Raven’s Song by Angela Knight

April 18, 2024 By 1 Comment


Raven’s Song by Angela Knight
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Raven Garland is a rock star with a voice that is literally magical. She’s also got a serious problem: she’s being stalked by her ex. Ewan Bradley’s magical abilities and powerful father make him a deadly threat, forcing her to hire a seductive bodyguard with powers of his own. Nate Carter can use his Primo magic to increase his physical strength to superhuman levels — and he needs every bit of that power to keep Raven alive. Besides her nasty ex, there’s the lethal costar with anger issues and a mystical link to a bulletproof tiger.

To make matters worse, Nate is slowly falling in love with his client. The passion seems mutual, but Raven’s love affairs have a notoriously short shelf life. For all his strength, Nate doesn’t think he can take becoming her latest fling. Raven wants her handsome bodyguard as far more than a temporary lover, but how can she convince him to trust her when he knows her magical voice can make him believe whatever she wants? Nate knows in real life, the good guy doesn’t always get the girl.

Raven Garland has a voice that is literally magical. Her only problem is she’s being stalked by her ex who is a powerful talent. And with a lethal co-start and other assorted problems on her plate Raven knows she can’t handle it all on her own. So Raven has hired a magical bodyguard – Nate Carter – and he will need every ounce of his superhuman skills to keep her safe. But Nate isn’t sure there’s anything he can do to protect his heart around the seductive rock star.

I found this to be an interesting paranormal story set in a creative magical alternate reality. While I haven’t previously read any of this authors books set in this world, I found it fairly easy to understand the various magical powers and follow along with the story-telling. Personally, I found I didn’t need to read anything else previously written in this universe – I thought the author did a good job of explaining everything – but I could understand if some readers needed a moment to follow along.

I was really impressed that this erotic romance had a solid and complicated plot. I enjoyed the fact that Raven and Nate didn’t simply give in to their feelings for each other immediately and jump into bed. I also appreciated this wasn’t a case of insta-lust, the two of them having worked together for a while before when the book starts. And while sure, there’s plenty of steamy sex and chemistry between the two main characters, I didn’t feel this detracted at all from the plot or the layers to the story itself. I thought the author did a really good job of balancing this book focusing equally on the growing romance, chemistry and plot. While I did feel the pace of the story was a little slow in sections overall, I thought the whole book moved along at a good clip and I definitely feel this should retain most readers attention throughout.

Readers looking for a different, interesting and magical world style of paranormal story should find this book really fits the bill. While there are other books set in this world this can easily be picked up by itself and this is an author, I’d certainly be happy to read more from. Recommended.

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

Because of You by Fiona Brands

April 16, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Because of You by Fiona Brands
Publisher: FriesenPress
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Liv and her best friends Travis and April have just started their last year of high school and things have gotten complicated—Liv has feelings for Travis, April is getting into trouble already, and Travis has a new girlfriend. But then Liv’s mom reveals a long-buried secret about Liv’s father, who took his own life when Liv was only two, and her life is turned totally upside down.

Reminded of unresolved trauma, Liv’s mom starts drinking heavily and Liv is haunted by the thought that her parents could have had good lives if they had never met. When Liv visits the antique shop of Travis’s grandpa, she discovers a grandfather clock they suspect can transport people back in time. As Liv’s life becomes increasingly chaotic, she’s forced to decide: will she travel back in time to stop her parents’ complicated relationship, or will she endure an uncertain future?

Whether platonic or romantic, love makes everything in life better.

I adored the close-knit friendships between Liv, Travis, and April. All three of them were kind and generous people who looked out for each other. Their banter made me smile, and I enjoyed seeing how they navigated their final year of school together as all three tried to figure out what the future might hold for them.

The pacing felt slow at times to me, especially in the first half of this novel. Based on the reference to time travel in the blurb, I was surprised to see so many chapters go by without a single mention of anything related to speculative fiction at all even though I later came to understand why the author made this choice. Some of the subplots also soaked up a lot of time in the beginning for reasons that I did not understand until much later or, in some cases, at all. The writing itself was nice, I simply felt that it could have been tightened up in the beginning so the characters could move on to the main conflict faster.

