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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Hanged Man (The Bone Field #2) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
Once again, I am not disappointed by one of Simons 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 its 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 cant expect it to be all warm and fluffy!
I know I have said it before but, I think, one of Simons strengths is the creation of believable characters that you begin to care about DI Ray Mason is one of those however, hes 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 Im 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.
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 cant expect it to be all warm and fluffy!
I know I have said it before but, I think, one of Simons strengths is the creation of believable characters that you begin to care about DI Ray Mason is one of those however, hes 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 Im 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.

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Lie to Me in Books
May 10, 2018
On the outside, Ethan and Sutton Montclair seem like the perfect couple. They are both writers and are crazy about each other. But they have secrets in their past that will soon surface. Sutton has disappeared and told her husband she didn't want to be found. Her friends are convinced, that Ethan has done something to hurt her, but the police are not convinced. When bodies turn up and secrets are revealed, will Ethan be able to maintain his innocence?
I gave this book 4.5 stars(why won't GR let us to halves). This was quite a thrilling story that kept me on the edge of my seat. But I figured out early on who the culprit was although I didn't see all the twists and turns that were coming along with it.
Ethan Montclair was the more famous of the two, but Sutton didn't mind that at all. They had agreed when they got married, that their lives were too busy and complicated for a child so they wouldn't have them, but when Ethan switches out her birth control pills and Sutton gets pregnant anyway, at first she hates him, but when their son is born, all of that changes. Not too long after though, he dies and their whole world comes crashing down. Ethan can no longer write and he spends his time bothering Sutton while she tries to. They have a few altercations and then Sutton decides she can't take it anymore and leaves. Or does she? Has she really just picked up and left without a trace? Not taking any of her belongings with her? Or has Ethan done something to her as her friends suspect? You have to read the book to find out.
I gave this book 4.5 stars(why won't GR let us to halves). This was quite a thrilling story that kept me on the edge of my seat. But I figured out early on who the culprit was although I didn't see all the twists and turns that were coming along with it.
Ethan Montclair was the more famous of the two, but Sutton didn't mind that at all. They had agreed when they got married, that their lives were too busy and complicated for a child so they wouldn't have them, but when Ethan switches out her birth control pills and Sutton gets pregnant anyway, at first she hates him, but when their son is born, all of that changes. Not too long after though, he dies and their whole world comes crashing down. Ethan can no longer write and he spends his time bothering Sutton while she tries to. They have a few altercations and then Sutton decides she can't take it anymore and leaves. Or does she? Has she really just picked up and left without a trace? Not taking any of her belongings with her? Or has Ethan done something to her as her friends suspect? You have to read the book to find out.

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Where They Found Her in Books
May 10, 2018
Ridgedale is a small town in New Jersey. Not much happens there. So when the body of a baby girl is found under a bridge near the University, the town is in an uproar. Molly Sanderson, usually a freelancer with the Ridgedale Reader, is given the task of reporting on this story. This is a story that really resonates with her, having lost a child herself, not too long ago. During her investigation, she meets some interesting people and learns more about this small town. The story is told from the point of view of three women from the town. Molly, the reporter, Sandy, the teenager trying to survive with an absentee parent, and Barbara, the "perfect" mother who is also the wife of the chief of police. All three of these women have a connection to this dead child, they just don't know it.
This book was very hard to put down. A thriller with three female characters you will either love or hate. Each of them has a spirit that is determined. Several times during this book, I felt my heart racing. I had to know what was going to happen next.
From the title you might deduce that the mystery is solved in the first chapter, but there are many who need to be found in this book, in more ways than one. Kimberly McCreight grabs at your heart and sold with her writing. She draws you in and keeps you engaged through the entire journey. I can't wait to read more from her in the very near future.
Also by Kimberly McCreight [bc:Reconstructing Amelia|15776309|Reconstructing Amelia|Kimberly McCreight|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350193583s/15776309.jpg|21488217]
This book was very hard to put down. A thriller with three female characters you will either love or hate. Each of them has a spirit that is determined. Several times during this book, I felt my heart racing. I had to know what was going to happen next.
From the title you might deduce that the mystery is solved in the first chapter, but there are many who need to be found in this book, in more ways than one. Kimberly McCreight grabs at your heart and sold with her writing. She draws you in and keeps you engaged through the entire journey. I can't wait to read more from her in the very near future.
Also by Kimberly McCreight [bc:Reconstructing Amelia|15776309|Reconstructing Amelia|Kimberly McCreight|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350193583s/15776309.jpg|21488217]

