Nine Lives by Peter Swanson

Description from Goodreads:

"If you're on the list you're marked for death.

The envelope is unremarkable. There is no return address. It contains a single, folded, sheet of white paper.

The envelope drops through the mail slot like any other piece of post. But for the nine complete strangers who receive it - each of them recognising just one name, their own, on the enclosed list - it will be the most life altering letter they ever receive. It could also be the last, as one by one, they start to meet their end.

But why?

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An intriguing setup with an homage to Agatha Christie that loses steam

I’ve had this one sitting on my dusty to-be-read shelf for ages, so I was really glad to finally get round to reading it. Nine strangers across America receive a plain sheet of paper in the post with nothing on it except a list of nine names. None of them seem to have anything in common, and no one knows who sent it. But as the people on the list start dying in mysterious circumstances, it becomes a race against time for the survivors and the FBI to figure out what connects them before the killer strikes again. It is a locked room style premise based on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, so I was genuinely looking forward to diving into it.

The opening chapters set up the mystery really well. Watching the news unfold and seeing the panic set in across the different characters built up a lot of initial tension. Peter Swanson’s writing style is very readable and the short, fast-paced chapters kept me turning pages early on.

However, as the story progressed, it started to stumble for me. Switching between nine different point-of-view characters meant I never really got to know or care about any of them. Whenever a character died, it lacked any real emotional weight because we had barely spent any pages with them. As the body count mounted, the plot began to feel quite repetitive. The big reveal of the killer and their motive felt a bit rushed and underwhelming compared to the cleverness of the initial setup.

Overall, it is a decent, light thriller that makes for a quick read, but it did not quite live up to its full potential for me.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my honest thoughts.

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The Head Collector by Mark Griffin

🔥🔥🔥 Publication Date:  19 October 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"The killer is always one step ahead...

Criminal psychologist Oswald Bennet understands the minds of killers better than anyone - because he was raised by two of them. Now, working alongside DI Anderson of the Portland Police, Oswald is pulled into a chilling case that will test his every limit.

When a devoted mother is brutally decapitated in her basement, authorities rule it an impossibly elaborate suicide. But Oswald knows better, recognising the hallmarks of a highly organised, theatrical predator.

As another headless body turns up on the local Amtrak tracks, a terrifying pattern emerges. Drawn into a deadly psychological game where terror strikes dangerously close to home, Oswald must face his own darkest demons before time runs out."

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An absolute belter of a thriller and a brilliant start to a potential series

Having never read anything by Mark Griffin before, I wasn't entirely sure what I was walking into with The Head Collector. However, it completely blew me away from the very first chapter and ended up being an easy five-star read.

The story dives straight into a dark and gripping mystery that keeps you guessing all the way through. The pacing is spot on, building up the tension nicely without ever dragging, and the dark atmosphere kept me completely hooked.

What really stood out for me, though, were the characters. Even though this is my first time reading this author, the writing makes the people on the page feel so real and fleshed out. I am really hopeful that this becomes a series because I enjoyed it so much, and I would love to see how these characters develop and grow in future books.

If you love a gritty crime thriller with brilliant pacing and characters you actually care about, you definitely need to pick this one up.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts.

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The Heights by Ian Rankin

🔥🔥🔥 Publication date:  8 October 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"Facing Hyde Park, The Heights is London’s most coveted luxury high-rise apartment—designed to satisfy every need, with a gym, infinity pool, cinema, and more, where self-made owner-developer Allan Franklyn himself has claimed the penthouse duplex. His neighbors include some of “Money London’s” biggest personalities: a wealthy art dealer, a young heartthrob pop star, a foreign heiress, a gangster’s wife. The residents are used to service, deference, and privacy, all on their terms.

But when nighttime concierge Dwayne Hogarth is found dead in the lobby, none of that is in their control anymore, and everyone’s under the unwelcome scrutiny of Detective Sergeant Gillian Gish. Her questions begin with the party on the 4th floor the night Dwayne died, which ended with a fight; the missing key to one of the apartments; and a mysterious gap in the security camera footage. Before long, Gish uncovers the unsavory truths and dark secrets that lurk beneath the glittering facades of the building and its inhabitants."

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Solid but didn't quite grab me

Having never read any of Ian Rankin's work before, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when picking up The Heights, but given how hugely popular he is in the crime world, I was definitely curious. Unfortunately, while I can see why so many people rate him, this particular book just didn't grab me.

