BOOKS READ RECENTLY – NOVEMBER TO JANUARY

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I have read so much this three months. So be warned this is my longest blog post ever ! Having a painful broken wisdom tooth and waiting for a hospital extraction appointment, meant that I could not do much decluttering and cleaning around my house. I also found out that my grandmother was taken to hospital as she was in a bad way.  So I was in a bad way both mentally and physically. Time to rest and relax and reading helps me do this. I read more just to take my thoughts about all this away and it did help. These are the books I have been reading.

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Early November I brought the fourteen book series called Chesapeake Shores by Sherryl Woods. They are heartwarming contemporary romances that develop themes connecting the widespread O’Brien family with environmental and social issues. As you would expect from this type of reading, the book emphasises the virtues of family loyalty, country living over big city values, cute children who can teach adults lessons about life, small towns where everyone knows each other, and forgiveness and second chances. There is nothing wrong with enjoying some light, wholesome reading. The writing is good and not over sentimental. The female characters are actually independent and not just waiting for a man to come along and solve all their problems in life. There is some amusing dialogue and some good descriptions of the area in which the book is set. And it was nice to read the series, and read something that I would not normally choose. My favourite was Moonlight Cove and the Jess O’Brien story as she was my favourite character. If Sherryl Woods continues the series, I may continue it too.

Then one of my favourite authors Lee Child had a new Jack Reacher novel called Past Tense out. This is one of the few books, I still buy as hardbacks. I will keep these books until my dying day.  Jack Reacher plans to follow the autumn sun on an epic road trip across America, from Maine to California. He doesn’t get far. On a country road deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign to a place he has never been – the town where his father was born. He thinks, what’s one extra day? He takes the detour.  At the very same moment, close by, a car breaks down. Two young Canadians are trying to get to New York City to sell a treasure. They’re stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere. It’s a strange place … but it’s all there is.  The next morning in the city clerk’s office, Reacher asks about the old family home. He’s told no one named Reacher ever lived in that town. He knows his father never went back. Now he wonders, was he ever there in the first place? Another great read and I can not wait for the next one !

Then back to Michael Connelly Bosch series, I have twenty of these, and this is the third in the Harry Bosch series. This is the Concrete Blonde. When LAPD detective Harry Bosch shot and killed Norman Church – the ‘Dollmaker’ – the police were convinced it marked the end of the search for one of the city’s most bizarre serial killers. But four years later, Norman Church’s widow is taking Bosch to court, accusing him of killing the wrong man. To make matters worse, Bosch has just received a note, eerily reminiscent of the ones the Dollmaker used to taunt him with, giving him a location where a body can be found. Is the Dollmaker still alive? Or is this the work of a vicious copycat killer, determined to repeat the Dollmaker’s grisly feats and destroy Bosch’s career in the process? I did enjoy this and hope the series continues with good stories like this one.

Then back to another one of my favourite authors, JD Robb, and the latest one in the In Death series. Dark In Death. There’s always a reason for murder. But when a young actress is killed in a swift and violent attack at a cinema screening, that reason is hard to fathom – even for Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her team. It’s only when bestselling crime writer Blaine DeLano arrives at the precinct that the shocking truth is revealed. Someone is recreating the murder scenes from her latest series, book by book. With six more novels left in the series, Eve now knows how the killer will strike next. But why has DeLano been targeted? Could her abusive husband be involved ? As fiction is transformed into bloody reality, Eve will need all her skill and experience to solve this unique case. Luckily for her, husband Roarke happens to be a fan of Delano’s work. And he’s more than happy to work side by side with his brilliant wife – no matter how dark things become. This was ok, nothing special. And I am getting a little bored with this series. And I am not sure if I will continue to buy these. I have just added the next one to my library reservation list.

Then back to another Michael Connelly, book number four in the Harry Bosch series. This is called The Last Coyote. LAPD detective Harry Bosch is down on his luck – his house is condemned in the aftermath of the earthquake, his girlfriend has left him and he has been suspended for attacking his superior officer. To occupy time, he examines the old case files covering a murder which took place on October 28, 1961. The victim was Marjorie Phillips Lowe, his mother. The case forces Bosch to confront the demons of the past, and as he digs deeper into the case, he discovers a trail of cover-ups that lead to the high-ups in the Hollywood Hills. Again, another good read, I did enjoy this one.

Michael Connelly Trunk Music, book number five in the Harry Bosch series. Harry Bosch is back at the LAPD in Homicide after disciplinary leave. But his first case proves to be one of the most difficult. In the wooded hills overlooking the Hollywood Bowl, he opens the trunk of a white Rolls-Royce and finds a corpse. It looks like a simple case of Trunk Music – the execution style of the Mafia where the victim is shot in his own vehicle – but the victim is LA movie producer Tony Aliso, and the mob weren’t the only ones after him. Bosch finds himself up against the FBI – and back in the arms of a beautiful ex-felon. It’s starting to look like Harry’s first case back in Homicide is in danger of being his last. I like reading the next book in a series straight away. It is like streaming watching the next episode straight away. And reading this I remember thinking that the TV series had adapted this book for one of the seasons. And after finishing, I double checked and it was true.

Then I tried a new series, this is a book one called Pretend You Are Safe. So far there are three in The Agency series. Jaci Patterson was sixteen when she found the first golden locket on her porch. Inside were a few strands of hair wrapped around a scrap of bloodstained ribbon. Though the ‘gifts’ kept arriving, no one believed her hunch that a serial killer was at work. Now Jaci has finally returned home – only for bodies of strangled victims to start appearing years after they disappeared. Her nightmare is beginning all over again. And this time it won’t end until the murderer makes Jaci his, for ever. It is nice to read a new series but I was a bit disappointed with the style. I am not buying the next two in the series, I will read them but will get them out of the library which I wish I had done with this one. And will with any new author I want to read.

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Then back to Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series. I read number 22 called Trick Twenty Two. Stephanie Plum might not be the world’s greatest bounty hunter, but she knows when she’s being played. Ken Globovic (aka Gobbles), unofficial student leader, has been arrested for beating up the dean of students at Kiltman College. Gobbles has missed his court date and gone into hiding. People have seen him on campus, but no one will talk. Things just aren’t adding up, and Stephanie can’t shake the feeling that something funny is going on at the college. As much as people love Gobbles, they hate Doug Linken. When Linken is gunned down in his backyard, the list of possible murder suspects is long. The only people who care about finding Linken’s killer are Trenton cop Joe Morelli, who has been assigned the case, security expert Ranger, who was hired to protect Linken, and Stephanie, who has her eye on a cash prize and hopefully has some tricks up her sleeve. This I read on my solo flight back from Spain and finished it after 3 hrs. It did make me smile but they always do.

