Look For Me (Detective D.D. Warren #9) by Lisa Gardner

Description from Goodreads:

"The home of a family of five is now a crime scene: four of them savagely murdered, one—a sixteen-year-old girl—missing. Was she lucky to have escaped? Or is her absence evidence of something sinister? Detective D. D. Warren is on the case—but so is survivor-turned-avenger Flora Dane. Seeking different types of justice, they must make sense of the clues left behind by a young woman who, whether as victim or suspect, is silently pleading, Look for me."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I've just finished reading Look for Me which is the ninth book in the Detective D.D. Warren series and I have to admit this is another one that has been sitting on my "to-be-read" pile since 2018. I'm slowly making my way through the backlog and I'm glad I finally got around to this one as it didn't disappoint.

The plot involves a family of four murdered in their home but the sixteen year old daughter Roxy is missing. It's a race against time to figure out if she's a victim or a suspect. I really liked the dual perspective here with D.D. Warren doing the police work while Flora Dane from the previous book adds a much grittier layer to the investigation.

The story delves into the foster care system which made for some quite emotional and heavy reading. It's a dark mystery and while the middle section felt a bit drawn out the tension kept me guessing until the end. I'm really enjoying the connection between the characters and seeing how D.D. and Flora work together despite their different backgrounds.

Overall it is a solid and gripping thriller that kept me hooked throughout. It's definitely one of the stronger entries in the series so far and worth a look even if it takes you as long as it took me to get to it!

Many thanks to the author, Publishers and NetGalley for the chance to read and share my thoughts on this one.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

The Shadow Carver (Inspector Anjelica Henley #4) by Nadine Matheson

🔥🔥🔥 Publication date:  12 February 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"DI Henley faces her darkest challenge yet...

When a string of grisly murders begins painting the city in terror, DI Henley soon realise a vigilante killer is scalping their victims before leaving them for dead. Henley is thrust into a web of secrets, unravelling connections between the victims while battling demons from her own past. As the killer raises the stakes, the line between predator and prey begins to blur. With time slipping away and her own life in jeopardy, Henley must outwit a psychopath who views murder as an art form. Can she hunt them down before the final stroke of the scalpel closes the case forever?"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

Another dark and gripping addition to the series

I’ve been a massive fan of the Inspector Anjelica Henley series since the very beginning, so I honestly couldn’t wait to get my grubby little eyes on this latest instalment. After the intensity of the previous books, I had really high hopes for this one and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. It’s a dark, gritty and completely absorbing read that I ended up devouring in just a couple of sittings.

It would be ideal if you have read the previous books in the series before jumping into this one. Not only are you missing out on a brilliant series if you don't, but you'd also miss out on the vital back story of the characters - both the living and the dead!

This story brings us back to the Serial Crimes Unit and the atmosphere is just as tense as ever. Nadine Matheson has such a talent for creating these macabre, unsettling crime scenes that really get under your skin - it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted! The plot is fast-paced and kept me guessing throughout, with enough twists to keep the momentum going right until the very end.

One of the things I love most about these books is how we get to see the whole team navigating their personal lives alongside such horrific cases. It makes everyone feel so much more human and relatable.  We also meet a new addition to the team, Copeland. I’m not 100% sure about her just yet - she’s a bit of an unknown quantity - but I have a feeling she’ll grow on me as the series continues. The team dynamics in the SCU are always a highlight for me and it’s been brilliant to watch those relationships evolve over the course of the series.

If you’ve enjoyed the previous books in the series, you’re going to love this. It’s got everything you’d expect: great writing, chilling villains and plenty of suspense. It’s a fantastic addition to the series and I’m already looking forward to seeing what’s next for the team.

A huge thanks to the author, HQ and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, another absolute cracker in this excellent series.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

Underdogs by Stephen Leather

🔥🔥🔥 Out on 12 February 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"Once a fearless SAS hero, Andy 'Deadman' Bird now battles the harsh streets of London after a catastrophic mission stripped him of his hearing, career, home and marriage. His only solace is Tyson, his fiercely loyal and battle-tested dog.

When fate thrusts them into the path of a chilling alleyway murder, Andy and Tyson become the next targets. Who are these relentless hunters, and what dangerous secrets are they willing to kill for?

Desperate and cornered, Andy reaches out to his former brothers–in–arms – a team who owe him their very lives. But as they unravel a sinister web of organised crime and deadly political plots, who will be saving who this time?"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I have been a fan of Stephen Leather's work for a long time now and he never disappoints. This latest book is certainly no exception - it's an absolute peach of a story. If you're looking for something full of action, violence, suspense and intrigue, then this is definitely the one for you.

