The Last Girl to Die by Helen Fields

 

✨✨✨ Due to be published 01-Sept-2022 ✨✨✨

Description from Goodreads:

"The island watched and wept…

In search of a new life, sixteen-year-old Adriana Clark’s family moves to the ancient, ocean-battered Isle of Mull, far off the coast of Scotland. Then she goes missing. Faced with hostile locals and indifferent police, her desperate parents turn to private investigator Sadie Levesque.

Sadie is the best at what she does. But when she finds Adriana’s body in a cliffside cave, a seaweed crown carefully arranged on her head, she knows she’s dealing with something she’s never encountered before.

The deeper she digs into the island’s secrets, the closer danger creeps – and the more urgent her quest to find the killer grows. Because what if Adriana is not the last girl to die?"

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I have read one of Helen Field's books from the DI Callanach series (One For Sorrow) and it was absolutely brilliant so I thought I'd be on to a winner with The Last Girl to Die and whilst it's not as good as One For Sorrow, it's still a great read.  This is a standalone so no worries about missing out on anything.

Sadie is a private investigator from Canada hired by Adriana's family to find her and it doesn't take her long to locate her body.  She is a bit of a maverick and makes some questionable decisions which only serves to stir up the local constabulary and community in her quest to find out who the killer is.  All is definitely not what it seems and soon Sadie has a list of suspects as long as her arm and at risk of becoming a target herself.

Helen Fields uses all manner of skills to immerse you into this story from myths, legends and folklore to her vivid descriptions of the Island of Mull, well fleshed our characters and a pace that moves along well and whilst I felt some of the situations Sadie put herself into as being a tad dubious, it did work with her character.

The Last Girl to Die is full of tension and unease which ramps up towards an ending I wasn't expecting at all ... I love it when that happens ... and I would recommend to others who enjoy dark mysteries that keep you guessing.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Last Girl to Die and share my thoughts.

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Other books by Helen Fields I have read and reviewed:

One For Sorrow (DI Callanach #7)

No Lawyers in Heaven by Henry Milner [Audiobook]

 

Narrated by Mark Elstob

Description from the publisher:

"The life of a criminal defence lawyer is shrouded in mystery. Outsiders might wonder about how to deal with potentially dangerous clients; what happens behind the scenes when building a defence; and, that age-old moral dilemma, how a lawyer can defend someone they think is guilty.

But what is life really like for those tasked with representing the shadowy underbelly of society?

For over forty years, criminal defence solicitor Henry Milner has been the go-to lawyer for some of Britain's most notorious criminals including Kenneth Noye and the Brink's-Mat robbers, Freddie Foreman, John 'Goldfinger' Palmer and the gang behind the Millennium Dome raid.

Here, the lawyer referred to in the Sunday Times as 'The Mr Big of Criminal Briefs' offers a fascinating insight into life at the top of the profession, lifting the lid on the psychology of those who end up on the wrong side of the law and those who defend them."

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I read and listen to a lot of crime books and I thought it would be interesting to listen to something a bit different and I wasn't disappointed.

This is a glimpse into the life of a criminal defence lawyer and whilst this might sound a bit heavy going, let me reassure you it is not.   It's an interesting insight into side of the defence with lots of humour thrown in.  The cases discussed might be familiar to some, especially if you're in the UK, and some of the alleged criminals defended by Mr Milner are 'household names'.

This is not a sensationalised or in depth look into the alleged crimes committed but rather an account of a man who clearly cares about the law and everyone's right to be represented regardless of their guilt or innocence.

Mr Milner made what could have a been a very dry subject come to life all helped by the excellent narration of Mark Elstob whose voice was absolutely perfect for this book and my thanks must go to W.F. Howes Ltd and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to No Lawyers in Heaven and share my thoughts.

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The Boy in the Attic (Wartime Holland Book 3) by Imogen Matthews

 

Description from NetGalley:

"Anna opened the letter with trembling hands. ‘My darling, if you’re reading this, I haven’t managed to unravel my parents’ secret. But you can. Will you finish the search for me, find out who they were, and who you really are?’

