Reading Stuff 'n' Things

Standing Alone (Matt Standing #2)

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Other books by K.L. Slater I have read and reviewed:

The Girlfriend

Her First Child by Sheryl Browne [Audiobook]

Narrated by Tamsin Kennard

Description from Goodreads:

"A perfect mother. A loving daughter. A secret that could destroy them both.

New mother Eve is overwhelmed with love for her baby son, Kai. As she swaddles him in a fluffy white blanket, she shudders at a memory of her own childhood. She hasn’t seen her heartless mother Lydia in years, and she hasn’t told a soul about what really happened the night her baby brother died in the squalid little house she grew up in…

When the phone rings in the dead of night, Eve’s heart pounds as she hears the voice at the other end. ‘Hello Mother’, she replies, an ice-cold chill creeping down her spine. She grips her son’s tiny frame close to her trembling chest as she reluctantly agrees to let her mother visit.

But when Eve has to make an emergency call from Kai’s bedroom early one morning, she curses herself for allowing her mother back into her perfect little family.

‘Kai was fine when I checked on him a few hours ago.’ Her mother says, breathlessly as she watches her daughter’s face change from fear to rage.

Why was Lydia in Kai’s bedroom during the night? And as Lydia pleads her innocence, could it be that she’s not the most dangerous mother in this family?"

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This is a suspense and intrigue filled book that kept my attention from the start with a narrator that was great and really brought the story and the characters to life.

With multiple characters and a story that is told over two timelines, this is a book that could easily get away from you but the author cleverly keeps you on track and on your toes.

I have to admit that the characters aren't particularly likeable but they are very interesting and complex so I don't think it matters too much with this book and it adds to the intrigue and keeps you guessing to the end.

This is the first book by Sheryl Browne I have read and it certainly won't be the last and I want to thank Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen and share my thoughts of Her First Child.

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Still Standing (Matt Standing #3) by Stephen Leather

💥💥💥 Due to be published 05-Jan-2023 💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"The SAS are used to deaths during combat - it goes with the turf.

But when one of their own is said to have committed suicide in Thailand, red flags are raised.

Pete Green wasn't the sort of soldier who would ever take his own life - and no one is more sure of that than his twin brother, Davie.

Davie is determined to fly to the Land Of Smiles to find out what really happened to his twin brother. But if he is going to find out the truth he'll need help - the sort of help only SAS Sergeant Matt Standing can provide.

But soon after they arrive they come under attack, leaving Standing to investigate on his own. There are clearly people who want to shut down all enquiries and Standing knows he will have to use all his SAS jungle skills to survive. This will be the toughest of assignments but nothing will come between him and the truth ..."

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Once again, Mr Leather treats us to a story full of action and intrigue from the start. This might be the third in the Matt Standing series but can easily be read as a standalone so don't worry.

When Pete Green apparently commits suicide whilst taking a break in Thailand, his twin brother smells a rat; Matt agrees to accompany him to find out how Pete died and repatriate his body back to the UK. On arrival, it quickly becomes apparent that things are definitely not what they seem and things quickly go downhill and it's going to take all Matt's SAS training and guile, as well as a little intel from a certain "Spider" back in the UK, to get out of the trouble he finds himself in.

Well written, fast paced with great characters and an excellent story, this is a great read that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others and my thanks go to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Still Standing.

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Other books by Stephen Leather I have read and reviewed:

Slow Burn (Dan Shepherd #17)

Short Range (Dan Shepherd #16)

Penalties

Spider Shepherd: SAS The Sandpit

Natural Selection (A Spider Shepherd Short Story)

Sunday, 18 December 2022

Devil's Chimney (Detective Rutherford Barnes #1) by Adam Lyndon

Description from Goodreads:

"On a wild and stormy night on England’s south coast, ambitious young police constables Rutherford Barnes and Harriet Holden are doing the rounds when they see a burglar fleeing the scene of the crime.

And it’s Harriet’s house. The ground floor is ransacked. Scrawled in red across one wall are the words: DEAD COPS SLEEP LONG.