The story follows Andy "Deadman" Bird, a former SAS hero who has had a really tough time of it after a mission went wrong. He's lost his hearing, his career and his marriage, and he's living on the streets of London. I absolutely loved Bird as a main character, but I have to say that Tyson the dog completely stole the show for me. Tyson is Bird's fiercely loyal companion and seeing the relationship between the two of them was just wonderful.

One thing that really got to me was how they are both experiencing PTSD after that failed mission. It was so interesting to see that this isn't something that just affects humans - I didn't really know anything about dogs being affected in that way, so it was new to me although not a complete surprise. It made their bond feel even deeper because they're both struggling with the same demons.

When they witness a murder in an alleyway, they both end up as targets. It was great to see Bird reach out to his old SAS brothers-in-arms for help. The camaraderie between the characters felt so natural and authentic, and it really added to the grit of the story as they got tangled up in a mess of organised crime and political plots.

It's a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled ride that kept me hooked from start to finish. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a proper, hard-hitting thriller. 🐾

Huge thanks to the author, Pan Macmillan, Macmillan and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, yet another cracker from Mr Leather.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

The Journey by Conrad Jones

Description from Goodreads:

"The gripping story of a young boy and his family, driven from their home by war and indiscriminate violence. Like millions of others, they attempt the treacherous journey across their war-torn continent, trying to reach the safety of Europe.

The truth is, Europe doesn't want them and thousands die every month at the hands of thieves and profiteering men to whom life is cheap. Kalu believes that he can lead his family to safety, he has planned for this. They have money, a plan and Kalu is, after all, the smartest man in Monguno."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I've just finished reading The Journey by Conrad Jones and I've got to admit it has been sitting on my to-be-read pile since 2018. I'm actually quite ashamed it has taken me this long to finally get around to reading it but I'm glad I eventually did. This was the first time I've read anything by this author so I wasn't really expecting anything to be honest but it was certainly an intense experience. It’s a story that follows a doctor called Kalu and his family as they are forced to flee their home in Nigeria because of the violence from Boko Haram.

The subject matter is incredibly relevant given everything that's happening in the world today. It really highlights the desperate reality of things like illegal immigration and the boat crossings where so many lives are lost during their journey. At times it was a very hard read because of how graphic and harrowing the situations were. While the plot is fast paced it felt like it was trying to do a lot at once and some of the emotional beats felt a bit overshadowed by how quickly everything was moving.

I’ve given it 4 stars because while I found the characters like Kalu and his son Beb very well drawn and I was definitely rooting for them, I struggled with the tone in places. It’s marketed as a thriller but it feels more like a brutal family saga and I think that might catch some readers off guard if they’re expecting a standard crime novel. It’s definitely eye opening and it makes you think about what you’d do to save your own family but the sheer amount of trauma the characters go through made it a bit of a slog for me to get through.

Overall it’s a powerful book and I can’t deny it’s well written but it wasn't exactly an enjoyable read if that makes sense. It’s worth a look if you want something that tackles real world issues head on but just be prepared for it to be quite grim.

Many thanks to the author, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the chance to read and share my thoughts on this one.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

A Killer Guest List by Sarah Bonner

🔥🔥🔥 Due out 10 February 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from the Publisher:

"Sadie has attended ‘Murder on the Moors’, at a luxury country house hotel in Dartmoor, for the past fifty years. This time, she’s bringing her goddaughter. But what the girl doesn’t know is that the game is merely a cover for Sadie’s darker predilections…

Cassie’s weekend at the hotel is more of a work trip for her wife, though she’s looking forward to relaxing in the swanky surroundings, plus a little fun detective work. She doesn’t realise that the game is about to reveal some shocking truths…

Because this year, someone new has taken over the murder mystery event. Someone who knows exactly who Sadie is, and who has compiled a dossier of crimes committed by the other guests. Someone with a hit list.

The only chance of staying one step ahead – and not being murdered for real – is to slay together…"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I've been a fan of Sarah Bonner since reading Her Perfect Twin a few years back, and more recently I read How to Slay at Christmas, so I was really looking forward to seeing what she'd do with a classic locked-room mystery setup. This time we’re at a luxury hotel on Dartmoor for a 50th anniversary murder mystery weekend, but of course, things get a lot more real than the guests bargained for.

The story follows Sadie, who has been attending these events for decades, and Cassie, who is there while her wife works. It’s got that dark and twisty vibe I’ve come to expect from this author. The plot moves along at a cracking pace and I really enjoyed how the "game" starts to unravel as someone with a hit list takes over.