Nazi-occupied Holland, 1944. As soldiers patrol the streets, nursing student Ilse is only just surviving the terrible famine and increasingly violent German occupation. Though exhausted by her demanding work at a hospital far from home, she can’t help but notice Levi, the young man with the dark eyes watching the world silently from the abandoned house next door.

Then, early one morning, she finds him terrified and trembling with cold on the back doorstep. Levi’s Jewish family have been arrested and sent to a concentration camp, their likely fate all too clear. And now he needs her help.

So Ilse makes the most dangerous decision of her life, and takes Levi in. Hiding him away in her tiny attic room, he must remain concealed or risk almost certain death. But as the war worsens, keeping Levi a secret becomes ever more difficult, even as their mutual affection grows. And when a local German soldier becomes obsessed with Ilse, they fear their time – and luck – has run out…

London, present day. When Anna’s father dies, he leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam, a bent silver sixpence on a delicate silver chain, and a note begging her to complete the journey he was never able to. To the town where he was born, to find out once and for all who his parents were, and to discover their wartime fate."

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Firstly, I must point out that the description I was provided with (above) was not accurate to how the book played out - I'm not sure what happened there but regardless, it's still a really good story and although part of a series, it can most definitely be read as a standalone.

The Boy in the Attic is a story told from 2 timelines, 2 perspectives and 2 countries.  

Ilse's story takes place in Holland during World War II.  The Nazi's have put a halt to her studies to become a doctor and she is living with her parents.  Food is scarce and it's a daily battle to find enough to keep them from starving to death.  Ilse then receives a request to help out at a hospital and she moves to live with her friend and her parents but what she discovers and the choices she makes, puts all their lives in jeopardy.

Anna's story is based in the UK in the early 2000's.  Her father has just past away and whilst sorting through his affairs, discovers he was adopted and his origins are in Holland.  Anna sets out to find out more.

I found the dual timelines worked really well although I admit to being more emotionally attached to Ilse's story.  Both characters are well developed and I found myself completely immersed in both their stories and desperate to find out how Ilse and Anna were connected.

I found Ilse's story captivating, Anna's not as much but they worked well together and I did feel connected and invested in both their stories to the end.

This is a story of heartbreak and tragedy but also one of discovery and survival and one I would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction stories that are set in this period.  This one uses the author's own family history to give a believable feel to this story.

Thanks go to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Boy in the Attic and share my views.

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Other books by Imogen Matthews I have read and reviewed:

The Hidden Village (Wartime Holland Book 1) [Audiobook]

Tick Tock by Simon Mayo

 

Description from Goodreads:

"It starts quietly enough. A tick tick ticking you can hear in your ear. Tinnitus, you think. It will pass. But it doesn't. It gets worse - and then you pass it on.

Before you know it, it spreads. Elsewhere across the globe, it emerges, small outbreaks at first, contained groups of people, young and old, and suddenly it's a plague - and ten days later it's killing people. The hospitals are overflowing and there is no cure. There is a paranoid panic which sets friend against friend, neighbour against neighbour. Where does the world go from here?

In the north London school where it is first discovered, head of English, Kit Chaplin is struggling to understand what he is witnessing. Even eminent bacteriologist and his partner Lilly Slater can't help him. But as the virus rips through the school and into the outside world, the world starts to take notice. Kit is more concerned about his students - and his young daughter, Rose - but little by little he gets sucked into where this mystery illness might have come from. And how it's going to threaten his world."

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I have read one of Mr Mayo's previous outings, Knife Edge, before and although I thought the middle was a bit of a miss for me, the start and end were great so it didn't put me off reading more of his work and I'm pleased it didn't, as I enjoyed this one.

Having survived the Covid pandemic and things are returning to 'normal', another illness strikes that could prove just as deadly.   Kit, his daughter Rose and partner Lilly find themselves right in the centre as the new pandemic emerges and starts to spread.