Most of the science fiction I read is harder and more definitive than this, so it was refreshing to see how lightly it was sprinkled into this tale. There were hints of it sprinkled here and there, but the majority of the scenes only contained moments that could happen in real life. This could be a good introduction to science fiction for readers who don’t generally read it because of that.

Because of You was heartwarming.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

A Long Time Dead by J M Dalgliesh

April 15, 2024 By 1 Comment


A Long Time Dead by J M Dalgliesh
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

You can’t stay dead forever…
A group of high school students gather on the Isle of Skye’s remote Coral Beach for a hedonistic night of partying to celebrate the passing of their final exams. The new millennium is on the horizon and the future beckons, promising new hope and a fresh wind of optimism. In the coming days, many will leave the island for work or to study on the mainland, whereas others will remain on Skye and forge a more traditional path much as their families have done for centuries before them.

That is… all but one…

D.I. Duncan McAdam is dispatched home to the Misty Isle. A body has been found buried in a remote location on the Waternish peninsula. Well preserved in the peat, Isla Matheson – missing for the better part of two decades – is revealed to a shocked island community. A teenage runaway is dead… and no one is talking…

Joining a small team of detectives, Duncan is tasked with revisiting those who knew Isla, those who cared for her… and those with the potential to kill her… In a remote community well used to settling scores among themselves, will they trust one of their own when he asks questions or will they persevere with the façade of ignorance?

When the body of a teenage girl – one who was thought for many years to have simply run away – is found buried in a remote location on the Isle of Skye, DI Duncan McAdam is dispatched from Glasgow to help the police team uncover answers. Originally from the Isle of Skye, McAdam is expected to help ease things with the locals and to keep his head down. But in the remote community there are more than a few secrets being kept by the locals, and some of them are deadly.

I’ve greatly enjoyed other series written by this author and so was interested to pick up this book – the first in a new series. I found the location of upper Scotland to be very atmospheric and the characters to already appear layered and intriguing. There is clearly a lot of baggage and history with McAdam and his family – some of which was resolved in this book but some of which has obviously been left for more exploration in the coming few books. There also appears to be a lot going on with two of McAdam’s closest childhood friends and I expect that to unfold also in the coming few books.

The plot of this book was interesting and complex. While I did guess some of it accurately and around the middle of the story, some of the twists were things I hadn’t seem coming and I was pleasantly surprised. I thought this plot was a good combination of cliché and fresh outlook and while the pace was at times a little slow – for the first book in a police procedural story I felt it moved along well.

Readers who enjoy British style police procedural stories should find this an excellent book. As the first in the series there isn’t any baggage or hidden factors linking back to previous titles and there was enough “big picture” character arc clearly left for me to be eager to pick up the second book in the series.

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

Fillion by Sean Michael

April 12, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Fillion by Sean Michael
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Holiday
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Could the gift of a massage be exactly what Fillion needs to make this holiday his merriest ever?

Fillion Berry is a profitable bookshop owner, but his personal life is less successful. His Daddy left him on New Year’s last year and he’s been floundering. When his friend Chrissy discovers how bad things are getting, he enlists the help of his Daddy, Jerusalem, and together they cook up a plan to bring some holiday joy into Fillion’s life.

Spa owner Rome Aparny holds an auction every year to raise money for charity. When the highest bidder of a full-body massage gifts the item to Fillion with the note “for a lonely boy in need’, Rome thinks he knows exactly what that means and he arrives at Fillion’s store with his massage table, his oils, and the willingness to get to know Fillion better.

Could a little holiday magic turn Christian and Jerusalem’s matchmaking into a success? Find out in this Daddy Boys story.

