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Police Procedural

Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman

     Yvonne      1 Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

snakes and ladders by victoria selman - Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria SelmanSnakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman
Published by THOMAS & MERCER on December 17, 2019
ISBN: 9781542008792
Genres: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, Thrillers, Crime, Psychological
Pages: 384
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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Goodreads
five stars - Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman

Psycho meets The Silence of the Lambs
One killer on the loose. Another setting the rules. A profiler caught in the middle.
A serial killer is terrorising London, removing a body part from each victim and leaving in its place a single pink rose.
Dr Vernon Sange, a multiple murderer awaiting extradition, seems to know the culprit's identity--but he'll only talk to profiler Ziba MacKenzie, the woman responsible for putting him away. Though there's something he wants in return from her. And time is running out.
With one killer whispering in her ear and another running rings around the police, Ziba must play a game in which only her opponent knows the rules, and the forfeit is death.

Wow…Snakes and Ladders was the dog’s testicles for sure!  Billed as psycho meets Silence of the lambs, never was I going to refuse a match up like that!  Although this book is one that you should go completely blind into.  It was very Silence of the lambs, but it far exceeded my expectations.  Do you want a book that will give you blunt force trauma by its sheer brilliant narrative and its impending threat that just constantly lurks around every corner.  If you only read one crime series this year, make it this one! 

Victoria Selman translates such equivocal storytelling onto the page with such ease.  She gives the reader a snapshot of her powerful imagination.  Snakes and Ladders is essentially a power to be reckoned with.  She pushes us to our emotional limits, squeezes us to accept humanities flaws and highlights society’s cracks. 

Snakes and Ladders will hook you immediately.  The setting, the storytelling and the characterisation will do a blinder on you!  I do love a good crime fiction novel but very few have been able to suck me into the storyline quite like this.  Add in the intensity of two serial killers and the flawed character of a highly successful criminal profiler and it eagerly ticks all the boxes for a hugely addictive crime novel.  All it takes is one taste of the story buried underneath and you will be gone. 

Snakes and Ladders is one of those books that are so incredibly difficult to review.  The story is so intelligent and compelling, but I don’t want to give anything away that may spoil the story.  Ziba Mackenzie is an extremely strong protagonist.  I think ultimately this is the reason I loved the story so much.  The flowed around her, she strengthened it, but she had her flaws and for that, she was relatable – we can all see parts of ourselves within her character.  Her personality felt like an echo resonating out with the pages.  Her role within the investigation was as a freelance criminal profiler.  I enjoyed this angle and it made an intriguing change from the usual detective or police viewpoint.  She delved into the investigation with vigour and I was intrigued about the personal connection she seemed to have with one of the serial killers, Vernon Sange.  He’s still behind bars but somehow, he’s still able to pull the shots.  He’s intimidating and creepily intelligent.  He’s for sure a dead ringer for Hannibal Lector.  He gave me chills! 

Our other serial killer, The Pink Rose Killer is the focus of this investigation, but it is no less devastating.  How does Vernon Sange know so much about him?  Are they in contact?  Will he give a name?  can they stop him before he claims his next victim?  We get insight into the killers past with flashback chapters and it really nails home just how much the past can have a firm grip on our present and future. 

Snakes and Ladders has cemented Victoria Selman as an exciting crime writer to watch.  Twist follows twist at such a breakneck speed.  Cancel all your plans.  Turn your phone off, lock the doors and get comfy…you won’t be going anywhere until the final page is closed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

victoria selman picture 3 - Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman

Victoria’s first novel, BLOOD FOR BLOOD, was shortlisted for the 2017 Debut Dagger Award and is a Kindle #1 bestseller. Her second novel, NOTHING TO LOSE went straight to #22 on the Kindle Movers & Shakers chart when it was published in March.

She has written for The Daily Express, Ham & High and Independent newspapers and in 2013 she won the Full Stop Short Story Prize.

