Girl On Fire (Max Wolfe #5) by Tony Parsons

Description from Goodreads:

"When terrorists use a drone to bring down a plane on one of London’s busiest shopping centres, it ignites a chain of events that will draw in the innocent and the guilty alike.

DC Max Wolfe of West End Central finds himself caught in the crossfire between a tech-savvy terrorist cell and a revenge-seeking, Bible-quoting murderer called Bad Moses.

And when Max’s ex-wife suddenly reappears to reclaim custody of his beloved daughter Scout, he finds himself fighting the greatest battle of all ... "

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"I woke up and the world was gone.

All was silent, all was black, the darkness so complete that it was as if all the light had been drained from the world."

Those are the dramatic opening lines to this book which had me hooked and eating up the pages as if my life depended on it.

Mr Parsons writes with grit, authenticity and humanity which I find very addictive and although Max isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, he is a very engaging character that I love getting to know a little more with each outing.

I must admit that there were times when I felt reality was ignored for the sake of the story (i.e. missed suspects which, in my opinion, were glaringly obvious) but I just put them to one side and continued to enjoy the ride on Mr Parsons' roller-coaster because, after all, this isn't a true story although the subject matter certainly is unfortunately.

Although this can be read as a standalone, I would very much recommend you read the others in the series as this will give more depth and understanding to the main characters and will enhance the whole reading experience.

I would highly recommend this series and Tony Parsons as a great British author and would like to thank the publisher, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for an impartial review.

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Other books in the series I have read and reviewed - click the link under the book covers to be taken to my review:

Click here to read my review of
Die Last

Click here to read my view of
The Slaughter Man

Click here to read my review of
The Hanging Club

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Connect with the Author:

Twitter:  TonyParsonsUK

Facebook:  TonyParsonsBooks

Die Last (Max Wolfe #4) by Tony Parsons

     

Description from Goodreads:

"A terrifying secret. A missing girl.

"As dawn breaks on a snowy February morning, a refrigerated lorry is found parked in the heart of London's Chinatown. Inside twelve women are discovered - all dead from hypothermia.

But when DC Max Wolfe looks in the cab of truck, he finds thirteen passports.

One woman has survived. Where is she? And what sort of danger is she in?

The hunt for her will take Max into the dark heart of a terrifying world where nothing and nobody is safe ..."

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Not my favourite book in the Max Wolfe series but still very enjoyable with a very relevant and disturbing story line with great characters, twists, gritty tension, violence and humanity all written at a great pace that makes you want to continue reading well into the wee small hours of the night. I continue to love getting to know Max and adore his relationship with his daughter, Scout and their dog, Stanley with their moments adding a depth and warmth to Max that can be hidden under his strong policeman persona.

Although not my favourite, I would still highly recommend this series and Tony Parsons as a great British author and would like to thank the publisher, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for a review.

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Other books in the series I have read and reviewed - click the link under the book covers to be taken to my review:

Click here to read my view of
The Slaughter Man

Click here to read my review of
The Hanging Club

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Connect with the Author:

Twitter:  TonyParsonsUK

Facebook:  TonyParsonsBooks

Redemption Point (Crimson Lake #2) by Candice Fox

Description from Goodreads:

"In a dark roadside hovel called the Barking Fog Inn, the bodies of two young bartenders lie on a beer-sodden floor.  Only the night-time animals in the surrounding forest were close enough to hear their screams.

Crimson Lake's resident private detectives are hired to take on the case.  Disgraced former police detective Ted Conkaffey and convicted murderer Amanda Pharrell are uneasy allies working alongside DI Pip Sweeney on her first homicide investigation.

For Ted, a new case serves as a welcome distraction from his fight to clear his name over the abduction of a teenage girl.

For all three, the hunt for the truth will draw them into a violent dance with evil.  Redemption is certainly on the cards - but it may well cost them their lives ..."

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This is a sequel to Crimson Lake; a book I gave 4 stars; this one also gets 4 stars.  I really recommend you read Crimson Lake before reading this otherwise you will not get the really important background to the 2 main characters, Ted and Amanda and, I feel, that is essential to get everything out of this story and an understanding of these 2 very different and intriguing characters.

The story has 2 main facets.  The first being the murder of two young people and the second of Ted's attempts to clear his name of the violent attack on a young girl.  Both parts fit together really well as does the unlikely partnership of Ted and Amanda and the relationship between Ted and his geese!

