REVIEW: Why She Ran by Geraldine Hogan (ARC)

Why She Ran (DS Iris Locke #2) by Geraldine Hogan

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural

Read: 15th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 19th December 2019)

★★★ 3 stars

It's been a long time since I've read two books from the same series one after the other. So when WHY SHE RAN came up as next on my TBR list, and I hadn't yet read the first one, something told me I had to read the first one before the second one. And I am glad that I did. Because had I dived into this one first, I would have been disappointed to have comes across the spoilers from the first book peppered throughout. So trust me....read "Silent Night" aka "Her Sister's Bones" first!!!

DS Iris Locke is still reeling from grief and coming to terms with the revelations that have left her life in turmoil. Unable to return to her flat after the events culminating towards the end of the last book, Iris has taken a room at boarding house for the interim but has thankfully stayed on at Corbally and the Murder Team in Limerick. Despite the ghosts of the past surrounding her in the town, Iris knows this is where she belongs.

When her partner DS Ben Slattery calls her with a new case, Iris leaps at the chance to push her thoughts to the back of her mind and focus on the investigation at hand. A young woman has been found murdered at Curlew Hall, a residential care facility for troubled teens with rich parents. Rachel McDermott was bludgeoned to death on the kitchen floor and the patient in her care, 15 year old Eleanor Marshall, has disappeared.

As the daughter of a prominent local businessman, Eleanor has been deemed troubled for years. With reports of arson, violence and aggression leading to her being placed in the care facility and now the fact that she is missing, leads detectives to suspect that Eleanor is responsible for Rachel's death. But Iris is finding it difficult to connect a 15 year old to such a violent crime...and yet the evidence appears to point in her direction. But if she's innocent, then why did she run?

Eleanor's father calls a press conference pleading for the safe return of his daughter and yet he supplies a photo that is at least 4 years out of date. What is he hiding? And why is he trying to control the information being conveyed to the press?

A massive search is underway as both the Gardai and the public comb the woods surrounding Curlew Hall for the missing teenager. But the woods are endless and the area massive...and Eleanor is a vulnerable girl suffering from epilepsy. What if she has a grand mal seizure? And if she does, what if, with no help at hand, she dies as a result? The race is on to find Eleanor before it's too late. Too long in those woods and they could be looking for a body.

When a body of a young girl is found in the woods near Curlew Cross, Iris and Ben immediately feel they have failed Eleanor by not finding her time. But upon arrival at the crime scene are surprised to find the victim is not Eleanor but her younger sister Karena. The mystery deepens as the team then try to figure out who would want to kill Karena and why?

Returning to the care facility, Iris and Ben question staff and residents once again. Someone is lying. Where is Rachel's laptop? Why did she have over twenty thousand euro and where did it come from? And what possible motive did someone have for killing her? Rachel was well-liked by everyone. And Karena? Where did she fit into all this?

Although I didn't pick the villain in this one, it didn't shock me. I'm not sure why that is...maybe coming out of the first book with a twist that was both brilliant and shocking, I may have felt this one was a bit of a let down. If Iris is still reeling from the shock of those revelations in "Silent Night", I'm still reeling as well!

I enjoyed meeting up with the same old characters and the camaraderie between them all, particularly that of Iris and Ben who work extremely well together. Despite being so vastly different from one another, they seem to get each other perfectly. It was also somewhat bittersweet watching Ben with his estranged wife Maureen, in light of her recent diagnosis of dementia. The one character that was sorely missed from this installment was DI Coleman Grady. I especially wanted to delve into his past and uncover his secret tragedy. I hope his secondment was temporary because he was incredibly missed!

WHY SHE RAN is well-written but again, the story moved a little slowly in parts, going back and forth between the same people over and over. I don't have a lot of patience with overt descriptions and slow pacing in crime fiction. I enjoy the fast pace with pieces of a confusing puzzle coming together in an attempt to solve a baffling crime. But although it didn't have the same breakneck speed race to the end as the first one, but it is still enjoyable just the same.

Whilst I heartily recommend WHERE SHE RAN, I do advise you to read "Silent Night" aka "Her Sister's Bones" first. This is one series you can't do standalones with.

I would like to thank #GeraldineHogan, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhySheRan in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Her Sister's Bones by Geraldine Hogan (ARC)

Her Sister's Bones (formerly Silent Night) (DS Iris Locke #1) by Geraldine Hogan

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural, thriller

Read: 14th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publications date: 23rd August 2019)

★★★★ 4 stars

As a fan of crime fiction and police procedurals, after a while many of them tend to be a little "samey" in the sense that they have all the same cliches - usually a bit of tension between the ranks as well as the token drunken cop with no life outside of work or the pub. While SILENT NIGHT did have these, it also had something a little different to offer. Something that you probably wouldn't see coming.

The fact that I did probably shows I read a little too much crime fiction thrillers that I see a twist around every corner. Ironically, I pieced most of the puzzle together at about a quarter of the way through...just because the conclusion I foresaw was a twist I honestly didn't see happening. I just though it would make things interesting if it did...

