Cross My Heart by Aliyah Burke

September 12, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Cross My Heart by Aliyah Burke
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

One night together can lead to forever…

Rash decisions had not really ever been her thing, until one night in a bar with her brothers had Cynzia Cassano irritated enough to kiss the next guy walking through the door. Little does she know that he is going change her life.

Lucas Hoch is out with his best friends when a woman that knocks his world on its axis kisses him. Unable to forget her, he follows and takes the night with her she offers. It will never be enough. She is gone when he wakes and he will scour the earth to find her again.

When their paths do cross once more, as much as he wants to keep her, she is a woman with her own strong mind and life to live. Will there be room in their lives for each other?

When the sparks fly, Cyn and Lucas have no choice but to comply.

This story happens fast. I like the books of Aliyah Burke and had to snap this one up when I saw it. I’m glad I did. It’s truly fast-paced, though.

Cyn kisses Lucas and sends them both into a tailspin. She disappears and he wants to see her again. They do meet again, and the sparks fly all over the place. It’s easy to see they’re attracted.

I do have to admit there were times when the story moved so fast, I couldn’t keep it all straight. I have some questions and felt some spots needed to be fleshed out more, but it’s a novella, and there’s only so much room in those stories.

If you’re looking for an action-packed story with sparks, then this might be the one for you. Check it out.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Kill Them Cold by JM Dalgliesh

September 8, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Kill Them Cold by JM Dalgliesh
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

One lie requires commitment… Multiple lies require dedication…

When the remains of a young woman are discovered near to Branodunum, a Roman archaeological site on the Norfolk coast, DI Tom Janssen and his team must work to discover who she was and how she came to be buried there.

The area is steeped in myth and folklore, a site excavated many times over the years. Just how long has she lain there… and who wishes she’d never been discovered? As the victim’s life comes into sharp focus, it appears there is far more to those who crossed her path than anyone previously realised.

Uncovering dark secrets at every turn, DI Janssen must unravel the web of deceit in order to unmask a killer; possibly the most cold blooded and dangerous murderer he has ever faced.
Set within the mysterious beauty of coastal Norfolk, this fast-paced British detective novel is a dark murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed.

When a farmer is ploughing his field, he uncovers human bones. The police very soon realize this skeleton is not archaeological, but only from a decade or two ago. Can they piece together who wanted this young woman dead and why her remains were hidden away?

I’ve been really enjoying this Hidden Norfolk series. This book very much reads like it can stand on its own. While the police team are working very comfortably and well together – so it’s clear there are plenty of previous stories about this team – the plot and most of the interactions between the group all stand very well on their own with the author not needing to info-dump to the reader or catch everyone up on a lot of history.

Readers who enjoy a British style police procedural should find this an interesting and enjoyable read. I was pleased that – aside from the prologue – there were no flashbacks into the past or jumping back and forth in time. I was very happy for Tom and the team to dig into the archaeological site and piece together what happened via usual police investigation means – asking questions, talking to people who were involved and puzzling it all together. This made for an interesting and well-paced story to my mind, and I really enjoyed it.

Readers looking for a smaller and more country sort of setting and a modern police procedural type of story should find this really fits the bill. I’m enjoying this series and am eager to read more.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Gorpp the Grappler by D.R. Feiler

September 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Gorpp the Grappler by D.R. Feiler
Publisher: Sounds & Voices Media
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

An alien invader mistakes the world championship of wrestling for the world championship of Earth. Whoops. Could have happened to anybody, right?

Despite being an alien, Gorpp is something of an everyman among a highly advanced species. Bored with the monotony of transporting supplies here on Earth in preparation for an impending invasion, Gorpp becomes enamored with the spectacle of professional wrestling. One night, in 1975, he tunes into a broadcast announcing the world champion will be defending his title in Tampa, Florida.

Gorpp is determined to show he is good for a lot more than running supplies. He is going to challenge Earth’s champion and either return a conquering hero, or die trying.