Then a few days later, Harriet’s battered body is discovered in a shabby seafront hotel.

Newly promoted to Detective, Barnes vows to discover who killed his partner, and why.

Harriet had a dark secret. As Barnes uncovers a layer of corruption which threatens to expose people at the highest levels of the force, he has a terrible choice to make: justice for Harriet — or his career."

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A new series and author for me and one I enjoyed and look forward to reading more of in the future.

With a gritty plot and excellent and well developed characters, this is a great addition to the police procedural genre. The pace is a little steady to begin with and it took me a while to get into it, but it certainly ramps up to what is a tense and very satisfying finish.

Thanks go to Joffe Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Devil's Chimney.

The Vanishing of Margaret Small [Audiobook] by Neil Alexander

Narrated by Annie Aldington and Rachel Atkins

Description from Goodreads:

"Meet Margaret Small: 75, plain spoken and a Cilla Black super fan. Shortly after the death of her idol, Margaret begins receiving sums of money in the post, signed simply 'C'.

She is convinced it must be Cilla, but how can it be? To solve the mystery of her benefactor Margaret must go back in her memories almost 70 years, to the time when she was 'vanished' to a long-stay institution for children with learning disabilities."

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Oh my word! This is a debut novel for Mr Alexander and what a debut it is.

I absolutely love Margaret ... what a likeable and strong character she is despite what she experienced in her young life. She has every reason to dislike her fellow human beings but she is much better person than most ... she is kind, thoughtful and understanding.

The book is told in two timelines, the past and the present.

The present: Margaret is 75 and living independently with the support of her excellent support worker Wayne. Margaret loves Cilla Black and she likes nothing more than listening to Cilla's autobiography but when she starts receiving notes and gifts from someone who signs them with "C", Margaret thinks Cilla is back from the dead but it can't be so who is it? The notes revive memories from Margaret's past.

The past: Margaret's story starts at 7 years old when she is "vanished" into a long-stay institution called St Mary's where she lives for the majority of her life. I won't say she is 'cared for' as what she endured is not care in any way, shape or form but Margaret endures it with innocent acceptance of knowing it's not right but being powerless to do anything about it. There are scenes which broke my heart but others that also warmed it.

Both timelines are equally captivating and enthralling but the past had me in bits at times at the cruelties of how children and adults who are "different" were treated but through it all, was the voice of Margaret who I can only describe as being a beautiful person.

I listened to the audiobook and I can highly recommend it; the narrators are just brilliant particularly the voice of Margaret ... oh my, she was brought to life for me; it was like she was sitting right next to me telling me her story myself ... just brilliant.

Margaret is a fictional character however, her story is based on the experiences of 'real' people the author has met during his working life which makes this book even more powerful and I must thank Bonnier UK Audio, Embla Books and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The Vanishing of Margaret Small.

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Sunday, 11 December 2022

The Charity Shop Detective Agency by Peter Boland

💥💥💥 due to be published 13-Dec-2022💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"A serial killer is stalking the elderly of Southbourne. The only clue left behind is a domino in the hand of each victim — with a name scratched on the back.

Eighty-six-year-old Sarah Brown is found dead in her hallway one morning by her delivery man. She was stabbed in the back.

Fiona, Sue and Daisy, volunteers at the local charity shop, Dogs Need Nice Homes, can’t believe their favourite customer is dead. The ladies vow to bring the killer to justice.

With plenty of tea and cake along the way, and despite squabbles with their rivals, the Cats Alliance across the street, the Charity Shop Detective Agency is born.

Fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Janice Hallett, Simon Brett, Ian Moore and Sarah Yarwood-Lovett will adore this exciting new voice in cozy crime.

THE DETECTIVE

Level-headed Fiona has found a quiet sanctuary volunteering at the local charity shop, Dogs Need Nice Homes. And she’s found firm friendship with the strong-willed Partial Sue (she’s ever so partial to a cup of tea) and the kindly — and surprisingly tech-savvy — Daisy. Together, these ladies, with Simon Le Bon, Fiona’s scruffy haired terrier cross, investigate murders as the utterly charming Charity Shop Detective Agency."

