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Perfect Remains: A Gripping Thriller That Will Leave You Breathless
Perfect Remains: A Gripping Thriller That Will Leave You Breathless
Helen Fields | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Think this book may have fallen victim to the too much hype before I read it syndrome, I kept hearing what a great procedural this was but as solid as it was it didn't blow my socks off.

Unusually, with a police procedure, I liked the main characters but found the actual story/case somewhat lacking. With a bit too much showing behind the curtain, I didn't find the investigation into the gruesome crime all that fascinating. The interesting side case was wrapped up too early and I'm just left hoping our intrepid French/Scottish investigator will have a better outing next time.
  
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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Midnight Man in Books

Oct 10, 2021  
The Midnight Man
The Midnight Man
Caroline Mitchell | 2021 | Crime, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Deliciously creepy and full of tension.

I haven't read anything by Caroline Mitchell before but I was initially drawn by the cover and then intrigued by the blurb which sounded like something I would enjoy and, overall, I wasn't disappointed.

There are some great characters and a fabulous plot which combines urban legend, creepy house, serial killer, murder mystery, police procedural and the paranormal. The pace is pretty good and the twists and turns provided suspense from the start.

This is a good spooky read and certainly made a nice change to the usual crime thrillers and I have to give a thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel & Pascoe #14) in Books

Nov 25, 2019 (Updated Nov 25, 2019)  
Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel & Pascoe #14)
Pictures of Perfection (Dalziel & Pascoe #14)
Reginald Hill | 1994 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is one of those books that perfectly demonstrates the skill of Reginald Hill as a crime writer. In the sleepy village of Enscombe the local policeman disappears. Sensing foul play, Dalziel, Pascoe and Wield begin to investigate, turning up a number of suspicious characters and long buried secrets.

We have the usual Dalziel blunt language and Pascoe's schooled intuition but it is here that Wield finally gets a chance to step forward and form the 'holy trinity' of Mid Yorkshire CID. Hill has cultured his characters very carefully and writes them with great affection and this story shows how much chemistry they have.

The plot in this novel is outstanding and perfectly shows off Hill's willingness to play with the police procedural genre and the reader's expectations. There are some terrific rug pulls here and Hill could almost be said to get away with murder when everything falls into place at the end.

A brilliant tour de force for one of the greatest crime fiction writers. I can't fault it. It is in itself a picture of perfection
  
The Colours of Death
The Colours of Death
Patricia Marques | 2021 | Crime, Paranormal, Thriller
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is not your usual crime fiction story but a mix of police procedural and science fiction.

I don't read a lot of supernatural books so this almost passed me by but I'm so glad I took a chance to read something a bit different because it's thoroughly absorbing and enjoyable.

With great characters that you quickly become invested in, well paced, a great setting and an intriguing and unique plot, this is a great book which I found entertaining and gripping.

This is, I believe, the start of a series and I for one am looking forward to seeing where it goes in the future.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for inviting me to read and review The Colours of Death; this is no way affected or influenced my review in anyway.
  
A Stolen Child
A Stolen Child
Sarah Stewart Taylor | 2023 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Murder and Kidnapping
Maggie D’arcy has completed her training and has officially joined the Garda in Ireland. While she waits for an opportunity to be promoted to detective, she is on patrol and is called to the scene of a murder. Not only does Maggie recognize it as an address she had been to a few days before after a domestic disturbance call, she also realizes that the victim had a toddler who is now missing. On loan to the detectives for this case, can Maggie find the child in time? Will her knowledge of the neighborhood help?

Maggie has been on quite a journey in this series, and it’s nice to see this natural step in her career. The plot starts strongly. While it does get a little uneven in the middle, things pick up when we get to several logical twists at the climax. I liked how Maggie’s knowledge of the neighborhood where the crime took place played an important part of the plot. The suspects come to life, and it is nice to see Maggie’s relationships grown, both personally and professionally. As a police procedural, this is a bit darker than the cozies I typically read, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. If you are looking for a solid police procedural set in Ireland, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.