She also co-hosts the true crime podcast, CRIME GIRL GANG in which three crime writers examine real life cold cases then solve them from a fictional perspective: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/crime-girl-gang/id1447814645?mt=2 …

If you’d like to get in touch please use Twitter @VictoriaSelman

five stars - Review: Snakes and Ladders by Victoria Selman

Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

     Yvonne      1 Comment

ETdEdCZWoAAWzHg - Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

49119162. SY475 - Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly CreightonThe Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton
Published by Friday Press on January 23, 2020
ISBN: 9781708710927
Genres: Mysteries & Detective Stories
Pages: 276
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
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four stars - Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

Someone going missing is not an event in their life but an indicator of a problem. Detective Inspector Harriet Sloane is plagued by nightmares while someone from her past watches from a distance. In East Belfast, local four-year-old River, vanishes from his room. Sloane must put her own demons to bed and find the boy. Before it's too late.' Creighton has a poet's eye for imagery and a novelist's understanding of the value of a good plot.' - The Irish Times 'A writer to reckon with.' - The Irish Examiner 'A novel of style and verve. The Sleeping Season is unapologetically feminist.' - Sharon Dempsey

The Sleeping Season really breathes life into the idiom that you end up taking your work home with you. 

This brand-new crime fiction series focuses on the disappearance of a 4-year-old boy, River, who has mysteriously disappeared from his bedroom despite the fact that there is no sign of any forced entry, however, his jacket also appears to be missing.  The case is wrought with missing information and hindered by the attitude of an ubiquitous mother.  Its apparent this case will test both DI Harriet Sloane and DI Diane Linsky’s skillset.  It is an emotionally draining case to work.  I was very wary of River’s mum, as a mother, her reactions emitted a reaction of me rolling my eyes. 

Amazing…simply amazing.  Kelly Creighton knows just how to prepare and ministate each word until they develop a life of their own.  They walk straight off the page and grip a hold of you and refuse to let go until it has your full attention! 

The Sleeping Season keeps the danger hidden.  It is full of misdirection from multiple sides.  The author has an uncanny way of making you feel like your being battered by a storm.  The frustration and emotion felt by our protagonists was very real and raw and I wanted to scream right alongside them.  The Sleeping Season gave me a serious feeling of uneasiness but to an extent where I couldn’t put my finger on what was unsettling me.  Kelly Creighton had me fully immersed and invested in the novel  – the successful resolution to this case was of the paramount importance to me and I was not putting that book down until I got the answers to my questions. 

I found a lot of the characters to particularly unlikeable.  They all seemed to be unreliable narrators and that includes DI Harriet Sloane.  It emerges that she has a rather difficult relationship with her own family and appears standoffish and cold.  This story is one of realisation for her.  It opens her eyes to the difficulty and the complexity of families.  We discover more about her backstory and it is both a revelation and heart wrenching.  It explains so much towards her personal ideals on relationships and marriage and also her hesitation about motherhood. 

The Sleeping season is an imperfectly perfect take on societal standpoint on women’s roles and behaviour.  A slow-burn that ignites and consumes by the turning of the final page.  Captivating and I inhaled this book.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

distorted eagle headshot tumblr graphic 3 - Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

Kelly Creighton was born in Belfast and now lives in Newtownards, Co. Down with her three dogs, two daughters, two sons and one husband. She facilitates creative writing workshops for community groups and schools, and mentors new writers.

Author of THE BONES OF IT, BANK HOLIDAY HURRICANE, THREE PRIMES, she writes crime fiction and literary fiction. Currently Kelly is working on a detective series set in East Belfast, and a couple of standalone books.

Kelly Creighton

four stars - Blog Tour: The Sleeping Season by Kelly Creighton

Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

     Yvonne      Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

the girls in the lake by helen phifer - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen PhiferThe Girls in the Lake by Helen Phifer
Published by Bookouture on December 9, 2019
ISBN: 9781786819253
Genres: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, General, Thrillers, Medical, Crime, Suspense, Traditional, Women Sleuths, Romance, Psychological, Small Town & Rural, Private Investigators, Hard-Boiled, Noir, Amateur Sleuth
Pages: 291
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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Goodreads
three stars - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

Peering over the side of the boat, the glare of early morning sun catches on something pale in the inky water. The boy’s curious fingertips break the surface, pulling up a tangle of long blonde hair from the reeds below…

The discovery of a girl floating face down in Lake Windermere, her naked skin almost translucent in the freezing water, looks like yet another tragic teen suicide. But the victim’s lack of clothes make Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams want to investigate further. Anything to distract her from the arrival of her abusive ex-boyfriend’s body on the mortuary table that morning.