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Every now and again I like to take a break from the usual hard-hitting, dark and gritty crime thrillers I usually read and immerse myself into something a little more sedate and The Charity Shop Detective Agency hit the spot perfectly.

I absolutely fell in love with the three main characters in this story - Fiona, Partial Sue and Daisy ... oh and not forgetting Simon Le Bon! Despite being retired, they have the skills and insight needed to assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice. There is a supporting cast of equally excellent characters that all added to and had their place within the story.

The plot is engaging and had some great twists and turns that kept me guessing and on my toes. The pacing was perfect for me and felt right for the story.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy a cozy mystery with believable characters and I can't wait for the next in the series ... sign me up!

Many thanks to Joffe Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Charity Shop Detective Agency.

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Sunday, 4 December 2022

We Fly Beneath the Stars by Suzanne Kelman [Audiobook]

🎤🎤 Narrated by Lauryn Allman 🎤🎤

Description from Goodreads:

"1942, Europe: Based on the true story of a female-only bomber battalion, this is a totally heartbreaking and unforgettable story about sacrifice, sisterhood and a love that transcends war.

When the love of Tasha’s life, Luca, joins the air force to fight against the evil Nazi invaders, she knows she has to follow her heart—and him—into battle. Headstrong, impulsive and a daredevil, she’s the perfect recruit.

Tasha’s sensible older sister Nadia plans only to stop Tasha’s madness and bring her home. But a chance encounter puts her in a plane, soaring above the clouds, and she also finds her calling.

Underestimated by their superiors, Nadia and her sister find themselves in airplanes barely fit to fly, being sent on perilous missions with little hope of return. But before long their battalion is being nicknamed ‘the Night Witches’ by the Nazis, their ownership of the skies second to none.

But danger is up in the storm clouds with them, and when both sisters are shot down behind Nazi enemy lines, and taken to a brutal prison camp, they expect to never see their beloved homeland again.

Until Tasha’s eyes meet across the wire fence with someone she never expected to see again: the love of her life, Luca.

But with love comes peril… Will one sister have to sacrifice everything to save the other?"

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This is one of those stories that grabs you and doesn't let go until the last word ... absolutely gripping, full of tension and courage ... and based on a true story.

The book follows the lives of Nadia and Tasha, sisters who join the Russian Airforce during World War II and who become fighter pilots in the much-feared by the Germans and all-female squadron known as "The Night Witches."

Given inferior equipment and less training than their male counterparts as well as having to put up with their harassment all whilst trying to stay alive and get back safely following their night sorties over the advancing German army; this is a story of tremendous bravery however it also a tale of sibling rivalry, love, loss and choices.

The narrator, Lauryn Allman, was excellent; her voice totally immersed me into the story; one of the best I have come across so far and my thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of We Fly Beneath the Stars.

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A Child for the Reich by Andie Newton

Description from Publisher:

"Rumours of the Nazis coming for Czech children swept through the villages like a breeze through the trees, and the story was always the same…

They wanted our children to raise as their own.

Since her husband, Josef, joined the Czech resistance three years ago, Anna Dankova has done everything possible to keep her daughter, Ema, safe. But when blonde haired, blue-eyed Ema is ripped from her mother’s arms in the local marketplace by the dreaded Brown Sisters, nurses who were dedicated to Hitler’s cause, Anna is forced to go to new extremes to take back what the Nazis have stolen from her.

Going undercover as a devoted German subject eager to prove her worth to the Reich, the former actress takes on a role of a lifetime to find and save her daughter. But getting close to Ema is one thing. Convincing her that the Germans are lying when they claim Anna stole her from her true parents is another…"

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Inspired by a true story, this book is absolutely gripping and full of tension, heartbreak and the story of one woman's quest to find and rescue her daughter from the Nazi's Lebensborn programme.

