Sam (Damienverse #1) by Iain Rob Wright

Description from Iain's website:

"Accidents have been happening at Raymeady Manor.

The only suspect is an 8-year old boy.

But there’s no way a child could be responsible for so much misery… Is there? Sammie has a secret, want to hear it?

When washed-up priest Angela Murs and skittish ghost hunter Tim Golding are summoned to a vast countryside estate, they have no idea what to expect. While it’s clear that the young resident Samuel Raymeady is a very disturbed child, there’s surely no way he could be behind the recent spate of accidents and deaths around his home. He’s just a boy…

Sammie is dirty, malnourished, and perhaps the victim of a negligent mother, but as Angela and Tim’s investigations take them deeper into the mystery, they realise that there is more going on than they ever could have imagined.

First came The Exorcist. Then came The Omen. Now there’s another creepy child to keep you awake at night."

~~~~~~~~~~

I am a fan of this author's work having read and enjoyed several of his other books but have to admit that this one just didn't do it for me.

Now don't get me wrong, it's not a bad story, it's just a bit cliché and I really struggled to connect with any of the characters although having said that, they were well developed and I did think "Sam" was well done and suitably creepy.  There were some good twists but, unfortunately, I didn't find it particularly scary and although there are some tense moments, there just wasn't enough for me.

Overall, a pretty good read for readers who are of a nervous disposition and don't like to be too scared or freaked out.

~~~~~~~~~~

Connect with the author:

Website where you can get 5 free books just for subscribing to Iain's mailing list and I can confirm that he has never bombarded me with emails

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Die Alone (The Bone Field #3) by Simon Kernick

*** Published on 28th November 2019 ***

Pre-order it now

Blurb from Goodreads:


"Alastair Sheridan has it all. Wealth, good looks, a beautiful wife and children and, in the chaotic world of British politics, a real chance of becoming Prime Minister.

But Alastair also has a secret. He’s a serial killer with a taste for young women.

Only a handful of people know what kind of monster he is, and disgraced detective Ray Mason is one of them.

Awaiting trial for murder, Ray is unexpectedly broken free by armed men and given an offer: assassinate Alastair Sheridan and begin a new life abroad with a new identity. The men claim to be from MI6. They say that Sheridan is a threat to national security and needs to be neutralised. Ray knows they are not who they say they are, and that their real motives are far darker.

The only person Ray trusts is ex-cop and former lover Tina Boyd, who’s keen to settle her own scores with Sheridan.

With enemies on every side, only one thing is certain.

No one wants them to get out alive."

~~~~~~~~~~

Wow ... just wow!

What a thrill-a-page that was!

This is the third and final instalment of "The Bone Field" series and what a series it's been.  You could read this part as a standalone but I think you would appreciate and have a clearer and better understanding of Ray's motivations if you read the previous books although not essential as Mr Kernick provides adequate snippets so you can easily keep up.

This book is just brilliant; full of action, scenes of peril, violence, tense and tender moments, fast-paced, gripping, well written and easy to read.

DI Ray Mason is a complex and very interesting character and although he may not always follow the rule of law, you find yourself rooting for him and willing him on through his many scrapes, tussles and near misses with the "goodies" and the "baddies".

Tina Boyd is one of my all-time favourite female characters and I loved that she returned for this final outing - more books with Tina as the central character please Mr Kernick 😀

Alastair Sheridan is a fantastic baddie.  Politician, murderer, arrogant, full of his own self-importance and a thoroughly repulsive and obnoxious creature ... yes, I say creature because he's not good enough to be called a man, a human being or even an animal!  The seething hatred I have for this "thing" oozed from my every pore as I read this book and I couldn't read it fast enough to find out what fate had in store for him.

I feel quite sad that this is the final part and although I realise that to eek it out would dilute the impact and stretch the bounds of reality somewhat but I really, really would like to read more books featuring Ray - maybe a series of stories of his life "on the run" in various countries around the world - I would be the first in line ... hint, hint Mr Kernick 😀

I can't thank Cornerstone, Penguin Random House UK via NetGalley enough for my advance copy in return for an honest review; I am very grateful that I was chosen and thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~

Connect with the author:

Twitter

Facebook

~~~~~~~~~~

The other books in the series reviewed by me:

The Bone Field #1

The Hanged Man (The Bone Field #2)

A Deathly Silence (DCI Helen Lavery #3) by Jane Isaac

Description from Goodreads:

"When the mutilated body of a police officer is found in a derelict factory, Hamptonshire force are shocked to the core. DCI Helen Lavery returns from injury leave and is immediately plunged into an investigation like no other. Is this a random attack or is someone targeting the force? Organized crime groups or a lone killer? As the net draws in, Helen finds the truth lies closer than she could have imagined, and trusts no one. But Helen is facing a twisted killer who will stop at nothing to ensure their secrets remain hidden. And time is running out. "

~~~~~~~~~~

Having read a few of Jane Isaac's books and thoroughly enjoyed them, I had no hesitation in picking this despite not having read the previous 2 in the series and I wasn't disappointed.

This is an excellent police procedural/crime thriller with believable and, mostly, likeable characters and a completely absorbing story line.  Unlike some police procedural stories which, I feel, try to include different threads and mini-plots within the central story which can cause confusion, this one had a main theme and stuck to it which made the story unravel and develop naturally; this made is seem more authentic, plausible and engaging.

There is plenty of action and twists to keep any reader engaged and I definitely recommend to anyone ... in fact, I am happy to recommend any of Jane's books; you won't be disappointed.

Thank you to Legend Press and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.

~~~~~~~~~~

Connect with the author:

Website - join the Readers' Club and receive a free ebook

Twitter

Facebook