With witnesses keeping tight-lipped and any clues washed away by the tides, it’s up to Beth to find the evidence her team needs. But then another girl is found in the lake, this time still clinging to life. She tells them she was at a party on a boat, and that she was pushed…

As more bodies surface, tiny traces of boat paint lead Beth to a tragic accident involving a group of school children years ago, and the feeling that the killer might be closer than anyone could ever have imaged. But with her personal life spinning out of control, can she persuade her team before another life is lost?

An absolutely unputdownable serial killer thriller that will have you sleeping with the lights on. Fans of Patricia Gibney, LJ Ross and Angela Marsons will have to hold on tight for this nail-biting rollercoaster ride!

Readers love The Girls in the Lake:
‘Brilliant… keeps you on the edge of your seat right until the last chapter...loving this series and the characters in it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Plenty of twists… I didn’t want to put it down… suspenseful and riveting, you will want time to read it in one sitting.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Hooked from the beginning and it kept me engaged until the very last page.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Full of twists… full of tension… several times I caught myself holding my breath.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Another thrilling, tightly plotted addition to this already fabulous series...I loved this book…fast paced, realistic… plenty of action, mystery and suspects. Definitely comes highly recommended and deserves all of 5 stars.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

‘I thoroughly enjoyed… an engrossing tale… I don’t know where the time went, one minute I started to read and a few hours later I was finishing.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A humdinger of a crime thriller that grabs you and draws you in from the brilliantly written and powerful opening scene to the nail-biting, butt-clenching finale.’ Netgalley reviewer, 5 stars

The water is beautiful.  The water will also pull you under into its murky depths without a care or a thought about race, gender or social standing.  If you don’t grant it the respect it so deserves it will unleash its power and it isn’t a battle you are going to win.  The Girls in the Lake is a steady paced police procedural which picks up a few weeks after book 1.  I felt that the first half of the novel was slower paced but it took off like a rocket in the second half. 

The story is centred around the main character, Dr Beth Adams, a forensic pathologist.  She has had an extremely tough life, having been subjected to a traumatic abusive relationship for the past seven years.  Fast forward and she has marginally moved forward happy in the knowledge that her ex is in prison but still frozen in the past and being haunted by the effects that relationship has instilled in her.  She is now living with DS Josh Walker.  Life is good but usually when its that good something comes along and has a habit of turning it on its end.  Cue, two dead bodies turning up in lake Windemere and the onslaught of the impending investigation. 

Things get even more personal with a third girl being pushed into the water from a troublesome party boat…are the three women connected or was its mere accidents? 

I really liked the character of Beth.  Although she often participated in the sport of self-depreciation, she was an extremely strong character.  She knew her worth and knew what she needed to do to move forward and boy did she go out and do it.  She is one hell of a woman!  I think to a certain extent she is struggling with the possibility of suffering from PTSD and seeks solace in the bottle more than she should but again we all have our crutches to bear.  She navigates the murky waters of following her gut instinct and at points I thought that she was more on the ball as a detective than the actual police were. 

The girls in the lake was a haven for geeks like me.  I really enjoyed reading about the science behind the pathology of Beth’s work and the other forensic anomalies that popped in her freelance investigating.  Call me a weirdo but I love what killed someone and the science that backs it all up even more. 

I was mildly frustrated with the avoidable spat that occurred between Beth and Josh.  In any relationship, trust and communication is paramount and their issue just seemed like a non-issue.  Beth seemed to go a little off the deep end without having any proof and it did feel a little at odds with the character that I had been becoming acquainted to previously.  But, overall, The Girls in the Lake was an enjoyable reading experience and I would like to give the first book a go. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

download - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

Helen Phifer is the #1 Bestselling crime and horror novelist of the Annie Graham and Lucy Harwin series. Helen lives in a small town called Barrow-in-Furness with her husband and five children. She has lived in the same town since she was born. Surrounded by miles of coastline and not too far away from the beautiful Lake District. She has always loved writing and reading since the days she learnt how to in infant school. loves reading books that make the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and make her afraid to go to the toilet, alone in the middle of the night. is eternally grateful to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Herbert and Graham Masterton for scaring her senseless in her teenage years. Unable to find enough of the scary stories she loves to read, she decided to write her own.