The story opens in a Prologue some 30 years ago with ten year old Anna in complete awe of her newborn baby sister, whom she silently named "Janey" after her doll. She was so enamoured by her that she even replicated the little birthmark Janey had on her right hand on her own and on her doll, so they were triplets of a kind.

One afternoon, with a storm in the air, Anna is gazing lovingly into baby Janey's pram whilst her mother is bustling about the kitchen and telling Anna to "stop bothering the baby and to go play with Ollie". Ollie was a boy who lived in the next cottage and they had played together for as long as she could remember. But now that baby Janey was here, Anna could see no point in such frivolities when she had a new baby sister to take care of. Even when Ollie came calling, she sent him away with a flea in his ear informing him that she was "minding her new baby sister".

But then suddenly, Anna felt a cold shiver up her spine and she turned to look back at where baby Janey's pram stood in the afternoon sun, her eyes wide. Her mother looked up and saw Anna's face as both mother and daughter ran to the pram, pulling back the shade. The pram was empty. Janey was gone.

Thirty years later and after a marginally successful undercover operation that went belly up, Detective Sergeant Iris Locke is now stationed in her hometown of Limerick, despite her father's reservations. As a detective who quickly moved up the ranks to Superintendent and on the force for over 40 years, Jack Locke cannot help but worry for his daughter. He doesn't want her to see the things he used to see and face the things he had to face during his career. But all Iris ever wanted to be was a detective on a Murder Squad like her father...and to make him proud.

Early one morning, Iris is called out to a horrifying crime scene that every guard, whether detective or uniform, hates the most. The burnt out remains of a house with three victims inside...and one of them is Anna Crowe, formerly Fairley, whose baby sister vanished without a trace 30 years before. Now Anna has been killed along with her own two children. But it's not as simple as it first appears. There was no electrical fault, no embers from the fireplace, no cooking accident. The three victims were all shot in the head before as they lay sleeping in their beds by the time the fire took hold. Who would do such a thing?

The team begin their investigations, looking into Anna's estranged husband Adrian and an art teacher at a college she had once attended. But Iris believes the key to Anna and her children's murders lay in the past...and a missing baby that was never found. She begins digging around and finds that the case files for the Fairley investigation have gone missing from archives and those uploaded to PULSE are restricted.

Frustrated, Iris is forced to ask her father about the case and is shocked to learn that he was the senior investigating officer in charge of the investigation. Her father had had a stellar career with an almost 100% solve rate...but the Fairley case was the only one he couldn't solve. But Jack is reluctant to discuss it saying only that it was the general consensus that the mother had been responsible for killing the baby whilst suffering post natal depression and was later institutionalised.

Iris doesn't understand why, not only her father but everyone else, brushes off her concerns surrounding the missing baby and the current case with the possibility of them being linked. She is determined to get to the bottom of both cases and prove one way or the other whether they are connected.

From her first day on the Murder Squad, Iris is teamed with DS Ben Slattery, an overweight aging gruff copper who enjoys a pint of Guinness and a whiskey chaser a little too much. The pair clearly do not hit it off but Iris refuses to let the bad-tempered detective get under her skin...and even if he does, she is just as determine not to show it. But as the investigation goes deeper, Slattery appears to gain a fresh appreciation for his new partner...even if she is the daughter of the old "guv".

But when it seems Slattery's days are numbered on the force, his first instinct is to head to the pub but instead he parks up in front of the house he shared with his wife for more than twenty years. Pondering her recent diagnosis after a car accident that almost killed her and claimed the life of another, Slattery wonders where he fits into anything - her life, the job - before his mind wanders to the case of Anna Crowe. He receives a phone call from a snout he'd visited with Iris earlier that day with some information on a senior officer that could turn everything on its head, and in turn he pieces the puzzle together with a shocking clarity.

The characters in SILENT NIGHT are an odd bunch that compliment each other. Iris, as the lead, is the typical strong determined detective that I often find irritating in books but I didn't in this case...though I'm not sure why. She's hardworking and ambitious but is a closed book. She doesn't want to live in her father's shadow but rather make her own mark in the guards, and resents any thought of favouritism.

Slattery is the stereotypical type. Failed marriage, drink problem and a bad attitude to boot...although this tough exterior hides his soft underbelly and the fact that he truly cares deeply about his cases and the victims. Despite his gruff nature, I quite liked Slattery.

DI Coleman Grady is another closed book. It is hinted that only Slattery and another detective know of his past which apparently affects him deeply...though to watch him at work you wouldn't know it. I look forward to picking his secrets apart and getting to know him further.

There are a few other characters peppered throughout that are crucial to the investigation such as June Quinn and Westmont (I think his name is), and another I can't begin to spell or pronounce (LOL). Their roles, while still significant, aren't at the forefront though I am sure we will get to know them as the series develops. However, we are introduced to everyone on the team in such a way that we do get to connect with them on some level that we look forward to getting to know them better.