There’s more than one way to conquer Earth.

Gorpp was an intriguing main character. He looked fairly similar to humans and had a roughly equal level of intelligence, so it took me a little while to pick up on the striking differences between his species and our own. The way he thought about relationships and what it meant to be the world champion was unique. I smiled as he and the humans he met on his adventures slowly realized that their first impressions of each other might not be correct, especially when it came to what wrestling meant to each of them. Gorpp kept me interested from the first sentence to the last one!

I would have liked to see more character development in general, especially when it came to the secondary characters. Many of the wrestlers, promoters, and managers that Gorpp developed relationships with weren’t given much of an opportunity to grow. While I wouldn’t expect everyone he crossed paths with to be given equal attention, it would have been helpful to get to know at least a few of them better so I could understand what made them tick and why wrestling was so important to them.

This book has a marvelous sense of humour. Some jokes were written for kids, while others seemed geared towards adult readers in the sense that they poked fun at some current events and required a little more investment before revealing the punchline. I always appreciate it when authors appeal to multiple audiences, especially when they pull it off as well as Mr. Feiler did here. He kept me chuckling from the first page to the last one.

Gorpp the Grappler showed me an entirely new side of professional wrestling.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Life Extinct by John Carson

September 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Life Extinct by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Doctor Angela Monroe is found dead at the foot of Salisbury Crags on Arthur’s Seat. An avid runner, it first appears that she fell to her death.

Until the pathologist deems it murder.

It’s the night of the summer solstice and people have been celebrating on the famous dormant volcano.

DCI Sean Bracken and his team are called in to lead the investigation.

Monroe was a well-respected professor, lecturing at a local university, who had no known enemies and was a private person who kept to herself.

Was this a random attack? As they dig deeper into her background, nothing makes sense. But somebody wanted her dead, and when the killer strikes again, it takes the team into a whole new direction.

Meantime, Bracken’s girlfriend is being stalked…by a dead man. Logic says it can’t be him, but who would want to harm her? She enlists the help of Bracken, who knows all too well that dead men don’t stalk…

DCI Sean Bracken is enjoying where he’s at with his life. His work and family relationships are all fairly stable and happy, his growing relationship with his girlfriend Chaz is moving steadily but well and he’s even comfortable still staying in the guest house with a retired detective as his landlord. Only an odd death draws Sean’s idyllic summer to a close on the solstice and Chaz appears to have a stalker – a man who she met a number of years ago through her work in the mortuary – a man who is very dead.

I’ve read a number of John Carson’s books and enjoy both his DCI Harry McNeil series as well as his DCI Sean Bracken series. While I have frequently found the Bracken series to be a bit grittier and harder than the McNeil series, I still thoroughly enjoyed this story. I was very pleased that Bracken’s romantic relationship with Chaz is slowly gaining momentum and they each seem to be steadily getting more series about each other. I also enjoyed how the author spent a little more time showing us the reader more of Sean and Chaz together in their personal time and not glossing over the somewhat new relationship. This helped me see them both and understand that this isn’t some quick fling but has the potential to be long term and serious between them.

I was pleased with the balance between Sean’s work as a homicide detective and his looking into the more personal investigation of who was stalking Chaz. I enjoyed this extra layer into their private life and seeing them work together outside their professional career and I enjoyed this. I definitely feel that while readers who have been following along with this series will find a lot of satisfaction in seeing this extra layer to the characters we’ve read about for a while – this book can easily be picked up by itself and readers can thoroughly enjoy this story even if they haven’t read anything previously in this series.

A strong Scottish police procedural style of novel, this is a strong read and one I enjoyed. I thought there is a good amount of character growth and an easy and steady interaction between the main characters, but it’s also a very strong police investigation-based mystery and I feel this should appeal to a wide range of readers.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Dead Call by JM Dalgleish

August 31, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Dead Call by JM Dalgleish
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time…

When a woman’s body is found in the sea at Blakeney Point with a single blow to the head, DI Tom Janssen and his team must work out who wanted her dead and why? What would drive someone to murder an elderly woman in such a savage and callous manner?

