The Missing Ones (DI Lottie Parker #1) by Patricia Gibney [Audiobook]

 

🎙🎙🎙 Narrated by Michele Moran 🎙🎙🎙

Description from Goodreads:

"The hole they dug was not deep. A white flour bag encased the little body. Three small faces watched from the window, eyes black with terror.

The child in the middle spoke without turning his head. I wonder which one of us will be next?

When a woman’s body is discovered in a cathedral and hours later a young man is found hanging from a tree outside his home, Detective Lottie Parker is called in to lead the investigation. Both bodies have the same distinctive tattoo clumsily inscribed on their legs. It’s clear the pair are connected, but how?

The trail leads Lottie to St. Angela’s, a former children’s home, with a dark connection to her own family history. Suddenly the case just got personal.

As Lottie begins to link the current victims to unsolved murders decades old, two teenage boys go missing. She must close in on the killer before they strike again, but in doing so is she putting her own children in terrifying danger?

Lottie is about to come face to face with a twisted soul who has a very warped idea of justice."

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This gripping, but hard to listen to at times, book introduces us to Detective Lottie Parker, a fierce and determined officer who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. The story begins with a chilling prologue that sets the stage for a suspenseful and thought-provoking story that is not always easy to listen to but sadly believable.

I was hooked from the start.  The characters are well-developed and Lottie is a really strong character.  The plot is complex and very engaging with twists and turns that kept me on my toes.  While it was quite a long book, which might not suit everyone, it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.

The narrator, Michele Moran, is excellent, really bringing the characters and their world to life.

Overall, this is a great start to a new (to me) detective series and many thanks to the author, Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts on this, a great start to a series.

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The Killer in the Cold (DI James Walker #5) by Alex Pine

 

Description from the Publisher:

"Chilling truths are buried in this snow…

When a body dressed in a Santa Claus suit appears in the snow just outside a small village in Cumbria, DCI James Walker is the first to appear on the scene. Almost a year has passed since something so tragic has happened in the close-knit community, and James is hopeful that it’s just an accidental death.

But when he uncovers the body, he discovers something that chills him to the bone. The man, a former police officer, was murdered. And it’s not long before another body appears.

Time is ticking as James races to uncover the killer’s next victim, before they strike again. But can James find them before the snow washes away the evidence?"

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I love this series ... it just seems to get better and better.

Although this is the fifth book in the series, I think it works well as a standalone however, I would recommend you go back and read from the start ... you won't be disappointed.

With great characters, a fantastic setting, excellent plot, great twists and all written at a good pace, this is a book that you will easily get engrossed in.  There isn't a lot of gratuitous violence so is suitable for most readers and whilst I did guess the murderer, I think it was just a lucky guess on my part!

Well written and highly recommended.

Many thanks to the author, Avon Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this latest edition to a great series.

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You All Die Tonight by Simon Kernick

 Description from the Publisher:

"THE ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE…IS IF SOMEONE CONFESSES TO MURDER.

Seven people wake up in a remote mansion. The doors are all locked.

They have no idea where they are. Who brought them there. Or how to escape.

Each knew the victims of a dreadful crime committed four years earlier but that’s all that links them.

Then a voice echoes through the house with a terrifying message.

They’ve been poisoned – and have less than 12 hours to live.

There’s an antidote on hand: but only if someone admits to being a killer.

And they all claim to be innocent.

The time for confession is rapidly running out.

How many – if any – of them will survive the night?

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I am a fan of Simon Kernick's work and I have enjoyed 99.99999% of the books I have read and this is another that I will add to that list.

I can't say much more than the blurb without giving things away but what I will say is that this is a great mystery and whilst there are very few redeeming qualities about any of the characters, that didn't seem to make much difference to me.  It's written at a great pace with some excellent twists and turns many of which I didn't see coming.

This was a quick read for me as I was desperate to find out how it all came together and the killer was revealed and I wasn't disappointed.  Many thanks to the author, Headline and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, another great read from Simon Kernick.

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The Married Man by K. L. Slater

 

Description from the Publisher:

"Everyone thinks my husband is dead. Just like we planned…

Eleven years ago, my husband disappeared. Eleven long hard years I waited, my heart breaking for our son, who didn’t know his father was coming back.