Overall, the pace was rather slow to begin with although it did end up being a fast read. But it was well worth it to get to that ending.

The twist, when it came, was shocking despite having pieced it together myself just a quarter of the way into the story. I still didn't expect it eve though I had suspected it. And it was that twist that set this procedural apart from others. I just hope the series continues as one that is set apart from the rest which would make it unique and interesting.

SILENT NIGHT, which I believe has had its titled changed to HER SISTER'S BONES, is a brilliant debut to this fresh new series. It is compelling and intriguing with something a little different in store for readers despite its slow pace to begin with. Normally, that is something that would irk me, as I loathe slow burns, but there was just something immediately compelling about this book I simply had to devour.

I enjoyed SILENT NIGHT far more than I thought I would and as I am a little behind in my reading, I thought I would slot this one in first before tackling DS Locke's second installment. And I am glad I did because I didn't want to come across any reference to the first book made in the second to spoil what I essentially had yet to read. So my recommendation is read SILENT NIGHT aka HER SISTER'S BONES before tackling further cases by DS Locke.

As an aside, I don't see how either title SILENT NIGHT or HER SISTER'S BONES have much bearing on the story. I can see why the second was chosen but after reading it, I still fail to see its significance.

I would like to thank #GeraldineHogan, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #SilentNight #HerSistersBones in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Midwives of Lark Lane by Pam Howes (ARC)

The Midwives of Lark Lane (Lark  Lane #4) by Pam Howes

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 12th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 13th December 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

Although this is the fourth book in the Lark Lane series, it is my first. However, despite coming into the story so far in I didn't feel as if I had missed anything as Pam Howes gives the reader plenty of background on the characters who have featured throughout. But as I enjoyed this one so much I have added the first three to my ever growing TBR list in the hope I will find some time to revisit Lark Lane again soon.

The story follows Cathy now grown and marrying the love of her life and father to their 18 month old Lucy. Gianni, her husband, works with a travelling fair performing alongside his father in the Wall of Death motorbike show. The couple share their wedding day alongside Cathy's mother Alice and her new husband Johnny before a brief honeymoon and a return to the travelling fair.

Upon arrival they are given a brand new caravan by Gianni's father Luca and his wife Maria, who have painstakingly prepared it for the couple. Cathy is overwhelmed by their kindness and happy to be with Gianni but she is unsure about her place with the fair. She was training to be a nurse but those dreams had ended when she discovered she was pregnant with Lucy and then marrying Gianni. Although she wished to return to nursing, this was the 1960s and all nursing students must be unmarried. So with her training incomplete and now living with the fair, Cathy has no work to keep her occupied.

Then the fair begins and so with it brings new problems. It is noisy and smells and there is no way she can settle little Lucy down at night. She closes the windows, the caravan is stifling. She opens them for air and it is too noisy. Cathy becomes more tired as they days wear on and Lucy is tetchy and unsettled. Although it is early days, Cathy finds she is not enjoying fairground life but this is Gianni's life and she cannot and will not make him choose.

But circumstances bring new opportunities as Cathy returns to Liverpool to live with family while Gianni remains with the fair. Gianni urges Cathy to return to her nurses training and to follow her dream of becoming a midwife, alongside her friends. And it's not forever as they will be reunited when the fair arrives in town and when the fair breaks for the winter months. Cathy is not sorry to leave the fair, but she is with leaving Gianni. She will not miss Maria's daughter Eloisa with whom Gianni had a one night stand and she has carried a torch for him since. But she trusts Gianni...she just doesn't trust Eloisa.

Dividing her time between her mother's house and her Granny's, Cathy returns to nursing and eventually qualifies as a midwife alongside her friends Jean, Karen and Ellie. When a large exclusive house with sprawling grounds comes up for sale, Cathy and her friends' dream of opening their own maternity home for unwed mothers and those wishing for private accommodation during the birth of their child are realised. With the help of their families, the women set to making their dream a reality.

Meanwhile, alongside Cathy's story is that of her ex-stepfather Jack Dawson. He was serving a long prison sentence for raping her friend Ellie one night in the hospital grounds, but opportunity arose in the form of a new cellmate hailing from Glasgow, and the pair escaped whilst being transported to a new prison. They parted company and Jack joined up with the travelling fair after seeing one of their flyers requesting casual work labourers.

Taking up the persona of Scottish Dougie Taylor, Jack had mastered the accent after sharing a cell with the Glaswegian. He knew Gianni but with his long hair and beard, Jack doubted he'd be recognised. Still, he kept out of his way just in case. It wasn't long before Eloisa caught his eye, showing him her wares that she shamelessly had on offer. But Jack never lost sight of his main objective - to return to Liverpool and show Cathy "a real man".

