Series Review - The Long Call and The Heron's Cry

In this blog post, I will be reviewing both The Long Call and The Heron's Cry, books one and two in the Two Rivers series.

Title:  The Long Call

Author:  Ann Cleeves

Publisher:  Minotaur Books

Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers

Format:  Print and Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   376

Date of Publication:   September 3, 2019

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

For the first time in 20 years, Ann Cleeves --international bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows-- embarks on a gripping new series.

In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father’s funeral takes place. Once loved and cherished, the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.

Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

The case calls Matthew back into the community he thought he had left behind, as deadly secrets hidden at its heart are revealed, and his past and present collide.

An astonishing new novel told with compassion and searing insight, The Long Call will captivate fans of Vera and Shetland, as well as new readers.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Bestselling author Ann Cleeves introduces DI Matthew Venn in a new series. Matthew returns to North Devon to attend his father's funeral, a place he would rather not have gone back to. When he receives a phone call from a dead body on the beach, he immediately shifts his attention to the case, focusing on the calling card the killer left. Will Matthew stay in North Devon and work on solving the case, or will he go back home, a place that he does not have so much baggage?

Matthew is a complex character, and I am glad that I read this book before reading book two, The Heron's Cry. Matthew has a lot going against him, and as a result of his strict religious past, is a man wrought with anger and sadness. After leaving the church, he became estranged from his parents. Even when attending the funeral, Matthew kept his distance.

Matthew's personal and professional life begin to clash in this story. His focus is on the murder, interviewing many possible subjects. At some point, Matthew does begin to wonder if perhaps his husband Jonathan could be involved. If so, that would be utterly devastating for Matthew. This engaging read proved to be an excellent start to a new series. After reading this I read the next book immediately after, as I was quite drawn to Matthew, the case he was working on, all while hoping his life wouldn't be so overwhelming. 

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

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Title:  The Heron's Cry

Author:  Ann Cleeves

Publisher:  Minotaur Books

Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers

Format:  Print and Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   400

Date of Publication:   September 7, 2021

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Ann Cleeves--New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows--returns with the extraordinary follow-up to The Long Call, in the Two Rivers series, soon to be a major TV series too.

North Devon is enjoying a rare hot summer with tourists flocking to its coastline. Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a rural crime scene at the home of a group of artists. What he finds is an elaborately staged murder--Dr Nigel Yeo has been fatally stabbed with a shard of one of his glassblower daughter's broken vases.

Dr Yeo seems an unlikely murder victim. He's a good man, a public servant, beloved by his daughter. Matthew is unnerved, though, to find that she is a close friend of Jonathan, his husband.

Then another body is found--killed in a similar way. Matthew soon finds himself treading carefully through the lies that fester at the heart of his community and a case that is dangerously close to home.

DI Matthew Venn returns in The Heron's Cry, in Ann Cleeves powerful next novel, proving once again that she is a master of her craft. 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Having just read The Long Call, I have become familiar with DI Matthew Venn, and this includes his difficult and painful past, his marriage to Jonathan, and his dedication to his job. In this entry in the riveting Two Rivers series, Matthew is investigating the aopparant murder of Dr. Nigel Yeo. Dr. Yeo was a man who seemingly led a good and quiet life, making Matthew wonder why Dr. Yeo was murdered and who he crossed paths with. 

Just as in the previous story where the case Matthew had came rather close to home, things are much the same in this book. The victim's daughter is a rather close friend to Matthew's husband Jonathan. When a second body is found, with the exact MO, Matthew turns over every stone before there is a third victim. 

I found both of the books in this series to be very well-written, character driven stories. 

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ann is the author of the books behind ITV's VERA, now in it's third series, and the BBC's SHETLAND, which will be aired in December 2012. Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth. Ann's Shetland series bring us DI Jimmy Perez, investigating in the mysterious, dark, and beautiful Shetland Islands...

Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.

Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200 

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BLOG TOUR - Last Girls Alive

DESCRIPTION:

Half-buried in the muddy earth and surrounded by puddles of water lies the naked body of a beautiful young girl. Her pale skin looks like porcelain in the early morning light. Her fragile arms bent and crooked like a broken doll.

When Detective Katie Scott is called to the discovery of a young girl buried on the grounds of a former children’s home in Pine Valley, California, she’s hopeful it’s the end to a devastating cold case she’s been working on. No one has seen Candace Harlan since she ran away from Elm Hill Manor five years ago. Her death will be a tragedy, but it will also bring peace to those who miss her most. But the girl in the ground is not Candace.

