Category: Crime & Detective

Book Review

Nothing to Lose by Victoria Selman [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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BOOK INFO

Title: Nothing to Lose

Author: Victoria Selman

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publish Date: March 26, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Ziba MacKenzie #2

My Rating: 4/5

Nothing to Lose by Victoria Selman

BOOK BLURB

He’s looking for his next victim. She looks just like his last.

Primrose Hill, London. Offender Profiler Ziba MacKenzie arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder with a disturbing sense of déjà vu. Nine days earlier, another woman’s body was found: same location, same MO, same physical appearance. For the police, it’s clear a new serial killer is on the loose. But for Ziba, it’s even more sinister—because the victims look just like her.

Ziba has been the focus of a killer’s interest before, and knows that if she gets too close again this case could be her last. Still, she’s not one to play by the rules—especially when her secret investigation into her husband’s murder begins to attract unwanted attention.

With someone watching her every step, can Ziba uncover what connects the two victims before she becomes one herself?

Nothing to Lose by Victoria Selman

MY REVIEW

Nothing to Lose is the second book in the Ziba MacKenzie series by Victoria Selman. Ziba is a profiler who works on gruesome murder cases. Her latest case involves the murder of two women who bear a striking resemblance to Ziba, making her a potential target. In addition to this case, Ziba is secretly investigating her husband’s murder, which was never solved.

The first book in this series is Blood for Blood. In the first book, Ziba wasn’t all that interesting to me, but I enjoyed her character more in this book. Maybe I was more in the mood for this type of read, or maybe this one is just a better book. Could go either way. Anyway, I recommend reading Blood for Blood first, but Nothing To Lose can be read as a standalone.

This story is told over a series of days as Ziba works to discover who is behind two gruesome murders. To complicate matters, Ziba seems to be a target herself, adding an extra layer of suspense. While the women’s murders presents an interesting and twisty case, I also enjoyed Ziba’s investigation into her husband’s death.

A highly entertaining read for fans of crime fiction. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and exciting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Ziba MacKenzie series:

  1. Blood for Blood
  2. Nothing to Lose
  3. Snakes and Ladders
Book Review

Blood for Blood by Victoria Selman [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Blood for Blood

Author: Victoria Selman

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publish Date: February 1, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Ziba MacKenzie #1

My Rating: 4/5

Blood for Blood by Victoria Selman

BOOK BLURB

Ziba Mackenzie profiles killers. Now one is profiling her.

Rush hour, London. A packed commuter train is torn apart in a collision. Picking through the carnage, ex-special forces profiler Ziba MacKenzie helps a dying woman who passes on a cryptic message: He did it. You have to tell someone.

When a corpse is found bearing the gruesome signature of a serial killer dormant for twenty-five years, Ziba is pulled into the hunt for the perpetrator. As the body count rises it becomes clear he’s on a new spree. But what’s brought the London Lacerator back after such a long hiatus? And does his sudden return have anything to do with the woman on the train?

Ziba scrambles to profile the killer in the hope of predicting his next move. But time is running out. And the closer she gets to uncovering his identity, the closer he gets to destroying hers.

Blood for Blood by Victoria Selman

MY REVIEW

Blood for Blood is the first book in a new crime series by debut author Victoria Selman. Ziba MacKenzie is a profiler, and her latest case involves a serial killer who is back after a long hiatus.

A fast-paced crime mystery with a strong female lead. I usually enjoy books with strong female protagonists, but Ziba was kind of annoying. She seemed a bit of a know-it-all, and the weird phrases she uses threw me off. Additionally, I would have liked more backstory about Ziba. I’m guessing that as the series continues, more about Ziba will be revealed.

The mystery was interesting though. The story switched between two points of view – Ziba and the killer. The writing was solid and there were enough twists to keep it interesting.

I enjoy fast-paced mysteries and thrillers, so I’ll probably continue with this series. Hopefully, I start to like Ziba more.

Books in the Ziba MacKenzie series:

  1. Blood for Blood
  2. Nothing to Lose
  3. Snakes and Ladders
Book Review

The Killer Collective by Barry Eisler [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Killer Collective

Author: Barry Eisler

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publish Date: February 1, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: John Rain #10, Livia Lone #2.5, Ben Treven #4

My Rating: 4/5

The Killer Collective by Barry Eisler

BOOK BLURB

When a joint FBI–Seattle Police investigation of an international child pornography ring gets too close to certain powerful people, sex-crimes detective Livia Lone becomes the target of a hit that barely goes awry—a hit that had been offered to John Rain, a retired specialist in “natural causes.”