Fillion owns a successful and prosperous bookshop, but his private life is quite the mess. After his Daddy and long-term partner left him on New Years the previous year, Fillion has struggled to recover from the loss. Fillion’s good friend, Christian, is blissfully happy with his own Daddy and relationship and when Fillion confides that he’s seriously unhappy and lonely, Christian is determined he and his Daddy should help. They purchase a private massage as a Christmas present for Fillion and quietly let the masseuse – Rome – know that he’s a boy looking for a Daddy, something that piques Rome’s interest immediately. Can this be a Christmas neither man will forget?

I found this to be a lovely and sweet short story. It’s part of a much larger series by multiple authors called “A Daddy for Christmas” but I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I haven’t read any of the others in the series. I found it still stood by itself very well. I really felt a connection to Fillion’s character. Owning a prosperous bookshop means for the most part he’s really got his head screwed on straight and I really liked that. I also was pleased that Rome had noticed Fillion at previous gatherings, but just assumed he was in a relationship with someone. That previous connection helped the situation feel a little less like insta-love and while in a story this short they obviously moved very quickly I did find it still worked well for me.

Readers should be aware that this short story doesn’t have a complicated plot or a long, slow drop into the relationship. The two men recognize what they want from each other and while they do ease into the intimacy it’s exceedingly fast and there isn’t a whole lot of other plot revolving around them. For such a short story I can understand and even enjoy this – but I can certainly understand some readers might want a bit more complexity and plot to their stories.

Fun and sexy, this would be a good introduction to some readers on the Daddy/boy lifestyle and also a good quick taste for this particular author and their style/tone of writing.

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

Echo Key Haven by Katie Prescott

April 10, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Echo Key Haven by Katie Prescott
Dolphin Cove: Book 1
Publisher: Scott Street & Second Publishing
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Chamomile

A heartbroken widow. A husband’s secret legacy.

Olivia and her friends must solve the mystery of what her husband didn’t tell her before he died.

Olivia Crawford had every intention of selling the old Barker place when she returned to Echo Key to see the falling-down old mansion her late husband bought. It was supposed to be where they would spend their sunset years together, fulfilling his dream of becoming an innkeeper. Instead, it’s a reminder of the nightmare that stole her beloved, leaving her alone.

Well, not alone. She has her best friend, Jen, and her dear aunt, Coretta, with whom they spent so many summers in Echo Key as children.

No one is more surprised than Olivia when Jen, whose own heart is hurting after a nasty divorce, convinces her to fix it up and run the inn together. It’s a crazy plan, and Olivia doesn’t do crazy. Her partner in life was the dreamer.

Olivia just hopes that keeping his dream alive will be the best way for her to live without him. And maybe find new happiness in the Florida haven that is Echo Key.

When tragedy strikes Olivia must make some difficult decisions. When the time comes will she be able to make the right choice?

This was an entertaining read, and I found the characters in this one to be amusing. Gus, Deke, and Coretta we’re especially fun to read about! I enjoyed the concept of a large mansion being renovated into a bed and breakfast and found the descriptions of the rooms to be humorous as the ladies walked through the house.

There was also a bit of mystery to the house itself, which was touched in in this one but seemed to be part of the larger overall plot of the series. There was also a bit of mystery on a smaller scale where the growing crime in the neighborhood was causing some conical conversations from some of the senior ladies in Echo Key. I enjoyed Coretta’s relationship with Olivia, as well as Olivia’s friendship with Jen. They made for an interesting dynamic and kept the story interesting.

Overall, the story was a bit slower and not quite as deep as I normally read but was fun as a quick weekend or vacation read. Even though it starts a bit slow, it does offer a good beginning to what is likely to be an enjoyable series.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Identity by Nora Roberts

April 9, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Identity by Nora Roberts
Publisher: Paitkus
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan’s job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party—attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who’d been chatting her up at the bar—her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.

Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. “Luke” is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.

What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn’t his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan’s nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother’s home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn’t flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn’t forgotten the one who got away.

After growing up as an army brat – never having roots to put down – Morgan Albright is thrilled when she finally purchases her first home. Working two jobs and sharing the house with her best friend, Morgan is determined to finally have what she’s never experienced – a secure, permanent home. Only one night her entire world collapses and in the devastation afterwards everything is taken from her. Can Morgan rebuild her life once more?