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Never Never (Detective Harriet Blue, #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
Harriet "Harry" Blue is a detective with Sydney, Australia police department. When her brother is accused of a terrible crime, her superior sends her away on assignment to keep her out of the way. He sends her to the desert to investigate the disappearance and/or murder of three miners working in the uranium mines. She is given a new partner, but is not sure if she can trust him or anyone. In the middle of the never never, you are one of the hunted, the object is to make it out alive. Will Detective Blue be able to find out who is behind this hideous crime before she becomes a victim herself.
This is a new series by James Patterson and Candice Fox.
I gave this book three stars because I wanted to know more about Harriet. Maybe as the series develops we will get to know Harriet better. We know her "mother was a prostitute and a drug addict." We also find out that she and her brother were in and out of foster homes most of their lives. I love female lead characters and I hope this is a series I will be able to get into and enjoy.
Sent into the hot desert of Australia, Harriet Blue is completely out of her element. The mine is its own community that includes bilbies(prostitutes), a drug dealer, and protesters who are against the mining. It's a tight nit community that doesn't take well to outsiders. While everyone has a fear of the killer, money is much more important than clearing the mine to find a killer. I'm not sure why the story of Harriet's brother was integral to this story, but I hope that story line will develop more over the series.
This is a new series by James Patterson and Candice Fox.
I gave this book three stars because I wanted to know more about Harriet. Maybe as the series develops we will get to know Harriet better. We know her "mother was a prostitute and a drug addict." We also find out that she and her brother were in and out of foster homes most of their lives. I love female lead characters and I hope this is a series I will be able to get into and enjoy.
Sent into the hot desert of Australia, Harriet Blue is completely out of her element. The mine is its own community that includes bilbies(prostitutes), a drug dealer, and protesters who are against the mining. It's a tight nit community that doesn't take well to outsiders. While everyone has a fear of the killer, money is much more important than clearing the mine to find a killer. I'm not sure why the story of Harriet's brother was integral to this story, but I hope that story line will develop more over the series.

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Blue Monday (Frieda Klein, #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
I probably would have given this book 5 stars if I would have read it first. I would recommend that anyone who is interested in reading these books would start here with Blue Monday. I read [b:Tuesday's Gone|13613568|Tuesday's Gone (Frieda Klein, #2)|Nicci French|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335652266s/13613568.jpg|19213552] first, so when I was reading this book, I just wanted to get to the end since I knew what was coming.
Freida Klein is a psychotherapist in London. Her main focus is to help her patients. She is also a very private person and letting people into her life is very difficult for her. She has a boyfriend who hasn't even been to her apartment.
When Freida agrees to take on Alan Dekker as a patient, he tells her about dreams and fantasies he has been having that are keeping him awake at night and affecting his relationship with his wife and work colleagues. The dream involves a small boy with bright red hair, that Alan is imagining as his son. He and his wife have been unable to have children, so this thought has consumed him. It gives him terrible anxiety as if the boy should be with them.
So, it becomes very strange a few days after Freida takes Alan on, that a boy matching the boy that Alan is describing goes missing. Freida feels inclined to take this information to the police. The discoveries that come from that inquiry will uncover a whole lot of things no one saw coming.
This book is really good. It will leave you on the edge of your seat. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Freida Klein is a psychotherapist in London. Her main focus is to help her patients. She is also a very private person and letting people into her life is very difficult for her. She has a boyfriend who hasn't even been to her apartment.
When Freida agrees to take on Alan Dekker as a patient, he tells her about dreams and fantasies he has been having that are keeping him awake at night and affecting his relationship with his wife and work colleagues. The dream involves a small boy with bright red hair, that Alan is imagining as his son. He and his wife have been unable to have children, so this thought has consumed him. It gives him terrible anxiety as if the boy should be with them.
So, it becomes very strange a few days after Freida takes Alan on, that a boy matching the boy that Alan is describing goes missing. Freida feels inclined to take this information to the police. The discoveries that come from that inquiry will uncover a whole lot of things no one saw coming.
This book is really good. It will leave you on the edge of your seat. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