A formidable woman, a Watcher of the local nature reserve, who dedicated her life to preserving her natural surroundings has made many friends along the way… and even more dangerous enemies. A veteran campaigner – just how did she manage to succeed against all the odds when facing those with far greater resources than her own.

Meanwhile, a man is found murdered in his kitchen showing no signs of having put up a fight. This second case brings murder a little too close to home for the entire team. Tom finds himself questioning the motives of those closest to him and he must face the uncomfortable reality that you never truly know those around you.

The team must keep secrets from one another, straining their bonds of friendship in order to catch a ruthless killer before they are able to strike again…

Set within the mysterious beauty of coastal Norfolk, this fast-paced British detective novel is a dark murder mystery with a little humour, one that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed.

DI Tom Janssen and his team are called to investigate the death of an elderly lady. But they quickly learn that despite her age, local wildlife activist had a number of people angry with her. Then another murder quickly divides the team as they grapple with this second case cutting very close to home.

I’ve been enjoying this series – the “Hidden Norfolk” series – and am finding it very well written with interesting characters and a tight plot. While there are a number of layers to the police team and the various characters within that I still feel the two main plotlines can be thoroughly enjoyed by readers who pick this book up by itself. I do feel that a deeper and more emotional connection with the characters and what’s happening will be felt by those who have read some or all of the previous stories, but I don’t feel it’s strictly necessary and certainly not to understand the plot.

This is mostly a police procedural style of story, though I really enjoyed the fact that as one of the murders hit close to home there are a number of emotional and conflicting aspects to what would ordinarily be a straightforward case and investigation. I have to admit that Tamara’s character annoys me at times, but equally I have to say that in this book I found my aggregation with her less than in the first few books of the series. I was also very interested in the character development between Tamara and Alice – and will be interested to see what (if anything) unfolds in the coming few books.

Readers who enjoy a British based mystery should find this book appeals. I can easily recommend the entire series and while I might not feel this is the strongest of all the books so far, it is an excellent addition, and I will certainly be eager for the next installment. I found the plots well-paced and well written. There is nothing too earth shattering in the unveiling of what occurred, but I do admit that while I guessed some of it there was still plenty I hadn’t foreseen, and I strongly feel even long-term mystery readers should find some freshness to this plotline.

A great British police procedural style of mystery and a series I am greatly enjoying.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Moonlight Becomes You by Robert Herold

August 31, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Moonlight Becomes You by Robert Herold
An Eidola Project Novel, Book 2
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The Eidola Project travels to Petersburg, Virginia, to investigate a series of murders in the Black community—rumored to be caused by a werewolf. Once there, danger comes from all quarters. Not only do they face threats from the supernatural, the KKK objects to the team’s activities, and the group is falling apart. Can they overcome their human frailties to defeat the evil that surrounds them?

Monsters can lurk anywhere.

Honestly, the werewolf was what originally nudged me to request this book, and I was pleased with how much time the author took to explore what would happen if a town was terrorized by such a creature. Werewolves don’t seem to be a common antagonist in the modern fantasy I usually read, so it was refreshing to revisit the tropes and legends about them here. The narrator assumed the audience already knew the basics about what this creature was and how it worked, but they did provide enough information to help readers who were less familiar with them get caught up on what to expect.

I struggled with the slow pacing of this tale, especially after the first few chapters when all of the introductions had taken place and the characters began diving into their newest case. There was plenty of material here for the author to work with, from a large cast of characters to a mystery that threatened to kill many innocent people if it wasn’t quickly unraveled. I simply found myself wishing that everything had moved forward faster.

Some of the most interesting portions of the storyline were the ones that discussed the prejudice faced by the characters who were African American, women, or African American women. Everyone who fell into these groups were deeply aware of the limitations society placed on them because of their identities, and they had to be cautious about where they went and how they behaved because of it. I appreciated the attention the author paid to these topics as it made the setting feel much more realistic for these characters given when and where they lived. It also made their accomplishments even more meaningful once they figured out ways to reach their goals within the confines of what they were allowed to do in that era.