Suspecting the FBI itself was behind the attack, Livia reaches out to former Marine sniper Dox. Together, they assemble an ad hoc group to identify and neutralize the threat. There’s Rain. Rain’s estranged lover, Mossad agent and honeytrap specialist Delilah. And black ops soldiers Ben Treven and Daniel Larison, along with their former commander, SpecOps legend Colonel Scot “Hort” Horton.

Moving from Japan to Seattle to DC to Paris, the group fights a series of interlocking conspiracies, each edging closer and closer to the highest levels of the US government.

With uncertain loyalties, conflicting agendas, and smoldering romantic entanglements, these operators will have a hard time forming a team. But in a match as uneven as this one, a collective of killers might be even better.

The Killer Collective by Barry Eisler

MY REVIEW

John Rain is a hitman offered a job targeting three individuals. He turns down the job, but is swept up in the action when one of the targets, Livia Lone, survives the attempted hit. Not only is John involved, but so are various others with connections to Rain and Livia.

Told using alternating points of view, this novel has a lot of characters and multiple storylines. Even though there was a lot going on, it was easy to follow and everything was wrapped up by the end.

The Killer Collective is part of a series. Actually, it’s part of multiple series by Barry Eisler. I didn’t realize that when I picked it as my First Reads book this month, but, fortunately, it was easily read as a standalone. This is book 10 in the John Rain series, book 3 in the Livia Lone series, and book 4 in the Ben Treven series. John Rain is a “retired” hitman. Livia Lone is a sex crimes detective. Ben Treven is a black ops soldier. I’m sure readers of these series get more from the book than I did, since they would already be familiar with the backstories of the characters. Still, I found it to be a good, fast-paced read. I may look into the earlier books in these series.

This thriller involves multiple government agencies. From Seattle PD to the FBI to the Secret Service. A fast-paced thriller with sex crimes, black ops, and multiple bad guys. Intriguing, complex, and exciting.

Books in the John Rain series:
  1. A Clean Kill in Tokyo
  2. A Lonely Resurrection
  3. Winner Take All
  4. Redemption Games
  5. Extremis
  6. The Killer Ascendant
  7. The Detachment
  8. Graveyard of Memories
  9. Zero Sum
  10. The Killer Collective
  11. The Chaos Kind

Books in the Livia Lone series:

  1. Livia Lone
  2. The Night Trade
  3. The Killer Collective
  4. All the Devils
  5. The Chaos Kind

Books in the Ben Treven series:

  1. Fault Line
  2. Inside Out
  3. The Detachment
  4. The Killer Collective
Book Review

Death in Shangri-La by Yigal Zur [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Death in Shangri-La

Author: Yigal Zur

Publisher: Oceanview

Publish Date: August 7, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Dotan Naor Thriller #1

My Rating: 3/5

Death in Shangri-La by Yigal Zur

BOOK BLURB

Ex-Israeli operative turned private investigator, Dotan Naor—to settle a bet—agrees to locate the missing son of former acquaintance, now ruthless Israeli arms merchant, Willy Mizrachi. Willy, who does not hesitate to sell killing machines to the most heinous players in the world, is desperate to find his only son, Itiel, who has headed to an ashram in the Himalayas.

The Himalayas are also host to groups of young Israelis who have completed their mandatory military service—a sort of rite of passage. Now, those innocent kids are being hunted down by violent terrorists.

India and the disputed Kashmir region between India and Pakistan is familiar territory to Dotan, as he searches for Itiel and for the source of these heinous attacks on Israeli youth.

Unwilling to leave this quest in the hands of Dotan, Willy also travels to India, where he is murdered in Delhi, triggering international repercussions capable of ripping the world apart at one of its most dangerous flashpoints.

Nothing is as it seems in this region of the world. Betrayal reigns everywhere.

But love, in its purest form, does manage to shine through in this story of brutal international corruption.

Death in Shangri-La by Yigal Zur

MY REVIEW

Dotan Naor is a former Israeli agent turned private investigator. Willy, an arms dealer and an acquaintance of Dotan, is found dead in India. Dotan travels to India with an Israeli agent to investigate Willy’s death.

Death in Shangri-La is the first book in a new series. The main character, Dotan, is a bit of an unknown. He seems like a smart, spiritual, and dedicated individual, so it’ll be interesting to see where this series goes.

