Written in the Scars by Mel Sherratt

Description from Goodreads:

“Welcome to The Estate - where even the darkest times have their lighter moments...

Scars.

Sometimes they’re visible. Sometimes they’re burdens that we carry around with us.

You can’t see Donna’s scars from a joke of a marriage.

You can’t see Lewis’s scars from his time in the army.

You can see Megan’s scars but she won’t let you.

And Mary can’t always remember how she got hers.

If the past could be erased to make a better future, we’d all want to do that, wouldn’t we? No matter how dangerous the consequences might be…

WRITTEN IN THE SCARS is the fourth book in The Estate Series but each one can be read as a standalone novel.”

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I really enjoy reading Mel’s books but this is the first one I have read from The Estate Series. Her other books from the DS Allie Shenton Series - Follow The Leader and Only The Brave are brilliant so I did not hesitate when Mel asked me to read and review her new book, Written in the Scars and I am so pleased I did because I really liked it even though it is slightly different to what I normally read.

Mel has a skill of drawing you into the lives of complete strangers, becoming attached to them and really caring about what happens to them even if some of them are far from perfect. The characters she creates are authentic and believable and Mel makes you feel that they could be you, a member of your family, a friend, neighbour or work colleague. The trials and tribulations she puts them through are more than plausible they are true-to-life and are probably happening in your street right now.

Donna is a 40-something, single parent working in a local shop; her son is walking a thin line to becoming a miscreant, her daughter working in a massage parlour and to top it all, her mum has dementia. Donna is the linchpin in the family but all she wants is a little fun herself and to get the spark back into her life. There is a saying that good things only happen to good people, well, this isn’t always true - I won’t elaborate further - no spoilers from me - you’ll just have to read the book.

Lewis is an ex-soldier who has brought back a lot of baggage from his tours in Afghanistan and as a result, has lost his family and is back living on The Estate with his mum who herself is mourning the death of her husband. All Lewis wants is to be back with his family however, he is on self-destruct and as a result, is pushing all those he holds dear and those who want to help further away. I found myself really feeling for Lewis and I desperately wanted to jump in the book and help him myself - that’s what Mel does, like I said, she makes you care.

There are many other characters of note including Megan - a young girl with a secret who is holding down two jobs as well as caring for her disabled mum; Josie - a housing officer with a heart and Owen - Donna’s love interest. There are some more minor characters as well and although I call them minor, they are pivotal to the realism of the book.

Mel’s writing style is easy to read and flows well. Her use of language during the dialogue, both internal and between characters, is natural and convincing.

Mel is a favourite author of mine and I would encourage anyone who enjoys a great character-driven story or, as Mel describes it herself, grit-lit (women’s fiction with a punch) to buy this book, you will not be disappointed and once you have, you will want to read everything else she has written.

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Author website: http://melsherratt.co.uk/ - where you can get a free book - Secrets on The Estates - the prequel to The Estates Series

Twitter: @writermels

Only The Brave (DS Allie Shenton #3) by Mel Sherratt

Description from Goodreads:

"When one of the notorious Johnson brothers is murdered and a bag of money goes missing, a deadly game of cat and mouse is set in motion.

DS Allie Shenton and her team are called in to catch the killer, but the suspects are double-crossing each other and Allie has little time to untangle the web of lies.

As she delves deeper into the case, things take a personal turn when Allie realises she is being stalked by the very same person who attacked her sister seventeen years ago and left her for dead.

Set over forty-eight tension-filled hours, Only the Brave is the latest gut-churning book from acclaimed author Mel Sherratt."

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I feel very privileged to have been invited to review this book by the author and duly received my copy from Netgalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing and, yet again, I was most definitely not disappointed and I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost amongst the words of Mel Sherratt.

This is the 3rd installment in the DS Allie Shenton series and although you don’t have to have read the previous 2 novels, I would certainly recommend reading at least 1 of them as there is a thread that runs through all 3 novels and I feel that you would miss out on the understanding of Allie and her motivations and character development. Having said that, don’t let that put you off; I have only read 1 previous novel “Follow the Leader” and I was able to become totally engrossed very quickly which is a testament to the skill of Mel as the author.

This story is different to the previous novel in that you don’t know who the murderer is. There are many clues and red herrings thrown in which keeps you guessing and on your toes and I just love that in a book especially when I guess wrong. It is also told over a 48 hour period which, for me, lent an authenticity to the way in which the police investigation was told and meant the pace was fast and constant from the beginning to the very end … and what an ending!

The characters in this book are fabulous; particularly the more colourful residents of the flats and despite some of them being a tad shady, you quickly become drawn into their world. I admit that there were a few notable male characters that I took an instant dislike to and a couple of the female characters that irritated me but this only added to my enjoyment and total immersion into the story.

DS Allie Shenton is an excellent female character. She is strong yet vulnerable and not afraid to show both sides. She is driven to find justice and has a “nose” for rooting out the answers. I believe Mel has found a truly distinct and interesting character that has reams and reams of potential for further development and some fantastic storylines to come and I, for one, look forward to reading more.

I would most definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy a fast, paced, thriller with interesting and believable characters which just flows and is a pleasure to read.

Follow The Leader by Mel Sherratt

"A man’s body is found on a canal towpath. In his pocket, a magnetic letter in the shape of an E.

Days later, a second victim is found, this time with the letter V tucked into her clothing.

As the body count rises, the eerie, childlike clues point to a pattern that sends DS Allie Shenton and her colleagues into full alert.

The race is on. Allie and the team must work quickly to determine where the killer will strike next. The rules are simple but deadly—to catch the killer, they must follow the leader."

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Wow. What a great read. I am unable to give this anything less than top marks … it was that good. I was not aware of Mel Sherratt before reading this but I certainly am now and I will most definitely look out for her books in the future.

This is the second in the DS Allie Shenton series but I don’t feel it essential that the first one is read - I hadn’t read it - but the author has written this so well, that I didn’t feel I was missing something and it can be read as a standalone.

I think it’s a real skill that an author is able to give away who the killer is at the beginning and keep the reader on their toes throughout. This author manages this with ease but not only that, she also gives us the “why” and the “who” as well and still makes the story full of suspense and anticipation.

The story is written from the point of view of various characters but rather than this causing confusion, it really made the book as it brought those characters to life. It is also written in the past and present with the author providing snippets of the past life of many of the characters whilst also shedding light on the motivations behind the murders.

This book is not just a great story about a serial killer or about the police investigation, it is so much more than that. It highlights the potential outcome of abuse and bullying in childhood which resulted in me jumping between abhorrence and sympathy not only for the killer but also the victims.

The ending makes you want more … I shouted out “no” after reading the final words as I didn’t want it to end and I am so looking forward to the next instalment.

I would like to thank the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in return for an honest review and for introducing me to another fabulous British author.