This is the second installment of a series. I’d recommend reading it in order due to the character and plot development from The Eidola Project that affected this sequel so much. There were also dozens of characters to keep track of, so already knowing some of them from the previous book will make it much easier for readers to dive into this one.

Moonlight Becomes You was a satisfying read.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Cragside by LJ Ross

August 30, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Cragside by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Are you afraid of the dark..?

After his climactic battle with notorious serial killer The Hacker, DCI Ryan is spending the summer with his fiancée within the grounds of Cragside, a spectacular Bavarian-style mansion surrounded by acres of woodland. When they are invited to attend the staff summer party – a Victorian murder mystery evening – it’s all a joke until the lights go out and an elderly man is found dead. It looks like an unfortunate accident but, as the dead man’s life begins to unfold, Ryan and his team of detectives realise that all is not as it appears.

When a second body is found, terror grips the close-knit community and Ryan must uncover the killer who walks among them, before they strike again…

Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunit set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.

DCI Ryan and his fiancée have been spending the summer on the grounds of Cragside – a Bavarian style mansion. They both attend the annual staff summer party only for one of the guests to die in what at first appears an accident toward the end of the night. It soon becomes apparent though that this isn’t a tragic accident and there is far more to the victim – and others at Cragside – than anyone first believed.

This is the sixth book in the series around DCI Ryan and his team and I’m pleased to still be enjoying this series. In some respects, I feel like this book can be read by itself. The murder mystery as the feel a little an old school Agatha Christie style “closed house” mystery and as such there’s a whole slew of characters and suspects who have only been present at the party and so no prior knowledge is needed and there is no link to any of the previous books. So, from that perspective the mystery aspect to the book is easily stand alone and anyone can pick this book up and enjoy it.

That said, for the other members of Ryan’s team who are called in to help the investigation, there is a quite a bit of recent history that needs to be unpacked. Ryan’s partner is under a bit of a shadow after an enforced sabbatical and another member of the team – MacKenzie – is still recovering after having been kidnapped and tortured. In addition to that there is a young new member of the team who is trying to find her place and fit in with the others, and an old superior officer from Ryan’s past who has suddenly reappeared on the scene again. So, there is quite a bit going on under the surface of the murder mystery and while I definitely feel readers can easily work out what’s going on, I equally can’t help but feel a lot of the emotional connection and empathy with the characters situation mainly stems from having read some of the previous books and knowing exactly what the characters are recovering from.

I definitely feel readers looking for an interesting “closed house” style of murder mystery should be easily able to pick this book up. The plot can be read and easily enjoyed by itself. Readers who are after more of a long-term investment in the team dynamic and various characters and their growth should likely investigate starting earlier in the series than this book. There is definitely the feel that the working and personal relationships for the team members are becoming equally important than the various cases this team investigate. While I’m pleased the various plots help keep the books interesting and the police procedural aspects are excellent, the emotional investment in the main characters is given just as much eight and importance as these books progress.

A strong mystery book, this is a good series I am really enjoying.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

When a Princess Proposes by Kerrelyn Sparks, narrated by Jill Tanner

August 29, 2022 By Leave a Comment


When a Princess Proposes by Kerrelyn Sparks, narrated by Jill Tanner
Embraced by Magic, Book 3
Publisher: Kensington Books, Audio publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Genre: Historical, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Aerthlan’s five Embraced queens have reigned for twenty years, in peace secured by the power of their magic. But now a new and insidious threat has appeared, to test a new generation.