An action thriller with some mystery and romance. While the setting and plot were entertaining, I wasn’t a fan of the characters – they were not as well-developed as I would have liked. Still, a quick and entertaining read.

Books in the Dotan Naor Thriller series:
  1. Death in Shangri-La
  2. Passport to Death
Book Review

She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: She Lies in Wait

Author: Gytha Lodge

Publisher: Random House

Publish Date: January 8, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: DCI Jonah Sheens #1

My Rating: 3/5

She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge

BOOK BLURB

On a scorching July night in 1983, a group of teenagers goes camping in the forest. When they wake in the morning the youngest of their group, Aurora Jackson, has disappeared. An exhaustive investigation is launched, but no trace of the teenager is ever found.

Thirty years later, Aurora’s body is unearthed in a hideaway that only the six friends knew about, and Jonah Sheens is put in charge of solving the long-cold case. Back in 1983, as a young cop in their small town, he had known the teenagers—including Aurora—personally, even before taking part in the search. Now he’s determined to finally get to the truth of what happened that night. Sheens’s investigation brings the members of the camping party back to the forest, where they will be confronted once again with the events that left one of them dead and all of them profoundly changed forever.

This searing, psychologically captivating novel marks the arrival of a dazzling new talent, and the start of a new series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens.

She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge

MY REVIEW

A group of teens go camping, and one of them goes missing. Thirty years later, the missing girl’s remains are found. The investigation looks into what happened that night in the woods.

Told with alternating timelines – the night the teens gathered in the woods to camp and the investigation thirty years later. I enjoy the alternating timelines, especially when there is such a big difference in time. Aurora is the missing girl, and the past is told from her point of view. The present is from the investigation side. This worked well. It made it more intriguing to guess who of the teens were telling the truth and who was trying to hide something.

This is a straightforward police procedural. A girl goes missing, stays missing for years, then her body is discovered. The police investigate to find who killed her and why. I enjoy these types of books, but this one did fall a little flat. I didn’t really connect to the characters, so that held something back for me. It’s a good read though, and one I would recommend to fans of British crime fiction.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the DCI Jonah Sheens series:
  1. She Lies in Wait
  2. Watching from the Dark
  3. Lie Beside Me
  4. Little Sister
  5. A Killer in the Family
Book Review

Last Lullaby by Carol Wyer [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Last Lullaby

Author: Carol Wyer

Publisher: Bookouture

Publish Date: December 7, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Detective Natalie Ward #2

My Rating: 4/5

Last Lullaby by Carol Wyer

BOOK BLURB

Charlotte’s baby is safe. But is she?

When the body of young mother Charlotte Brannon is discovered by her husband in their immaculate, silver bedroom, Detective Natalie Ward is first on the scene. The killer has left a chilling calling card: the word ‘Why?’ written on the wall in blood.

Determined to find justice, Natalie quickly discovers the husband is hiding a troubled past, and she’s sure the teenage babysitter’s alibi doesn’t quite add up.

But before Natalie can dig deeper, another mother is murdered, her young son left distraught, staring at a fresh ‘who’ scrawled beside her.

Natalie knows it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again, but all the key suspects have alibis. It’s her toughest case yet, and with her marriage hanging by a thread, the cracks are beginning to show.

Just when Natalie finds an unsettling clue she thinks could solve the case, another young woman and her baby disappear, and a member of Natalie’s team is put in terrible danger.

Can Natalie stop this twisted killer and save one of her own before more families are torn apart forever?

Last Lullaby by Carol Wyer

MY REVIEW

A woman’s husband finds her dead body in their home. Detective Natalie Ward is on the scene, and soon begins questioning everyone in the murdered woman’s life. The woman, her husband, and everyone connected to them seems to be keeping secrets. When a second woman’s body is discovered, and connected to the first crime, the field of suspects starts to narrow. Meanwhile, Natalie’s home life with her husband and kids is deteriorating, especially as she spends more time working.

Last Lullaby is the second book in the Detective Natalie Ward series by Carol Wyer. I have read the first book in the series, The Birthday, but this one could be read as a standalone novel. The crime in this novel is completely separate from the crime in the first book, but there are continuing story arcs involving Natalie’s family and work life.