Her debut novel The Ghost House was released October 2013 and introduced readers to police officer Annie Graham. It went on to be an Amazon #1 bestseller in Canada. It reached #1 on the Amazon Contemporary Horror Charts in both the UK and the US, pushing her idol Stephen King off his #1 spot many times.

She was thrilled when the second book in the series The Secrets of the Shadows managed to push The Ghost House off its #1 spot even if it was a little surreal. This was followed by The Forgotten Cottage, The Lake House, The Girls in the Woods and The Face Behind the Mask.

The Good Sisters is a standalone old, fashioned horror story which Helen admits scared her so much when she was writing it that she couldn’t write once it got dark. Set in an abandoned convent it will definitely give you the chills.

March 2017 saw the publication of Dark House, a gripping psychological thriller which introduced readers to the dangerous world of Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin. Dying Breath and Last Light are books two and three in that series. 

​

The Haunting on West 10th Street is a supernatural thriller set on the streets of New York.

​

The Girl in the Grave featuring Forensic Pathologist Beth Adams is released 16th July 2019. 

Helen Phifer

three stars - Review: The Girls in the Lake (Beth Adams #2) by Helen Phifer

Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

     Yvonne      1 Comment

Deadly Waters banner 1 - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

2019 1396 OMJ Ryan b03 scaled - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ RyanDeadly Waters by OMJ Ryan
Series: A Detective Jane Phillips Novel
Published by Inkubator Books on 15th March 2020
Genres: Mysteries & Detective Stories
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
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five stars - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

Several young women have recently drowned in Manchester’s vast network of canals. A coincidence? Or something more sinister?

When star detective DCI Jane Phillips begins to investigate, her finely tuned instinct tells her these are no accidents. And when she discovers that each of the drowned women has a mysterious circular bruise on the back of her neck, Phillips is sure of it -- she’s up against a very clever serial killer.

But how are the victims being chosen? And who will be next?

With the body count rising, Phillips and her team find themselves in a fight to the death with a shadowy figure who always seems to be one step ahead.

Can Phillips stop the killer before the next victim dies? Or will she herself become an offering to Manchester’s deadly waters?

Deadly Waters was another home run for OMJ Ryan and the Detective Jane Phillips series.  I had serious cover love the first time I laid eyes on its opening.  It was ominous, it was secretive, and it forewarned of the threatening shadows that lurked beneath the surface.  It’s the kind of story that will become etched into your mind and you can’t put the book down until that last page has been devoured.  OMJ Ryan is a master storyteller that envelops you in atmospheric brilliance and a complexity that will literally tie you up in knots.  His brilliance is his readers weakness and Deadly Waters did not disappoint. 

If I found writing a review for Deadly Silence hard to write, then Deadly Waters has proven even harder to pen words to.  This isn’t just another police procedural – it is an experience.  Set in Manchester, we meet once again the incredibly robust, Jane Phillips.  This can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading Deadly Waters as part of an incredibly raw and gritty crime series.  With each indelible journey with this series we are treated to the characters becoming more at one with themselves.  They become meatier, more fleshed out.  Reading this book is like meeting a close friend after some time – you fall into relaxed camaraderie but there’s always something ebbing like an undercurrent. 

OMJ Ryan has fast become a favourite author, his ability to set the tone of novel is second to none.  There is no beating around the bush, he hits you with that block of wood until you start paying attention. 

So, the book is focussed on something I am deathly afraid of…drowning.  The fear of being plunged down into the murky depths, your last droplet of air being expunged from your body, your throat and chest burning with your physical need to breathe.  What must someone think in those last moments?  See, this is what this author is just sublime at making your brain go into overdrive, he kick starts your imagination and you either chase after it or get left behind. 