Anna Dankova and her family live in Nazi-occupied Prague. Her husband and brother-in-law have joined the Czech Resistance leaving them to try and raise their children with the ever present danger of the Nazi soldiers, the Gestapo and the much feared Brown Sisters; female nurses who were dedicated to the Nazi cause. They worked for the Nazi Welfare Organization and searched through villages and towns for Aryan-looking children.

Anna and her sister's children are blonde-haired and blue-eyed and their fears are only too real but they are powerless against the might of the Nazi regime and one day, Anna's daughter, Ema is literally ripped from her arms in broad daylight leaving Anna, understandably, distraught and determined to get her back whatever the risks before she is lost forever.

Anna uses all her skills, courage and guile to find her daughter, infiltrate the children's home where she has been placed to be indoctrinated into the German way and to figure out a way to get her out of there whilst under the ever present threat of exposure and certain death.

This is a story full of tension and heartbreak and one mother's determination to find her daughter no matter what and it was absolutely gripping and I have no hesitation recommending it to those of you who 'enjoy' reading historical fiction based on true stories and events.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of A Child for the Reich.

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Sunday, 27 November 2022

The Imposter (Dr Bloom #4) by Leona Deakin

Description from the Publisher:

"He doesn't just want your identity. He wants your life...

No one sees him coming.

A stock-market trader is pushed from a high-rise balcony and falls to his death on the street below. The only clue the police can find is a box of matches.

No one survives for long.

The decomposing body of a member of the Saudi Royal Family is discovered in a car. Evidence suggests the killer took the man's life, then stole his identity, wore his clothes and lived in his hotel room - before vanishing into thin air like smoke.

Nothing but matchsticks are left behind.

Dr Bloom realizes the only thing linking these murders is a trail of burnt matches and broken lives. Time is running out - and if she isn't careful, she might be the next to burn ..."

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This is the fourth in this series starring Dr Bloom but the first I have read and whilst I feel this worked pretty well as a standalone, I definitely feel I have missed significant backstory and character development which would likely have enhanced my reading experience. Having said that, I found it easy to become engrossed in this engaging story.

There are dual aspects to this which are separate but with some crossover; the hunt for a serial killer and the story of high functioning psychopaths that is clearly the continuation from previous books.

There are quite a lot of characters and this, along with the storylines, means you have to be on the ball and remain focused. I admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the parts relating to the serial killer and I loved the twist; the other parts which follow on from previous books, not as much but I think that is more my fault coming in late rather than the author.

Overall, a really engaging read that is well written and I must thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Imposter.

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Sunday, 20 November 2022

The Cellar by John Nicholl

Description from Goodreads:

"Nurse. Protégé. Murderer.

Marcus Gove has been all these things. He’s reached the pinnacle of his art and now it’s time for him to take a protégé. Lovely Lucy is perfect for the role, or she will be . . .

Artist. Teacher. Daughter.

Lucy Williams is just like everyone else. She’s had some success as an artist, not so much success in love, but she’s getting by. But soon she’s going to have to become something else if she wants to be a survivor.

Detective. Ex-husband. Underdog.

Ray Lewis’s career isn’t heading anywhere. But he’s a solid detective and he’s determined to find Lucy no matter what the upper brass throw at him.

Three people. Nineteen days. Who will live and who will die?"

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This is a dark, disturbing and violent psychological thriller that pulls no punches and is highly descriptive which may be a bit much for some; I admit that I winced and drew breath a few times but kept going as I was gripped and already highly invested in the story.

The characters are excellent and feel real. Marcus Gove is a despicable person; I can't even bring myself to call him a human being he is that bad, he is a sad, twisted and demented individual who has absolutely no moral compass or redeeming qualities whatsoever - an absolutely brilliant character and one you love to hate.

Lucy is a young woman who is generally content apart from being in an unfulfilling relationship and her mum being diagnosed with cancer but things get a whole lot worse when she comes into the crosshairs of Marcus Gove and her world turns into the most horrendous nightmare.

