only leads are unreliable accounts of something odd happening in Cheddar Gorge seconds before Jake fell.

The more Dixon learns about Jake’s life, the more he realises that Jake hadn’t been quite the man he remembered…and a lot of people could have wanted him dead. Once Dixon gets too close to the truth, those people will emerge from the shadows and kill to protect their secrets.

As the body count rises, Dixon bends the rules to breaking point to lure out a killer and unravel a conspiracy of silence that will rock the sleepy town of Burnham-on-Sea to its core.

It had been a number of years since DI Nick Dixon had been actively participating in the rock-climbing community, but he still had a number of good friends there and he kept in touch with their adventures online. When his old climbing partner and still very good friend dies in what appears to be an accident Nick can’t turn down his friend’s parents when they plea for Nick to help supply some answers. Jake had been a professional for many years and it seems incredibly unlikely that he made such a rookie mistake as tying an incorrect knot. But the more Nick digs into the case, the murkier everything becomes.

This is a completely new-to-me author, and I am so very glad I found this book and new series. Before I was halfway through this book, I had already ordered the second and I am very much looking forward to reading more. I thought this was a gripping and quite freshly different style of novel and story. The rock-climbing aspect to it was utterly new to me and while the author adds a good balance of technical detail (his knowledge and research is very clear from the outset) it also doesn’t get bogged down by too much data and the pace of the story moved along at what I felt was a good clip.

I enjoyed the main characters and definitely felt the author wrote this story really well. I was attached and intrigued by the characters but still found them realistic and relatable. The pace of the mystery was good – fast enough that I wasn’t bored or skipping pages, but slow enough I could actually catch everything and didn’t feel like I was racing along too fast to take everything in. For a first novel I felt this was a really good quality and standard and I am definitely eager to read more.

While in many ways this is a regular police procedural style of story, I feel enough different energy is present with both the interesting characters and in particular the rock-climbing element that this should appeal to readers as something a bit more than “just another British-inspector-murder-mystery” style of story. I certainly am pleased I gave this a shot and feel many other mystery/suspense readers will likely feel the same. Best of all this is the start of a decent length series so I have plenty more books to look forward to into the future. Recommended.

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Blood and Tears by John Carson

February 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Blood and Tears by John Carson
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Two murderers on the loose. One relentless cop on their tail. Zero hope nobody dies.
DCI Harry McNeil is finally enjoying life outside of policing. But he’s forced back into all work and no play after a transport van explodes and a pair of convicted criminals disappear into thin air. And with his resources stretched to a breaking point and the escapees armed and dangerous, the Edinburgh detective fears nothing can stop more bloodshed.

So when experienced colleagues from Glasgow join the hunt, McNeil works the extra manpower hard to get the savage killers off the streets. But after the vicious slayings resume, the expert investigator and his team must race against time to stop a deadly spree of violence.

Can McNeil trap the ruthless felons before more body count rises higher?

DCI Harry McNeil and his partner Alex once again join forces with their friends and counterparts in Glasgow – DCI Jimmy Dunbar and DS Robbie Evans – when a daring escape outside the High Court happens and two convicted murders escape in the mayhem. Time is of the essence to bring these two fugitives – and their conspirators – into line before everything turns to blood and tears.

This is the fifth book in the DCI Harry McNeil series, and I admit I am thoroughly hooked. I also feel the author has really hit his stride with both this series and his writing as a whole. I find it very “moreish” in that once I get started reading even when I’m busy with other things I just keep wanting to know what happens next, and then after that, and again. While there’s nothing trail blazing with this series, I find the plot has an exceptional balance between detective work and action, the characters are fun, realistic and appealing. I care what happens to the characters, but I also love being along for the ride as they put the puzzle pieces together and solve the crime.

This story in particular had a slightly different bend to it which I found equal parts refreshing and completely different. It’s completely normal for there to be a dead body, a killer and the police figuring out who is responsible – but this time the two murderers are known to the police from the very first page. This is a classic story about what happens AFTER justice is served and the police and court system has worked correctly. What happens when one of the guilty has a strong network of connections and ties and has unfinished business he has no intention of leaving behind?

The jailbreak (or “court break” I suppose) occurs right in the opening chapters and what follows is an action packed, fast paced chase after the two murderers who are seemingly strangers to each other, and each go their own way. I loved how this gave a glimpse into what might happen after the system has performed well and this different look at police work from a new perspective.