DCI Jane Phillips and DI Jones are called to investigate the apparent drowning in a Manchester canal.  From the outset it seems like there isn’t much to investigate as all the evidence points to accidental drowning.  That is * cue dramatic music* until a second body is recovered in similar circumstances – more importantly with the same circular shaped bruise on the back of their necks.  Is this a targeted murder? If so, then why choose two young heroin addicted prostitutes with young children at home? 

Jane and her team are under an increasingly huge amount of pressure to get this one tied up.  Jane prides herself on doing the job well and exact will never allow her superiors to lead her down the wrong path…she has a strong gut instinct.  Often, I felt like I was lost in a forest with this story – you know that feeling you get when because of the location you aren’t too sure whether you heard leaves and twigs being crunched underfoot?  Are your eyes playing tricks on you or was that really a shadow up ahead?  OMJ Ryan loves to use the misdirection tactic in his playbook and it was delivered with such perfection. 

Deadly Waters is another stellar addition to the Jane Phillips series.  A story that shines with tension, narrative mastery and so tightly plotted that you would mistake it for cutting your oxygen.  A strong, new powerful voice in British Crime Fiction. 

Thanks to Emma @ Damppebbles book tours for my spot on the blog tour.

Review of Deadly Silence

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

OMJ Ryan - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

Hailing from Yorkshire, OMJ Ryan worked in radio and entertainment for over twenty years, collaborating with household names and accumulating a host of international writing and radio awards.

In 2018 he followed his passion to become a full-time novelist, writing stories for people who devour exciting, fast-paced thrillers by the pool, on their commute – or those rare moments of downtime before bed. Owen’s mission is to entertain from the first page to the last. DEADLY WATERS will be his third novel published with Inkubator Books. 

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OMJRYAN1 @OMJRYAN1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OMJ-Ryan-2449880305025779/

Website: https://www.omjryan.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omjryan/

five stars - Blog Tour: Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan

Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

     Yvonne      6 Comments

BLOG TOUR 2 - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

50256734. SY475 - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. ForderEndless Silent Scream by Tony J. Forder
Published by Spare Nib Books on March 9th 2020
Genres: Crime, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
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four stars - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

He saved her life once. Can he do it again?

When DI Bliss prevents fifteen-year-old Molly from jumping off the roof of a tall building, he has no idea how deeply she will impact on his life. After learning that the girl is a drugs courier, Bliss realises she is in great danger. As he struggles to have Molly relocated, a local drug dealer and an enforcer sent by the supplier, have other plans for her.

After the remains of a freelance journalist are discovered, an old flame comes back into Bliss’s life. With the clock ticking down, he realises it’s only a matter of time before reports emerge linking the murdered journalist with the police, putting added pressure on the Major Crimes team to find the killer – even if it’s one of their own.

With Bliss torn between the two investigations, he becomes increasingly desperate to move Molly to safety before she can be silenced. But with his focus on saving the girl for a second time, Bliss is blinded to other dangers…

I want to make one thing crystal clear…Endless Silent Scream is the very first book that I have read penned by the incredibly talented Tony J. Forder.  Upon finishing this one, I immediately added the other five books to my tbr.  This book can easily be read as a standalone and I certainly didn’t feel that I missed huge chunks of backstory.  This author has a new fan – his writing is akin to being blindfolded and thrown into an icy lake and being left to tread the icy depths alone.  It’s in equal measures terrifying but also thrilling and you best be prepared for the ride of your life.

The synopsis instantly drew me in.  it was a difficult topic with that was dealt with the utmost dignity and respect.  His characters are edgy and relatable and its most definitely inspiration from everyday life.  These are people you would meet on the street, they seep in compassion, the indominable urge to do right and they all seem to have a personal history that makes them carry out the job over and above the call of duty.  They say that when you join the police force you become married to it, the characters in Endless Silent Scream are no exception. 

A girl on a roof threatening to jump.  A thrilling starting point to our novel and the first point of contact with DI Bliss.  It sets the scene perfectly.  The eeriness of someone having reached the end of their rope, someone feeling so bleak that they see no way out, really struck a chord…an emotional one.  The descriptions of the grey buildings and the weather matched the mood of the opening chapter resolutely.  Stand back and allow the wind and rain to whip through your hair but beware of the precipice you are standing on – one wrong move could end your existence.  Tony J. Forder’s unique narrative style ensured that I would stay rooted to the spot and swallowed into his immersive way of storytelling.  DI Bliss treats the girl like the daughter he never had…although quite obviously worried about her mental state he tackles it in the best way possible.  The only way.  Banter.  Still giving her anonymity.  Her own will.  She isn’t railroaded.  This event has affected DI Bliss in more ways than he bargained for and he must see it to completion. 