When the fair arrives in Liverpool, things come to a head in more ways than one. There is tragedy, heartbreak, love and loss and the tension is palpable as Cathy and Jack's paths stories intertwine, all the while unbeknownst to her.

Beginning in 1960 and taking us through to 1964, THE MIDWIVES OF LARK LANE is a simple, fast and easy read. A feel-good book that you just want to lose yourself to right up to the end. Whether the series ends here, I don't know, though some have stated that it would be a good place to end it...but I must admit I would like to see what else happens with girls and their families.

There is a touch of the TV series "Heartbeat" as well as "Call the Midwife" to this book, given the 1960s era, so if you are a fan of these shows then I am sure you will love this installment of the Lark Lane series. It is also very similar to Nadine Dorries' Lovely Lane series so you like that then you will love this!

Despite being the fourth book, THE MIDWIVES OF LARK LANE can be read as a standalone because the reader is given enough background information to make the necessary connections of where the story has been as well as where it is going. But like all series, I'm guessing that they are still enjoyed best from the beginning.

I definitely recommend this book, as a standalone or as part of the series!

I would like to thank #PamHowes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheMidwivesOfLarkLane in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Don't Forget Me by B.C. Schiller (ARC)

Don't Forget Me (Levi Kant #1) by B.C. Schiller

Genre: Crime fiction, thriller

Read: 11th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 12th December 2019)

★★★★ 4 stars

German author B.C. Schiller is the combination of husband and wife writing team Barbara and Christian Schiller. Together they belong to the most successful crime authors in the German speaking world, and it isn't hard to see why. They have written dozens of crime novels but DON'T FORGET ME is the first I have come across by the authors that has been translated into English.

At just over 200 pages long, DON'T FORGET ME is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller that I found to be an incredibly enjoyable and easy read. I was intrigued by the premise which outlined two separate storylines - the first of which is the death of a teenager while the other was the disappearance of a husband and daughter 5 years ago...incidentally around the same time as the teen's death. Coincidence?

The story begins with psychiatrist Dr Olivia Hofmann, whose husband and daughter mysteriously vanished five years prior without a trace. She is fraught with grief and plagued by her own guilt and the mystery of what could possibly have happened to them. She lives alone, takes in private patients as well as working at the clinic her father, also a psychiatrist, once used to head...before Alzheimer's took away his memories.

Every year on the anniversary of her family's disappearance, Olivia receives an anonymous postcard with just two words "I'm sorry". Today is that day. And without fail, the postcard arrives. There is nothing to identify who is sending them which frustrates Olivia even further. Does someone know something? Could it be her husband? Or is this a killer's sadistic way of taking pleasure in her grief?

Unaware of the floodgates she is about to open, Olivia's patient that day confides to her during their session that he has seen a young teenager he knew during his time at the clinic. Only problem is, this girl was murdered five years ago...around the time Olivia's family had disappeared. But Jonathan is adamant. The girl was Lisa and he can prove it - he took her photo with his mobile phone. The photo, however, is blurry and could be anyone...although it does bear some resemblance to Lisa Manz. Jonathan also claims to have Lisa's rucksack that she left behind which was easily identifiable as belonging to her. He begs Olivia to come to his flat so that he can give it to her and she agrees to visit the following morning. Then before Jonathan leaves, he thrusts something into Olivia's hands with obvious fear in his eyes, claiming it was also Lisa's but that it frightened him. It was a pendant with two snakes interwoven together with distinctive ruby red eyes. It was a little disconcerting to look at but a stunning piece.

When Olivia arrives at Jonathan's flat the next morning, she finds him hanging out the window screaming words that don't make a lot of sense. She sees a shadow behind him the instant before Jonathan falls to his death. The police arrive and question her but after searching his flat and finding Lisa's rucksack believe they have found Lisa's murderer who, in a wave of guilt, jumped to his death and now they can finally close the five year old case. But Olivia is sure Jonathan didn't jump. He was pushed. But the police are just as adamant. The evidence speaks for itself.

Enter Levi Kant. Levi was in charge of the investigation into Lisa's murder before a bullet ended his career, leaving him now teaching at the police academy. When a former colleague calls Levi to inform him of this development in the Lisa's case, Levi drops everything and rushes to the scene. There he meets Olivia and together they join forces to find out the truth of what really happened to Lisa Manz. Who murdered her? Or is she still alive and someone else had been burnt beyond recognition in her place five years before? And is there a connection between Lisa's case and Olivia's missing family?

By re-opening the case, Olivia and Levi are then put in mortal danger as the killer is onto them and will stop at nothing to remain hidden. Olivia finds herself in hospital after being rammed by a 4WD on her bicycle, her flat is broken into and Lisa's files are stolen and her father is also put in danger when his place is also ransacked. What went on at the clinic five years ago that someone wants to keep secret?

The unfolding of the case at hand threw up lots of questions, doubt and had me second guessing just about everyone. For everyone, it seemed, had secrets but uncovering them proved to be a difficult, if not dangerous, task. Even the murderer escaped my detection!!