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I then read a stand alone Karin Slaughter book called Pieces Of Her. I have read Karin Slaughter for years. You’ve known her your whole life. Andrea Oliver knows everything about her mother Laura. She knows she’s always lived in the small town of Belle Isle; she knows she’s a pillar of the community; she knows she’s never kept a secret in her life. But she’s hiding something. Then one day, a trip to the mall explodes into a shocking act of violence and Andy suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura. Hours later, Laura is in hospital, her face splashed over the newspapers. But the danger has only just begun. Now, Andy must go on a desperate race to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past. Unless she can, there may be no future for either of them. This for me, the story was all over the place. I do understand to tell the story, you need to explore the past of the mother. But I did not enjoy this at all. I am glad I got it from the library and did not pay for it. I think I will continue to order them from the library first and save my money.

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I think got another book from the library. The Girl Who Takes An Eye For An Eye. The continuing Millennium series, Lisbeth Salander is an unstoppable force. Sentenced to two months in Flodberga women’s prison for saving a young boy’s life by any means necessary, Salander refuses to say anything in her own defence. She has more important things on her mind. Mikael Blomkvist makes the long trip to visit every week and receives a lead to follow for his pains. For him, it looks to be an important expose for Millennium. For her, it could unlock the facts of her childhood. Even from a corrupt prison system run largely by the inmates, Salander will stand up for what she believes in, whatever the cost. And she will seek the truth that is somehow connected with her childhood memory, of a woman with a blazing birthmark on her neck – that looked as if it had been burned by a dragon’s fire. To continue a series after the original author has died, can be tricky. I had seen the first reboot of the series The Girl In The Spiders Web film at the cinema, and it was not bad. I have added the next one to my reading list just a shame it does not come about until summer 2019.

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Then back to number twenty three of Stephanie Plum series, this one is called Turbo Twenty Three by Janet Evanovich. Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has been on countless crime scenes, but this is definitely a first. Her fleeing target has left behind a truck loaded with ice cream and a dead body – frozen solid and covered in chocolate. As fate would have it, Stephanie’s mentor Ranger needs her to go undercover at the ice cream factory to find out who’s killing employees. It’s going to be hard for Stephanie to keep her hands off all that ice cream, and even harder for her to keep her hands off Ranger. It’s also going to be hard to explain to Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, why she is spending late nights with Ranger. This is was a bit disappointing, and I will not be buying anymore of these. I think they are getting stale so I will be getting them from the library from now on.

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So the next Janet Evanovich came quickly through the library reservation system. This one is called Turbo Twenty Three.  At first, it’s just corpses from a funeral home and the morgue that have had the heads removed. Then a homeless man is murdered and dumped behind a church. Stephanie Plum knows that she’s the only one with a prayer of catching this killer. If that’s not enough, Diesel’s back in town. The six-foot-tall, blond-haired hunk accepts no limits – that includes locked doors, closed windows and underwear. Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, isn’t pleased at his arrival, nor is Ranger, the high-powered security consultant with his own plans for Stephanie. Jersey’s favourite bounty hunter is stuck in the middle with more questions than answers. Who is behind the startling epidemic of mutilated corpses? And is the enigmatic Diesel’s sudden appearance a coincidence or the cause of recent deadly events? I am glad I did not pay for this, it was terrible  and nothing special. And the next one is on my library list but not my kindle list.

Then the next one that I got from the library was JD Robb’s Leverage in Death. What would you do to protect your family ? When Paul Rogan sets off a bomb at his office, killing eleven people, no one can understand why. He was a loving husband and father, with everything to live for. Then his wife and daughter are found chained up in the family home, and everything becomes clear. Rogan had been given a horrifying choice – set off the bomb, or see his loved ones suffer and die. Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows the violence won’t end here. The men behind the attack are determined, organised and utterly ruthless. In this shocking and challenging case, both Eve and husband Roarke are heading into serious danger. Again, it was ok, and I have added the next to my library list but not my kindle list. I am not buying anymore of these.

Still Me by Jojo Moyes has been on the reading list for such a long time. Lou Clark knows too many things. She knows how many miles lie between her new home in New York and her new boyfriend Sam in London. She knows her employer is a good man and she knows his wife is keeping a secret from him. What Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to meet someone who’s going to turn her whole life upside down. Because Josh will remind her so much of a man she used to know that it’ll hurt. Lou won’t know what to do next, but she knows that whatever she chooses is going to change everything. Very disappointed with this too. Oh well !

Then I read one night a kindle that I have had since July 2017. Every Pretty Thing by Chris Mooney. Serial killer expert Darby McCormick gets a call from FBI Agent Jackson Cooper, who has been contacted by a woman who’s been in hiding for twenty years. She was one of the only survivors of a murderer who has been carving a dark path across America for decades. Cooper believes he may have tracked this psychopath to the wilds of Montana. Now, he needs Darby’s help to bring him in. But when she arrives Cooper has vanished without a trace. Something is very wrong – and as the trail goes cold, Darby is all alone in a strange town, stalked by an unseen predator who wants to add another victim to his collection. This was so good, I love this author and have all his previous books. The killer in this left me shocked and played on my mind for the next few days. I would so recommend this.

And then I got the next Under Suspicion from Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke, You Do Not Own Me. When TV producer Laurie Moran investigates an unsolved murder, she becomes entangled in a web of long-buried secrets and begins to wonder if her own life is in grave danger as a mysterious stalker plots revenge. I did enjoy this and am on the fence if I will buy as a reduced kindle. Time will tell.

Then the second Agency book, What Are You Afraid Of by Alexandra Ivy. Carmen Jacobs interviewed the world’s most terrifying serial killers for her bestselling book, The Heart of a Predator. When she receives a box of photographs of dead girls, she recognises the similarities to the infamous Trucker murders at once. But that killer is dead. The police might not believe her, but Carmen knows there is a monster out there, paying homage to other murderers. Yet this isn’t just a copycat. It’s a vendetta. All clues point to a killer obsessed with Carmen – someone who knows her work, her past, her secrets. Someone who won’t be satisfied until he has made all her deepest fears come true. It was not bad and I will get the next one from the library and will not be buying this series.

I finished Dean Koontz the sixth book of the Odd Thomas series, Deeply Odd. Just one more to go. Odd Thomas, reluctant hero, is drawn once more into a strange encounter with the lingering dead. Intuition compels Odd to attend the Eventide Festival, where thousands gather every year for three days and nights to celebrate the outr. As Odd finds himself among nihilistic celebrants with sinister intentions, Eventide Festival proves to be a little bit Woodstock and a lot of Hell. It was a good novel and was bittersweet as I know I have one last one to go. I do and do not want to read it. I just do not want this series to end but everything comes to an end one day.