DESIRE AND DECEPTION

All Princess Eviana needs is an escape. Possessed of an unfortunate and unusual Embraced gift, which she’s been banned from using, she required no training. Now, her overprotective parents want her to wed. As a result, the palace is crammed with obnoxious noblemen. . . . Until Quentin, the enigmatic eagle shifter and royal spy, maneuvers several of the unsuitable suitors into revealing their most embarrassing secrets before the court. Finally, Eviana has an excuse to free herself. If only her family knew the blow that’s shaken her: golden-eyed Quentin’s refusal to let her near . . .

Heroic, but low born, Quentin’s infatuation with Eviana is as inappropriate as it is unshakable. He must keep away from her, for his own sake. But after a series of suspicious deaths, and the princess’s narrow escape from kidnapping, Quentin knows that only together can they expose the danger stalking Aerthlan’s Embraced. On foot, in disguise, they’ll need trust and quick wits to uncover the vicious conspiracy closing around them. But finding the truth might break down their own defenses as well . . .

Filled with adventure, intrigue, narrow escapes and solidifying of friendships, When a Princess Proposes is an entertaining read. The narrator, Jill Tanner, reminded me of Dame Judi Dench’s voice, so it was quite enjoyable.

The next generation of Embraced children have stumbled upon a new threat and it’s they who are in its crosshairs. I was sad to hear about two of them that were from the Isle of Secrets from the book, The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea. In fact, Quentin, the hero, is from that time in Aerthlan’s history as well. He’s come into his own and has developed a noble set of values and has proved himself loyal, stalwart and an asset to the five kingdoms. However, he is still considered low-born, a servant. It’s something that plays into the plot conflict.

Princess Eviana is in a rut. Unlike what most people think, being a royal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. She has no life to speak of because her parents have protected her to such a degree, she feels stifled. And, while her parents’ goal to keep her safe is worthwhile, it’s futile when forces outside the kingdom conspire against them and are ready to make their move. Such is the plot behind this novel. The oftentimes used trope of a low-born hero falling in love with a high-born princess, overcoming the obstacle of “never the twain shall meet” is used to good effect in this novel.

By the same token, that same trope is also this story’s wrinkle, marring what could have been a really awesome read. I am not sure if it would have hit me over the head so hard if I’d read the book instead of listening to the audio version, but Quentin’s stoic “I’m not good enough” is worn thin due to repetition, and Eviana’s frustration with the hero’s stubbornness was three times as annoying for me. Eviana had the right of it when she said communication was key. Sure, even after ‘communicating’, Quentin continued to be ‘hands off’ and that’s why I rated this story as I did – too many moments of ‘head to desk’ or face palm.

On the other side of the coin, that same trope contributed to the buildup of sensual tension. The passion is there, the yearning, the touches where they end up in flames, until Quentin doused them again – the author set a lot of kindling between them. Eventually, the spark is hot enough to overcome even Quentin’s stubbornness. Thank goodness!

A strong element sprinkled throughout the novel is humor. The author never fails in creating a scene of hilarity that makes me laugh out loud. The section with the door banging is a standout and totally caught me by surprise. In fact, that whole tavern scene with the two drunks causes quite a few snickers and giggles. I think readers will agree that they are fun and totally entertaining.

There are anti-heroes as well. Those that start off bad, but deep inside, a bright spot of goodness still flickers. The bright spot, though highly tarnished and dimmed, eventually plays into the plot as well. I’m not entirely sold on the character’s possible evolution to the good side – too much can go wrong based on that character’s past. But that’s neither here nor there. For this novel, it sputtered into flaming life in time to make an impact. What made it happen was sad in itself, but highly effective.

The wrinkles notwithstanding, this novel was worth my time and I’m glad I read it. There were moments where I found myself completely fascinated or highly amused or worried, or at the edge of my seat from the suspense and drama. The narrator didn’t have a broad range of vocals, but, like Dame Judi Dench, I could listen to her for hours – oh wait, I did. Ha-ha. But seriously, I did enjoy reading this book and it’s a nice addition to the series, plus the happy ever after is satisfying and complete.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Salted Caramel Bliss With a Wedding Kiss by Cherie Colyer

August 24, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Salted Caramel Bliss With a Wedding Kiss by Cherie Colyer
One Scoop or Two
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Roman Briggs has built a life for himself in Siren’s Cove. He restored the Sugar Cones Ice Cream Parlor and turned it into a popular stop along the boardwalk. He has everything he needs until a certain blue-eyed woman wanders back into his life.