Well developed and intriguing characters. Dark and gripping story. The mystery is complex enough that it is not obvious who is behind the murder. I love when a story keeps me guessing. Overall, a great read for fans of crime thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Detective Natalie Ward series:
  1. The Birthday
  2. Last Lullaby
  3. The Dare
  4. The Sleepover
  5. The Blossom Twins
  6. The Secret Admirer
  7. Somebody’s Daughter
Book Review

A Bad, Bad Thing by Elena Forbes [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: A Bad, Bad Thing

Author: Elena Forbes

Publisher: Severn House Publishers

Publish Date: December 1, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Eve West #1

My Rating: 4/5

A Bad, Bad Thing by Elena Forbes

BOOK BLURB

After a police operation ends in catastrophe, DCI Eve West is suspended. She faces expulsion from the force, until John Duran – a violent criminal Eve incarcerated, still serving his sentence – offers to help clear her name. But nothing comes without a price.

Duran wants Eve to help free a fellow prisoner, who he claims has been wrongly convicted of murder. But as her investigationtakes a dark turn, Eve finds that more than just her job is at stake, and realises Duran is a dangerous man to trust . . .

A Bad, Bad Thing by Elena Forbes

MY REVIEW

Eve West is a police officer on suspension following a police operation gone wrong. While suspended, she is contacted by a criminal she once put away, who now wants her help in clearing fellow inmate Sean of his convicted crimes. Eve is skeptical, but decides to look into it because she is promised information that proves she was set up on her police assignment.

This story follows Eve, a suspended police officer, and Dan Cooper, an investigative journalist. Dan works with 4Justice and has been looking into the case of Sean Farrell, a man convicted of a crime who claims his innocence. Sean was convicted of murder, but the case had flaws and Dan believes it was mishandled. Eve joins Dan in looking into the past murder, and trying to find new information that could exonerate Sean. Both Eve and Dan follow leads and piece together the past crime. Eve has a personal stake in the case, since she is wanting to prove her own innocence, and believes she will get the proof she needs if she helps Sean.

An interesting story that had a lot going on. A Bad, Bad Thing does not hold back on graphic and disturbing crimes. While Eve and Dan investigate the old crime, new crimes are committed, including rape, torture, murder, and arson.

A Bad, Bad Thing is the first book in a new series about Eve West. I look forward to reading more about Eve. A good read for fans of British crime fiction. Clever, compelling, and complex.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Eve West series:
  1. A Bad, Bad Thing
Book Review

River Bodies by Karen Katchur [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: River Bodies

Author: Karen Katchur

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publish Date: November 1, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Northampton County #1

My Rating: 3/5

River Bodies by Karen Katchur

BOOK BLURB

In this dark, gripping mystery, a brutal murder unearths old secrets that should have stayed buried.

A body just turned up in the small town of Portland, Pennsylvania. The crime is eerily similar to a twenty-year-old cold case: another victim, brutally murdered, found in the Delaware River. Lead detective Parker Reed is intent on connecting the two murders, but the locals are on lockdown, revealing nothing.

The past meets the present when Becca Kingsley, who returns to Portland to be with her estranged but dying father, runs into Parker, her childhood love. As the daughter of the former police chief, Becca’s quickly drawn into the case. Coming home has brought something ominous to the surface—memories long buried, secrets best kept hidden. Becca starts questioning all her past relationships, including one with a man who’s watched over her for years. For the first time, she wonders if he’s more predator than protector.

In a small town where darkness hides in plain sight, the truth could change Becca’s life—or end it.

River Bodies by Karen Katchur

MY REVIEW

Becca returns to her hometown of Portland, Pennsylvania, to be with her dying father. Becca has been living just across the river in New Jersey, but hasn’t been back to Portland to visit her father or old friends for 10 years. Her arrival in town coincides with a murder that is very similar to an unsolved murder that occurred 20 years earlier in the same town. Becca’s old friend Parker, who is now a detective, works to uncover who is behind the deaths. Meanwhile, Becca confronts old secrets in her and her father’s pasts.

Different viewpoints are used to tell the story, but Becca is the main character, and most of the story revolves around her. Becca is in a relationship with a man she has doubts about, she is estranged from her father, and she misses her old best friend Parker.

Becca’s father is on his deathbed, but he was once the police chief in Portland. The law enforcement in town has a delicate relationship with the town biker gang, the Scions. When Becca’s father was police chief, his stepbrother was the leader of the Scions. The stepbrother is now deceased and there is a new police chief, but old loyalties still remain, though some secrets are difficult to contain.

