Tough Justice: Exposed (Part 1 of 8) by Carla Cassidy

"A great opener to a series"

Description from Goodreads:

“A new job. A new case. A new criminal...?

Special Agent Lara Grant will do anything to get her mark — until her last undercover case, infiltrating the notorious Moretti crime ring, forced her to get close to the top. Way. Too. Close…

Now starting a new job in New York City, all Lara wants is to leave the ghosts of her past behind. Until a dramatic sniper attack leaves Lara’s face — and real name — all over the media. In the blink of an eye, her cover is blown, her identity exposed.

Then a woman’s body is found, branded with the ritual Moretti tattoo. Someone knows who Lara is…and exactly how to make her pay…”

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This is Part 1 in an 8 part series of books following the character of FBI Agent Lara Grant and although it is fairly short and a quick read, it certainly packs a lot of information and action.

This first part (and the last one) is written by Carla Cassidy with subsequent parts being written by other authors. This is a novel way of writing a series of books and it remains to be seen how this works out but this first certainly sets the scene with excellent writing and a fast pace.

Lara has recently returned to active duty in the Crisis Management Team following an undercover operation putting a major crime boss behind bars which resulted in a year being spent in a safe house. Unfortunately, whilst trying to prevent a man from committing suicide, the media splash her face all over the news and her cover is blown and all clues to this death and others point to the crime syndicate she helped to put an end to and which open wounds Lara took a long time to bury.

As I said, this is really well written and is an excellent opener to a series. The characters are interesting and believable, the story intriguing and fast paced but don’t expect any answers to the many questions raised in this short book … be prepared to want - no need - to read the next installment as this one ends on a cliff-hanger.

I was kindly provided with a copy of this book by the publisher, Harlequin (UK) Ltd, via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review but you can currently download a free copy from Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, WHSmith and likely other websites so what are you waiting for! You’ve nothing to lose.

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Author website - http://carlacassidybooks.com/

Author twitter - CarlaCassidy2

For more information on Harlequin UK follow @Mira_BooksUK, @MillsandBoon and @MiraInk

Trust No One (Mike Lockyer #3) by Clare Donoghue

"No hesitation in recommending to anyone"

Description from Goodreads:

"A marriage is what you make it, isn't it? It's what you put into it. It's not just about love, it's about understanding another person's point of view. Sometimes there are things you find out about yourself and each other which means the marriage has to end. Sad, particularly when kids are involved - but all pretty normal. Normal that is, until there's a murder. DS Jane Bennett and DI Mike Lockyer are called in to investigate one of the South London murder squad's most difficult and distressing cases yet - where family and friends come under scrutiny in the hardest of circumstances."

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I must admit to having finished reading this book some time ago but have only just got round to writing my review due to unforeseen circumstances but such is the excellent writing ability of this author, that I was able to recall how good this book was very quickly.

The main focus of the story is the death of Richard, a father of 2 young children. At first it is thought to be a tragic but unfortunate death but it soon becomes clear that all is not what it seems and DS Bennett and DI Lockyer are brought in to investigate. Soon everyone associated with Richard is under the spotlight and no one is beyond suspicion with the investigation uncovering lies and deception which opens the door to many suspects. The author has a knack of dropping red herrings in so just when you think you know who the culprit is, another twist appears that forces you to rethink.

The pace of the book is just right with a great mix of the investigation and the life of DS Bennett so that it is not overly procedural or personal. The characters are believable and complex as is the story but I still haven’t made up my mind about the ending although it was a complete surprise and not beyond the realms of possibility.

This is the 3rd book in the DI Lockyer series but can be read as a standalone quite easily but I think it’s best to read at least one of the previous books as it provides insight into the Lockyer and Bennett characters. If I'm totally honest, I'm not sure why this is called the Mike Lockyer series as it seems to focus more on Bennett's character but, having said that, I'm not complaining as she is a strong female character who has to juggle a very difficult job with a complicated personal life. I have read and reviewed number 2 in the series - No Place To Die - which, again, was a great read and I would have no hesitation in recommending Clare Donoghue’s work to anyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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Author Twitter - claredonoghue

Sorry

Due to family bereavement, I will not be posting any reviews for a short while.

Hazel
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