Readers who enjoy a good police procedural but want something slightly different to the usual “who dun it” mystery should find this is a breath of fresh air. I strongly feel this story can be picked up as a standalone though it’s a middle book in a series. While there is plenty of backstory between Harry and Alex in particular, and the teams their work with to a slightly lesser extent – I feel this story can absolutely be enjoyed fully if it’s picked up on a whim with no prior background. I’m really enjoying this author and looking forward to reading more by him.

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Bury Your Past by J M Dalgliesh

February 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Bury Your Past by J M Dalgliesh
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A secret worth dying for is a secret worth killing…

When a violent storm uncovers the remains of an unknown young woman, long buried among the sand dunes, DI Tom Janssen must piece together fragmentary evidence to determine how she came to be there.

In the years she lay undiscovered several young women have disappeared and as the team work through the possibilities they come to an uncomfortable conclusion… is a serial killer stalking coastal Norfolk? Each missing person had a story. Each of them had enemies. Some were more dangerous than others…

They appealed to the same men, dabbled in the occult and came to the attention of powerful figures who would brush them aside without a second thought. But who had the motivation to kill? Where is the killer now? When the past is brought into the light will they be willing to ensure their closely guarded secrets remain buried?

To do so, they will have to kill again…

Set within the mysterious beauty of coastal Norfolk, this fast-paced British detective novel is a dark murder mystery with a little humour, one that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed.

DI Tom Janssen has settled back very well into life in Norfolk. His police work keeps him busy but isn’t hectic and he tries to spend more time with his partner Alice and Alice’s young daughter Saffy. When a huge storm passes through the coastal town the skeletal remains of what appears to be a young woman buried in the sand at a popular part of the beach shocks the locals. But this body appears to be just one of a few missing young women and something far more sinister.

This is the second book in the Hidden Norfolk series by Dalgliesh and I admit I quite enjoyed it for the most part. This story can definitely be read as a standalone – only a brief mention is made of the fact that DCI Tamara Greave was brought on to help work with Tom on a previous case together. Aside from the facts that they know each other, have worked together once before and there’s a small bit of attraction (carefully hidden on both sides) nothing else is needed or stated and so this entire story stands really well by itself, and I feel readers should feel quite confidant in picking up this book without reading the previous one.

While I admit the slight attraction between Tom and Tamara is very much downplayed by both characters and indeed from outward appearances they try to not even show or express it – this was the only part of the story that niggled at me a little. Tom is already in a committed romantic relationship with Alice and so it felt odd to me that there was some level of attraction between Tom and Tamara. This was all done very subtly and was realistic (even extremely happily connected people feel attraction to another person now and then) but it still struck a very odd tune to me, personally, and while I didn’t dislike it, it was something I found uneasy to read – partly I think because I wanted this to be a fairly straightforward police procedural mystery and also partly because it’s highly unusual for one of the heroines of the story to not be feeling (even hiding those feelings) in a very heroic manner.

That said, this was all very subtle and effectively had nothing much at all to do with the murder mystery, which truly was the main thrust of the storyline as a whole. Excepting this attraction between Tom and Tamara I felt the entirety of the rest of the story was really well handled. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of secondary characters who were all drawn in for various reasons into the investigation and were all locals of the small coastal town. I enjoyed seeing Eric again and feel he will in the next book or two be a very strong presence as his detective and police skills grow by leaps and bounds. I also enjoyed that the plot was twisty enough to engage my mind but not so convoluted I couldn’t keep track of all the threads. I feel the author did an exceptional job balancing the plot and pacing and once I got going, I read the book quite quickly and really thoroughly enjoyed it.

Readers wanting a British style, police procedural mystery should find this really suits their mood. While a little gritty I definitely don’t feel this is too dark or edgy and I am looking forward to the next in the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Body Under the Bridge by Nick Louth

February 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Body Under the Bridge by Nick Louth
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

DCI Craig Gillard will be pushed to his limits… But will he break?

It seems like a routine disappearance, a case of musician’s stage fright. As a senior detective, Craig Gillard isn’t sure why he’s even involved. Until it turns out the woman’s father is the German Minister of Justice, and the British Home Secretary is on the case too.

But nothing about the case is simple. How does a woman on a train simply vanish? What do you do when a trail runs cold and the pressure is on?

Before long the perpetrator has another target: DCI Gillard himself. What if the detective isn’t just running the case, but is part of it? The victim merely a lure for a bigger fish.

The answer is under the bridge. The chilling setting for the biggest challenge of his life.