The victim is almost identical to Candace in every way, but fear grips Katie as she takes in the black ink that decorates the girl’s back—a terrifying message tattooed on her skin after she drew her last breath.

Forcing down traumatic memories of losing her own parents, Katie is certain someone mistook this poor soul for Candace, and that this crumbling home for lost girls is at the heart of this terrible crime. She sets to work digging into the tragic history of the owners who lost so many children of their own and tracking down the last six residents and the staff who cared for them—but no one wants to talk, let alone remember.

The next day, as second girl’s body is found down by the creek at high water, the same words etched into her skin. Katie’s worst fear is confirmed: someone is picking off the last of the Elm Hill girls one by one. But what does the tattoo mean? And what monster would target these innocent girls who have already been through so much?

Katie must dig deep to confront her own fears and protect the vulnerable—but as the body count rises further, will there be anyone left to save?

An absolutely gripping, dark, and totally unputdownable serial killer thriller that will keep you racing through the pages all night long. Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh will read in one sitting!  

BUY LINKS:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/36fgQok
Apple: https://apple.co/2W0Vhly
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3gHgkS1
Google: https://bit.ly/2Ck152u  

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   Last Girls Alive

Author:  Jennifer Chase

Publisher:  Bookouture

Series:  Detective Katie Scott #4

Genre:   Mystery Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   364

Date of Publication:   October 7, 2020

My Rating:   4 Stars

Detective Katie Scott has her hands full when she begins an investigation after the body of a young girl is found. Along with being the niece of the sheriff and involved in a relationship, as well as dealing with the effects of serving tours in Afghanistan, Katie is juggling a lot of balls. Fighting off anxiety attacks with everything on her plate, while hoping to catch an elusive killer before another body is found hardly leaves Katie any time to even sleep.

Clues are difficult to follow, but things point back to a time when there was a home for wayward teen girls. What happened when those girls were in residence and how does that play into the murders happening now? Katie and partner Deputy McGaven are working feverishly to turn over any clues and interview any potential suspects all while looking for any of the other girls who were once at the home.

The killer is leaving a very specific clue. Katie and McGaven are certain that this clue is the answer to everything. Whether or not they find answers before another life is taken proves to be quite the challenge. All the while Katie is fighting her own battles and must struggle past this in order to give her all to the case at hand.

What a thrilling book and an excellent addition to this series. All while the story is focused on Katie and her investigation, the killer's point of view is peppered within certain chapters, thus pushing a chilling agenda forward while eliminating those poor girls. I felt for Katie throughout while she searched for the killer and felt her pain and the effects of PTSD. Often accompanied by her war dog Cisco, who was a strong emotional support to Katie as well as the love of firefighter boyfriend Chad offered a bit of levity to the difficult and sad story of the lives of girls being lost. 

I am a fan of police procedurals so I loved the investigative process as well as the personal moments this book offered. Suspense and danger play hand in hand in this exciting book. I love this series and am truly looking forward to the  next book in the series.  

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.

In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

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SERIES REVIEW - Detective Katie Scott

In this blog post, I will be reviewing the first three books in the Detective Katie Scott series by Jennifer Chase. The fourth book, Last Girls Alive, will be released in October.

Title:   Little Girls Sleeping

Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Mystery Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   316

Date of Publication:   May 31, 2019

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

He looked down at the little girl, sleeping peacefully, her arms wrapped around a teddy bear. He knew he was the only one who could save her. He could let her sleep forever.

An eight-year-old girl, Chelsea Compton, is missing in Pine Valley, California and for Detective Katie Scott it’s a cruel reminder of the friend who disappeared from summer camp twenty years ago. Unable to shake the memories, Katie vows she won’t rest until she discovers what happened to Chelsea.

But as Katie starts to investigate, the case reveals itself to be much bigger and more shocking than she feared. Hidden deep in the forest she unearths a makeshift cemetery: a row of graves, each with a brightly coloured teddy bear.

Katie links the graves to a stack of missing-persons cases involving young girls—finding a pattern no one else has managed to see. Someone in Pine Valley has been taking the town’s daughters for years, and Katie is the only one who can stop them.

And then another little girl goes missing, snatched from the park near her home.