Ray Lewis is the detective tasked with finding Lucy; not so easy when there are few clues and even less evidence and whilst he may be unfit, unhealthy and thought of as a dinosaur, he goes about his business in a methodical way with some much-needed humour.

Told from the points of view of each of the main characters and at a really good pace, this is a book that has you wanting to put down at times due to the graphic nature of what is being written and not put it down due to the gripping nature of the story ... not put it down won out with me.

This is the first book by John Nicholl I have read before and it certainly won't be the last especially if they are as addictive and compelling as this has been and I therefore have no hesitation in recommending it to others who love a gritty and dark thriller who don't mind graphic and disturbing details that have you wincing as you read.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Cellar.

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Sunday, 13 November 2022

The Midwife by Victoria Jenkins [Audiobook]

Narrated by Anne-Marie Piazza

Description from NetGalley:

"She’s there to keep your baby safe… Or is she?

I’ve always wanted a baby, more than anything. I never meant to do it alone, but it’ll be a fresh start. I can finally leave the past behind me.

I’m so lucky to have Jackie, my midwife, who understands how hard this is. She supports me more than anyone could have hoped or expected.

But as I sit in this cold white room, that was meant to be full of other mothers to be, a chill creeps up my spine. There’s only one other mother here, and she’s clutching her bump nervously. And as she squirms under Jackie's questions, Jackie can’t stop staring at me.

And then something clicks, and my blood freezes. She recognises me, doesn't she?"

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This is the first book I have read/listened to by this author and it will likely not be my last as I quite enjoyed this. I do think it worked really well as an audiobook; would I have thought the same if I had actually read it? I'm not sure as it was quite a slow burn but it was perfect to listen to whilst in the car.

The two main characters, Lauren and Jackie, are really interesting and well developed. It is clear they both have secrets but quite what they are and how they link to each other doesn't become clear until the end.

As I said, this is a slow burn with a growing sense of tension and unease from the beginning and this kept me listening desperate to find out what the twist was going to be and, overall, I wasn't disappointed.

The narrator, Anne-Marie Piazza, did a good job with the narration and she was easy to listen to.

Overall, a satisfying audiobook and many thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen and share my thoughts of The Midwife.

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The Stranger (Jude Lyon #1)

The Survivor (Jude Lyon #3) by Simon Conway

Description from the Publisher:

"Jude Lyon of MI6 has narrowly foiled the traitor Fowle’s plot to level London, but the public are demanding answers.

Answers the government doesn’t have.

As the country reels, a new populist political figure carves a stratospheric trajectory – but is he all he seems?

In Moscow the President is furious. The world now knows the destructive power of the programme his people had been developing, and as the Russians scramble to understand how it got into Fowle’s hands, they start to worry that perhaps it could be used against them . . .

But Jude Lyon has just one question on his mind:

Guy Fowle is missing, with nothing left to lose,

So what is he planning next?"

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This is a book filled with action, tension, thrills and spills and follows on from the previous 2 in the series and whilst this can be read as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading at least the 2nd in the series, The Sabateur, as it is easy to get a little lost on the characters and the story but you won't be disappointed.

Once again, we are treated to a tense plot, fast pace and excellent characters that, although I found it hard to get into for the first couple of chapters, once there I was absolutely riveted to the very end.

Highly recommended to those of you who enjoy an excellent thriller and many, many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Survivor.

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Read my reviews for the first 2 books in the series:

The Saboteur (Jude Lyon #2)

Sunday, 6 November 2022

The Couple in the Cabin by Daniel Hurst [Audiobook]

Narrated by Eilidh Beaton and Matt Bates

Description from Goodreads:

"They’ll do anything to get out. She’ll do anything to keep them in.

When happily married Grace comes home early one night and catches her husband, Dominic, with another woman in the cabin at the bottom of their garden, she is shocked, angry, and most of all, hell-bent on revenge. That’s why she acts quickly, locking the pair in the cabin while she decides what she wants to do to them.