Then another standalone Karin Slaughter, this is Pretty Girls. With a missing girl in the news, Claire Scott can’t help but be reminded of her sister, who disappeared twenty years ago in a mystery that was never solved. But when Claire begins to learn the truth about her sister, nothing will ever be the same. This was so so good. And I loved it, I then brought this as a hardback book from Ebay as I will always keep this. I was also called to tell me the news that my grandmother had passed away. So this will never be forgotten, I just loved this book and felt this was vintage Karin Slaughter. She can write an amazing thriller story.

Then another Michael Connelly, this is book five in the Mickey Haller series, The Gods Of Guilt. Mickey Haller gets the text ‘Call me ASAP – 187’, and the California penal code for murder immediately gets his attention. Suddenly, Mickey’s not just trying to get his client off a murder charge, but there is a more personal connection: the victim was Gloria Dayton – his own former client, a prostitute he thought he had rescued and put on the straight and narrow. Far from saving her, Haller may have been her downfall. Haunted by the ghosts of his own past, and with his own guilt or redemption on the line, he desperately needs to find out who Gloria really was and who, ultimately, was responsible for her death. I love this series of books and this was so good. I have added this to my kindle list.

I got Year One from Nora Roberts from the library. With one drop of blood, the old world is gone for ever. And in its place, something extraordinary begins. They call it The Doom – a deadly pandemic that starts on a cold New Year’s Eve in the Scottish countryside. There’s something mysterious about the virus and the way it spreads. As billions fall sick and die, some survivors find themselves invested with strange, unexpected abilities. Lana, a New York chef, has the power to move things and people with her will. Fred can summon light in the darkness. Jonah, a paramedic, sees snatches of the future in those he touches. Katie gives birth to twins, and suspects that she has brought fresh magic into the world, along with new life. But The Doom affects people differently. Along with the light, a dark and terrifying magic will also rise. As the remaining authorities round up the immune and the ‘Uncannies’ for testing, Lana, Katie and others flee New York in search of a safe haven. The old world is over, and Year One has begun. I wanted to read something a bit different, I always drawn to murder and suspense stories, so a fantasy story should be different for me. But unfortunately this was not something I enjoyed. I got half way through and just did not want to continue. So it went straight back to the library.

I ordered Giovanna Fletcher’s Some Kind Of Wonderful from the library. After celebrating a decade together, everyone thinks Lizzy and Ian are about to get engaged. Instead, a romantic escape to Dubai leaves Lizzy with no ring, no fiance and no future. Lizzy is heartbroken – but through the tears, she sees an opportunity. This is her moment to discover what she’s been missing while playing Ian’s ‘better half’. But how much has Ian changed her, and who is she without him? Lizzy sets out to rediscover the girl she was before – and, in the meantime, have a little fun. This was ok, again nothing special. Glad I read it but will not be buying anymore, I will just get them out of the library and save my money.

I also got James Patterson and Bill Clinton’s book The President Is Missing from the library. This intrigued me, as to why a former President would write a novel. The President Is Missing confronts a threat so huge that it jeopardizes not just Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street, but all of America. Uncertainty and fear grip the nation. There are whispers of cyber terror and espionage and a traitor in the Cabinet. Even the President himself becomes a suspect, and then he disappears from public view. Set over the course of three days, The President Is Missing sheds a stunning light upon the inner workings and vulnerabilities of our nation. Filled with information that only a former Commander-in-Chief could know. It was such a good story. I really enjoyed this. Not enough to want to buy or read again, but I am glad that I have finally read this.

This I had brought in July 2018. Another Michael Connelly series. The apparent suicide of his policeman brother sets Denver crime reporter Jack McCoy on edge. Surprise at the circumstances of his brother’s death prompts Jack to look into a whole series of police suicides, and puts him on the trail of a cop killer whose victims are selected all too carefully. Not only that, but they all leave suicide notes drawn from the poems of writer Edgar Allan Poe in their wake. More frightening still, the killer appears to know that Jack is getting nearer and nearer. An investigation that looks like the story of a lifetime might also be Jack’s ticket to a lonely end. This was ok, not as good as other stories I have read by him.  I am loving reading as many Michael Connelly book I can get my hands on.

This was the next one taken from the library James Patterson Juror No 3. Ruby Bozarth, a newcomer to Rosedale, Mississippi, is also fresh to the Mississippi Bar – and she faces an impossible task defending a college football star accused of murder. The victim is a young woman from one of the town’s oldest families, and Rosedale’s upper crust are howling for blood. Then news breaks of a second murder, and lurid, intertwining investigations unfold. Ruby discovers that no one in Rosedale can be trusted, especially the twelve men and women on the jury. I really liked this one, and the character of Ruby Bozarth. I hope that there are more stories with this character.

I got another new Michael Connelly book from the library, The Late Show. Detective Renée Ballard works ‘The Late Show’, the notorious graveyard shift at the LAPD. It’s thankless work for a once-promising detective, keeping strange hours in a twilight world of crime. Some nights are worse than others. And tonight is the worst yet. Two shocking cases, hours apart: a brutal assault, and a multiple murder with no suspects. Ballard knows it is always darkest before dawn. But what she doesn’t know – yet – is how deep her investigation will take her into the dark heart of her city, the police department and her own past. I enjoyed this book too, and interested to see where this character goes in future books.

Then this book by Simon Beckett. I was a big fan of this author. He had not released a book for seven years and I was so pleased to find this. But after all this time, would it be as good as his other stories that I have enjoyed so much. So again, it came from the library first. Top forensics expert Dr David Hunter is facing an uncertain future – his career hangs in the balance and his personal life has taken a turn for the worse. So when he gets a call from Essex police, it comes at the perfect time. A badly decomposed body has been found in the mudflats and salt marshes of the Backwaters. Could it be linked to two unsolved missing-person cases? But then more remains are discovered. And as these desolate wetlands begin to give up their grisly secrets, Hunter is reminded that it’s not the dead we need to fear. This was so so good, that I brought it as a hardback from Ebay. I have all his other books, as they are so good.

Then I read a stand alone Tess Gerritsen from the library, called Playing With Fire.  Julia is terrified by her daughter’s aggressive behaviour. Lily has changed from an angelic little girl into someone she is afraid to be alone with. What scares Julia most, though, is that she knows why Lily is acting this way, but no-one will believe her. If she is going to help Lily, she will have to find the answers alone, embarking on a search that will take her to the shadowy back streets of Venice. There Julia finds far more than just answers, and uncovers a heartbreaking, long-buried tale of tragedy and devastation. And this discovery has put her in serious danger. This book was really good, it surprised me so much and was well written.