Today, my hands shake as I try to understand what I’ve just learned: my husband has a new wife. This wasn’t part of our plan.

Eleven years ago, my husband made a terrible mistake. I sacrificed everything to help him fix it. But now he’s put our son and me in danger again.

We had a plan. He broke the rules. But who will pay the price?"

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I have read a few of K.L. Slater's books and have not been disappointed yet and I wasn't with this one.

Eleven years ago, Liv's husband, Rich, vanished without a trace, leaving behind their young son, Maddox. Now, as Liv prepares to receive a long-awaited financial settlement, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue and danger.

With a complex plot of secrets and lies, The Married Man had me riveted.  The short chapters and multiple perspectives had me gripped from the start but if I have one complaint, it's that the ending felt a bit rushed but that didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of this book.

Recommended to those of you who enjoy a great thriller with some great twists and many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this riveting read.

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Faces of Evil: Unmasking the World’s Most Horrific Serial Killers by Dominic Utton [Audiobook]

 🎙🎙🎙 Narrated by Tom Alexander 🎙🎙🎙

Description from Goodreads:

"Uncover the chilling true stories behind some of history's most monstrous murderers.

Ian Brady and Myra Hindley Ted Bundy, Harold Shipman – these notorious names represent the worst of humanity, men and women who are driven by an urge to kill, and kill again. They are monsters lurking among us, often living outwardly respectable lives while indulging their horrific desires under cover of darkness, or anonymity.

Serial killers continue to hold a gruesome fascination, their crimes and compulsions seemingly incomprehensible to civilized society. Some have become household names, the subject of hit Netflix documentaries and BBC dramas ... others remain a hidden horror in the shadows.

Organised thematically according to each killer's twisted passion, Faces of Evil chronicles the crimes of twenty of the most infamous – and less well-known – serial killers of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, unpicking their means, motives and methods ... and attempting to understand what drove their horrific lust for murder."

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I am a true crime fan and have been fascinated by serial killers since I was a teenager ... strange I know but there you go 😊 

This audiobook gives a captivating look at some of history's most notorious serial killers. The author weaves together the stories of these individuals, delving into their backgrounds, motives, and crimes.

It's fast paced and engrossing and although it doesn't provide a detailed examination of each murder and trial, it does provide an overview of various cases which makes it an easy (although not in terms of the content) listen as it delves into the darker aspects of human nature and therefore due to the graphic nature of the subject matter, it may not be suitable for everyone.

Even for those familiar with many of the serial killers included, this book did introduce me to some I had never heard of and also provided details I had not been aware of.

The narrator was excellent and, I think, perfect for this book.  It's a hard listen at times so it must have been a difficult one to narrate so kudos to Tom Alexander ... you did a great job.

Overall, I would recommend this to those of you who are interested in serial killers and true crime enthusiasts and many thanks to the author, Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this thought-provoking book.

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The Village Killer (DI Barton #7) by Ross Greenwood

 

Description from the Publisher:

"After three years behind a desk, Inspector John Barton wonders if he’s still got what it takes.

An opportunity arises to return to Major Crimes, so he jumps at it, after all he’s been around the block a few times. When he and his team are called in to investigate an attempted murder which seems to be linked to the case of a missing child, Barton is immediately thrust back into the life of a detective – early mornings, late nights and endless pressure to get to the truth.

Then a man dies.

Something deadly is going on behind the high walls and imposing gates of the mansions in the sleepy village of Castor. The locals are keeping each other’s secrets and if Barton doesn’t find out why soon, the bodies will start mounting up.

The Village Killer knows who’s next, and the clock is ticking…"

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I haven't read anything by Ross Greenwood before but now, after reading this, I am kicking myself.  Where have I been living over the years for this series to have passed me by?

I try not to pick up books mid-series but I did like the sound of this so thought I'd give it a go and I wasn't disappointed ... yes, I have missed out on loads of backstory and character development however, I don't think it affected my enjoyment of this book one little bit.

This is a really gripping story and I was hooked from the very first chapter.  The characters are excellent and I warmed to DI Barton, and his wife, very quickly - I loved their banter ... it felt natural and not forced.  The plot is intriguing, the story told from different points of view (although not confusingly so) and the pace is perfect.

Overall, a really, really, good police-procedural that I won't hesitate to recommend and many thanks must go to the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this excellent book.

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