I’ll be honest, it was all a bit over the top in places, but in a fun, popcorn-thriller sort of way. Some of the twists were definitely a bit out there and required a bit of a leap, but I had a good time following the breadcrumbs to the end. I wasn't quite on the edge of my seat and there was a bit of eye-rolling going on at times but it was still a solid, entertaining read that kept me guessing to see how it all ended. 

If you're looking for a murder/mystery/thriller that doesn't take itself too seriously, this is a great shout. It’s definitely made me want to see what Sarah Bonner comes up with next.

Many thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this book.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

The First Thread (FBI Agent Daisy Adams #1) by Nadija Mujagic [Audiobook]

🎙🎙🎙 Narrated by Matt Godfrey and Jennifer Pickens 🎙🎙🎙

 

Description from Goodreads:

"The 1980 a decade when thousands of children vanished—and most were never found.

When six-year-old Charlotte Mercer disappears from her front yard in Silver Spring, Maryland, rookie FBI Agent Daisy Adams is thrust into a case that feels more like a haunting. There are no witnesses. No clues.

Daisy has seen horror before—but nothing like this. As the investigation deepens, so does her fear. Because every missing child reminds her of her own daughter, Lila. And the more she digs into Charlotte's disappearance, the more she's forced to confront the question she's spent years

What if one day, it's Lila who vanishes?"

🎧📚🎧📚🎧📚🎧

This was such a gripping book, but I have to be honest - it was also incredibly disturbing and upsetting in places. It deals with child abuse, which is a really difficult subject to listen to, but the story is so well told that I couldn't stop listening. It's actually inspired by real events, which makes the whole thing feel even more chilling and heartbreaking because you know these things really happened.

The story follows Daisy Adams, a rookie FBI agent and single mum in the 1980s. She's thrown into a case involving a missing girl, and the way her own fears as a parent bleed into her work feels so raw and real. I felt her panic in every chapter. The writing is fast and sharp, which kept me completely hooked even when the content was hard to stomach.

As I opted for the audiobook, I have to mention the narrators, Matt Godfrey and Jennifer Pickens. It actually took me a little while to get used to Jennifer's voice at first, but once I settled in, I thought they both did a great job of bringing the characters to life. They really captured the intensity and the emotional weight of the investigation.

The book ends on a massive cliffhanger! Despite how heavy the themes are, I honestly didn't want it to stop because I need to know what happens to Daisy and the case next. It’s definitely a "just one more chapter" kind of listen, but do check the triggers before you dive in as it doesn't hold back.

A huge thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this good but disturbing book.

🎧📚🎧📚🎧📚🎧

The Good Girl by Michelle Dunne

🔥🔥🔥 Published 09 February 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"Grace Murphy doesn’t seem like the type of woman who’d have a man cable-tied to a chair, slowly dying in her house. She keeps to herself and goes through life relatively unnoticed, working as a barista and caring for her sister, providing her with wholesome meals and a clean home - things they never had as children . . .

Detective Inspector Jerry Hughes knows about Grace’s brutal and troubled childhood; his own life was profoundly affected by it after all... so when men start going missing in the city - men who seem to have nothing in common aside from a physical resemblance to someone from Grace Murphy’s past - Inspector Hughes must dive back into the past to face a terrible truth playing out before him..."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I’ve just finished The Good Girl by Michelle Dunne and oh my goodness, it completely pulled me in. It isn't a typical "whodunnit" since we know who the culprit is right from the start. Instead, it’s a "how" and "why" story that is honestly one of the most unsettling things I’ve read in a long time.

The story follows Grace Murphy, who seems like your average barista in Cork, looking after her sister and keeping her head down. But the opening scene is absolutely brutal - she has a man tied to a chair in her spare room and she's basically watching him die. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted and it comes with some very heavy triggers, especially around child abuse and violence. If you're in a sensitive headspace, you might want to skip this one, but if you can handle the darkness, it’s a brilliant look at how trauma can ripple through generations.

I absolutely loved Grace as a lead character. Even with her predilection for murder, I couldn't help but feel for her. She's a deeply troubled individual, though that isn't exactly surprising once you learn what she's been through. It's a testament to the writing that I felt so much empathy for someone doing such horrific things.

I haven't read anything by this author before but I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more from her in the future. Her writing style is so engaging and the pacing was absolutely spot on. I found myself flying through it - I actually managed to read it in just two sittings because I couldn't put it down. It’s rare to find a crime thriller that manages to be this graphic while still having so much heart and honesty about mental illness and guilt.

I also really liked Detective Inspector Jerry Hughes; he’s a good man who’s haunted by his own connection to Grace’s past, and you can really feel his internal struggle as the bodies start turning up. 