One point about this story I loved was the team.  The author injected a realistic sense of camaraderie but also with those sticky prickly colleagues.  Everywhere has them!  The truth of the matter is, when push comes to shove, they all work together bypassing those office politics that I absolutely hate!  DI Bliss is our hero and although he was soft to the suicidal girl, he has a tough outer shell when needed.  The perfect characteristics for a police officer.  His one liners and banter and had audible giggles escaping and that kept him endearing in through-out.  I did however, wonder how he got through some events in his past – my eyes were in sharp focus and searching for my own clues! 

The speed and pace of this novel was like a bullet.  You had to be careful to dodge those speeding impacts, but you still wanted to race to the finish to determine the secrets from the lies and I can hand on heart say that the ending was super satisfying.  The emotion broke free from the pages and grabbed me by the throat.  A book so incredibly well written. 

Endless Silent Scream took me on a twisty and emotional journey that left me vulnerable and wrought – a rare gem that stands out with its beautiful writing and mesmerising narrative.  Compelling and utterly immersive. 

Thanks to Sarah @ Books On The Brightside for spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

cropped 1 - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

Tony J Forder is the author of the bestselling crime thriller series featuring detectives Jimmy Bliss and Penny Chandler. The first four books, Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, If Fear Wins, and The Reach of Shadows, were joined by The Death of Justice, on 9 September 2019. Book number six, Endless Silent Scream, will be published on 9 March 2020.


Tony’s dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, featuring ex-detective Frank Rogers, was also published by Bloodhound Books. This is a stand-alone serial-killer novel. Scream Blue Murder, an action-adventure thriller, was published in November 2017, and received praise from many, including fellow authors Mason Cross, Matt Hilton and Anita Waller. The sequel, Cold Winter Sun, was published in November 2018.

Tony lives with his wife in Peterborough, UK, and is now a full-time author. He is currently editing a new novel, and has also started on Bliss #7, Slow Slicing.

Links

Website: https://www.tonyjforder.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyjforder/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyJForder @TonyJForder

Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B01N4BPT65

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16166122.Tony_J_Forder

Fantastic Fiction: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/f/tony-j-forder/

Tony can also be found on Instagram.

four stars - Blog Tour: Endless Silent Scream (DI Bliss #6) by Tony J. Forder

Blog Tour: Containment (Sam Shepherd #3) by Vanda Symon

     Yvonne      3 Comments

Containment BT Poster - Blog Tour: Containment (Sam Shepherd #3) by Vanda Symon

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

41Qqg6FKtGL - Blog Tour: Containment (Sam Shepherd #3) by Vanda SymonContainment by Vanda Symon
Published by Orenda Books Limited on January 5th 2020
ISBN: 9781459621992
Genres: Crime, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural
Pages: 364
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four stars - Blog Tour: Containment (Sam Shepherd #3) by Vanda Symon

Vanda Symon's third novel features the feisty young policewoman Sam Shephard who was the central character in her two previous books Overkill and The Ringmaster. In Containment, Sam is training as a detective at Dunedin Central when she is assigned to investigate what seems to be a routine diving accident off the Otago coast. But the forensics reveal that the man didn't die from drowning. And that the body was stuffed in its wetsuit after death. And is there a connection with another incident Sam is involved with, in which the citizens of Dunedin have been pillaging the wreckage of a container ship out at the harbour entrance? As the novel unfolds, our young detective is involved in making sense of a complex web of lies and violence. Who is behind it all? Who are the real criminals?

