The Last Thing to Burn by Will Dean

 

Blurb taken from Goodreads:

"He is her husband. She is his captive.

Her husband calls her Jane. That is not her name.

She lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen.

Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn't like what he sees, she is punished.

For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting ..."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

Wow ... that was one heck of a powerful read and one where the characters will stay with me for some time.

Jane - named so by her "husband" Lennie - was trafficked from her native Vietnam with her younger sister, she is kept captive on an isolated farm in what can only be described as squalid and run down conditions.  She is watched every minute of every day, she is not allowed to speak to anyone, she is not allowed to go anywhere - her day is regimented from start to finish and for each perceived transgression, the treasured possessions she has are slowly burned in front of her eyes.

This is a harrowing story of a desperate life of servitude and abuse; the scary thing is that it is happening to thousands of men, women and children the world over which makes it even more upsetting.  However, it is also a story of hope and the desperate will and strength to survive and fight back when things appear to be hopeless.

The whole book is written from "Jane's" perspective and she is an enthralling narrator.  The setting is just perfect and described scarily accurately - my job takes me into isolated farmhouses that are pretty bleak and dilapidated and this made the story even more real for me.  

This is not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination but despite that, I found it very hard to put down. I was drawn into the story hook, line and sinker; it grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go until the very last page ... it lingers still in the back of my mind and there are very few books that do this.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Legend (A Claire Whitcomb Western #3) by D.V. Berkom

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Vengeance can be a fickle mistress…

In the aftermath of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Claire accepts a job transporting a convicted murderer to prison. But Harry, the bounty hunter who captured the outlaw, is none too pleased to be sharing the reward—and trusting a woman to have his back.

Will Claire and Harry settle their differences and work together to deliver their captive to justice? Or will the murderer kill again to escape the noose?"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

If, like me, you tend to bypass the Western or Historical Fiction genres thinking they might be boring or not what you usually enjoy, can I give you a little advice?  Don't ... take a look at the blurb and if it sparks even a little light of interest, give it a go ... you never know, you might enjoy it.  I have certainly enjoyed this series and it is way off what I normally read.

This is a very satisfying third and, supposedly the last, book in the series featuring Claire Whitcomb with "Retribution" being the first and "Gunslinger" being the second.  Claire is a strong female in a time when strong females were frowned upon and she has to work doubly hard to follow the line of work she wishes and to prove herself amongst a world full of men; she does this with grace, dignity and style in this story filled with action and adventure set in the Wild West.

What I particularly enjoy is the references to real historical figures and places such as Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, Calamity Jane, Tombstone and the OK Corral; these are people and places I have grown up with (my dad and husband being avid Western watchers) and with adding a great character like Claire in amongst it all brought it to life even more for me.

My only gripe, which has continued over the three books, is that they aren't long enough ... you no sooner start when you have finished but maybe that's my fault and I read too quickly!

Having said that, I still highly recommend this series and D.V. Berkom as a whole; you won't be disappointed with anything she writes because, let's face it, what's not to like - great characters, immersive stories that transport you to different times and places, action, adventure, thrills and spills; she writes about it all with the bonus of the lead characters being strong females that aren't afraid to kick some behinds!  So, have a look at her back catalogue and get reading.

I am lucky to be a member of D.V. Berkom's ARTeam and was sent a copy of Legend before the official publication date of 12-January-2020 in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review and for which I am, once again, extremely grateful.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

👀👀👀👀👀👀

Other books from D.V. Berkom that I have read and reviewed:

Gunslinger (A Claire Whitcomb Western Book 2)

Retribution (A Claire Whitcomb Western Book 1) 

Shadow of the Jaguar

Dakota Burn

Absolution

Dark Return

The Last Deception

The Body Market

Gathering Dark by Candice Fox

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Blair Harbour’s life as Hollywood’s top paediatric surgeon was perfect, until the night she was jailed for a murder she says she didn’t commit.

With ten years of freedom lost, her medical licence cancelled and her son being raised by foster parents, she’s ready to start again from scratch.

But when a former cellmate begs for help finding her missing daughter, Blair must risk it all to save a young life. Her only allies are a thief, a ganglord and the cop who put her away.

To do the right thing, Blair must mix with all the wrong people.