The ending was clever, disturbing and left me thinking about it long after I finished the last chapter. It’s a 5-star read for me, though it definitely left me feeling a bit shaken.

Many thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this excellent book.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"What would you do if you learned that the life you lived was a lie?

Nina McCarrick lives the perfect life, until her husband, Finn, is killed in a car accident and everything Nina thought she could rely on unravels.

Alone, bereft and faced with a mountain of debt, Nina quickly loses her life of luxury and she begins to question whether she ever really knew the man she married. Forced to move out of her family home, Nina returns to the rundown Southampton council estate—and the sister—she thought she had left far behind.

But Nina can’t let herself be overwhelmed—her boys need her. To save them, and herself, she will have to do what her husband discouraged for so pursue a career of her own. Torn between the life she thought she knew and the reality she now faces, Nina finally must learn what it means to take control of her life."

📚📚📚📚📚📚

After reading The Idea of You, I liked Amanda Prowse's writing enough to give her another try. I finally fished this out from my dusty, virtual shelf on my Kindle® which had been patiently waiting since 2017 🤯 on my ever-expanding 'to-be-read' pile

This story starts with a bang! Nina McCarrick thinks she's got the perfect life until her husband, Finn, dies unexpectedly. Turns out, he left her with massive hidden debt. She's forced to drag her two sons back to the old working-class estate she spent years trying to escape. The book is Nina trying to figure out who she is now and rebuilding things with her estranged sister, Tiggy.

Prowse's writing is definitely compelling and she moves this plot along at a good pace, covering themes like grief, financial shock and finding inner strength. But, just like with the last book, I had trouble getting fully invested in Nina's characters.

It's  clear that Amanda Prowse can write powerful, emotional stories. But with two books down, unfortunately, her style is just not for me, however, there are thousands of people who disagree so definitely don't let my personal preference stop you from diving in.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for enabling me to read and, eventually, share my thoughts of this book.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

Dead in the Water by John Marrs

🔥🔥🔥 Due to be published 20 January 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"A chilling tale about life flashing before your eyes—including terrifying scenes you don’t remember.

When Damon survives a near-drowning, his life flashes before his eyes. Every memory is crystal clear—except one. A dead boy. A face he can’t place. A moment he doesn’t remember living. At first he tells himself it’s a trick of the mind. But everything else he saw was real. So why not this?

With his waking life stalked by the disturbing scene, confusion quickly turns to obsession. Desperate for answers, Damon digs into his fractured past, and becomes convinced that the only way to remember…is to die again. And again. And again. When he meets a perfect stranger who’s all too willing to help, the stage is set for his dice with death.

But if this is what it takes to uncover the truth, maybe some memories are better left buried…"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

I’ve just finished reading Dead in the Water and honestly, John Marrs has done it again. This is actually the third book of his that I’ve read and enjoyed now, so I was really keen to dive into this one. If you’ve read his stuff before, you know what you're in for and this definitely didn't disappoint on that front.

The story is really chilling and follows Damon, who survives a near-drowning only to be haunted by a memory of a dead boy he doesn't recognise.  The pacing is good and the chapters are short, which always makes me tell myself "just one more" before I end up staying up way too late finishing it. I loved how the tension kept building as Damon became more obsessed with his fractured past.

The concept of him having to "die" again and again to recover his memories was so dark and gripping. It’s exactly the kind of "what would I do?" scenario that keeps you hooked from the first page to the last. There were a couple of moments where I had to suspend my disbelief a little bit - but that's part of the fun with a thriller like this - it’s a great read. 

If you’re looking for something that’s easy to get into but hard to put down, I’d definitely recommend giving this a go. 

Many thanks to the author, Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this book.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

The Lodge by Paul Finch

🔥🔥🔥 Published on 15 January 2026 🔥🔥🔥

Description from Goodreads:

"It’s the perfect getaway. Until there’s no way out.

You have been dreaming of an unforgettable weekend escape, and Black Tarn Lodge seems to offer everything—a magnificent Gothic mansion with towering turrets nestled in the misty Lancashire hills.

Expecting elegant dinners, vintage wines and a special late-night screening of a legendary lost film in the private cinema, all seems perfect—until night falls and a thick fog isolates you all from the world. But your phones go missing. Guests start vanishing. Then you find the body.

Someone, it seems, fell from the roof. But you can’t help wondering if he was pushed. Totally cut off, you cannot leave or call for help. You don’t know these people. But you need to decide who you can trust soon. Because this is not over. Who is going to be next—you?"