I did find the scene where Olivia's father's flat was being searched and ransacked somewhat distressing. Having a father with dementia myself, it was confronting to witness Leopold's confusion at the events taking place before him with no idea what was happening although he still had the nous to call his daughter and alert her. For a psychiatrist to be so insensitive to someone with dementia and their failing memory by taking advantage of it was both abhorrent and distressing.

The action was non-stop in this fast paced thriller which was totally binge-worthy. I could not turn the pages quick enough and thoroughly enjoyed the storylines that were interwoven together. Despite it not being the smoothest of translations, making some of the dialogue a little stilted and awkward, it didn't detract from the book as a whole because it was so well-written in its simplicity despite the story was a complex one. It didn't need the WOW factor to impress or intrigue - the way the author engages the reader through their skilled writing was enough. It was quick, enthralling and entirely compelling that I cannot wait for the translation of the second book!!

DON'T FORGET ME is essentially a German-written book and while sometimes things can be lost in translation I don't think that should be the focus. The story is both complex and simplistic making it an intriguing and thrilling read.

The one thing that I felt let it down was the premise promised more in the way of Olivia's missing family that I thought it may have featured just a little bit more in the story. Having said that, the cliffhanger left us with the promise of more to come on that front and I hope Book 2 features the mystery surrounding their disappearance a little more.

Overall, if you are looking for a quick, easy read that is both intriguing and binge-worthy then look no further than DON'T FORGET ME!! I certainly recommend it.

Bring on Book 2!!

I would like to thank #BCSchiller, #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for an ARC of #DontForgetMe in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham (ARC)

The Secret Messenger by Mandy Robotham

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2

Read: 9th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 12th December 2019)

★★ 2 stars

Despite there being an influx of historical fiction set during WW2, I never tire of the era and enjoy reading the different locations and people the war affected. So I was excited at the prospect of reading this addition to the genre. Added to that, THE SECRET MESSENGER was a dual timeline story set between German-occupied Venice in the 1940s and modern day London and Bristol. I do love a dual timeline tale!

Venice 1944: Stella Jilani is a 27 year old proud Venetian, longing for the Venice of old. One that includes freedom from Nazi occupation and Italy's fascist dictator Mussolini. Ever since she was a young girl, Stella loved to write and as soon as she was old enough she gained a job on a newspaper as a journalist. But that came to an end when a story came her way about an incident where she was told by her editor to embellish the story in favour of the fascists. Stella wanted only to tell the truth but the truth was not what the paper wanted...they wanted propaganda that supported the fascist regime.

But Stella would not be swayed. She put her journalist experience to good use in the Venice Resistance Brigade writing for their underground newspaper. And she is soon given the position of a typist and translator for a high ranking Reich officer at Nazi High Command, where she secretes information she obtains in her position and passes it on to the members of the Resistance. As a secret messenger she walks a fine line each day relaying this information as well as trafficking essential supplies.

Throughout her journey is her beloved typewriter her grandfather gave her long before the war. On it, she produces information that is published in the forbidden underground newspaper. She also begins a tale of love which inadvertently makes it way into an edition, enthralling many Venetians alike, as they eagerly await the next installment. Even her colleague Cristain De Luca, Head Secretary to General Bruegal who she also works for, is intrigued by the story.

Cristian is a bit of a dark horse and Stella has trouble working him out. There are times she sees something of a sensitive side in him but at others he fixes her with a cold stare and she wonders if she had merely imagined it. But one thing is for sure, Stella must keep her secret life from Cristian for in this war you can trust no one. And yet, she cannot help but enjoy his company when they are away from Nazi High Command.

But then, Stella's life is threatened when the Nazi's search her apartment looking for her typewriter, after receiving information that she was the one responsible for the underground newspaper and the story that had captured Venetians. Breugal and Strauss have long been suspicious of her activities and when they find nothing in her apartment, she is then sacked from her position at Nazi Command, the newspaper disbanded and a warrant is issued for her arrest. Before she is captured, she receives paperwork entitling her to a travel pass which enables her to escape. However, she is confused as the pass is signed by Breugal just as her arrest warrant is. But Stella doesn't wait for explanations, hastily bidding her Venice goodbye as she makes her escape.

But her story does not end there...

London 2017: Luisa Belmont has recently lost her mother and is clearing out her vast home when she comes across an old typewriter in the attic. Having never seen it before, Luisa has no idea who it belongs to. So she decides to delve into the past to discover the story behind this piece of history. Along with the typewriter she also finds some old photos and some crumbling documents hidden away in a box and she wonders why her mother has kept this part of her heritage hidden away. The people in the photos are very obviously relatives as she recognises her mother in the features of the young woman though the photo was dated 1950...and her mother was born in 1953. She resolves that it must be her grandmother.