There is a very strong sense of tension from the start which grows as Kit and Rose try to evade what you feel is inevitable infection whilst Lilly uncovers a possible family connection and secret Government research and dubious testing practices.

The characters are strong and are believable, the plot is current (maybe a little too current!) and the pacing is good.  There is quite a bit of scientific speak which I felt was a bit too much and, I think, wasn't particularly necessary or added to the story that much.

Overall, a decent thriller which kept me engaged and my thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read Tick Tock and share my views.

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Other books by Simon Mayo I have read and reviewed:

Knife Edge

The Serial Killer's Daughter by Alice Hunter [Audiobook]

 

Narrated by Heather Long and Ciaran Saward

Description from Goodreads:

"Is murder in the blood?

In a sleepy Devon village, a young girl is taken from the streets. Local vet, Jenny, is horrified. This kind of thing doesn’t happen here.

But it’s not the first time she’s been so close to a crime scene. The daughter of a prolific serial killer, she’s spent her whole life running from who she really is.

And the crime is harrowingly similar to those her father committed all those years ago…

But she’s not her father’s daughter.

Is she?"

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As with the first in the series, The Serial Killer's Wife, this is not your usual serial killer story and although this is the second book, you don't have to have read the first ... this can be listened to/read as a standalone very easily.

Jenny is a local vet living with her husband and 2 children in a quiet village in Devon where nothing usually happens but then a young woman goes missing, Jenny is having blackouts and someone is leaving her "presents" on her doorstep.  Jenny starts to doubt her own sanity and suspects those around her but could it be related to her father, the serial killer known as The Painted Lady Killer?  Is Jenny taking after her father?

This is a great book to listen to and although it's a slow burner, it certainly kept me engaged throughout.  It's full of suspense and mystery with a great twist at the end and I particularly liked the narrators who did a great job.

Many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to The Serial Killer's Daughter and share my thoughts.

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Other books by Alice Hunter I have read and reviewed:

The Serial Killer's Wife

Hope To Die (DI Adam Fawley#6) by Cara Hunter

 

Description from Goodreads:

"When a body is found in a farmhouse in a gruesome state, DI Adam Fawley is one of the first on the scene. The murder leads Fawley to a convoluted investigation from the past, and a family torn apart by a devastating crime involving the disappearance of a child.

Can Fawley piece together the facts of history with the clues in the present? Sometimes the truth is the hardest answer to face up to…"

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I have just finished the previous book in this series, The Whole Truth, and dived into this the 6th outing for DI Fawley and his team and, let me tell you, what a treat it is.

I have said it before and I will say it again, what an absolute cracker of a book this is and, once again, an excellent addition to this excellent series.  Please be reassured that you don't have to have read the others as this works well as a standalone however, I recommend you do ... you won't be disappointed.

DI Fawley and his team are called after the violent death of an unidentified young man shot dead in an isolated farmhouse in an apparent burglary but things just don't add up and so begins a complex, challenging and thrilling investigation which uncovers secrets and lies and so, so much more.

Cara Hunter uses, very cleverly, other media to provide different perspectives to the story including Netflix and voicemail transcripts.  This helps the story to flow and provides another element and makes it feel current and relevant.  The only thing that I have a small quibble about is that some of this didn't work very well on my Kindle as it's quite small writing and I found myself constantly adjusting the font size but that may have been because I received an advance copy so I felt it was a small price to pay for what is an excellent addition to the way of telling the story.

Highly recommended to lovers of police procedurals with twists and turns that keep you guessing ... roll on number 7!

Many thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for enabling me to read Hope to Die and share my thoughts.

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Others books by Cara Hunter I have read and reviewed:

Close to Home (DI Adam Fawley #1)

All The Rage (DI Adam Fawley #4)

The Whole Truth (DI Adam Fawley #5)

The Whole Truth (DI Adam Fawley #5) by Cara Hunter

 

Description from Goodreads:

"When an Oxford student accuses one of the university's professors of sexual assault, DI Adam Fawley's team think they've heard it all before. But they couldn't be more wrong.