While Dominic and his mistress desperately try to get free, Grace makes a plan on the outside, but it’s a plan that is formed based on her previous experiences. That’s because this might not be the first time Grace has done something like this…

Who is the real villain? The cheating husband? Or the vengeful wife?"

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What would you do? You return home unexpectedly from a work do to find your husband having sex with someone who isn't you in the cabin at the bottom of the garden. You lock the door and leave them in there don't you? Well that's what Grace's has done but what now?

This is a fast paced thriller told from the perspectives of Grace and her husband Dominic. As the story moves on, we learn a bit more about Grace with glimpses from her past and there is definitely more to her than meets the eye.

With great characters, although not particularly likeable, an engrossing story with some unexpected twists and all told by the excellent narrators who really bring the characters and story to life, this was an enjoyable and easy listen and my thanks must go to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of The Couple in the Cabin.

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The Silent Dead (Detective Jackie Cooke #2) by Marnie Riches

Description from Goodreads:

"She was lying as if asleep on the wooden kitchen floor, beneath the fridge covered with a child’s colourful crayon drawings. But her frozen expression showed she would never wake again…

When Detective Jackie Cooke is called out to the scene, she’s expecting a routine check. The bottle of pills on the kitchen table, next to the note with the single word SORRY written in a shaky hand, make it seem obvious what’s happened. But Jackie is shocked when she recognises her old schoolfriend Claire – and she is convinced Claire would never take her own life.

Determined to dig deeper, Jackie soon discovers evidence that proves her right: a roll of notes has been thrust down the victim’s throat. And when she finds another woman killed in the same way, she realises someone may be targeting lonely single mothers. As Jackie talks to Claire’s distraught children, one of them too young to understand his mummy is never coming home, she vows to find answers.

Both victims were in touch with someone calling himself Nice Guy – could he be the killer? Pursuing every clue, Jackie is sure she’s found a match in dead-eyed Tyler, part of a dark world of men intent on silencing women for daring to reject them. But just as she makes the arrest, another single mother is found dead – a woman who never dated at all.

Forced to re-evaluate every lead she has, with her boss pressuring her to make a case against the obvious suspect, Jackie knows she is running out of time before another innocent woman is murdered. And, as a single mother herself, she cannot help but wonder if she is in the killer’s sights. Can she uncover his true motivation and put an end to his deadly game… or will he find her first?"

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A great addition to what is fast becoming a great series and whilst this can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the first so you get the most out of this and also because it's an excellent read.

Like the first in the series, there is a lot to like about The Silent Dead - the characters, the plot, the twists, the back-stories, the writing style, the pacing - pretty much everything really!

Jackie Cooke is an excellent character; battling with a boss who clearly doesn't like her very much and a soon-to-be ex-husband who's moved on to pastures younger and left her with a new baby and twin boys and having to rely on her mum more than either of them would like all whilst trying to find a heinous murderer who is targeting single mums.

From the very first to the very last word, this book had me hooked and thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Silent Dead and I am very much looking forward to the next in the series.

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The Lost Ones (Detective Jackie Cooke #1)

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Check out the other books by Marnie Riches I have read and reviewed:

Sunday, 30 October 2022

The Girlfriend by K. L. Slater

Description:

"My husband’s dead. She’s at my door. She owns my home…

The doorbell rings, just days after my beloved husband’s sudden death. I don’t recognise the woman on our doorstep, with her buttery blonde highlights, a diamond bracelet identical to my own and a bouncing baby boy in her arms.

As I show her inside, I notice her eyes grow wide as she takes in our spacious hallway, and the big squashy sofas that we all used to pile on. She glances at the silver-framed family photos and my little daughter hiding behind my skirts.

She looks at me, her blue eyes serious. ‘I’m sorry’ she says. ‘I know this will be hard to hear. But I am your husband’s girlfriend. And this is his son.’