Then the latest Chris Mooney book, as I do love his stories. She vanished into the ice cold night. Is this their only chance to get her back? It’s been eleven years since Claire Flynn disappeared, abducted without trace from a snowy hillside, leaving her parents heartbroken. Investigator Darby McCormick remembers the case. She knows there’s only ever been one suspect, Father Richard Byrne, linked inconclusively to two similar disappearances. Finally, terminally ill, Byrne is willing to talk. But he’ll only talk to Darby. She’s expecting a confession – but what she hears is far more disturbing. And it soon becomes clear that someone is willing to kill to keep this cold case on ice. Again this was another brilliant story.  I can not recommend this author enough. I can not wait to see what he write next.

Then back to the Mickey Haller series from Michael Connelly, this one is The Crossing. Six months ago, Harry Bosch left the LAPD before they could fire him, and then hired maverick Defense Attorney Mickey Haller to sue the department for forcing him out. Although it wasn’t the way he wanted to go, Harry has to admit that being out of the game has its benefits. Until Mickey asks him to help on one of his cases, and suddenly Harry is back where he belongs, right in the centre of a particularly puzzling murder mystery. The difference is, this time Harry is working for the defense, aiming to prevent the accused, Da’Quan Foster, from being convicted. And not only does the prosecution seem to have a cast-iron case, but having crossed over to ‘the dark side’ as his former colleagues would put it, Harry is in danger of betraying the very principles he’s lived by his whole career. So this turns out to be a Mickey Haller number six and a Harry Bosch number twenty. I am only up to Harry Bosch number six but I had to read this as the Haller books are so enjoyable. This is what I needed for my resting time. And it was definitely more a Bosch story than an Haller one. I am pleased I have go this off my reading list at least.

A visit to the library I found this and thought this looked good. DCI Kate Burrows might be retired, but when the bodies of missing schoolgirls start turning up in Grantley, she’s the first person DCI Annie Carr calls for help. Life for Kate and ex-gangster Patrick Kelly is thrown into chaos when his long lost son turns up out of the blue, bringing trouble with him. This new case could be just what Kate needs. But as the body count grows, Kate and Annie face a race against the clock. Without any clear leads, can they stop the killer before another schoolgirl dies? I really enjoyed this and found out there were three others with the character of DCI Kate Burrows. I have ordered the first three from the library and am looking forward to reading them.

Then I got from the library, a brand new James Patterson, The First Lady. “Sir, the First Lady … has gone rogue.” President Tucker is caught up in a media firestorm. The scandal of his affair has sent shock waves through his re-election campaign, and threatens to derail everything he has worked for. To win the vote, he needs the First Lady to stand by his side. But Grace Tucker has a mind of her own. After years of compromise, unfulfilled promises, deception and betrayal, Grace refuses to give in to her husband’s demands. Escaping the city and her Secret Service agents, she is officially off the radar. But did the First Lady run away? Or is she in far greater danger than anyone could have imagined? This was ok. Nothing special and I am glad I did not buy this.

Then I thought it would be a good idea to read Michael Connelly in the order that he wrote them. Some of them overlap with other characters, so I took Blood Work out from the library. Terry McCaleb, one of the most effective serial-killer investigators in the history of the FBI, hunts down his heart donor’s killer. ‘Blood Work’ – that’s what Terry McCaleb used to call his job at the FBI. Eight weeks ago he was a dead man, but now someone else’s heart is keeping him alive. Then a newspaper report of his brush with death brings him an unwanted visitor. Graciela Rivers reveals to McCaleb that the anonymous donor of his heart was her murdered sister, and that the police investigation into the case is going nowhere. McCaleb feels he has no choice but to take on the investigation. Nothing about the seemingly random killing makes sense. McCaleb realises that someone is watching his every move – someone who has killed before and will kill again. Again, this was okay. Nothing amazing. Glad I have read this one though.

Then I reserved from the library, the start of a new crime series. This is the Kim Stone Crime Thriller series. This is the first Silent Scream. Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood … Years later, a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country. But when human remains are discovered at a former children’s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim Stone fast realises she’s on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades. As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it’s too late? This was really good, I have reserved the next nine of the series from the library. I can not wait to see where the characters go next. Another author I would recommend to anyone !

This book I have had since December 2013. It was time to get up to date with this series. I have five of this series still to read. Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles is asked to attend an intriguing examination. An ancient mummy has been found in a museum basement, prompting great media excitement. But with horror she realises that it’s not as ancient as they thought. A very modern bullet is showing up on the scan. Detective Jane Rizzoli is called to investigate and soon discovers a second – and then a third – mummified body. Who is this killer and why does he preserve his victims so meticulously? And who will be the next to join his monstrous collection? And this was really good. I had forgotten how good Tess Gerritsen stories are.

I just had to read the next story from Tess Gerritsen this was The Killing Place. I brought this kindle back in December 2014 and never got around to reading it. He watches, something terrible has happened in the snowbound village of Kingdom Come, Wyoming. Twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. The people who lived in them appear to have vanished, seemingly into thin air. He waits, Maura Isles is driving through the area with a group of friends when they find themselves trapped in a snowstorm. They stumble into the abandoned village to take shelter. But their nightmare has only just begun. They disappear days later, Jane Rizzoli flies to Wyoming to search for her missing friend. A crashed vehicle has been found with four badly burned bodies still inside. Can one of the corpses be Maura’s? Jane’s hunt for the truth leads her to Kingdom Come. Where the person who was watching Maura now lies waiting for her. Another great story, why I have not read this kindles. Life just passes you buy sometimes. I have just loved these stories. Still have more of Tess Gerritsen to read.

The next Tess Gerritsen was The Silent Girl which I brought as a kindle in September 2011. A severed hand is found in an alleyway in Boston’s Chinatown. Detective Jane Rizzoli discovers the rest of the body on a nearby rooftop, the head nearly severed. The only clue Jane has is two strands of hair, but it’s enough for Forensic Pathologist Maura Isles to make a startling connection. This violent attack has its roots in an unsolved murder-suicide case from nineteen years ago. The only witness, a beautiful martial arts master, has never dared to speak. Another great story. I am just loving all the Tess Gerritsen books that I have out off reading for so long.

Back to Michael Connelly Harry Bosch series, number six, Angels Flight. Harry Bosch finds himself yet again in charge of a case that no one else will touch. This time his job is to nail the killer of hot shot black lawyer Howard Elias. Elias has been found murdered on the eve of going to court on behalf of Michael Harris, a man the LAPD believes guilty of the rape and murder of a twelve-year-old girl. Elias had let it be known that the aim of his civil case was not only to reveal the real killer but to target and bring down the racist cops who beat up his client during a violent interrogation. Now it’s all down to Bosch – and he’s got to take a long, hard look at some of his colleagues in a police department that is rife with suspicion and hatred. Reading this, I realised that this book had also been adapted to one of the series of Bosch  that I have just seen. It was easy to finish this and I did enjoy it, another great story.