Katie’s still haunted by the friend she failed to protect, and she’ll do anything to stop the killer striking again—but can she find the little girl before it’s too late? 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

The killer poses the bodies. Little girls, arms wrapped around teddy bears, appearing to sleep peacefully. When eight-year-old Chelsea Compton is discovered missing in Pine Valley, California, Detective Katie Scott is disturbingly reminded of her friend that had gone missing at summer camp two decades before. So, Katie takes Chelsea's case quite personally.

Sadly, and rather triggering, Katie soon discovers that Chelsea is not the only girl gone missing for quite some time. As a matter of fact, the cold cases of several missing girls keeps piling up. Katie is determined to find a pattern, a way to link all of the disappearances together. She truly hopes that the graves she has discovered, with the posed bodies of small children, that Chelsea will not be among them.

Before Katie can even find Chelsea, another girl has gone missing, thus raising the bar and intensifying Katie's search. Meanwhile, the constant reminders of her friend all those years ago is constantly plaguing her.

Wow! What a way to start a new series! The tension begins right from the very start, delivered in a very fast pace, even with the mix of past and present. Any time I start a new series, I look for a way to connect with the primary protagonist. That was easy to do in this book because Katie's feelings were palpable, making me think and worry just as she was doing.

This thrilling book kept me on my toes from beginning to end. I was eager to move right on to the second book in the series, Her Last Whisper.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Title:   Her Last Whisper
Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Mystery Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   330

Date of Publication:   October 21, 2019

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Katie focuses her mind, trying to keep another anxiety attack at bay. The victim’s long brown hair is slick and wet, her body rigid in the grass. She looks more like a mannequin than the woman Katie had spoken with only yesterday, the woman she had promised to protect…

When a cold, naked body is discovered by a couple on a jog through the lush woodlands of Pine Valley, California, new recruit Detective Katie Scott is stunned to discover the victim is Amanda Payton – a much-loved local nurse and the woman at the heart of an unsolved case she’s been investigating whilst getting a grip on her crippling PTSD.

Weeks earlier, Amanda had run, battered and bruised, out into the headlights of a passing patrol car. She claimed to have just escaped a kidnapping, but with no strong evidence, the case went cold. The Pine Valley police made a fatal mistake…

Katie is certain the marks on Amanda’s wrists complete a pattern of women being taken, held captive and then showing up dead in remote locations around Pine Valley – and she won’t let someone die on her watch again.

But then a beautiful office worker with a link to the hospital where Amanda worked goes missing. With only days before the next body is due to show up, can Katie make amends for her past by saving this innocent life?

Totally gripping crime fiction for fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh. Nothing will prepare you for this nail-biting roller-coaster ride…

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Readers got to meet Detective Katie Scott in the first book of the series, Little Girls Sleeping. Katie dealt with a difficult case previously as it reminded her of when her friend had gone missing years before. So, she suffers from anxiety attacks, and with her current case, things get more difficult for her. Coping with PTSD is hard on anyone, with her being still rather new in her job Katie definitely has her challenges.

Her newest case is that of a woman found by joggers. Katie recognizes the woman to be a local nurse named Amanda Payton. Previously, Amanda went to the police, bruised and battered, saying she had escaped a kidnapper. The police did not have enough evidence so things were left unresolved. Tragically, soon Katie and her fellow officers are shocked to discover that it is Amanda's body that has been found. When another woman goes missing, connected to the same hospital that Amanda worked at, Katie realizes that the clock is ticking before yet another body is discovered.

I already fell in love with Katie in the first book, but even more so no. I deal with some emotional issues, including PTSD, so I was easily able to relate to Katie. However, because of her job, her handle on the triggers relating to that had to be handled, all while she kept putting one foot in front of the other. I also got to really got to see Katie's relationship with her K9 partner Cisco grow. As I always enjoy this type of partnership in books, this was an extra bonus. Also, she is again partnered with Deputy McGaven and they make a good team.

Her Last Whisper is an excellent sophomore novel to a series that I am thoroughly enjoying. It is well-written, with compelling characters, an excellent plot, some nice twists and turns and a riveting conclusion.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

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Title:   Flowers On Her Grave

Publisher:  Bookouture

Genre:   Mystery Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   328

Date of Publication:   March 24, 2020
My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

On the floor, amongst the piles of freshly pressed laundry, lay the woman’s lifeless body, her pale yellow nightdress soaked in blood. “I didn’t do it…” came a whisper from the corner of the room.

Detective Katie Scott has never seen two people more in love than her aunt and uncle as they danced together on the night of their wedding anniversary party. But the next morning, when Katie finds her aunt’s body sprawled across the floor, that perfect image is shattered forever.

