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The Santa Killer (DI Barton #6) by Ross Greenwood
The Santa Killer is a complex case fraught with angst. A blistering piece of crime fiction. I love police procedurals, crime novels, and books with an air of mystery. The only thing that takes that fascination to the next level is stories with a propulsive background story. It’s all very well and good to have a killer storyline, but it needs to be believable. There needs to have a tinge of realism at its core. Otherwise, it doesn’t work. The Santa Killer does that impeccably. It features real-life characters flawed by real-world problems. It doesn’t follow the typical trajectory but instead follows its own path, abides by its rules, and…
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The Nanny by Ruth Heald – REVIEW
The Nanny is an immersive page-turner. It’s provocative and shocking and hurtles along at breakneck speed. The past forges the present; that’s a fact that’s well known. How long can we keep running before it catches up with us? We can lace up those Nikes and get a head start, but the funny thing about our past is that it’ll always know where we are, where we reside; its GPS is continually trained on you. Some people are lucky in the knowledge that their past harbours no secrets, no skeletons in the closet – but for some, as is the case of the protagonist, Hayley, her past is something she’s…
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The Night Watch (DS Max Craigie #3) by Neil Lancaster
The Night Watch is a killer concept, an unflinching look at generational trauma and the mind’s reaction. Suffused with menace…it’s bloody brilliant. To follow a series with a sense of abandonment there have to be certain elements that scream to them. The X factor – something that keeps them coming back for more, the DS Max Craigie series is no exception. Travelling the pages is like walking a tightrope, danger threatens to knock the characters askew. There are so many elements that just make this series work – flawed characters. The realism of human nature. Betrayal. Raw storytelling. Neil Lancaster’s storytelling is like no one else. The police procedural should…
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The Beach Party by Amy Sheppard – REVIEW
I have a soft spot for cold cases; I will inhale all the true crime podcasts, books, and documentaries that I can find. They tend to throw up all manners of dead ends, webs of deceit, and secrets lurking around every corner. That’s why The Beach Party caught my eye. With an enticing cover and a dark premise, it promises a story to keep you guessing. It promises to have the reader so engrossed that the ticking of the clock is the only sound you can hear in the background. A girl was found murdered on the beach, and no one was ever charged for it, but it’s being re-examined…
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One Night With the Duke by Jodi Ellen Malpas – REVIEW
One Night with the Duke dazzled with a wholly modern heroine with intensity and wit. Jodie Ellen Malpas proves once again why she has her finger on the pulse of engaging romance stories – she is a genre-busting Cameleon. It’s been so long since I read a book by Jodi Ellen Malpas. The last being the This Man series. Now…don’t come for me but I daren’t read her other series’ mainly because I didn’t think anything could surpass the perfection of Jesse Ward. I will change that after reading her new release, One Night with the Duke. Now, this isn’t generally my preferred genre of romance, I haven’t read any…
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The Black Dog by Kevin Bridges – REVIEW
The Black Dog is full of social commentary with Bridge’s comedic wit shining through every page. Darkly funny but brimming with life. The Black Dog is written by an author that is known more for his comedy than his novel writing but that’s all likely to change – he’s added another string to his bow in a stunning debut by Glasgow’s household name, Kevin Bridges. Instantly you are transported into the streets of Glasgow, with authentic dialogue, a strong connection to the working-class plight, and a story that is full of grit and character. It’s a strong offering and the story gave me vibes of Gregory’s Girl – a coming-of-age…