I really enjoyed this stand alone novel, finding it everything that I love about a Nora Roberts story. I am very hit and miss with Roberts’ work – some of her books I love and others just really miss the mark for me. I was really pleased this one was wonderful to my mind. I felt a good connection to Morgan and her characters, finding her modern and relatable but also a good blend of strength and vulnerability. I also heartily sympathized with her having to start over again from scratch after her identity was stolen so brutally.

I found this very much to be a romantic suspense style of story. While the plot moved along at what I thought was a good clip it was quite different to usual action based books or more straight mystery/suspense styles of books. There was a lot of character growth and focus on Morgan’s character and her journey. There was also a really nice – and far slower pace – between the building attraction between Morgan and Miles. I found the slower pace here realistic – Morgan was deeply grieving and suffering when she arrived in Vermont and there was no way I’d find her falling in lust or letting her guard down at all believable. This slower pace also helped sell the book to me as more of a romantic suspense – rather than a straight romance or erotic book. There was plenty of mystery and suspense related to the murderer and I know Roberts is a legend at this balance and making these kinds of books sing.

I find it hard to believe many readers won’t have read anything of Roberts’ in the past – but if you’re that elusive one in a million then this would definitely be one of her better books to give a first try to. I found the pace and characters to be gripping and the plotline to be modern but not over-sold and having been told in a million other similar books. A good story and one I know I will likely reread again in the future.

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

Broken Hearts by Robert L J Borg

April 8, 2024 By 1 Comment


Broken Hearts by Robert L J Borg
Publisher: Luminosity Publishing LLC
Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Is a cemetery the perfect setting for love to be found? Maybe. When Damian meets Elspeth at one, he’s certain she is his long-awaited soulmate. . ., but he’s been wrong before!

Damian Marshall had always believed himself to be a bit of a ladies’ man. He loved nothing more than dating women and enjoying their company, always hoping he would meet the love of his life. However, it never seemed to be. His love affairs would be short-lived, and two which seemed successful ended in divorce, where every time the broken hearts were always his own.

Just when he thinks there is no more hope in finding that perfect woman, he meets Elspeth, in the most unlikely of locations: a cemetery.

It is she who approaches him and strikes up a conversation. She coaxes out his life story, and he is willing to recount it all. By the end of it, they find themselves drawn to each other. Has Damian finally met his true soul mate or is it just wishful thinking? Only time will tell.

Relationships aren’t easy for everyone.

Some of the most interesting scenes to me were the ones that explored how society changed over the decades. For example, earlier in Damian’s life it was quite difficult for him to let people know that plans had changed if an accident or weather event prevented him from making it to the meeting point on time. This slowly became less common as cell phones made it possible for him to call others directly in an emergency instead of finding a pay phone and leaving messages at places he thought they might also try to check in at. It’s no wonder to me that cell phones and the Internet were such revolutionary tools, and I enjoyed finding all of the other examples of progress as well.

I struggled with the large cast of characters in this book. Women entered and exited Damian’s life so regularly that I often couldn’t remember who was who. While I’m pretty sure this was done to illustrate his personality and character defects, it also made the storyline hard to follow at times because of how many different people were involved and how little time they each had to make an impression on me. This was the only thing holding me back from choosing a higher rating, and I hope to read more from Mr. Borg soon.

The romance was unique and kept my interest levels high. I’ve never seen anything quite like it in the romance genre before, so let me tip my cap to the author for coming up with something fresh. While I did figure out the twist in it early on, it was still a great deal of fun to see how Damian reacted to it once he also knew what was happening.

Broken Hearts was a breath of fresh air.

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

A Team Of One by Brad Lee

April 5, 2024 By Leave a Comment


A Team Of One by Brad Lee
Publisher: Simply Sensible Entertainment Inc
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Former Navy SEAL “Axe” Southmark is enticed out of retirement to help the analyst and the President. But does he have what it takes to save the world?

As a Navy SEAL, Axe was trained to never give up. But after fifteen years on the front lines, it was time to let younger, faster men take the reins.