The plot itself is clever but there were too many characters and I found the story a bit of a slog to get through in parts. The pacing felt quite slow to build up and I struggled to get properly invested in the characters or what was happening. I kept waiting for that spark to kick things into high gear for me, but it stayed at a fairly steady, slow burn all the way through.

That being said, the writing is solid and he creates a really believable atmosphere with a strong sense of place. It certainly wasn't a terrible read by any means, but it just lacked the grip and excitement that I usually look for in a thriller.

Overall, while it didn't quite hit the mark for me, fans of slower crime stories might enjoy it a lot more than I did.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read an advanced copy and share my honest thoughts.

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The Shadow People (Patel and Pardoe #3) by Graham Masterton

Description from Goodreads:

"Det. Sgt. Jamila Patel and Det. Con. Jerry Pardoe have reluctantly acquired a reputation in the Metropolitan Police for their ability to tackle bizarre and apparently supernatural crimes. Now they have been called back together after three bodies are found in a London basement... bodies which have been taken apart, roasted and eaten.

The markings on the wall suggest this might have been done by some kind of religious cult – and as more people are kidnapped and cannibalised, Patel and Pardoe realise they are dealing with a group of devil-worshippers invoking an ancient god who has not been worshipped since the Neolithic age..."

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A creepy horror

This one has been sitting patiently on my to-be-read pile since 2022 and I have finally got round to reading it. I have been a huge fan of Mr Masterton since my teenage years and have read loads of his books over the years so I was really looking forward to this. Sadly, it just did not really do it for me this time around. 

The story follows DS Jamila Patel and DC Jerry Pardoe as they investigate a bizarre and brutal cult operating in London that sacrifices people to mysterious shadow entities hiding in the dark.

The initial concept is brilliant and genuinely unsettling. There is no denying that the author still knows how to create a deeply creepy atmosphere and there are some incredibly graphic, stomach-churning horror scenes that will satisfy hardcore gore fans. The idea of the shadow people themselves is fascinating and there are moments of real tension early on.

However, as the book progressed, the plot started to feel a bit disjointed and repetitive. It felt like the story moved from one gruesome set-piece to the next without giving the characters or the mythology enough room to develop properly. The pacing dragged in the middle and the ending wrapped up far too quickly and easily given how powerful the threat was supposed to be. 

It is a decent, fast horror read if you love classic Masterton violence, but it did not quite live up to many of his other books although it won't put me off reading more of his work in the future. 

A big thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts.

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Every Silent Thing by M.R. Madonna [Audiobook]

🔥🔥🔥 Publication date: 13 October 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"A mother and son each harbor a plot to save the other—unaware their colliding plans threaten to unearth a secret that will destroy them both.

At thirteen, Levi Tallon is already running out of options. Trapped between a father's escalating violence and a mother who keeps waiting for God to save them, he lives in constant fear of the next drunken rage. Then he meets Doley—a juvie-scarred loner and prime suspect in a woman's disappearance. What starts as an unlikely friendship hardens into a dangerous alliance sealed in blood: together they'll kill Levi's father and free his mother for good.

But Levi has misjudged the woman who raised him. Maggie struck her own pact long ago, and the secret she's been hiding within her marriage will twist his plan inside out. As her truth unravels, so does Levi's faith—sending him on a search for answers that will tear apart everything he thought he knew about his family, his new friend, and himself."

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An atmospheric and gripping thriller

I was intrigued by the premise of Every Silent Thing and it proved to be a dark, tense and captivating listen that held my attention from start to finish.

Please note that the story touches on some heavier, darker themes—including trauma and abuse—which might be triggering for some readers, so it's definitely worth keeping in mind before diving in.

M.R. Madonna crafts a  chilling atmosphere that builds gradually as the story unfolds. The narrative is full of subtle suspense, secrets and quiet dread, making it very easy to get completely absorbed in the mystery. The plot moves along at a steady pace with plenty of twists to keep you guessing as the truth comes to light.

The narration was good and really enhanced the overall listening experience. The narrator delivered a well-balanced performance, capturing the moody tone of the story and giving distinct voices to the characters without ever feeling overdone. Listening to the story play out added an extra layer of tension that worked brilliantly for a thriller like this.

While there were a few minor moments where the pacing slowed down a touch in the middle, the overall mystery made it an enjoyable listen.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to an advanced audio copy and share my honest thoughts.

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