Will it put her new-found freedom on the line?"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

This is a book I have had on my "to-be-read" pile since August 2020 and given I had a few days off work over the festive season, I decided to try and catch up a bit ... one down and loads more to go!

I have read and enjoyed a couple of Candice Fox's books before so was looking forward to reading this new story set in America and although I wasn't blown away, I did enjoy the ride.

Set in Los Angeles, the story centres around two main characters and from whose perspective the book is written - Blair and Jessica.  Blair, as the blurb says, is restarting her life after being released from prison for murdering her neighbour.  Jessica is a Police Officer who put her there and who has just inherited a very expensive and exclusive property. 

The blurb makes the plot sound simple however, it is far from it.  Throw in Blair's ex cell-mate's daughter going missing, a gang leader, very disgruntled colleagues of Jessica, the legend of missing millions and then a gopher and what you have is a very complex story which is a bit OTT and unbelievable in parts with one too many coincidences but it keeps you hooked as you just need to find out how all these threads fit together and they do very satisfyingly and at a good pace.  I did find there were one or two chapters that just seemed to be thrown in for the sake of it rather than them adding to the story and it was a bit wordy in parts but overall, it kept my interest.

The ending leaves the door open for other stories to follow and I for one would like to see where Blair and Jessica go in both their personal lives and their potential partnership.

Thank you to Random House UK / Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

👀👀👀👀👀👀

The Spiral by Iain Ryan

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Erma Bridges' life is far from perfect, but entirely ordinary. So when she is shot twice in a targetted attack by a colleague, her quiet existence is shattered in an instant.

With her would-be murderer dead, no one can give Erma the answers she needs to move on from her trauma. Why her? Why now?

So begins Erma's quest for the truth - and a dangerous, spiralling journey into the heart of darkness."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

If there is one thing I really don't like, it's not finishing a book.  Luckily, it doesn't happen very often but, unfortunately, I was unable to finish The Spiral.

Why?  Well, I read to escape; I have enough complication in my work life so I tend not to read anything that takes too many brain cells as there aren't that many left after a day at work but this book just had me totally bemused almost from the very beginning and I just didn't have the stamina to continue.  

I struggled to get into the story, develop any feelings for the characters either way and I just ended up being completed baffled by the whole thing so much so that I just had to give up in order to remain sane!

As I said, I don't like not finishing a book and I really try to keep going but I just couldn't with this and I therefore have to apologise to the author.  I am acutely aware that this book will definitely appeal to lots of people but it just wasn't for me.

I would like to thank Zaffre Books / Bonnier Books UK and NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

The Spiral is due to be published on 31st December 2020 and I wish it good luck.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Gunslinger: A Claire Whitcomb Western (Claire Whitcomb Westerns Book 2)

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Never let tragedy define you.

After losing her family to renegade outlaws, Claire Whitcomb leaves Leadville, Colorado, headed for Tombstone. Armed with a Peacemaker, a rifle, and a letter of introduction to Wyatt Earp, Claire seeks a new life and new career in the Town Too Tough To Die. Along the way, she meets Isabella King, well-known actress and mistress of railroad magnate Jay Gould.

During an attempted train robbery Isabella’s security man is shot and killed, which leads her to hire Claire in his place. Unbeknownst to Claire, the actress is an assassin’s target.

Which means Claire is, too."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I am not one for reading westerns or much historical fiction however, I am a fan of D.V.Berkom's work so was persuaded to read the first of the series "Retribution" and I surprised myself by enjoying it so jumped at the chance to read "Gunslinger" as I was itching to find out what Claire gets up to next.

D.V. has a great ability to create characters that you quickly become invested in and Claire is definitely one of those.  D.V. also creates strong, female characters that don't take any grief from the supposedly stronger gender and, again, Claire is most definitely one of these but her job is made even harder given the time and location in which this book is set.

I'm not going to go into the plot here, you will just have to read it, but what I will say is that you really get absorbed and transported to the Wild West and you are quickly captivated by the characters and drawn into this action packed story so much so that, before you know it, it's over and you are left wanting more and herein is the only gripe I have ... it's not long enough but maybe that's because I read too quickly!  

As I said, I usually give Westerns a wide berth as they are not my thing but this series has definitely made me think twice about doing this in the future and if you are of a similar opinion, I would suggest you do the same by giving this series a try ... you never know, you might change your mind and fine another genre to get your teeth into.