Luisa is aware that her mother and grandmother fell out some years before and hardly ever spoke. Her own mother was cold and distant and she pondered on whether the relationship with her own mother was then reflected in that which she later shared with her only daughter. Although she had shared half her life with her distant mother she felt that she didn't really know her...or much about their Italian heritage.

In the course of her delving into the past, Luisa discovers the story of her grandmother's life in Venice during WW2, her secrets, her sacrifices, her fears and ultimately, finding love.

I love historical fiction but it took me a while to find my way through this book and I felt it was very slow moving...not just at the beginning, but throughout much of the story.

THE SECRET MESSENGER had an intriguing premise...but for me, it fell a bit flat in its storytelling. Although I was intrigued by the story and was eager to find out what happened, I found the writing to be too descriptive with two of my pet peeves in books - 1) long chapters, and 2) incessant monologuing by Stella detailing just about everything that inadvertently puts me to sleep. I was disappointed because I thought the story had promise. I, did, however soldier on to finish the book...admittedly, skimming a lot of in-between monologuing that I could do without.

There was so much that didn't make sense to me as the author didn't bother to translate some of words, both in dialogue and Stella's own monologue. My Italian is very limited and it wasn't helped by the lack of translation in parts.

There was also not a lot of relative development in Luisa, despite her being Stella's granddaughter. The reader isn't given much of a chance to get to know Luisa as all she is doing is digging into the past and nothing else. She had no personality and lacked depth. Stella, on the other hand, featured far more than her granddaughter of the present day and yet she still didn't have a lot of development either. Basically all Stella did was monologue about work by day, resistance by night...day in, day out....with not much else in between.

There could have been so much more done with THE SECRET MESSENGER than was done making it simply drowning in the shadow of those far more interesting and intriguing books of a similar vein. I would far more recommend "My Name is Eva" by Suzanne Goldring, "The Secret Letter" by Debbie Rix, "A View Across the Rooftops" by Suzanne Kelman and "A Fight in Silence" by Melanie Metzenthin than THE SECRET MESSENGER. It had so much potential but just failed in the delivery. It actually put me to sleep on several occasions with Stella's endless monologuing.

Having said that, I am in the minority here as many others have thoroughly enjoyed it where I haven't. I was disappointed as I had high expectations for it that it just didn't live up to.

I would like to thank #MandyRobotham, #NetGalley and #AvonBooksUK for an ARC of #TheSecretMessenger in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Gone by Leona Deakin (ARC)

Gone by Leona Deakin

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 9th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 12th December 2019)

★★★★ 4 stars

If I had received a birthday card in the post with the greeting YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME. DARE TO PLAY? I would have tossed it out without a second thought. And if I did think about it, I might be a little paranoid at exactly who was playing with me. I am not a risk-taker; I don't go in for dares; and I certainly don't like to live life on the edge. And the fact that I have a conscience and consider the feelings of those around me proves that I would never fit into this category of very special people.
Psychopaths.

But not your serial killer type of psychopath. These people are what are known as functioning psychopaths. They have psychopathic personalities but are not necessarily bad people. They just don't think or feel the way a normal person does. Because they see themselves as far superior to others. To them, everything in this world revolves around them. They are selfish people who manipulate everything to their advantage with no conscience or the ability to understand what it is to have a conscience. Functioning psychopaths are all around us. They can be surgeons, politicians, lawyers - generally those in high paid positions where they reap the accolades they crave and don't care who they step on to get there.

So what does that have to do with this book? Everything. Because GONE is one big game in the battle for superiority. And everyone in the book is a pawn in the master puppeteer's game.

The story begins with Dr Augusta Bloom, a forensic psychologist who has an interest in psychopathic personalities, counselling 14 year old Seraphine Walker. Accused of stabbing the caretaker of the school she attends, Seraphine is claiming self defence. She alleges that Mr Shaw, the caretaker, tried to touch her inappropriately after consistently raping another girl in her class over the period of several weeks. Problem was, Claudia (the other girl) didn't back up her story and said Seraphine attacked him unprovoked. Up until then, Seraphine thought she had been clever. Obviously not clever enough. A mistake she would not make again.

A fascinating character, Seraphine added an unpredictable edge to the story. Even as you read her narrative, you are never really sure if she is telling the truth or not. But even so, her sessions are rather telling, despite trying to hide her true self. Even from early on, I could tell that Seraphine was a psychopath. But just how did she fit into the rest of the story?

The sessions with Seraphine alternated with the main storyline of people going missing on their birthdays after receiving a strange card with the message:

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY.
YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME.
DARE TO PLAY?

Four people - Lana Reid, Faye Graham, Stuart Rose-Butler and Grayson Taylor - are missing. None of them have anything in common...other than the fact that they all disappeared on their birthdays and all received a somewhat unusual birthday card prior to their disappearance. But as it turns out...that's not all they have in common.