My world implodes. And then she tells me that she owns our home – and that she’s not going anywhere…"

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Jennifer appears to have it all, a wonderful husband, beautiful children and a gorgeous home ... the perfect life until, that is, it all comes crashing down when her husband dies suddenly and it all turns into a nightmare when his mistress, Sara, turns up on the doorstep with a baby son and declares he is her husband's child but that's not the worst of it, she also says the house is hers along with all the assets.

What would you do? Move out or give in to her demands and allow her and her son to move in?!? Like I said, a nightmare. Jennifer does what she thinks is best for her and her children and allows Sara to move in thus buying her time to figure out what the heck has happened and what she is going to do about it .

A twisty, fast paced, psychological thriller that I found intriguing and devoured it in quick time and thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Girlfriend.

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How to Kill Men and Get Away with It by Katy Brent [Audiobook]

Narrated by Victoria Morrison

Description from Goodreads:

"Meet Kitty Collins.

FRIEND. LOVER. KILLER.

Have you ever walked home at night, keys in hand, ready to throw a punch in self-defence? That’s how it all started. The killing spree, I mean.

I sort of tripped into this role… Literally. The first one was following me. That guy from the nightclub who wouldn’t leave me alone. I pushed him, he stumbled, and fell onto his own broken wine bottle. Oops. It was such a waste of a good house white.

But now I can’t seem to stop and nor do I want to… I’ve got a taste for revenge and quite frankly, I’m killing it."

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Outrageously funny, wicked and addictive!

Kitty Collins is a social media influencer; totally loaded and with a lifestyle and friends that show it but when she is followed home by a creep that won't take no for an answer and he accidently ends up dead and then it happens again when all she wanted was an apology, Kitty finds herself a new calling ... getting rid of similar despicable men and so begins a riotous journey into the life of Kitty Collins.

I'm not going to pretend that this is a believable story but it is fun and I enjoyed the ride. I found myself giggling like a school girl at totally inappropriate moments and holding my breath with anticipation at others.

The characters are great - not all of them particularly likeable but then I think that's the point; the pace is perfect and the major twist, whilst I half guessed it, was a surprise and that ending ... very satisfying and leaves me wondering if there is more to come from Kitty Collins?

The narrator, Victoria Morrison, was brilliant and captured Kitty's voice as I imagined it perfectly along with all the other characters; she did an excellent job.

Highly entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed it; I was even hoping for a traffic jam so I could keep listening for longer and so I must give a thank you to HarperCollins UK Audio, HQ Digital and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of How to Kill Men and Get Away With It.

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The Cat Who Caught a Killer by L T Shearer

Description from Goodreads:

"Meet Conrad the cat. You’ve never met a detective like him before.

Neither has Lulu Lewis when he walks into her life one summer’s day. Mourning the recent death of her husband, the former police detective had expected a gentle retirement, quietly enjoying life on her new canal boat, The Lark, and visiting her mother-in-law Emily in a nearby care home.

But when Emily dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, Lulu senses foul play and resolves to find out what really happened. And a remarkable cat named Conrad will be with her every step of the way . . ."

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I love cats and I love reading about murder (strange I know!) so even though this book is quite different to what I normally read, I thought I'd give it a go and, overall, it was pretty good.

This is definitely what is called a 'cosy mystery'; it is not offensive or violent. Emily's mother in law dies suddenly and unexpectedly and whilst her death is put down to natural causes, Emily, an ex Police Officer, is not convinced and so sets off to get to the truth along with a talking cat that has adopted her.

I thought I would struggle with the talking cat angle but whilst it was a little absurd at the beginning, it worked really well and, I think, it symbolised Emily's inner voice.

With great characters and a good story line, this is an easy to read mystery. There are twists and turns but, unfortunately, they weren't too much of a surprise so this let it down a little and although the pace was steady, there was a little bit too much description at times which slowed the story down somewhat.

Overall though, I would recommend to those who enjoy a simple, easy to read and inoffensive mystery and my thanks must go to PanMacmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Cat Who Caught a Killer.

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