Just when you felt like the Crime Fiction genre was becoming over populated with not much variation or uniqueness to the storyline…BANG. Containment.  Vanda Symon hits you straight between the eyes for a killer blow.  It was a refreshing change to be transported some idyllic.  You know what they say – a change is as good as a rest.  Aramoana Beach.  Just uttering those words feels tranquil.  Set the scene.  Golden sands, turquoise seas, glittering horizons, the sun beating down on your chest, the warmth between your toes.  Sounds heavenly, doesn’t it?  Be prepared to have that dream shattered when a cargo ship blights that landscape.  Things get out of control when rational human beings start to loot, start to become violent.  Things get out of hand.  Oh, but if you try to maintain the law, you get the living crap kicked out of you.  Let me introduce to you, Sam Shepherd. 

Containment is the building blocks of betrayal and grief.  With two deep motivators it is extremely refreshing to have some necessary humour injected into its essence.  Sam doesn’t take herself too seriously and I had moments of laughing when I wasn’t sure it was appropriate to do so.  The author makes you grapple with the two extremes of devastation and hope. 

Sam is a DC with the Dunedin police force. She’s competent, motivated and will do anything to get the job done.  She’s a girl after my own heart, she tends to self-sabotage her own life, but the stubbornness is strong in this one.  Sometimes all she needs is a good talking to.  Brilliant professionally, not so great personally. 

The plot was watertight.  A body has been discovered off the island, appearances suggests it’s been submerged some time.  The body isn’t in good condition and they are going to need some good luck to extract a fingerprint to ID the body.  Sam’s ability to rub up her superiors the wrong was as led to this fun excursion.  DI Johns is a mean, grumpy old stickler and I’ve found myself growing an ever-increasing distaste of his methods.  The troubling relationship was written authentically without forcing the information on the reader. 

Containment often felt like a fog descending.  The twists kept on creeping up when you least expected it.  Little niggles, a finely painted parallel, the author grabs you by the jugular and fights to maintain control.  The control the author held over me was immense.  A magnet focussed on its target.  Try as I may I was never going to put that book down.  Containment was an assault on my senses.  It was mystifying, and nothing was sugar-coated. 

Containment is a lesson in vulnerability and tenacity.  Blind alleys to trip you up and a beautiful vista to keep you guessing.  Vanda Symon’s prose is to die for!  

Thanks to Anne Cater @ Random Things Tours for my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

vs faceless launch 272 - Blog Tour: Containment (Sam Shepherd #3) by Vanda Symon

Vanda’s first novel Overkill, was written while juggling the demands of a 6 month old baby and a two year old. She suspects the prologue to Overkill was written in a state of sleep deprivation induced paranoia brought about by middle of the night feeds and imagining every awful thing that could possibly happen to her family. None of them ever did. Reading that prologue still makes her cry.

A little time has elapsed and the six-month old and two-year old are now teenagers. As well as trying to raise two wonderful human beings, she has added three more Detective Sam Shephard novels to the series and written the stand alone psychological thriller The Faceless.

As well as being a crime writer, she hosts a monthly radio show on Dunedin’s Otago Access Radio called Write On, where she interviews local writers, and catches the odd international super-star if they’re in town.

And just to prove that she is a tiger for punishment, she has recently completed a PhD at the University of Otago looking at the communication of science through crime fiction – the perfect subject for a science loving crime writer. She has an undergraduate degree in Pharmacy and enjoyed a career as a community pharmacist and palliative care pharmacist before concentrating on her writing career.

Vanda has been involved with the New Zealand Society of Authors for many years, having been chair of the Otago Southland Branch. She is currently the Otago Southland regional delegate on the NZSA Board. Vanda was also the Chair of Copyright Licensing New Zealand.

When she isn’t writing, Vanda can be found digging around in her garden in Dunedin, or on the business end of a fencing foil. She has fenced since high school and still competes in national and international competitions. As well as competing she coaches, and because she likes to get involved, boots and all, is the president of Fencing South and on the board of Fencing New Zealand.

Vanda is a founding member of the Dunedin Crime Writers Association, whose raison d’etre is for its members to drink beer or wine and talk crime writing at their favourite pub.

Vanda is thrilled to have been shortlisted for a CWA New Blood Dagger award for her novel, Overkill. A CWA New Blood Dagger is an annual award given by the British Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) for first books by previously unpublished writers.

Vanda Symon

four stars - Blog Tour: Containment (Sam Shepherd #3) by Vanda Symon