I then reserved the follow up novel to You the series on Netflix, Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes. Joe Goldberg came to Los Angeles to start over, to forget about what happened in New York. But in a darkened room in Soho House everything suddenly changed. She is like no one he’s ever met before. She doesn’t know about his past and never can. The problem is, hidden bodies don’t always stay that way. I really enjoyed this book. And the ending was not what I expected. So glad that I got it from the library

Then Quiet by Fearne Cotton. This book is about taming the bad inner voice – the one that has the power to overthrow gut instinct and talk us out of new adventures. We are all brimming with inner wisdom, yet we allow negative thoughts to confuse us. We forget how capable and strong we can be. There is confidence there even if it’s hidden; there is courage, beauty, wisdom and belief – we just need some quiet to notice it. I am glad I got this from the library as old me, would have brought this as a hardback. But I did not like it and glad that I did not waste my money.

Then back to the Kim Stone series by Angela Marsons. Book two is Evil Games. The greater the Evil, the more deadly the game. When a rapist is found mutilated in a brutal attack, Detective Kim Stone and her team are called in to bring a swift resolution. But, as more vengeful killings come to light, it soon becomes clear that there is someone far more sinister at work. With the investigation quickly gathering momentum, Kim finds herself exposed to great danger and in the sights of a lethal individual undertaking their own twisted experiment. Up against a sociopath who seems to know her every weakness, for Detective Stone, each move she makes could be deadly. As the body count starts to mount, Kim will have to dig deeper than ever before to stop the killing. And this time – it’s personal. And I finished this and was just wow – it was that good. I have reserved all these from the library but if they continue to be as good as the first two, I may be add them to my kindle list. I have so enjoyed this author.

I then read the next Kim Stone novel, Lost Girls. The couple that offers the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing couple will not. Make no mistake. One child will die. When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping.  And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for D.I. Kim Stone and the squad. Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour. Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families’ past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will someone’s child pay the ultimate price? Again, this was so so good. It leaves me with chills. I love the character of D.I. Kim Stone a lot !

Then from the library again, the next D.I. Kim Stone book, Play Dead. The girl’s smashed-in face stared unseeing up to the blue sky, soil spilling out of her mouth. A hundred flies hovered above the bloodied mess. Westerley research facility is not for the faint-hearted. A ‘body farm’ investigating human decomposition, its inhabitants are corpses in various states of decay. But when D.I. Kim Stone and her team discover the fresh body of a young woman, it seems a killer has discovered the perfect cover to bury their crime. Then a second girl is attacked and left for dead, her body drugged and mouth filled with soil. It’s clear to Stone and the team that a serial killer is at work – but just how many bodies will they uncover? And who is next? As local reporter, Tracy Frost, disappears, the stakes are raised. The past seems to hold the key to the killer’s secrets – but can Kim uncover the truth before a twisted, damaged mind claims another victim …?

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Book five of the D.I. Kim Stone series, Blood Lines. A victim killed with a single, precise stab to the heart appears at first glance to be a robbery gone wrong. A caring, upstanding social worker lost to a senseless act of violence. But for D.I. Kim Stone, something doesn’t add up. When a local drug addict is found murdered with an identical wound, Kim knows instinctively that she is dealing with the same killer. But with nothing to link the two victims except the cold, calculated nature of their death, this could be her most difficult case yet. Desperate to catch the twisted individual, Kim’s focus on the case is threatened when she receives a chilling letter from Dr Alex Thorne, the sociopath who Kim put behind bars. And this time, Alex is determined to hit where it hurts most, bringing Kim face-to-face with the woman responsible for the death of Kim’s little brother – her own mother. As the body count increases, Kim and her team unravel a web of dark secrets, bringing them closer to the killer. But one of their own could be in mortal danger. Only this time, Kim might not be strong enough to save them. Another great story, and this whole series, I will be buying as kindles. I have enjoyed them all so much.

The next Angela Marsons book I read was Dead Souls. When a collection of human bones is unearthed during a routine archaeological dig, a Black Country field suddenly becomes a complex crime scene for D.I. Kim Stone. As the bones are sorted, it becomes clear that the grave contains more than one victim. The bodies hint at unimaginable horror, bearing the markings of bullet holes and animal traps. Forced to work alongside D.I. Travis, with whom she shares a troubled past, Kim begins to uncover a dark secretive relationship between the families who own the land in which the bodies were found. But while Kim is immersed in one of the most complicated investigations she’s ever led, her team are caught up in a spate of sickening hate crimes. Kim is close to revealing the truth behind the murders, yet soon finds one of her own is in jeopardy – and the clock is ticking. Can she solve the case and save them from grave danger – before it’s too late? This was another good read. A harrowing story but I am reading them all as I just love this character.

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I then read the next D.I Kim Stone book, Broken Bones. I am going to read them all, as I just love them. The murder of a young prostitute and a baby found abandoned on the same winter night signals the start of a disturbing investigation for D.I. Kim Stone – one which brings her face to face with someone from her own horrific childhood. As three more sex workers in the Black Country are murdered in quick succession, each death more violent than the last, Kim and her team realise that the initial killing was no one-off frenzied attack, but a twisted serial killer preying on the vulnerable. At the same time, the search begins for the desperate woman who left her newborn baby at the station – but what at first looks like a tragic abandonment soon takes an even more sinister turn. When another young woman goes missing, the two investigations bring the team into a terrifying, hidden world, and a showdown puts Kim’s life at risk as secrets from her own past come to light. As Kim battles her own demons, can she stop the killer, before another life is lost? An timely story-line, people smuggling and another great read.

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The next one is Dying Truth. When teenager Sadie Winter jumps from the roof of her school, her death is ruled as suicide – a final devastating act from a troubled girl. But then the broken body of a young boy is discovered at the same school and it’s clear to D.I. Kim Stone that these deaths are not tragic accidents. As Kim and her team begin to unravel a dark web of secrets, one of the teachers could hold the key to the truth. Yet just as she is about to break her silence, she is found dead. With more children’s lives at risk, Kim has to consider the unthinkable – whether a fellow pupil could be responsible for the murders. Investigating the psychology of children that kill brings the detective into contact with her former adversary, Dr Alex Thorne – the sociopath who has made it her life’s work to destroy Kim. Desperate to catch the killer, Kim finds a link between the recent murders and an initiation prank that happened at the school decades earlier. But saving these innocent lives comes at a cost – and one of Kim’s own might pay the ultimate price. Another great read, I can not recommend this series enough. They are all such good reads.

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The last one until a new release in February is Fatal Promise. When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, D.I. Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past, but who would want him dead? As the investigation gets underway, Gordon’s son is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Kim’s sure this was no accident. Then the body of a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russell’s Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked. With Kim and her team still grieving the loss of one of their own, they’re at their weakest and facing one of the most dangerous serial killers they’ve ever encountered. Everything is on the line. Can Kim keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim? Another great read. I just love this series. I can not wait to get the next one in February.