Well written; funny and sad with a story that will make you shout at it at times and laugh out loud at others, Redemption Point and its predecessor are books I'm glad I didn't miss out on and I would highly recommend.

Thanks go to Ellie Gibbons, Marketing Manager at Cornerstone - Penguin Random House UK and the author, Candice Fox for my copy in return for an honest review.

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Author website:  Candice Fox

Author twitter:  @candicefoxbooks

Publisher website:  Cornerstone - Penguin Random House UK

The Hanged Man by Simon Kernick (The Bone Field #2)

Description:

“From the Sunday Times bestselling author, Simon Kernick, comes the thrilling second instalment in The Bone Field series. Featuring DI Ray Mason and PI Tina Boyd.

A house deep in the countryside where the remains of seven unidentified women have just been discovered.

A cop ready to risk everything in the hunt for their killers.

A man who has seen the murders and is now on the run in fear of his life.

So begins the race to track down this witness before the killers do.

For Ray Mason and PI Tina Boyd, the road ahead is a dangerous one, with bodies and betrayal at every turn…”

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Once again, I am not disappointed by one of Simon’s books. This, the second in this series, is another gritty and exciting read but I would recommend you read the first otherwise I think you will feel a little lost but it’s not totally essential as there are enough recaps to help you keep up with the story.

The books does contain a lot of violence … you have been warned … however, it does deal with a particularly distasteful subject and equally distasteful people so you can’t expect it to be all warm and fluffy!

I know I have said it before but, I think, one of Simon’s strengths is the creation of believable characters that you begin to care about … DI Ray Mason is one of those however, he’s not all sweetness and light as you will see in this book and so begins the struggle in my head about whether I should be rooting for him or not! I cannot question his dedication and drive to bring miscreants to justice however, the way he does it is questionable and, if I’m honest, a little OTT.

Private Investigator and former Police Officer Tina Boyd is another returning character … she is my all-time favourite female protagonist being loyal, brave, feisty and determined and she delivers on all fronts in this book.

Overall, this book is packed with action throughout; it may not be the complex of story lines in the world but it kept me reading with enthusiasm and going back for more and I definitely look forward to the next in the series.

A big thanks to the publisher (Randomhouse UK, Cornerstone) and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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Click here for my review
 of the first in the Bone Field Series

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Author website - http://www.simonkernick.com/

Author's Twitter - @simonkernick

Publisher's website - Randomhouse UK, Cornerstone

Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

"An enjoyable and entertaining read"

What’s it about?

“You've been held captive in one room, mentally and physically abused every day, since you were sixteen years old.

Then, one night, you realize your captor has left the door to your cell unlocked.

For the first time in eight years, you're free.

This is about what happens next ...

Lily knows that she must bring the man who nearly ruined her life - her good-looking high-school teacher - to justice. But she never imagined that reconnecting with her family would be just as difficult. Reclaiming her relationship with her twin sister, her mother, and her high school sweetheart who is in love with her sister may be Lily's greatest challenge. After all they've been through, can Lily and her family find their way back after this life-altering trauma?

Impossible not to read in one sitting, Baby Doll is a taut psychological thriller that focuses on family entanglements and the evil that can hide behind a benign facade.”

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Having read a number of scathing reviews of this book, I have to admit that I was a little worried - I really dislike having to give someone’s hard work a poor rating but, fear not, it was quite good although as many have said, it could have been better which just goes to show that us readers are fickle human beings and what one person dislikes, another will absolutely love … well, if we all liked the same things, it would be a pretty boring world!

Unlike many other reviewers, I haven’t read anything quite like this before so it was unique for me. What I thought was good was that the story started when Lily escaped from her prison rather than go into the disturbing details of what it would have been like for her all these years being a child held prisoner in a cellar being used and abused at her captor’s whim; there were snippets of course but these didn’t dominate as the focus of the book is what life was like for Lily outside her prison.

The story is told from four different perspectives - Lily, her twin sister Abby, her mum Eve and the perpetrator Rick. I was torn as to whether this was a good idea or not; on the one hand it was useful to see the situation from all of the perspectives but on the other, I think this diluted the impact of the story a little and weakened the characters. I would have preferred it to have been written just from Lily and Rick’s perspectives - this would have made it more powerful. However, having said that, the parts devoted to Abby and Eve gave some insight into the terrible impact on the family.