When he’s enlisted to help the President’s niece search for both a terrorist on the loose and a traitor in the government, he doesn’t hesitate.

It’s what he does: protects the vulnerable and kills bad guys.

With New York City threatened by a virtuoso bomber, there’s plenty of both to be done.

Will they be able to stop a madman before it’s too late? And is there more to the plot than meets the eye?

Find out in this wild ride of a story.

Former Navy SEAL, Axe is trying to settle into civilian life and find his niche when a former colleague reaches out with an enticing offer from left field. The President’s niece has uncovered some unusual activity in her job as a junior analyst, but unwilling to be treated differently she knows she needs more data. As Haley and Axe begin to uncover more, they realise this goes far deeper – and higher, politically – than either of them could have believed. Can they save New York and the country?

I purchased this book on a whim, having never heard of the author before and boy am I glad I did. This is a deliciously woven story with some excellent characters and a solid pace. I enjoyed the fact a little time was spent at the start showing us who Axe is and what he’s capable of. While still enjoyable the first few chapters were more of a scene-setting pace, easing the reader in and allowing them to get conformable with the author’s writing style and get to know the characters. Readers should also be aware that while this book does have a strong military theme the author has seemed to take great care to keep it primarily plot and character focused – there is plenty of gun, action and military detail here, but the characters and plot always seem to take the primary focus which I loved.

Pretty soon though I found the pace grew quicker and more action orientated. By the time we reached the middle of the story I found it exceptionally difficult to put the book down and to go about daily life. As more pieces of the puzzle came together – and as the Big Bad Plan began to take action – the pace really skyrocketed and all I wanted was to read the next chapter and then the next. Be prepared to stay up later than you expected for this one. It’s been quite some time (like a year or more) since I’ve stayed up into the very early hours on a workday just to read “a little bit more” but I truly just couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

I really felt the author had a good blend of action and adventure along with plot and characterization. I’m always a little nervous of military-heavy sorts of books because while I enjoy some strong details in the story, I find often military-based outlooks can be a bit gun or weapon heavy. This book had a really good balance I feel, it was realistic and detailed enough to satisfy readers who want every piece of information, but the characters and plotting were also detailed – and fast paced enough – to not have me feel bogged down by this. I also felt that while the “taking over the world” sort of overall plot is not very new, this was a different enough take on that to feel fresh and the action and characters certainly kept my attention focused and I didn’t need to skip forward.

Finally, I also was seriously impressed with some of the plot twists towards the end of the book. A section revolving around the president in particular really impressed me and – for me personally at least – it was a unique, outside-the-box type of solution that I’ve never read before. Even now, days after finishing this book I’m still turning it over in my mind and thinking about the book as a whole and how some of these plot aspects unwound. I found the book as a whole exceptional.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book and was very happy to see it is part of a series. I had ordered the next two books and the first in a different series by this author before I’d even reached the half way point of reading this. I am quite eager to see what’s in store for Axe and Haley in the next installment. A really enjoyable and fast paced read. Recommended.

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

The Lies Among Us by Sarah Beth Durst

April 2, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Lies Among Us by Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cholla

After her mother dies, Hannah doesn’t know how to exist without her. Literally. In fact, Hannah’s not even certain that she does exist. No one seems to see or hear her, and she finds herself utterly alone. Grief-stricken and confused, her sense of self slowly slipping away, Hannah sets out to find new purpose in life—and answers about who (and what) she really is.

Hannah’s only remaining family is her older sister, Leah. Yet even Leah doesn’t seem to notice her. And while Hannah can see and hear her sister, she also sees beautiful and terrible things that don’t—or shouldn’t—exist. She learns there’s much more to this world than meets the eye and struggles to make sense of it all.

When Hannah sees Leah taking the same dangerous path that consumed their own mother—where lies supplant reality—she’s desperate to get through to her. But facing difficult truths is harder than it looks…

What happens to a lie after the liar is gone?

For two decades, Hannah’s only focus has been on her mother. But when her mother dies, Hannah’s world and everything she knows is shattered. How does she find her way without the most important person in her life?