📚📚📚📚📚📚

The Lodge by Paul Finch is a bit of a departure from what I have previously seen from this author and I don't think the blurb or the description of the book accurately reflects the story found inside the pages. It sets a certain expectation that doesn't quite match the actual experience of the plot as it unfolds. While I know him best for his crime thrillers and police procedurals, in my opinion, this leans much more towards the horror genre than a standard murder mystery.

The story follows a group of dark tourism enthusiasts on a murder tour visiting the sites of gruesome killings and serial killer haunts. Their final stop is an overnight stay at a remote mansion in the Lancashire hills which was once the home of a famous horror actor. It's a great setup that feels very different to books I've read by him in the past as the focus shifts toward a more sinister and gothic atmosphere once the group becomes trapped by a dense fog.

The pace felt a little slow in places particularly during the journey between sites but there was an overriding sense of creepiness and tension that stayed consistent throughout the stay at the lodge. Even though I guessed the murderer earlier than expected, it was still fun to get there. It was actually quite refreshing to see the author delving into the horror genre as it takes me back to when I was younger when it was all I read.

Overall it's an atmospheric read that prioritises a sense of dread over a typical investigation. For anyone used to his more traditional crime novels, this is a darker shift but it's an enjoyable one if you appreciate a story that isn't afraid to get a bit more macabre.

Many thanks to the author, Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, the new one from Paul Finch.

📚📚📚📚📚📚

From Malice to Ashes: Forest of No Mercy by Gary W. Toyn [Audiobook]

🎙🎙🎙 Narrated by Matt Armstrong🎙🎙🎙

Description from Goodreads:

"Before Auschwitz, before the gas chambers, there was Ponary—a forest outside Vilnius where 75,000 Jews were executed during World War II. In the beginning, the killers weren’t the Nazis. They were neighbors. From Malice to is a haunting historical novel that reveals one of the Holocaust’s earliest and most overlooked atrocities—the Ponary Massacre in Lithuania—where local militias carried out mass murder while SS officers stood by and took notes.

Olek Kosmen, a young Jewish man, becomes an unwilling eyewitness and chronicler. Hiding in the woods, he secretly records the horrors in a journal—until he’s captured and forced into the “Burning Brigade,” a prisoner unit ordered to exhume and destroy the bodies to hide the crime. Meanwhile, his fiancée escapes to neutral Sweden, and her family is exiled to the frozen gulags of Siberia. Their survival depends on impossible choices—and an escape tunnel dug with bare hands beneath a mass grave. Meticulously researched and deeply moving, this story is not just a look back at history—it’s a warning. In an age when antisemitism is once again on the rise, From Malice to Ashes reminds us what happens when hatred goes unchallenged and silence becomes complicity."

🎧📚🎧📚🎧📚🎧

I've just finished listening to From Malice to Ashes by Gary W. Toyn and I have to say it is a properly heavy but necessary bit of historical fiction. 

I'm always on the lookout for stories that shed light on the bits of the Second World War we don't talk about enough and this one focuses on the Ponary massacre in Lithuania.   I've read a fair few books set during this war but I have to admit I've never come across or read anything about what happened in this particular area or what the people there had to endure. It's a brutal look at what happened before the concentration camps even became the norm where neighbours turned on neighbours and the level of betrayal is just gutting.

The story follows several families torn apart by both the Nazis and the Soviets and Toyn does a brilliant job of weaving together their struggle for survival. It's clearly been meticulously researched and I was really impressed that the author includes references and extracts at the end to show exactly where the historical evidence was found. This added a whole other layer of authenticity to the narrative. While it doesn't shy away from the horrors there's a real thread of moral courage and hope running through it that stops it from being completely bleak.

It is a truly haunting account and it's one of those books that stays with you long after the final chapter. There were definitely times when it was difficult to listen to because of the subject matter but the writing is so engaging that I felt compelled to stay in my car for longer than was necessary just to keep in the story.

Now for the audiobook itself. Matt Armstrong is clearly a talented narrator and for the most part I thought he was really good. He has a great pace and managed the tension of the more claustrophobic scenes perfectly. However I did find myself wishing they'd gone with a dual narration setup. Having a male narrator do the female parts felt a bit forced and distracting as it came across as a bit parody style at times. It was a shame because it took me out of the moment during some of the most emotional scenes. It definitely would've worked much better with both male and female narrators to give those characters the depth they deserved.

It's a powerful look at a forgotten chapter of history and despite my niggles with the narration style the story itself is far too important to miss. I'm glad I gave it a listen even if I had to take a few breaks to process the weight of it all.

My thanks must go to the author, American Legacy Media and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of this important book.

🎧📚🎧📚🎧📚🎧