DCI Craig Gillard is called in on what appears to be a fairly simple missing persons case. At first he’s surprised to be called in so very early on what apparently is a completely routine situation. Until it turns out the missing woman is the daughter of a very important politician, and as the hours and then days pass this simple, routine case turns out to be anything but easy.

I found this to be a very interesting and complex story. While it is absolutely a police procedural style of mystery/suspense book, I was interested by the refreshingly different plot and a quite complex turn the missing person aspect of the case took. Before I’d reached the half-way mark of the story it was very clear this wasn’t a simple or straightforward plot but a very convoluted and well thought out story. I really enjoyed that rather than having two or three plots running simultaneously the events all unfolded quite neatly, with one aspect of the plot leading to the next and then the next after that. Often, I find it a bit difficult to believe that two or three mysteries/cases just “happen” to all dovetail and neatly intertwine – often that aspect to a story doesn’t feel realistic to me. But in this book while the missing person case is sometimes left on the backburner, the leads and red herrings and different threads the investigation leads to all widen until multiple – and not one – crime is being investigated concurrently. I found this really gripping to read and I was seriously impressed with the author’s handling of such a complex and multi-faceted plot.

I also really enjoyed the main characters. I had no idea when I picked up this book – and indeed didn’t realize until I was well past the mid-point of the book – that this story is in the middle of a series. Much of it can absolutely be read as a standalone, though I expect some of the back story to the secondary characters and police team likely would be given in the previous stories so from that perspective having read others might give the reader a deeper connection with the characters. From a plot perspective though at no time did I feel like I was missing pieces of the puzzle or that I needed more back-story to really understand the story I was reading.

Readers looking for a very complex and interesting plot – a solid mystery where there are many moving parts and is a lot more intense than your usual linear and straight-forward murder mystery, this is an excellent book to give a try to. While it’s a British based police procedural and more mystery than action based, I feel it is a solid and gripping read, and I am definitely planning on going back to the start of the series and reading more from this author.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Starvation Lake by John Carson

February 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Starvation Lake by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Brand new series from the creator of the DCI Harry McNeil and DI Frank Miller novels, comes DCI Sean Bracken.

A killer on the loose.

A killer behind bars.

And a detective caught between them…

Ailsa Connolly was a brilliant psychologist and a respected criminologist.

She was also a serial killer.

Six years ago, DCI Sean Bracken caught her just before he was about to become her seventh victim. Every year on the anniversary of her incarceration, she taunts him with a phone call, giving him one message; when I get out, I’ll kill you.

Now, Bracken has transferred back to Edinburgh from Fife and is thrown into the deep end on his first day back on duty.

There’s a killer who is emulating Ailsa, threatening to surpass her body count.

Bracken knows he needs her on board to help him track the killer down, but she’s reluctant to get involved.

Then the case takes an unexpected twist, and she agrees to help. But this new killer is taking them down a dark, twisted path, where nobody sees the outcome.

Until it’s too late.

Needing a change, DCI Bracken transfers from Fife back to his original home base of Edinburgh. He’s hoping to start a fresh chapter, but when a serial killer begins mimicking Bracken’s biggest arrest – Ailsa Connolly – he finds his life changing but not in a good way.

I really enjoyed this full length novel. It’s the first of a new series, and I was eager to try it given I’m a big fan of one of this author’s other series – DCI Harry McNeil. I found this book absolutely lived up to my expectations and I’m really pleased to now have another series to look forwards to.

I thought the pacing of this story was good. While it’s absolutely a Scottish police procedural the plot might feel a little slow to readers looking for a more action-based or full throttle type of story. Yet I found the plot really well balanced, between introducing new characters, setting up the police team so I could get a handle on all the new people, and really begin to dig my teeth into the murder mystery plot. I also enjoyed that while Ailsa – the previously caught serial killer – was a strong part of the storyline she didn’t overshadow any of the main cast of characters.

There was a very, very light touch to the first bloom of romance between DCI Bracken and one of the pathologists. I was also fairly pleased with this. I often don’t mind there being no romance at all in my mystery reading (especially the more police procedural style of stories) but I felt this book didn’t have the romance or attraction take over from the actual mystery and thriller parts of the plotline.

Readers looking for a well plotted, slower paced and character centric style of story should find this book really fits the bill. I personally adored that it was set in Scotland and felt it added a lot to the ambience and general atmosphere of the story without feeling too cliched or overdone.

A good book and a new series I’m looking forward to getting into.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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