All fingers point to Katie’s uncle, Pine Valley’s beloved sheriff and protector – after all, his prints are all over the antique knife found at the scene. Grieving, but certain of her uncle’s innocence, Katie is consigned to the cold case division after she’s discovered searching the house for clues.

Does someone want to keep her as far away from this investigation as possible?

Ignoring warnings from her team, Katie digs into her uncle’s old case files and discovers photographs of the body of a young girl found tied to a tree after a hike in search of a rare flower. Her body is covered with the same unusual lacerations her aunt suffered. Katie knows it can’t be a coincidence, but every lead she follows takes her to a dead end.

Moments before the sheriff is arrested, Katie realizes that a single piece of thread she found at the crime scene could be the missing link that will stitch old crimes to new.

But how can she prove her uncle’s innocence without throwing herself directly into the line of fire? She doesn’t have a choice, he’s the only family she has left… 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Admittedly, I am writing this review six months after I read the book, as I was dreadfully behind in writing. However, I cannot forget a single aspect of this book, including the traumatic response Detective Katie Scott has when she discovers that her aunt has been brutally murdered. Her uncle is the town's sheriff and as the next of kin is usually the primary suspect, Katie is forced to look at her uncle. However, because they are related, Katie is transferred to the cold case division.

Is it because they are related, or could there be another reason that Katie is being pulled away from the case? Stubbornly, Katie begins to dig and dig, and the more she gets into her uncle's files, the more concerned she gets. Actually, she finds evidence of a case years ago that seems like it just might be a connection as to what happened to her aunt. Will Katie successfully prove her uncle's innocence? Or will he be arrested for the brutal murder.

This fast-paced story kept me guessing and more than riveted, page after page. Because I had read the first two books in the series, I was more than familiar with Katie's aunt and uncle, as well as how close she was to the both of them. I am one who is devoted to reading series from the beginning, and when the fourth book, Last Girls Alive, came up for review this upcoming October, I went ahead and read these first three books, including Little Girls Sleeping and Her Last Whisper.

Jennifer Chase is doing a fabulous job at making Katie someone that is very easy to relate to. I also love the supporting characters in each book. With excellent writing and engrossing storylines, I am more than eager to continue this thrilling series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning author and consulting criminologist. She has authored eight crime fiction novels, including the multiple award-winning Emily Stone thriller series along with a screenwriting workbook.


Jennifer holds a Bachelor degree in police forensics and a Master's degree in criminology. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

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Review - Judgment in Death

Title:  Judgment in Death
Author:  J.D. Robb

Series:  In Death #11

Genre:  Detective Fiction

Publisher:  Berkley Publishing Group

Format:  Audible

Date of Publication:  September 1, 200
No. of pages:  356

My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

'She stood in Purgatory and studied death. The blood and the gore of it, the ferocity of its glee. It had come to this place with the wilful temper of a child, full of heat and passion and careless brutality.'

In an uptown strip joint a cop is found bludgeoned to death. The weapon's a baseball bat. The motive is a mystery. It's a case of serious overkill that pushes Eve Dallas straight into overdrive. Her investigation uncovers a private club that's more than a hot spot. Purgatory's a last chance for atonement where everyone is judged. Where your ultimate fate depends on your most intimate sins. And where one cop's hidden secrets are about to plunge innocent souls into vice-ridden damnation... 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

When another cop is murdered, it really gets to detective Eve Dallas. Add to the fact that the murder was utterly brutal makes Eve work even harder. Eve's intense investigation leads her to a private club called Purgatory. Truly, no one wants membership in this club! Everyone is judged based on their actions and after such, receive a horrendous punishment.

As always in this story, Eve's husband Roarke plays a big role in this current case. Not only is Roarke involved, but Eve's friend Mavis even steps in to help Eve. The drama and intrigue was intense in this story, as in all of the previous ones I have enjoyed reading. There is no shortage of murders, so Eve really steps up to the game, as always.

My TBR has been threatening to riot, so unfortunately I missed my monthly read on the In Death series in October. I am looking forward to getting my hands on the next book in the series, Betrayal in Death, as soon as I can.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nora Roberts was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, the youngest of five children. After a school career that included some time in Catholic school and the discipline of nuns, she married young and settled in Keedysville, Maryland.

She worked briefly as a legal secretary. “I could type fast but couldn’t spell, I was the worst legal secretary ever,” she says now. After her sons were born she stayed home and tried every craft that came along. A blizzard in February 1979 forced her hand to try another creative outlet. She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate.