The book is easy to read; the pace is good and there are a few twists and unpredictable moments but there are also some annoying parts which had me almost flicking forward many of which involved Abby … my goodness, she’s one annoying character! Overall though, a classic it may not be but an enjoyable and entertaining read it most certainly was for me and I will look out for future books by Hollie Overton.

Thanks, again, go to the publisher RandomHouse UK, Cornerstone, via NetGalley for my e-copy in return for an honest review.

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Publisher website - click here

Author on twitter - click here 

Author website - click here 

For information about NetGalley - click here

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Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

"An enjoyable and entertaining read"

What’s it about?

“You've been held captive in one room, mentally and physically abused every day, since you were sixteen years old.

Then, one night, you realize your captor has left the door to your cell unlocked.

For the first time in eight years, you're free.

This is about what happens next ...

Lily knows that she must bring the man who nearly ruined her life - her good-looking high-school teacher - to justice. But she never imagined that reconnecting with her family would be just as difficult. Reclaiming her relationship with her twin sister, her mother, and her high school sweetheart who is in love with her sister may be Lily's greatest challenge. After all they've been through, can Lily and her family find their way back after this life-altering trauma?

Impossible not to read in one sitting, Baby Doll is a taut psychological thriller that focuses on family entanglements and the evil that can hide behind a benign facade.”

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Having read a number of scathing reviews of this book, I have to admit that I was a little worried - I really dislike having to give someone’s hard work a poor rating but, fear not, it was quite good although as many have said, it could have been better which just goes to show that us readers are fickle human beings and what one person dislikes, another will absolutely love … well, if we all liked the same things, it would be a pretty boring world!

Unlike many other reviewers, I haven’t read anything quite like this before so it was unique for me. What I thought was good was that the story started when Lily escaped from her prison rather than go into the disturbing details of what it would have been like for her all these years being a child held prisoner in a cellar being used and abused at her captor’s whim; there were snippets of course but these didn’t dominate as the focus of the book is what life was like for Lily outside her prison.

The story is told from four different perspectives - Lily, her twin sister Abby, her mum Eve and the perpetrator Rick. I was torn as to whether this was a good idea or not; on the one hand it was useful to see the situation from all of the perspectives but on the other, I think this diluted the impact of the story a little and weakened the characters. I would have preferred it to have been written just from Lily and Rick’s perspectives - this would have made it more powerful. However, having said that, the parts devoted to Abby and Eve gave some insight into the terrible impact on the family.

The book is easy to read; the pace is good and there are a few twists and unpredictable moments but there are also some annoying parts which had me almost flicking forward many of which involved Abby … my goodness, she’s one annoying character! Overall though, a classic it may not be but an enjoyable and entertaining read it most certainly was for me and I will look out for future books by Hollie Overton.

Thanks, again, go to the publisher RandomHouse UK, Cornerstone, via NetGalley for my e-copy in return for an honest review.

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Publisher website - click here

Author on twitter - click here 

Author website - click here 

For information about NetGalley - click here

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The Hanging Club by Tony Parsons

"Once again, a great book"

Description from Goodreads:

“A band of vigilante executioners roam London's hot summer nights, abducting evil men and hanging them by the neck until dead.

SENTENCED TO DEATH

- The gang member who's abused vulnerable girls.

- The wealthy drunk driver who's mowed down a child.

- The hate preacher calling for the murder of British soldiers.

As the bodies pile up and riots explode across the sweltering city, DC Max Wolfe hunts a gang of killers who many believe to be heroes.

And discovers that the lust for revenge starts very close to home …”

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I admit to being a bit of a fan of Tony Parsons having previously read and enjoyed “The Slaughter Man” so I was more than pleased when I was accepted to review The Hanging Club by the publisher RandomHouse UK Cornerstone via NetGalley and for which I am grateful as, yet again, Mr Parsons has written a great book.

This is the third in the DC Max Wolfe series and although this is part of a series, I don’t feel you have to have read the others to enjoy this as a standalone. The story is gripping and scarily plausible. The writing style is such that it’s easy to pick up and very hard to put down. The characters are complex and interesting with Max being even more so given that he is a single father. The glimpses of his relationship with his young daughter are touching and a relief from the horrors he has to face investigating the brutal and very public vigilante murders.

The story is set in present day London but also has glimpses into the historical London. I found this fascinating and added to my overall enjoyment of the book.

