Category: Police Procedural

Book Review

The Sleepover 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 Sleepover

Author: Carol Wyer

Publisher: Bookouture

Publish Date: September 5, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Detective Natalie Ward #4

My Rating: 4/5

The Sleepover by Carol Wyer

BOOK BLURB

She said she’d gone to a sleepover. But she never made it. Someone must know why…

When Detective Natalie Ward is called to the home of fourteen-year-old Roxy Curtis she can’t help but empathise with Roxy’s distraught mother Cathy. Roxy hasn’t come home, last seen heading next door for a sleepover with her best friend Ellie. As the mother of two teenagers herself, Natalie knows that this is every parent’s worst nightmare.

But when Roxy’s body is found in the basement of a beautiful Victorian mansion on the other side of town, Natalie’s darkest fears are confirmed. What was Roxy doing there? The people who knew her best should know – but Cathy seems evasive, and Ellie refuses to talk. Natalie is determined to find out what secrets they are keeping…

Then Roxy’s mother Cathy disappears.

When her body is found two days later, Natalie is forced to face the fact that Roxy’s loved ones are in real danger. Things take a more sinister turn when Ellie vanishes, her mobile phone switched off. Is Ellie hiding something about the night Roxy died that could put her in terrible danger? And can Natalie work it out before another innocent life is taken?

The Sleepover by Carol Wyer

MY REVIEW

The Sleepover is the fourth book in the Detective Natalie Ward series by Carol Wyer. In The Sleepover, Natalie and her team investigate the mysterious death of Roxy, a fourteen-year-old girl. Roxy’s remains were found in the burned home of two brothers, who seem to have no connection to Roxy. The team questions everyone in Roxy’s life, and it seems everyone is keeping secrets.

The mystery is intriguing and not easy to figure out. I love a crime novel that keeps me guessing as to who is behind the crime, and this one delivers on that. The characters are complex and captivating. I enjoy how this series blends the personal and professional lives of Natalie and her team. It makes the characters more real.

This book could be read as a standalone, but I recommend starting with Book 1, The Birthday. The crime that the team investigates is different for each book, but the personal dramas in the team members lives continues.

A fantastic crime series. I highly recommend this series to fans of police procedurals. Gritty, complex, and compelling.

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

The Dare 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 Dare

Author: Carol Wyer

Publisher: Bookouture

Publish Date: April 25, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Detective Natalie Ward #3

My Rating: 4/5

The Dare by Carol Wyer

BOOK BLURB

Jane’s daughter is a good girl. But 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. With her blonde ponytail and red school jumper, someone must have spotted Savannah.

Detective Natalie Ward is determined to help the distraught mother – her own daughter is the same age as Savannah. But before Natalie and her team can get started, their worst fears are confirmed when the teenager’s broken body is found in nearby shrubland.

Evidence points towards a local recluse, but just as Natalie closes the net around him, one of Savannah’s friends, Harriet, is reported missing. Harriet might look grown up and sophisticated but she is only fourteen…

As Natalie delves into the lives of both girls, she soon discovers a sinister video on both their phones, daring the girls to disappear from their families for 48 hours. She’s sure this is the key to the case, but before she can act, Harriet’s body is found discarded on a roadside.

Natalie’s superiors don’t have to put any extra pressure on Natalie. Devastated, she and her team work without sleep, watching that video over and over. But just as she thinks they’re getting close, the person Natalie loves more than anything goes missing.

Natalie is no stranger to loss. She is terrified and the clock is ticking. Can she push through her fear to catch this depraved killer, before her loved one becomes the next victim?

The Dare by Carol Wyer

MY REVIEW

The Dare is the third book in the Detective Natalie Ward series by Carol Wyer. In The Dare, Natalie and her team investigate a case involving missing girls. The police work to find the first missing girl, and soon learn they are too late to save her. Another girl goes missing, and the race is on to find who is behind the terrible crimes.

This is a crime mystery series, but it interweaves some of the investigators personal stories. In this book, Natalie’s marriage is strained and she feels disconnected from her two teen children. Since Natalie has a young teen daughter, she feels more of a personal connection to this case. The mystery is good, and the addition of more personal details makes Natalie a stronger character.

A great series for fans of police procedurals. The Dare is a good book in this series, though I did enjoy the first two books a little more than this one. This is a series I look forward to reading, and I can’t wait for the next book. A complex and gripping page-turner.

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

Catch Your Death by Kierney Scott [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: Catch Your Death

Author: Kierney Scott

Publisher: Bookouture

Publish Date: April 15, 2019

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Detective Jess Bishop #3

My Rating: 4/5

Catch Your Death by Kierney Scott

BOOK BLURB

The scene played over and over in his mind. He only had one choice left. He had to die.

Behind the high and imposing gates of a prestigious college, five students have taken their lives. All of them friends, all of them good kids, all of them dead within months of each other. When FBI Agent Jess Bishop is called in to investigate, what she discovers will make her just as vulnerable as the students she’s trying to protect.

As Jess begins to unravel the secrets behind the deaths, she uncovers something much more sinister at the school and she is determined to find out who is at the centre of it.

Though her team think they’re closing in on the ringleader, Jess becomes convinced they’re going after the wrong person, forcing her to investigate on her own. Desperate to stop any more deaths, she risks everything by putting herself in the firing line. But just how far would she go to save the lives of those around her?

Catch Your Death by Kierney Scott

MY REVIEW

Catch Your Death is the third book in the Detective Jess Bishop series by Kierney Scott. In this latest book, FBI Agent Jess Bishop investigates a series of apparent suicides at a prestigious boarding school.

While the case Jess investigates is a standalone story, I recommend reading the previous books in the series to better understand the backstory of Jess and the other characters. Jess is a troubled FBI agent with a past she would rather others not know about. She is smart, independent, headstrong, and good a solving difficult cases.

In this book, Jess ends up investigating a series of deaths that have a connection to a coworker. While Jess is the main character, there are other interesting characters on her investigative team. Each of the characters has a distinct personality. I’ve read the previous two books, and find with each book that the characters become better developed. I would like to learn more about some of them, and as the series continues, I expect for this to happen.

An action-packed mystery. Good for fans of crime thrillers. Suspenseful, intriguing, and complex.

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

Books in the Detective Jess Bishop series:

  1. Forget Me Not
  2. Cross Your Heart
  3. Catch Your Death

Book Review

Nothing to Lose 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: 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

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

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