Born into a family of readers, Nora had never known a time that she wasn’t reading or making up stories. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981.

Nora met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, when she hired him to build bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Since that time, they’ve expanded their home, traveled the world and opened a bookstore together

Through the years, Nora has always been surrounded by men. Not only was she the youngest in her family, but she was also the only girl. She has raised two sons. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming.

Nora is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.”

Review - Tell Nobody

Title:  Tell Nobody
Author:  Patricia Gigney
Series:  D.I. Lottie Parker #5

Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers

Publisher:   Bookouture

Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  458

Date of Publication:  October 3, 2018

My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

A killer close to home. A town full of secrets… 

One hot summer evening, eleven-year-old Mikey Driscoll is on the way home from playing with friends. Two days later, his broken body is discovered on a bed of wild flowers by some local teenagers. 

The case is assigned to Detective Lottie Parker and this time it’s personal. A close friend of her son Sean, Mikey was from the run-down Munbally estate on the other side of town. Sean tells his mother that Mikey was behaving normally before he died but Lottie can’t help but feel that her son is keeping something from her … 

Then days later, another boy is found dead, surrounded by wild flowers next to a beautiful lake. 

On the hunt for a twisted individual with a terrifying calling card, Lottie must uncover the web of secrets within Mikey’s circle of friends. Someone is keeping secrets but who are they protecting and can Lottie find out before it’s too late? Lottie is desperate to catch the killer before he strikes again because this time her own child could be in terrible danger… 

If you love Karin Slaughter, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Abbott, you’ll love the latest heart-stopping thriller from Patricia Gibney. Tell Nobody will keep you guessing until the very last page. 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

This book by Patricia Gibney was a difficult read as there is are murder victims, and sadly, they are children. The first child found in D.I. Lottie Parker's newest case was eleven-year-old Mikey Driscoll. After a soccer match and a treat at McDonald's, Mikey never made it home.

Sadly, his broken body was discovered. Young Mikey was a friend of Lottie's son Sean. Shortly after, fifteen-year-old Sean, and his friend Barry, were drinking and fishing, The boys tragically discover the body of a baby. Was it a coincidence that a teen girl stumbled into the police station claiming "I think I killed him"?  As if Lottie and her team do not already have their hands full, yet another body of a child is found.

While Lottie is searching for the teen, who after being sent to the hospital, managed to disappear, she finds a powerful connection to the two dead boys. At the top of each boy's head was a wreath of flowers. So, Lottie begins her investigation with the parents of the children, their friends, and even her son, Sean.

Clues are hard to come by, as there are a lot of secrets and several suspects. Will Lottie be able to act quickly enough before another child is found? And, of course, she is worried about her son Sean. What a thrilling story! As mentioned above, this was difficult, but it was in no way gruesome. Only the facts were revealed and the focus of the story was on the investigation.

Occasionally, in the pages of this book, readers catch a glimpse of the killer's perspective. Even so, the twists and turns were numerous and in no way was I able to figure out the identity of the killer. Tell Nobody is the fifth book in the series. I just came into the series, but was able to easily follow the story. There was a backstory of Lottie and her family, and how they came to live with her mother. In this story, Lottie grew close to one of her detectives, Boyd. I do wish I had read the earlier stories so I could have seen how they worked together prior to this book.

The previous titles in the Detective Lottie Parker series are, The Missing Ones, The Stolen Girls, The Lost Child and No Safe Place. The next book in the series is Final Betrayal, which has already been released.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

My name is Patricia Gibney and I’m from Mullingar, County Westmeath. Right in the heart of Ireland. Surrounded by lakes, Mullingar is damp and wet most of the year but when the sun shines it is a little piece of heaven on earth. I’ve lived here all my life. I’m widowed, seven years in May, but was married to Aidan since 1982. I’ve three children who keep me sane, or maybe keep the madness at bay, just a little bit! I say that because I am an artist and a writer. I started writing, for therapy, when Aidan died. I self-published a children’s picture book, called Spring Sprong Sally.

I secured an agent in January 2016 and she is fighting my corner in an effort to get my debut novel published.

A few years ago, I decided to get serious about it. I joined The Irish Writers Centre. Started doing courses. I love reading crime thrillers so it was obvious to me to start writing in the crime genre. And let me tell you, it is not easy. A crime novel needs to be tightly plotted and plotting is the bane of my life. I prefer to write straight off the top of my head. Oh, Oh. Feels good when writing but then comes the editing.  I lost 20,000 words in the process. But at least I am proud to say I got it done.