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Then I went back to read Caroline Kepnes, Providence. In 2008, 13-year-old Jon Bronson disappears on his morning walk to school. After even his parents give him up for dead, only his best friend, Chloe, remains certain that he would come back. Four years later, Jon returns with no memory of anything after the day he disappeared. But something’s different about him. His presence seems to cause spontaneous nose-bleeds in those around him. When he hugs his father, the older man passes out. The family dog disappears. Jon’s only clue to his missing four years is the battered book left behind by the man he believes abducted him. And he and Chloe are determined to figure out what happened to Jon… before his presence does more than cause a couple of bloody noses. They’re sure they can solve the mystery and save Jon. Unfortunately, this was not very good. I just did not enjoy this at all. And just pleased it was library book and not a waste of money.

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I then went to read Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly, billed as Ballard 2 and Bosch 21. Detective Renée Ballard works the graveyard shift and returns to Hollywood Station in the early hours to find a stranger rifling through old files. The intruder is none other than legendary LAPD detective Harry Bosch, hunting for leads in an unsolved case that has got under his skin. Ballard escorts him out but – curious to know what he was searching for – soon becomes obsessed by the murder of Daisy Clayton. Was she the first victim of a serial killer who still stalks the streets? For Bosch, the case is more than personal: it may be all he has left. This was brought this year for 99p thanks to a deal of the day and a christmas amazon voucher. And it was good, it was split with every few chapters based on each character and I just enjoy the story. Bosch is in a different place with what I last read. So I do need to go back and read them.

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James Patterson Murder House, came out in 2015 and I missed it. But I was travelling a lot them. This came out from the library. No. 7 Ocean Drive is a multi million-dollar beachfront house in the Hamptons, but its beautiful exterior hides a horrific past. This house was the setting for a series of depraved killings that have never been solved. Neglected, empty and rumoured to be cursed, it’s known as the Murder House, and locals keep their distance. Detective Jenna Murphy has moved to the area to escape her troubled past and rehabilitate a career on the rocks. But when a Hollywood power broker and his mistress are found dead in the abandoned Murder House, Jenna becomes involved in a case that at first seems open and shut, but reveals more secrets than she could possibly imagine.  As more bodies surface and Jenna is drawn deeper into the dark history of No. 7, she must risk her own life to expose the truth – before the Murder House claims another victim. This was ok, and I was glad that I did not buy this to read.

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Another library book, I went back was Martina Cole Ladykiller, the start of the D.I Kate Burrows books. A killer is on the loose. It’s up to D.I. Kate Burrows to stop him. But Kate has a problem. The Grantley Ripper has attacked the daughter of one of London’s most infamous gangsters, Patrick Kelly, and now Kate’s investigation, along with her heart, are dangerously entwined with him. As the worlds of crime and law collide, will Kate take down the Ladykiller, or will he be her undoing? This was interesting and I am glad I started this one.

Then The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly came through from the library. Jack McEvoy is at the end of the line as a crime reporter. Forced to take a buy-out from the Los Angeles Times, he’s got 30 days left on the job. His last assignment? Training his replacement, a low-cost reporter just out of J-school. But Jack has other plans for his exit. He is going to go out with a bang: a final story that will win the newspaper journalism’s highest honour – a Pulitzer Prize. Jack focuses on Alonzo Winslow, a sixteen-year-old drug dealer from the projects who has confessed to police that he brutally raped and strangled one of his crack clients. But as Jack delves into the story he soon realises that Alonzo’s so-called confession is bogus. The investigation leads him to a serial killer known as The Scarecrow, who has worked completely below the police and FBI radar. Jack is soon off on the crime beat and running on the biggest story he’s had since The Poet crossed his path twelve years before – but The Scarecrow knows he’s coming. This was okay, nothing special. Another taken off the list.

Look Alive Twenty Five came quickly through the library reservation system. There’s nothing like a good deli, and the Red River Deli in Trenton is one of the best. World-famous for its pastrami, coleslaw, and for its disappearing managers. Over the last month, three have vanished from the face of the earth, and the only clue in each case is one shoe that’s been left behind. The police are baffled. Lula is convinced that it’s a case of alien abduction. Whatever it is, they’d better figure out what’s going on before they lose their new manager, Ms. Stephanie Plum. This book was terrible and I am going to stop reading them completely. So disappointing but there you go.

Then my friend suggested this to me. I was after something a little different, This Is Five Years From Now. Nell and Van meet as children when their parents fall in love, but soon they are forced worlds apart. Five years later, they find each other.  Their bond is rekindled and new feelings take hold, but once again they must separate. For the next two decades, fate brings Nell and Van together every five years, as life and circumstance continue to divide them. Will they ever find true happiness? And will it be together? This was just lovely, well written and I just enjoyed it that I am going to read more of Paige Toon from the library.

Then Martina Cole Broken, the second D.I Kate Burrows book came from the library. D.I. Kate Burrows thought she’d never face a killer like the Grantley Ripper again. But she was wrong. One by one, children are being abandoned. Thankfully, they’re rescued from harm. Then one victim is not so lucky, and Kate knows she’s in a race against time to save lives. As a parent herself, Kate’s finding the case tough and she needs the support of her lover, Patrick Kelly, more than ever. But Patrick’s got problems of his own. And this was a good read. Glad I did not pay for it though.

And then the third one, I am up to date with this series. This one by Martina Cole is Hard Girls. Kate Burrows might be a retired D.C.I, but she never could stay away from the law for long. And now Grantley appears to have a new serial killer on its hands, Kate is the only one with the expertise to catch him. The case bears striking similarities to the Grantley Ripper. But this time the victims are prostitutes, and even hard girls deserve protection and justice. Kate Burrows caught the Ladykiller. She’s just the woman for this job. Finished this, and glad it was a library book. Up to date with this series unless there is another one.

I then found this author, Robert Bryndza online. this is the first in at least six stories. I am always wary so this, The Girl In The Ice was found in my local library. Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice. She is not the only one. When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park, Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation. The victim, a beautiful young socialite, appeared to have the perfect life. Yet when Erika begins to dig deeper, she starts to connect the dots between the murder and the killings of three prostitutes, all found strangled, hands bound and dumped in water around London. What dark secrets is the girl in the ice hiding? As Erika inches closer to uncovering the truth, the killer is closing in on Erika. The last investigation Erika led went badly wrong… resulting in the death of her husband. With her career hanging by a thread, Erika must now battle her own personal demons as well as a killer more deadly than any she’s faced before. But will she get to him before he strikes again? And this was a good first one, ordered the next few from the library too.

My friend also recommend Milly Johnson to me, this A Perfectly Imperfect Woman I found at my library. Marnie Salt has made so many mistakes in her life that she fears she will never get on the right track. But when she ‘meets’ an old lady on a baking chatroom and begins confiding in her, little does she know how her life will change. Arranging to see each other for lunch, Marnie finds discovers that Lilian is every bit as mad and delightful as she’d hoped – and that she owns a whole village in the Yorkshire Dales, which has been passed down through generations. And when Marnie needs a refuge after a crisis, she ups sticks and heads for Wychwell – a temporary measure, so she thinks. But soon Marnie finds that Wychwell has claimed her as its own and she is duty bound not to leave. Even if what she has to do makes her as unpopular as a force 12 gale in a confetti factory! But everyone has imperfections, as Marnie comes to realise, and that is not such a bad thing – after all, your flaws are perfect for the heart that is meant to love you. It was ok but I will not get anymore of hers.

Then one night, I could not sleep. So I read one of kindle books. This book by Cecelia Ahern, The Time Of My Life, I brought in 2011. Yes, I had not got round to reading it. Are you taking your life for granted? Lucy Silchester is. She’s busied herself with other stuff: friends’ lives, work issues, her deteriorating car, that kind of thing. But she’s stuck in a rut – and deluding everyone. Only Lucy knows the real truth. Time for a wake-up call – a meeting with life. And life turns out to be a kindly, rather run-down man in an old suit, who is determined to bring about change – and won’t let Lucy off the hook. Sometimes we all need to make time for our life. It was a really lovely, insightful read and I really enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Then I found this at the library and I had not read this one. This was released in 2013 and is How To Fall In Love by Cecelia Ahern. Adam Basil and Christine Rose are thrown together late one night: Christine is crossing the Ha’penny Bridge in Dublin; Adam is poised, threatening to jump. Adam is desperate – but Christine makes a crazy deal with him. His birthday is looming and she bets him that before then she can show him life is worth living.  Against the ticking of the clock, the two of them embark on wild escapades, grand romantic gestures and some unlikely late-night outings. Slowly, Christine thinks Adam is starting to fall back in love with his life. But is that all that’s happening? This book made me laugh out loud. And it was just what I needed to read at the time that I did.

I then got Caravel by Stephanie Garber from the library. Again a friends recommendation. Welcome to Caraval, where nothing is quite what it seems. Scarlett has never left the tiny isle of Trisda, pining from afar for the wonder of Caraval, a once-a-year week-long performance where the audience participates in the show. Caraval is Magic. Mystery. Adventure. And for Scarlett and her beloved sister Tella it represents freedom and an escape from their ruthless, abusive father. When the sisters long-awaited invitations to Caraval finally arrive, it seems their dreams have come true. But no sooner have they arrived than Tella vanishes, kidnapped by the show’s mastermind organiser, Legend. Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But nonetheless she quickly becomes enmeshed in a dangerous game of love, magic and heartbreak. And real or not, she must find Tella before the game is over, and her sister disappears forever. A story about sisters, this was ok, and I have ordered the next one at the library. Interested to see where this goes.

Then back to Paige Toon, and this one is Johnny Be Good.  If your boss was the hottest rock star on the planet, would you mix business with pleasure? Celebrity PA to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg Stiles’s glam new life in sun-drenched LA is a whirlwind of showbiz parties and backstage passes. Cool, calm Christian, in town to write his famous friend’s biography, helps keep Meg’s feet firmly on the ground. But with Johnny’s piercing green eyes and a body Brad Pitt would kill for, how long will it be before she’s swept right off them again? Not a fan of this one, but you can not like them all. I do have the next one coming through the library. So I will read it, just to waste some time while I have to rest up.

Then I started the Final Odd Thomas, Saint Odd. I do not want to finish this series, as I love this book series but I did.  The future is haunting Odd Thomas. The carnival has returned to Pico Mundo, the same one that came to town when Odd was just sixteen. Odd is drawn to an arcade tent where he discovers Gypsy Mummy, the fortune-telling machine that told him that he and Stormy Llewellyn were destined to be together forever. But Stormy is dead and Pico Mundo is under threat once more. History seems to be repeating itself as Odd grapples with a satanic cult intent on bringing destruction to his town. An unseasonal storm is brewing, and as the sky darkens and the sun turns blood-red, it seems that all of nature is complicit in their plans.  Meanwhile Odd is having dreams of a drowned Pico Mundo, where the submerged streetlamps eerily light the streets. But there’s no way Pico Mundo could wind up underwater . . . could it? The ending was perfect, Together For Ever and it was bittersweet. I did not want this series to end.

Then I was told by a friend to try Dani Atkins. This is The Story Of Us. Emma Marshall can’t wait to marry her childhood sweetheart, Richard. But then a tragic accident changes everything, and introduces a stranger, Jack, into her life. Gorgeous and mysterious, Jack is like no-one Emma has met before. But Richard is the man she loves. Two different men. Two different destinies. How will Emma end her story? And again, I read this in one sitting and just loved. It was so well written and I can not recommend this enough to anyone.

Then the next Stephanie Garber came in, the second one called Legendary. After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name. The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more – and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about – maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever. This was good, and I am interested to again see where this story goes. I re-read this book three further times.  If these books get made into a film, I would go and see it. I can imagine, visually this would be amazing. And when this is reduced I will buy as a kindle.

Then another Paige Toon from the library, The Last Piece Of My Heart. A successful travel journalist, Bridget has ambitions to turn her quirky relationship blog about the missing pieces of her heart into a book. But after a spate of rejections from publishers, she accepts an alternative proposition. Nicole Dupre died leaving behind a bestselling novel and an incomplete sequel. Tasked with finishing the book, Bridget is thankful to have her foot in the publishing door, even if it means relocating to Cornwall for the summer and answering to Nicole’s grieving husband, Charlie. Not a fan of this one at all. I got to a quarter of the way through and just could not finish this, but there you go.

Then another Paige Toon, The Sun In Her Eyes. Amber was three when a car crash stole her mother’s life. She doesn’t remember the accident, but a stranger at the scene has been unable to forget. Now, almost thirty years later, she’s trying to track Amber down.  Amber, meanwhile, is married to Ned and living on the other side of the world in London. When her father has a stroke, she flies straight home to Australia to be with him. Away from her husband, Amber finds comfort in her oldest friends, but her feelings for Ethan, the gorgeous, green-eyed man she once fell for, have never been platonic. As Ethan and Amber grow closer, married life in London feels far away. Then Amber receives a letter that changes everything. ‘Before your mother died, she asked me to tell you something…’ Again, this was okay and I am glad I did not buy this as a kindle.