This book is not only a compulsive read, it also makes you think about justice and your own personal ethics and morals. I’m sure a lot of us have been dismayed at a particular sentence for a heinous crime but would you take the law into your own hands? What must it be like for the Police, lawyers and judges being stuck in the middle? What of the families and friends of those on both sides? Yes, this book gets you asking those questions and gets you thinking a bit and I, for one, would definitely recommend it and Tony Parsons as a great British author.

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Author/publisher website - click here

Author twitter - TonyParsonsUK

I also found an interesting website devoted to the main character DC Max Wolfe - http://dcmaxwolfe.com/ - where you can explore a little bit more about Max.

The Missing Hours by Emma Kavanagh

"A fantastic book"

Description from Goodreads:

“A woman disappears

One moment, Selena Cole is in the playground with her children and the next, she has vanished without a trace.

A woman returns

Twenty hours later, Selena is found safe and well, but with no memory of where she has been.

What took place in those missing hours, and are they linked to the discovery of a nearby murder?

‘Is it a forgetting or a deception?’”

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I have read “Hidden” by Emma previously and found it to be a riveting read so when “The Missing Hours” appeared on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it and am grateful to the publisher, Random House UK, Cornerstone, for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.

What a fantastic book! I was completely absorbed from the start - a 7 year old girl has wandered off from her mum and younger sister only to return to find mum has disappeared and her sister left alone on a swing. This little girl is already trying to come to terms with the death of her father and her greatest fear has come true - her mum has gone now too. Meanwhile, a body of a local solicitor is found on a ledge off an isolated road in the mountains - could there be a link between the 2 cases?

The story is unique (for me anyway - I haven’t read anything quite like it before) and is told from different perspectives. I can safely say that the cast of characters is excellent - all of them are interesting, believable and add to the overall authenticity of the story. The pace is just right and flows really well and the snippets of case studies from the Kidnap and Ransom world were an interesting addition.

This is a great murder, mystery, crime novel - well written, great story, brilliant characters, excellent twist, etc., etc., and I will most definitely read more from Emma Kavanagh in the future.

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Author twitter: @EmmaLK

The Slaughter Man by Tony Parsons

Description from Goodreads:

"A murdered family. A dying serial killer. A missing child. DC Max Wolfe hunts a pitiless killer through the streets of London. By the Sunday Times number one bestselling author of The Murder Bag.

On New Year’s Day, a wealthy family is found slaughtered inside their exclusive gated community in north London, their youngest child stolen away.

The murder weapon – a gun for stunning cattle before they are butchered – leads Detective Max Wolfe to a dusty corner of Scotland Yard’s Black Museum devoted to a killer who thirty years ago was known as the Slaughter Man.

But the Slaughter Man has done his time, and is now old and dying. Can he really be back in the game?

And was the murder of a happy family a mindless killing spree, a grotesque homage by a copycat killer – or a contract hit designed to frame a dying man?

All Max knows is that he needs to find the missing child and stop the killer before he destroys another innocent family – or finds his way to his own front door …

Even the happiest of families have black, twisted secrets that someone is ready to kill for…"

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This book is what I call a good old-fashioned crime caper with loads of action, thrills and violence which is fast paced and well written and I thank the publisher, Random House UK Cornerstone, for providing me with a copy via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is the second book in the Max Wolfe Series and although I have got the first one (The Murder Bag), I am ashamed to say that I forgot about it so haven’t read it but after reading The Slaughter Man, I won’t do that again as I would quite like to get to know the main characters a little more.

The book starts with a bang and doesn’t let up. The fast pace and continuous action together with an easy writing style makes this hard to stop reading. The story was gripping, compulsive and plausible and the characters were complex, interesting and believable. DC Max Wolfe was likeable but his daughter, Scout, even more so - the sections devoted to their relationship were a welcome relief from the sometimes harrowing details of the crimes and investigation. These details were however very interesting. I particularly enjoyed the sections about The Black Museum and the description of the process of death, although grim, was just excellent.

There were a few things that I found a little odd - like how Max acted and was treated like he was a much higher rank than his Detective Constable (he needs a promotion) and how he and his colleagues put themselves in danger so easily when entering the house of paedophiles and when visiting the travellers site - I just don’t think this would happen in real life but then, this isn’t a nonfiction book so I just went with it and it did make for exciting reading.

Overall, I enjoyed this and would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller with twists and turns aplenty which will keep you on your toes and enthusiastically turning the pages.

Yet another great British author to keep my eye out for in the future.