My debut Novel, The Missing Ones was published on March 16th 2017 followed by The Stolen Girls on July 6th 2017 and The Lost Child on October 28th 2017.

The Missing Ones has been a bestseller in the UK, US, Canada and Australia. And it has sold over half a million copies worldwide.

I am now writing the fourth novel in the series, featuring Lottie Parker and a host of credible characters. They are all part of my extended family, you know the kind – people you love one minute and want to kill the next!

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BLOG TOUR - The Dare

Today is my day for the Blog Tour for The Dare by Carol Wyer.

DESCRIPTION:

Jane’s daughter is a good girl. What is she hiding? 

When thirteen-year-old Savannah Hopkins doesn’t come straight home from school, as she always does, her mother Jane immediately raises the alarm. 

Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward whose daughter Leigh is the same age as Savannah. Soon Natalie’s worst fears are confirmed when the teenager’s broken body is found in nearby shrubland. 

Evidence points towards a local recluse, but just as the net is closing around him, one of Savannah’s friends, Harriet, is reported missing. 

As Natalie delves into the lives of both girls, she soon discovers a sinister video on their phones, daring the girls to disappear from their families for 48 hours. 

But Natalie isn’t quick enough for this killer, and she is devastated to find Harriet’s body on a fly tip a day later. 

Caught up in the case, she takes her eye off her own daughter and when Leigh goes missing after school she knows she must be in terrible danger. The clock is ticking for Natalie. Can she catch this killer before her little girl becomes the next victim? 

This gripping rollercoaster of a read will have you up in the small hours turning the pages. Fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Caine and Robert Dugoni will love The Dare. 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   The Dare

Author:  Carol Wyer
Series:  Detective Natalie Ward #3

Genre:  Mystery/Thrillers

Publisher:   Bookouture

Format:  Kindle ARC

Date of Publication:  April 25, 2019
My Rating:  5 Stars

One afternoon, Jane Hopkin's daughter Savannah didn't come home from school. Jane takes immediate action, including phoning her friends. Sadly Savannah's body is discovered. The missing teen becomes DI Natalie Ward's case. This is especially hard for Natalie. For starters, she has a daughter, Leigh, the exact age, so that alone makes the case difficult. Also, Natalie has had other arduous cases involving the death of children. Also, Natalie's marriage is quite strained, so that doesn't help things considering the time and attention she must place on this case.

Natalie begins her investigation and questions several potential suspects, to the point when she is fairly certain that one particular person could be responsible. However, in just a day, another teen girl goes missing. Did they know one another? Are their cases connected? To make matters worse, the unimaginable happens in Natalie's own family.  

The story is mostly told by Natalie's point of view. However, there is another view in the story, that of the killer, and of their plans to harm other girls. And, after the second girl disappears, a very brief, but horrifying video is discovered. This alerts Natalie and her team to a morbid website referring to the Disappear Dare. This is a very dangerous social media challenge where a teen agrees to go off grid for a short time. Could Savannah and the other missing girl, Harriet, have been playing that game?

The Dare is the third compelling story in the DI Natalie Ward series. It is quite a remarkable read, affecting on many levels. I have read most of Carol Wyer's books and each time I pick one up I find them to be utterly thrilling. I read this exceptional book in one sitting. I simply could not put it down. I was hanging on the edge of my seat as this book reached a crescendo. I definitely cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carol Wyer is an award-winning author and stand up comedian who writes feel-good comedies and gripping thrillers.

Her book, GRUMPY OLD MENOPAUSE won The People's Book Prize Award for non-fiction 2015.

Carol moved to the ‘dark side’ in 2017 with as series of thrillers. LITTLE GIRL LOST became the #2 best-selling book on Amazon, #9 best-selling audiobook on Audible and a Top 150 USA Today best-seller.

The DI Robyn Carter and DI Natalie Ward series have sold over half a million copies, earning her acclaim as a crime writer.

Carol has been interviewed on numerous radio shows discussing ''Irritable Male Syndrome' and 'Ageing Disgracefully' and on BBC Breakfast television. She has had articles published in national magazines 'Woman's Weekly' featured in 'Take A Break', 'Choice', 'Yours' and 'Woman's Own' magazines and the Huffington Post.

To learn more about Carol, go to www.carolwyer.co.uk or follow Carol on Twitter: @carolewyer.

Carol also blogs at www.carolwyer.com.