Seer and witch Peyton Woods isn’t sure why her latest visions feature a man and boy she’s never met. Determined to find out, she casts a spell that leads her to a small beach town in Maine and, to her utter surprise, the man who broke her heart eight years earlier.

Peyton’s left with one question. Why didn’t her magic show her him?

Some ex-boyfriends were never meant to be forgotten.

Peyton and Roman had good chemistry. They were the sort of people who would be immediately drawn to each other when they entered the same room. I’ll leave it up to other readers to figure out why this might be the base, but I do enjoy reading romances about folks who have such a strong and immediate pull towards each other. It was a great deal of fun to see how they reacted to that bond and whether or not their chemistry was enough to keep them together.

I would have liked to see more character development in this tale. It was a little tricky for me to figure out what the characters’ personalities were like because the narrator didn’t spend as much time on that topic as I hoped she would. Not being able to quickly describe their personalities also made it hard to pick up on how the main characters grew and changed as a result of their adventures.

The unpredictable and sometimes fickle nature of magic in this universe amused me. Casting a spell for one’s own benefit came with the risk of it backfiring spectacularly, so Peyton always had to weigh her words and her actions carefully when using magic that might help her in some way. I was also fascinated by how much prep work needed to go into gathering supplies for spell work. Some of them lost their power quickly which also made it more important to think ahead before casting anything.

Salted Caramel Bliss With a Wedding Kiss was a fun summer read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Crossing Over by John Carson

August 23, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Crossing Over by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 star
Reviewed by Fern

A woman is found dead, brutally murdered, her death made to look like an accident. DCI Sean Bracken is called in and discovers that the young woman has a very powerful father. Was somebody trying to get back at him or has the woman’s secrets finally caught up with her? Bracken also has to deal with the mysterious arson attack on his boss’s house. And a name from the past resurfaces, a name that Bracken thought was dead and buried. He is walking a tightrope with these cases and not everybody wants him to succeed. But he’s never backed down from a challenge in his life, and this is no different. With his hands full, Bracken is getting pulled in different directions. But he’s more than capable of dealing with a problem head on. As somebody is about to find out…

At first the death of a young woman looks like an accident, but DCI Bracken and his team quickly discover that she was brutally murdered. With a powerful father determined to find answers and the recent arson of Bracken’s boss’ house all putting pressure on the team they each have plenty on their plate. Can they all find the answers they seek?

This is the third novel revolving around DCI Bracken and I am really enjoying this slightly harder, edgier series. All three books have occurred in a very short timeframe (approximately a month of time for Bracken) and so while I wouldn’t classify this as a serial novel, it definitely has a bit of that feel, with events from the previous book somewhat overlapping this story. I feel the author did an excellent job explaining everything without massive pages of info-dumping – I do feel readers who pick this story up by itself won’t feel lost and will be easily able to follow along, but at the same time I can’t help but feel that reading the series in order will give fans a far deeper and better enjoyment of the story, characters and the situation they’ve found themselves in.

The plot is really well handled to my mind. There are a number of moving parts – both with the murder investigation and also the arson and a few tendrils of other sub-plots dangling from the previous two books – and so I found this gives the storyline a good pace without being too crazy. While there is still a bit of banter and lightheartedness between the character interactions, I thought that unlike this author’s Harry McNeil series there is a bit of a grittier, harder feel to the world and story as a whole. Personally, I really enjoyed this – but fans who are expecting a lighthearted, even slightly comedic feel might find this doesn’t meet their expectations.

With some good plots and twisting for them to intertwine I thought this was a well written and solidly paced story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ll absolutely be reading more in this series. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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