Hannah is one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever met. While she stumbles a bit after her mother’s death, she eventually finds her direction after a chance meeting. Sylvie is everything Hannah never thought she could be, and together they alter each other’s perception of the world and the reality they live in. They are truly the biggest catalyst for character development in each other, which was really fascinating to watch.

Leah, on the other hand, doesn’t handle her mother’s death very well. There were so many unresolved issues between them that it’s extra hard for her to process the loss. She lashes out, acts erratically, and attempts to shut out everyone who cares about her while she struggles through her grief. It was heartbreaking to watch, but very real and extremely visceral.

The thing that will stick with me long after I’ve put this book up on my bookshelf is how Hannah reinvents herself after her mother dies. She finds new purpose and new adventures, all while holding onto her past. In addition, there is so much insight into how humans work in this novel. A favorite quote, “Who we are is who we’ve been. And who we’ve known.” That hit me right where it hurt. Every person we meet, even peripherally, becomes a part of us in a way.

The Lies Among Us is one of the most interesting and unique stories I’ve read in a long time. It’s hard to even review it properly. Beautifully written and strewn with intriguing characters, I couldn’t stop reading once I started. We all know that we’ll inevitably lose someone who means the world to us, but we’re never quite ready for it, even when we have advanced notice of it. This novel shows you both the horror and beauty of love, loss, and moving on in a relatable and emotional way.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Carnival Blues by Damien Boyd

April 1, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Carnival Blues by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Carnival season is off to an explosive start in this thriller from the bestselling DI Nick Dixon crime series.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Dixon arrives late for Bridgwater’s winter carnival. He’s come to see the squibbing, the traditional firework display that brings the town’s November festivities to a dramatic close. But when the squib of Avalon Carnival Club president Richard Webb is lit, it explodes, engulfing him in flames.

Dixon knows he’s just witnessed a killer making a very public statement. And he can’t help feeling it’s only the beginning.

After his suspicions are confirmed at the Burnham-on-Sea carnival forty-eight hours later, the race is on to find the killer before the next event in a nearby town.

Can Dixon stop the killings before any more lives are lost? And can he do it with police Professional Standards investigators breathing down his neck?

DCI Nick Dixon has arrived late for Bridgewater’s winter carnival, but he’s just in time to join his pregnant fiancée and close friends to watch the traditional fireworks display towards the end of the evening. But when one of the presidents of the fireworks clubs lights his flare, it explodes and engulfs him in flames. Right there on the scene, Nick and his team rush to the man’s aid, then lead up the investigation in the attempted murder. With a number more carnival nights to follow, the team are now racing the clock to try and sort out what’s happened and who might be behind it.

I found this to be an interesting and well-paced British police procedural style of story. While the main plot revolves around the carnival and a series of connected businesses in relation to that, I found that the plot was diverse enough to keep me interested well into the middle of the book. There is also a later secondary plot revolving around DCI Dixon and events that occurred a year or so ago. I feel that readers don’t have to have read any of the previous novels to understand exactly what’s going on with this secondary plot – though do admit it will be a lot more intriguing to readers who have been following along for a while – and I was very pleased with both plots. I do admit I feel this secondary plot felt a little rushed to the conclusion at the very end, though expect that was largely due to the author wanting to tie up the loose ends all in this book and not expand them over to the next one.

I was pleased that the focus remains primarily on the plot and the attempted murder and mystery aspect to the plot. While the secondary plot does add a bit of extra conflict and Nick’s pregnant fiancée – who is also a co-worker – adds quite a bit to the plot and balance of the story, I do like that for the most part this is an interesting and well-paced British police novel. Readers looking for something that is more espionage or action based might not find this fits their needs, but I did enjoy this more traditional mystery flow that the book has throughout.

I’ve been enjoying this series and feel this is an excellent addition. I will be happy to pick up the next book in this series as well and see how things progress from here – especially as Nick and Jane embark on bringing a baby into the world and all the changes – good and bad – that will likely follow.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »