Close to Death (Hawthorne & Horowitz #5) by Anthony Horowitz

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"Riverside Close is a picture-perfect community. The six exclusive and attractive houses are tucked far away from the noise and grime of city life, allowing the residents to enjoy beautiful gardens, pleasant birdsong, and tranquility from behind the security of a locked gate.

It is the perfect idyll, until the Kentworthy family arrives, with their four giant, gas-guzzling cars, gaggle of shrieking children, and plans for a garish swimming pool in the backyard. Obvious outsiders, the Kentworthys do not belong in Riverside Close, and quickly offend every last one of the neighbors.

When Charles Kentworthy is found dead on his own doorstep, a crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest, Detective Hawthorne is the only investigator they can call to solve the case.

Because how do you solve a murder when everyone is a suspect?"

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I must admit this didn't grab me quite as much as the others I have read in this series, not quite sure why but maybe because Mr Horowitz took more of a back seat in this one?  I don't know but I still enjoyed it.

Horowitz needs to write another book but, unfortunately, no bodies have turned up so he writes about a previous case Hawthorne was involved in and what a case it is.

It appears to be an open and shut case relating to a murder of a man in a small community by his neighbour however, nothing is quite so simple especially when the alleged murderer is found dead in his locked garage, in his locked car from apparent suicide.  It all seems a bit too simple and it certainly is.

Full of excellent and interesting characters, told at a good pace and with some great twists, this is an intriguing story and one I would recommend reading by people who enjoy this genre and I highly recommend reading the others in the series.

Many thanks to the author, RandomHouse UK, Cornerstone, Century and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this great addition to a brilliant series.

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Other books by Anthony Horowitz I have read and reviewed:

A Line to Kill (Hawthorne & Horowitz #3)

The Twist of a Knife (Hawthorne & Horowitz #4)

 

World's Greatest Dad [Short Story] by Edward Lorn

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"What would you do if you were given the chance to avenge your child's death?

After Carl Nelson's daughter, Kimmy, is brutally murdered, he begins receiving messages on the surface of his WORLD'S GREATEST DAD coffee mug.

Is Kimmy attempting to reach her father from beyond the grave?

SAVE HER..."

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This was a short story, approximately 28 pages on my ©Kindle, but it certainly packed a lot in.  I don't read a lot of short stories as I prefer longer novels but, every now and then, I quite like to read something from start to finish in the time it takes to drink a nice brew.

Carl is out trick-or-treating with his daughter when the absolute worst thing happens - she disappears and when her body is found, his world falls apart.  However, a message from a very unexpected place takes Carl from the depths of despair to avenging his daughter's murder.

A really good short story that, although the subject matter is dark, I enjoyed and was extremely satisfied with the ending!

I have had this story on my ©Kindle since 2014 ... can you believe that!! It's been on there that long it's no longer available on Amazon where I originally got it from.  It's a shame because it's a really good story.

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A Lesson in Cruelty by Harriet Tyce [Audiobook]

🎙🎙🎙 Narrated by Candida Gubbins 🎙🎙🎙

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"WHAT PRICE WOULD YOU PAY FOR THE PERFECT LIFE?

They say you can't always get what you want. But you can take it.

Anna wants a fresh start. She doesn't believe she deserves it, but after three years behind bars she has finally paid her dues. Most of them, anyway.

Lucy craves the attention of the only man she can't have, her alluring Oxford professor. He's married - not for the first time. Maybe she should be next in line?

Marie the recluse has been locked up for too long. She's not ready to be free, but some rules are meant to be broken.

Everyone wants a perfect life. But not everyone is prepared to take it.

Unless someone decides to teach them a lesson."

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I found this a very difficult book to stop listening to and ended up hoping for a traffic jam just so I could listen some more!!! 

The story follows the lives of 3 woman - all very different and all experiencing difficulties in their own lives mostly of their own making I have to say; there's also a professor with questionable ethics.  It's clear that they are going to come together at some point but it's intriguing to see how and why and I definitely wasn't disappointed.

Written at a good pace, with excellent characters and with a narrator that did a good job, this is a really good book to get your teeth into (or ears if, like me, you listen to the audiobook version) and I will definitely be looking out for more of Harriet Tyce's books in the future.

Many thanks to the author, Headline Audio, Wildfire and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this intriguing book.

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The Devil You Know (DS Max Craigie #5) by Neil Lancaster

Description from Goodreads:

"A CASE GONE COLD

Six years ago, Beata Dabrowski arranged to meet her lover in Glasgow and was never seen again. There were no leads. . . until now.

AN UNRELIABLE WITNESS

Imprisoned gang boss Davie Hardie wants to talk in exchange for his freedom. He knows exactly where Beata is buried, and he’s prepared to take the police to her grave.

A KILLER DESPERATE TO ESCAPE

But when the mission to locate Beata’s body is hijacked, DS Max Craigie is drafted on to the case. Someone is selling secrets.

Max will stop at nothing to expose police corruption and uncover Beata’s murderer. . . but can you ever really trust a killer to catch a killer?"

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Just excellent!!

Once again, Mr Lancaster has written another cracking addition to this series that just seems to get better and better.  This can be read as a standalone but you will get much more out of it if you go back and read the rest in the series ... believe me, you will not be disappointed.

You would be hard pressed to find a more brilliant set of characters than DS Craigie and his team; their relationship and dialogue feels authentic and I love the banter between them that feels natural.  This is a dark story but I found myself giggling away to myself at times which helped lighten the mood.

Full of suspense, twists and turns, this is great story that had me absolutely glued to my screen from start to finish and I cannot wait for the next in the series.

Highly recommended and many thanks to the author, HQ, HQ Digital and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this excellent addition to the series.

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Other books by Neil Lancaster I have read and reviewed:

Dead Man's Grave (DS Max Craigie #1)

The Blood Tide (DS Max Craigie #2)

The Night Watch (DS Max Craigie #3)

Blood Runs Cold (DS Max Craigie #4)

 

Out of Darkness by Alex Gray

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"DSI William Lorimer and his wife Maggie are taking their first extended holiday for the first time in years, and they're looking for an adventure. What better place than Zimbabwe, with its bustling cities and beautiful scenery?

Back in Glasgow, PC Daniel Kohi, former inspector with the Zimbabwean police, finds himself uncomfortably close to a murder investigation. Why did the murdered man appear at Daniel's house just hours before he was killed? And how he is connected to the troubled family history of Netta Gordon, Daniel's dear friend and lodger?

But it's not just Netta's history that's about to resurface. For in Zimbabwe, rumours are circulating about Daniel Kohi, and the couple from Scotland who appear to know him. Rumours which could place the Lorimers in unimaginable peril."

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You would have thought that book 21 in a series would be feeling a little stale but this is absolutely not the case and whilst I have only read a few in this series (I know, I must have been living under a rock!), the ones I have, can be read as standalones quite successfully as this one can but, as with all series, you do lose a bit of the backstory and character development.

Full of excellent characters, an intriguing storyline set in Glasgow and Zimbabwe and with twists and turns throughout, this is an excellent addition to the series and the way the author describes the setting in Zimbabwe made me feel like I wanted to be there experiencing the noises, the scenery, the wildlife but not the dodgy Police!

I thoroughly enjoyed this and would very much recommend it to everyone and I must thank the author, Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this excellent addition to this fantastic series.

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Other books by Alex Gray I have read and reviewed:

Before the Storm (DCI Lorimer #18)

Echo of The Dead (DSI Lorimer #19)