The next Robert Bryndza, The Night Stalker. In the dead of a swelteringly hot summer’s night, Detective Erika Foster is called to a murder scene. The victim, a doctor, is found suffocated in bed. His wrists are bound and his eyes bulging through a clear plastic bag tied tight over his head.  A few days later, another victim is found dead, in exactly the same circumstances. As Erika and her team start digging deeper, they discover a calculated serial killer – stalking their victims before choosing the right moment to strike. The victims are all single men, with very private lives. Why are their pasts shrouded in secrecy? And what links them to the killer? As a heat wave descends upon London, Erika will do everything to stop the Night Stalker before the body count rises, even if it means risking her job. But the victims might not be the only ones being watched.Erika’s own life could be on the line. Another great story. Another new author I would recommend, if you like a good murder story.

A new James Patterson series. Detective Harriet Blue needs to get out of town fast. With her brother under arrest for a series of brutal murders in Sydney, Harry’s chief wants the hot-headed detective kept far from the press. So he assigns her a deadly new case – in the middle of the outback. Deep in the Western Australian desert, three young people have disappeared from the Bandya Mine. And it’s Harry’s job to track them down. But still reeling from events back home, and with a secretive new partner at her side, Harry’s not sure who she can trust anymore. And, in this unforgiving land, she has no idea how close she is to a whole new kind of danger. I really liked this and have got the next one from the library too.

It’s not easy being a good detective – when your brother’s a serial killer. Sam Blue stands accused of the brutal murders of three young students, their bodies dumped near the Georges River. Only one person believes he is innocent: his sister, Detective Harriet Blue. And she’s determined to prove it. Except she’s now been banished to the outback town of Last Chance Valley (population 75), where a diary found on the roadside outlines a shocking plan – the massacre of the entire town. And the first death, shortly after Harry’s arrival, suggests the clock is already ticking. Meanwhile, back in Sydney, a young woman holds the key to crack Sam’s case wide open. If only she could escape the madman holding her hostage. And this was a good read too, ordered the next one from the library.

Baby Be Mine, a sequel to Johnny Be Good. One-time personal assistant to celebrity wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg Stiles is now settled and living in the south of France with her doting boyfriend Christian and their son Barney. But they’re living a lie, a lie that will turn their lives upside down. Because as Barney reaches his first birthday, Meg can no longer deny that her son is growing to look more and more like his rock star father every day, and less and less like Christian. Sooner or later, she will have to tell the truth. This was ok, glad I did not buy it and got it off my reading list.

Then Fractured finally came through the library. I have wanted to read this for a while. The night of the accident changed everything. Now, five years on, Rachel’s life is crumbling. She lives alone in a tiny flat, working in a dead-end job, desperate with guilt over her best friend’s death. She would give anything to turn back the clock. But life doesn’t work like that or does it? The night of the accident was a lucky escape. Now, five years on, Rachel’s life is perfect. She has a wonderful fiance, loving family and friends around her, and the career she always wanted. But why can’t Rachel shake the memory of a very different life? Fractured is a magical love story that asks; can two different stories lead to the same happy ending? And this was such a beautiful, emotional book. I enjoyed this so much and will be buying this.

Then another Dani Atkins came from the library. This one is While I Was Sleeping. When Maddie wakes up in a hospital bed, she can’t remember anything about what happened to her or what has changed. She just remembers she was about to be married and had everything to look forward to. But it seems life has become a lot more complicated while she has been asleep. Was not a fan of this one. But then you can not like them all can you.

Another Dani Atkins, This Love. Sophie stopped believing in happy endings a long time ago, but could this love change all of that? Sophie Winter lives in a self-imposed cocoon – she’s a single, 31-year-old translator who works from home in her one-bedroom flat. This isn’t really the life she dreamed of, but then Sophie stopped believing in dreams when she was a teenager and tragedy struck her family. So, to be safe, she keeps everyone at arm’s length. Sophie understands she has a problem, but recognising it and knowing how to fix it are two entirely different things. One night a serious fire breaks out in the flat below hers. Sophie is trapped in the burning building until a passer-by, Ben, sees her and rescues her. Suddenly her cocoon is shattered – what will be the consequences of this second life-changing event? This again was another amazing story. I really enjoyed it and would recommend this.

Then more Paige Toon came through the library reservation system. The first one I read was One Perfect Summer. A Dorset summer, a chance meeting, and Joe and Alice, both 18, fall into step as if they have known each other forever. But their idyll is shattered as quickly as it began. Joe leaves without warning; Alice heads off to Cambridge University and slowly picks up the pieces of her broken heart. Years later, when she catches the attention of gorgeous, gifted, rich boy Lukas, Alice is carried along by his charm and swept up in his ambitious plans for a future together. Until news of Joe reaches her once more, but he’s out of reach in a way that  Alice could never have imagined. Life has moved on, the divide between them is now so great. Surely it is far too late to relive those perfect summer days of long ago? This was nothing special.

Then one night I could not sleep so went to my kindle to see what I had to read. Brett Battles, The Fractured, number twelve in the series. Jonathan Quinn has had better years, but now most of the trouble is behind him, if not forgotten. There is one issue that remains unresolved—the break between him and his partner, Nate. Quinn has come to accept the only potential path to healing the wound is via the passage of time. The secret world has other ideas. Quinn and his girlfriend, Orlando, are hired for a new mission, but they must include on their team the operative who is one of the few to have ever seen the face of the job’s target. This operative is unknown to the client, but not to Quinn and Orlando. Now, to stop a plan that could slaughter tens of thousands of people, they must turn to the one person who wants nothing to do with them. If they can even find him in time. I did enjoy this story and author and would recommend him to anyone.

I went back to my kindle and found this story. I brought this kindle in December 2017, The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter. Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn’s childhoods were destroyed by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father – a notorious defence attorney – devastated. And it left the family consumed by secrets from that shocking night. Twenty-eight years later, Charlie has followed in her father’s footsteps to become a lawyer. But when violence comes to their home town again, the case triggers memories she’s desperately tried to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime which destroyed her family won’t stay buried for ever. Another good story as always with Karin Slaughter.

Then book three from Robert Bryndza, Dark Water. Beneath the water the body sank rapidly. She would lie still and undisturbed for many years but above her on dry land, the nightmare was just beginning. When Detective Erika Foster receives a tip off that key evidence for a major narcotics case was stashed in a disused quarry on the outskirts of London, she orders for it to be searched. From the thick sludge the drugs are recovered, but so is the skeleton of a young child. The remains are quickly identified as seven-year-old Jessica Collins. The missing girl who made headline news when she vanished twenty-six years ago. As Erika tries to piece together new evidence with the old, she discovers a family harbouring secrets, a detective plagued by her failure to find Jessica, and the mysterious death of a man living by the quarry. Is the suspect someone close to home? Someone doesn’t want this case solved. And they’ll do anything to stop Erika from finding the truth. Another good story. I do enjoy this author !

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