Dr Augusta Bloom is on her way to the office when she receives a call from her business partner, Marcus Jameson (ex-MI6), about a woman known to his sister Claire going missing. Her daughter Jane returned home to find her mother gone with no message, no warning, and emptying their bank accounts...leaving Jane with no money for food or rent. Lana, a returned veteran of Afghanistan suffering PTSD, would never leave her daughter, aside from her tours, and Jane and Claire are both fraught with worry.

As Bloom and Jameson investigate, many untruths about Lana come to light. She is not nor ever has been in the armed forces and she certainly has never been to Afghanistan. So where was she going all those times she left Jane with Claire, if not on tour? And where did their money come from, if not from her work in the forces? And where was she now? Does her disappearance have something to do with her lies?

As they dig deeper, Bloom and Jameson uncover even more people who disappeared in similar circumstances after receiving a similar message. What did it all mean? And where were all these people now?

One thing became clear; each of these people displayed psychopathic personalities and each of them had played some kind of trivia quiz on social media that is subtly designed to identify specific personality traits. In this case, psychopathy. And someone is masterminding the entire thing in a game of challenges where participants, should they choose to accept the dare, are given a choice. And each choice leads them to the next challenge and so forth.

The investigation takes them from London to Bristol to Manchester and to Yorkshire. But things take a sinister turn when it appears that this game that is being played before their very eyes has become personal. And soon Bloom and Jameson are forced to make a choice of their own...

GONE is a unique concept with a very original and intriguing plot which had me turning pages at the speed of light. The story was addictive, dark and compelling throughout. I devoured it. The pace was steady and the short snappy chapters kept it moving quickly.

The twist, when it came, I was not surprised by. I admit to working out the mastermind and their role in the story early on as Augusta sat ruminating in her mother's attic. That was when the pieces fell into place for me.

The one thing that really let this book down, apart from the title, was the ending. It fell a bit flat for me. All that hype and lead up...to what, exactly? It left me a little disturbed even. All throughout GONE, it was full throttle ahead with non-stop action...and then suddenly STOP!! And I'm thrown head first through a windscreen of nothingness wondering what the hell happened to end like that!

And then there was the title. I'm not really sure why it was called GONE when it had originally been titled as MIND GAMES, which in my opinion is a far more apt title for this book. Why the change? MIND GAMES was far more appropriate considering the entire book was a mind f***!

However, despite the flat ending, I did thoroughly enjoy GONE. And I look forward to more featuring Dr Bloom and hopefully Marcus Jameson in the future.

I would like to thank #LeonaDeakin, #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK for an ARC of #Gone aka #MindGames in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Blossom Twins by Carol Wyer (ARC)

The Blossom Twins (DI Natalie Ward #5) by Carol Eyer

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural, thriller

Read: 2nd February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 12th December 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

OMG...WOW! WOW! WOW! This isn't just one of the best books in the series...it is THE BEST book in this series! THE BLOSSOM TWINS is the fifth installment in the DI Natalie Ward series and I think it is the best one so far! What can I say that I haven't already done so? This is one of my favourite series and it just gets better and better! As soon as I see one pop up on NetGalley, I don't hesitate in requesting. But this one...is something else!! So where do I start to even begin to give this book justice?

The story opens with 17 year old Kerry accompanying her 14 year old sister Isabella to a free concert in the grounds of a stately home. The boy band, Blasted, is a favourite of many a teenage girl and is the featured act. So when there is a break between performances, Kerry goes to the drinks tent for some refreshments for her and her sister...with Isabella remaining by the arch to keep their place.

But when Kerry returns, there is no sign of Isabella. A search of the area reveals her sister is nowhere to be found and now frantic with worry, Kerry abandons the concert in search of her sister. She finds her phone abandoned in the grass. Something is wrong. Isabella, like any teenage girl, is surgically attached to her phone and would not misplace it so carelessly. So where is Isabella?

The next day, DI Natalie Ward receives the call that the body of a teenage girl has been found in the kitchen garden in the grounds of the estate where the Blasted concert had taken place the night before. DS Lucy Carmichael accompanies Natalie to the scene in the absence of DS Murray Anderson, who is on a well deserved holiday in Australia. When they arrive, Natalie is immediately reminded of a previous case she'd investigated several years before in Manchester - the case of the Blossom Twins. The positioning of the body and the rose petals scattered on and around her are all strikingly similar. But there is one difference...there is only one body, not two.

Still, Natalie feels sure the cases are linked. But how? The killer of the Blossom Twins was caught, arrested and sent to prison where he later killed himself. A sign of guilt? Maybe...except that the killer retracted his earlier confession stating he was innocent. Natalie didn't think anything at the time, but now...she's not so sure.

When 13 year old twins Ivy and Erin Westmore camp out in their backyard one night, it is an adventurous act on their parts considering the girls have never shown any interest in camping before. Still, they bid their parents goodnight and settle in giggling and sharing secrets into the night. The following morning, thinking the girls were having a lie-in, their mother unzipped the tent to wake them. But she found only their bedclothes stuffed into their sleeping bags...with no sign of the twins.