River Bodies is a mystery because of the murders, but it’s also a story about relationships. The descriptions of the area, the people, and the lifestyles are very well done. The characters are not particularly likable, but they are real. While the story does not have a lot of action, the various relationships between the characters is gripping.

Books in the Northampton County series:
  1. River Bodies
  2. Cold Woods
  3. Spring Girls
Book Review

Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Sweet Little Lies

Author: Caz Frear

Publisher: Harper

Publish Date: August 14, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Cat Kinsella #1

My Rating: 4/5

Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear

BOOK BLURB

In this gripping debut procedural, a young London policewoman must probe dark secrets buried deep in her own family’s past to solve a murder and a long-ago disappearance.

Twenty-six-year-old Cat Kinsella overcame a troubled childhood to become a Detective Constable with the Metropolitan Police Force, but she’s never been able to banish these ghosts. When she’s called to the scene of a murder in Islington, not far from the pub her estranged father still runs, she discovers that Alice Lapaine, a young housewife who didn’t get out much, has been found strangled.

Cat and her team immediately suspect Alice’s husband, until she receives a mysterious phone call that links the victim to Maryanne Doyle, a teenage girl who went missing in Ireland eighteen years earlier. The call raises uneasy memories for Cat—her family met Maryanne while on holiday, right before she vanished. Though she was only a child, Cat knew that her charming but dissolute father wasn’t telling the truth when he denied knowing anything about Maryanne or her disappearance. Did her father do something to the teenage girl all those years ago? Could he have harmed Alice now? And how can you trust a liar even if he might be telling the truth?

Determined to close the two cases, Cat rushes headlong into the investigation, crossing ethical lines and trampling professional codes. But in looking into the past, she might not like what she finds. . . .

Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear

MY REVIEW

Cat Kinsella is a detective. Her latest case has a connection to her past, and brings back old memories. When Cat was a little girl, a teenager named Maryanne went missing. Cat and her family had recently met Maryanne, and Cat has always suspected her father knew something about Maryanne’s disappearance. Cat’s newest case has a connection to Maryanne, and Cat wants to finally uncover what happened to Maryanne.

Sweet Little Lies is a fantastic start to a new crime fiction series. At least, I hope it is going to be a series. Cat Kinsella is a detective, and has some great qualities found in female protagonists in this genre – smart, tough, and determined. Of course, Cat has some personal issues to overcome as well, making her a realistic and compelling character.

The mystery was intriguing, and has just the right amount of twistiness. Great for fans of British crime fiction. Slow-burning, dark, and clever.

Books in the Cat Kinsella series:
  1. Sweet Little Lies
  2. Stone Cold Heart
  3. Shed No Tears
Book Review

The Birthday by Carol Wyer [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Birthday

Author: Carol Wyer

Publisher: Bookouture

Publish Date: September 27, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Detective Natalie Ward #1

My Rating: 4/5

The Birthday by Carol Wyer

BOOK BLURB

One hot summer’s afternoon, five-year-old Ava Sawyer went to a party. She never came home…

Two years later, Ava’s body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party …

Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that still keeps her awake at night…

Natalie soon discovers that Ava’s mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she’s sure Ava’s father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she’s not telling Natalie …

Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn’t come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?

The Birthday by Carol Wyer

MY REVIEW

A five-year-old girl goes missing at a birthday party. There are no leads, until her body is discovered two years later. Shortly after the discovery, other girls who attended the same party go missing. A new detective is especially interested in solving this case, since her last missing child case did not end well.

The Birthday is the first book in a new crime fiction series. Detective Natalie Ward is lead investigator of the case. She’s a wife and mother dealing with her own family issues, but incredibly dedicated to her position as detective. Natalie is not perfect, but she is smart, tough, and determined. Great traits in a female protagonist. She clearly has more to her backstory, and, hopefully, that unfolds more as the series progresses.

An intriguing mystery that kept me guessing. This is the first book I have read by Carol Wyer, and I look forward to reading more in this series. Clever, gripping, and suspenseful.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Detective Natalie Ward series:
  1. The Birthday
  2. Last Lullaby
  3. The Dare
  4. The Sleepover
  5. The Blossom Twins
  6. The Secret Admirer
  7. Somebody’s Daughter
Book Review

Her Final Hour by Carla Kovach [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Her Final Hour

Author: Carla Kovach

Publisher: Bookouture

Publish Date: August 23, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Detective Gina Harte #2

My Rating: 3/5

Her Final Hour by Carla Kovach

BOOK BLURB

Melissa Sanderson is the perfect wife and mother. She dotes on her daughter, and lives in her dream home in a quiet cul-de-sac in the suburbs.