I am lucky to be a member of D.V. Berkom's ARTeam and was sent a copy of Gunslinger before the official publication date of 28-December-2020 in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review and for which I am extremely grateful and I don't have to wait long for book 3, "Legend", which is due to be published in January 2021 and which is already sat in my to-be-read pile just waiting for my hungry little eyes to be engrossed once again.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

👀👀👀👀👀👀

Other books from D.V. Berkom that I have read and reviewed:

Retribution (A Claire Whitcomb Western Book 1) 

Shadow of the Jaguar

Dakota Burn

Absolution

Dark Return

The Last Deception

The Body Market

Good Girl (DS Grace Allendale #4) By Mel Sherratt

 

Description from Goodreads:

"Erin was a good girl. But someone wanted her dead…

When sixteen-year-old Erin Ellis is attacked, she dies in the arms of her best friend Molly, just metres from her home. Molly is the surviving girl but says she easily could have been the victim – it was a random mugging gone wrong.

 

With inconclusive evidence, DS Grace Allendale must dig deep within the tight-knit Stoke community for leads. And she soon finds that someone had a motive to kill Erin.

 

As the investigation unfolds, Grace is reminded of a horrifying case she worked on earlier in her career.

 

Is the past coming back to haunt her? And can she push through her fear to catch Erin’s killer before it’s too late?"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I have never been disappointed by anything written by Mel Sherrratt so had no hesitation in reading this, the fourth in the series, and, once again, it was as good as I was expecting and, as an added bonus, you don't have to have read the others in the series, as this works well as a standalone so don't worry!

What we have in "Good Girl" is a pretty dark and hard-hitting police procedural which follows the investigation of DS Grace Allendale and her team into the apparent mugging and murder of a young 16 year old but as Grace delves deeper, all is not what it seems.

With believable characters, an authentic and frighteningly realistic story line written at a great pace and with sensitivity, given the subject matter which is difficult to read at times, this is another excellent book.

Thank you to Avon Books UK, a division of HarperCollins, and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Twitter

Website

Facebook

Out For Blood (DI Eve Hunter #2) By Deborah Masson

 

Description from Goodreads:

"A young man, the son of an influential businessman, is discovered dead in his central Aberdeen apartment.

Hours later, a teenaged girl with no identification is found hanged in a suspected suicide.

As DI Eve Hunter and her team investigate the two cases, they find themselves in a tug-of-war between privilege and poverty; between the elite and those on the fringes of society.

Then an unexpected breakthrough leads them to the shocking conclusion: that those in power have been at the top for too long - and now, someone is going to desperate lengths to bring them down...

Can they stop someone who is dead set on revenge, no matter the cost?"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

After reading and enjoying the first in this series, Hold Your Tongue, I was looking forward to getting my teeth into this one and I wasn't disappointed.  I will say that although you don't necessarily have to have read the first, I do think you will enjoy this second one more if you do.

This is a gritty police procedural set in Aberdeen, Scotland which delves into the seedy and repulsive world of human trafficking but what does the death of a privileged young man and the apparent suicide of a young woman have in common?  On first impressions, absolutely nothing however, DI Hunter and her team set about investigating and what they find is worse than they expected.

Mainly written from Eve's perspective interspersed with other characters and those of an unknown young woman, this gave insight from all the important protagonists in this book and provided a well-rounded view of the situation from all angles.  The characters are well developed and believable with the relationships between Eve and her wider team excellently portrayed.

The story is a difficult one to read in parts but, I felt, was dealt with respectfully but with no holds-barred which made it feel authentic making me feel both sad and angry in equal measure that these things are likely to be happening to someone right now!  The pace is good, it does start off a little slow but increases as the story develops and this follows the pace of the investigation, again making it feel believable and, once again, the author manages to keep the identity of the killer well hidden which kept me guessing and second guessing throughout.

Overall, I have no hesitation in recommending this to others who enjoy a cleverly written and gripping police procedural and I look forward to reading the next instalment in what is a great series with DI Hunter fast becoming a favourite character of mine.

I was fortunate enough to have been invited to read an advance copy by Transworld Publishers, part of Penguin Random House UK, via NetGalley in return for an unbiased and unedited review and for which, I am thankful.

👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connect with the author:

Twitter

Facebook