A missing persons investigation is underway lead by the same detective who searched for Natalie's daughter, Leigh, when she went missing earlier in the year during an investigation into missing teenagers who disappeared after accepting a dare online. When Natalie heard about the missing twins, she immediately thought of her own investigation and that of the Blossom Twins. There HAD to be a link.

And then Erin and Ivy's bodies were found in marshland...on their sides facing each other, holding hands and covered in petals. Natalie knew then without a shadow of a doubt the cases were linked. If this wasn't a copycat of the original killer then they had put an innocent man away for the Blossom Twins. And he is back with a vengeance.

In light of her previous boss' retirement she now has a new one, Supt Dan Tasker, who is rather unpleasant and is all about statistics rather than helping the community. He brings in DS John Briggs to assist in Natalie's investigation, as she is a DS down. However, it turns out that Briggs is good friends with the Superintendent and she wonders if her authority is constantly being undermined by the two men. It's clear that Tasker has a favourite and it isn't her. But Briggs is no stranger to Natalie. They had worked together on the original Blossom Twins investigation and no one else knows the case as well as he does. But Briggs is an arrogant player constantly questioning her or going against her. She has no room for someone like him on her team...but she has no say in the matter.

On a personal level, Natalie has her home life to deal with. Her husband David has consistently lied to her and she has had enough. After he had gambled away their savings, he continued to visit gambling sites, betting shops and even bought scratchies. Natalie doesn't have the strength to continue this daily battle especially as her work life is tough enough. Now sleeping in the attic, she has decided that her marriage to David has come to an end...but each time she intends breaking the news to their children, Josh and Leigh, something comes up preventing her from doing so. Is she having second thoughts? Should she leave David or can they make it work? Does she love him enough? And how can she remain connected to her children if they were to separate? And then there is Mike. Her friend, confidante, colleague and now potential love interest. However, both have agreed to put their feelings on hold until she has sorted out the mess that is her marriage. But will Mike wait for her?

Despite all the things thrown at her on a daily basis, Natalie is determined to get to the truth. Is the Blossom Twins killer back? Did they imprison the wrong man? If so, why did he stop for several years? And why is he targeting twins? But nothing will prepare Natalie for the truth when she uncovers it...

That ending...OMG! That ending!! While I began to piece together the puzzle when the truth came out I was still shocked, despite the sense it made as I pondered it at the time. But that wasn't the only shock to come. My goodness!! I was left speechless...breathless...completely stunned! So much so it has taken me nearly a week to write this review. And even then, can I do it proper justice?

Carol Wyer really took a brave step in this book and as I tweeted her my reaction upon finishing the book, she was thrilled that had it generated the response she had been after. All I can say is...WOW!

Natalie and the killer share the primary narration in THE BLOSSOM TWINS. Aside from the investigation and Natalie's personal life, we are also given a glimpse into earlier snippets of the killer's life and ultimately what became the signature of his kills. And then we are given even more in the form of first Isabella's and then Erin and Ivy's brief narratives as to what happened in the lead up to their deaths...given that they had just disappeared and no one knew how or why. It is both intriguing and clever. This was a brilliant touch by Wyer.

I really thoroughly enjoy this series and love all the characters. Each of them shine in their own way in THE BLOSSOM TWINS. But I especially love how it's not dog-eat-dog where everyone is trying to one-up the other. I find those procedurals less endearing. Whereas Natalie and her team all complement each other and work together well. That is what I like to see...not constant angst between the ranks.

There is, of course, plenty of angst on Natalie's home front so she doesn't need it at work too. Her children, Josh and Leigh, have their moments as teenagers but overall are good kids. David is problematic but every so often I see something of what Natalie must have seen in him in the beginning, but the fact that he has consistently lied again and again shows he cannot be trusted and if you can't trust your husband, what hope does your marriage have? I have gone from liking to hating to tolerating David over the course of the series. But I really do believe their marriage has run its course...and particularly now at a time when they will all need to band together and support each other, I don't think their marriage is strong enough to do so. I see it crumbling even more in the next book.

THE BLOSSOM TWINS is a jaw-dropping, heartwrenching, edge-of-your-seat thriller of a police procedural. Just when you think everything has fallen into place, we are sideswiped with a shocker twist! Definitely one of my favourite reads of the year!!

A complex, nail-biting, cleverly written thriller, THE BLOSSOM TWINS is intense and fast-paced from beginning to end. Although you "could" read this as a standalone, I do recommend starting at the beginning of the series to appreciate the characters and their roles and development throughout. Although I did came late to the party, starting at "Last Lullaby" (Book 2), I fully intend on going back and reading the first book when I have the chance. But THE BLOSSOM TWINS is by far the best of the series and I look forward to seeing where Book 6 takes us.

1 - The Birthday
2 - Last Lullaby
3 - The Dare
4 - The Sleepover
5 - The Blossom Twins

I would like to thank #CarolWyer, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBlossomTwins in exchange for an honest review.