Because this time, the predator is a woman and the shining star of the department, and the student a six-foot male rugby player.

Soon DI Fawley and his team are up against the clock to figure out the truth. What they don't realise is that someone is watching. And they have a plan to put Fawley out of action for good..."

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I have had this book on my 'to-be-read' pile for ages only realising (because my pile is so big!) when book 6 came along.  I am so disappointed with myself that I didn't read it earlier because this is yet another cracker from Cara Hunter and a great addition to the series.  I don't think you have to read the others in the series to enjoy this as it works pretty well as a standalone.

Once again, we are treated to an up to date story line of alleged abuse by a female in a powerful position against a male student and an old case that is coming back to haunt DI Fawley, his team and his wife.  Ms Hunter uses different types of media, including podcasts and transcripts from interviews, to enhance the story and make it feel current and relevant and definitely enhances the reading experience.  

The Whole Truth, and in fact the whole series so far, is full of excellent characters that are well developed but what I particularly like is that at the very beginning, there is a brief summary of the main characters in the series which gets you up to speed and jogs your memory which, for people who read a lot of books/series or for those, like me, who have memory lapses from time to time, is really useful.  I would certainly recommend this to other authors who write series.

I have one small quibble in what is a really good book and that is the reproduction of Alex's written notes and some of the excepts from text conversations and social media didn't reproduce very well on the Kindle in that they were too small even when the font was set to maximum; I realise in a physical book this is likely not to be an issue but it might be worth thinking about this for future books.

Like I said, this is a cracker and one I would recommend to those of you who enjoy a really good police procedural with some great twists, turns and suspense.

Many thanks to Penguin Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my views of The Whole Truth.

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Other books by Cara Hunter I have read and reviewed:

Close to Home (DI Adam Fawley #1)

All The Rage (DI Adam Fawley #4)

The Twist of a Knife (Hawthorne & Horowitz Mystery #4) by Anthony Horowitz

 

💥💥💥  Publication date: 18-Aug-2022 💥💥💥

Description from Goodreads:

"'Our deal is over.' That's what reluctant author Anthony Horowitz tells ex-detective Daniel Hawthorne in an awkward meeting. The truth is that Anthony has other things on his mind.

His new play, Mindgame, is about to open in London's Vaudeville theatre. Not surprisingly Hawthorne declines a ticket.

On opening night, Sunday Times critic Harriet Throsby gives the play a savage review, focusing particularly on the writing.

The next morning she is found dead, stabbed in the heart with an ornamental dagger which, it turns out, belongs to Anthony and which has his finger prints all over it.

Anthony is arrested, charged with Throsby's murder, thrown into prison and interrogated. Alone and increasingly desperate, he realises only one man can help him.

But will Hawthorne take his call?"

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Getting back into a Hawthorne & Horowitz mystery is like meeting up with an old friend you haven't seen for ages but it's as if you saw them yesterday so if you haven't read any of the previous in the series, don't worry, you will fall into the story and the characters quickly.

Once again, Mr Horowitz provides a treat of a murder/mystery staring himself as one of the main characters alongside the enigmatic and mysterious Daniel Hawthorne.  Are they friends or do they just tolerate each other?  I'm still trying to work that one out but Hawthorne is the one Anthony turns to when he is accused of the murder of a theatre critic who panned his play Mindgame.

With an eclectic and wonderful cast of characters, Hawthorne sets about trying to find the murderer amongst a host of viable suspects (Anthony included) in his own inimitable way whilst the evidence stacks up against Anthony and an arrest by the police appears to be inevitable and imminent.

Written at a great pace, this is full of humour, mystery and is thoroughly enjoyable and I loved it.  What I particularly like about this series is the lack of violence which makes a nice change to what I usually read and I am looking forward to (hopefully) the next in the series and that more details are revealed about Hawthorne!

Thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Twist of a Knife and share my thoughts.

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