But looks can be deceiving.

Something is amiss in that house – all the neighbours think so. Some say Melissa is having an affair. Others say she’s been drinking too much.

Then one night, sirens wake up the whole neighbourhood.

Melissa Sanderson is dead.

AN ABSOLUTELY UNPUTDOWNABLE THRILLER WITH A BRILLIANT ENDING YOU WON’T SEE COMING – if you like Lisa Gardner, Robert Bryndza or Clare Mackintosh, Her Final Hour will keep you reading well into the night.

Her Final Hour by Carla Kovach

MY REVIEW

A woman is found murdered in her home. The woman was a wife and mother, and the murder scene doesn’t add up with the life the woman appeared to be living. Detective Gina Harte is assigned the case, and soon realizes there is more to the case than originally thought.

Her Final Hour is the second book in the Detective Gina Harte series by Carla Kovach. I have not read the first book in this series, but this one was easily read as a standalone.

This book opens with a prologue of a woman being sexually assaulted in 1993, then the current story starts with a woman’s murder in 2018. Her Final Hour is told with multiple viewpoints, so the reader is aware of not only Gina’s investigation, but also those involved with the crimes. This works fine for the story, and it’s nice to get points of views from both sides. There is an extensive cast of characters, and plenty happening to keep the reader engaged with the story.

Gina is smart and tough. She has a difficult past that involves a lot of abuse, so she relates to the victims of the crimes she investigates on a personal level. She’s also stronger for surviving her past and making something with her life.

A dark and twisty mystery. Good for fans of crime fiction, especially for those who enjoy books with strong female detectives.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Detective Gina Harte series:
  1. The Next Girl
  2. Her Final Hour
  3. Her Pretty Bones
  4. The Liar’s House
  5. Her Dark Heart
  6. Her Last Mistake
  7. Their Silent Graves
  8. The Broken Ones
  9. One Left Behind
  10. Her Dying Wish
  11. One Girl Missing
  12. Her Deadly Promise
  13. Their Cold Hearts
  14. Her Hidden Shadows
Book Review

Burning Ridge by Margaret Mizushima [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Burning Ridge

Author: Margaret Mizushima

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Publish Date: September 11, 2018

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #4

My Rating: 4/5

Burning Ridge by Margaret Mizushima

BOOK BLURB

On a rugged Colorado mountain ridge, Mattie Cobb and her police dog partner Robo make a grisly discovery—and become the targets of a ruthless killer.

Colorado’s Redstone Ridge is a place of extraordinary beauty, but this rugged mountain wilderness harbors a horrifying secret. When a charred body is discovered in a shallow grave on the ridge, officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo are called in to spearhead the investigation. But this is no ordinary crime—and it soon becomes clear that Mattie has a close personal connection to the dead man.

Joined by local veterinarian Cole Walker, the pair scours the mountaintop for evidence and makes another gruesome discovery: the skeletonized remains of two adults and a child. And then, the unthinkable happens. Could Mattie become the next victim in the murderer’s deadly game?

A deranged killer torments Mattie with a litany of dark secrets that call into question her very identity. As a towering blaze races across the ridge, Cole and Robo search desperately for her—but time is running out in Margaret Mizushima’s fourth spine-tingling Timber Creek K-9 mystery, Burning Ridge.

Burning Ridge by Margaret Mizushima

MY REVIEW

Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner, Robo, are called to work the case of a burned body found in the wilderness. As Mattie and other officers search for evidence, they also discover three additional bodies. To complicate matters, Mattie soon discovers she has a connection to the burned dead man.

Burning Ridge it the fourth book in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series by Margaret Mizushima. I have not read any of the other books in this series, but Burning Ridge is easily read as a standalone.

Mattie works as a police officer in a small town. She is a hard-working officer, and close to the local community. With a good heart, Mattie wants to help those she believes to need a little more in their lives, but she is also cautious and wary of strangers and new developments in town. As a bonus, she is seeing the charming local veterinarian, Cole.

A solid mystery. Realistic characters. Plenty of action, and a little romance. A lighter, less graphic crime fiction read. Engaging and suspenseful.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Timber Creek K-9 series:
  1. Killing Trail
  2. Stalking Ground
  3. Hunting Hour
  4. Burning Ridge
  5. Tracking Game
  6. Hanging Falls
  7. Striking Range
  8. Standing Dead