Amy Christmas (171 KP) rated My Sister, the Serial Killer in Books
Feb 4, 2019
Short and sweet (1 more)
Characters are well built and easy to connect with
The ending (1 more)
Lack of retribution
Infuriatingly good
Contains spoilers, click to show
I loved this book, in fact I read it in one sitting I just couldn't let the anger it infused in me settle.
Korede is our main character, she's a nurse and her sister is a narcissistic selfish serial killer. The book opens with Korede cleaning up one of her Ayoolas messes.
At first you might be mistaken thinking that Ayoola is just nïave, you'd be wrong. We come to learn that she knows exactly what she's doing and it is killing Korede, the big sister that will forever love her little sister, even if it pains the reader.
Korede is fine with her sisters killing it's seems though the last one unsettled something within her,raising a question that must be answered; should she tell the police?
Most with siblings might say no because they're family, this is at first the stance Korede takes. However when Ayoola, possibly trying to make up for inconveniencing her sister via a dead body visits her at work and settles her eyes on Tade.
I loved Tade to begin with. Slowly you learn he's just as much of an arsehole as the next berating Korede for being mean to her sister, even when Korede warns him she's dangerous.
While all of this is going on Korede confides all her secrets to a coma patient it calms her, but when he wakes up who knows what he's remembered.
In the end the question of whether to turn Ayoola in or not returns, and this is where the story went downhill for me, as Korede herself allows Ayoola to manipulate her, only to bring home a new man the next day.
Will I read it again?
Maybe, who's to know?
Korede is our main character, she's a nurse and her sister is a narcissistic selfish serial killer. The book opens with Korede cleaning up one of her Ayoolas messes.
At first you might be mistaken thinking that Ayoola is just nïave, you'd be wrong. We come to learn that she knows exactly what she's doing and it is killing Korede, the big sister that will forever love her little sister, even if it pains the reader.
Korede is fine with her sisters killing it's seems though the last one unsettled something within her,raising a question that must be answered; should she tell the police?
Most with siblings might say no because they're family, this is at first the stance Korede takes. However when Ayoola, possibly trying to make up for inconveniencing her sister via a dead body visits her at work and settles her eyes on Tade.
I loved Tade to begin with. Slowly you learn he's just as much of an arsehole as the next berating Korede for being mean to her sister, even when Korede warns him she's dangerous.
While all of this is going on Korede confides all her secrets to a coma patient it calms her, but when he wakes up who knows what he's remembered.
In the end the question of whether to turn Ayoola in or not returns, and this is where the story went downhill for me, as Korede herself allows Ayoola to manipulate her, only to bring home a new man the next day.
Will I read it again?
Maybe, who's to know?

Rachel King (13 KP) rated Blackberry Summer (Hope's Crossing, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The community of Hope's Crossing is quaint in its friendliness and familiarity of the different individuals with one another. Though the town operates as the hub of a large resort, it does not lose its charm as a small town. So when the type of crime that is more prone to big cities happens here, it causes its citizens to be less welcoming to its newest inhabitant and chief of police, Riley McKnight. Riley faces an uphill battle both socially and romantically, as he is drawn all over again to the stubbornly independent Claire that was attracted to growing up. The big difference this time is that Claire likes him back! They play the typical game of I can't believe he/she likes me, and do I really like him/ her that is so common in romance novels. In the mean time, Claire dreams up a way to put the town in better spirits, while defending Riley's place there.
Claire is easy to like, with her bead store that attracts such colorful characters, and the patience she exhibits in all of her relationships, from the one with her mother to the ones with her ex-husband and his new, pregnant wife. I even like how her injuries drive Riley to constantly offer to help her in any way possible.
Riley's honesty is at times comedic, shocking, and even alluring. He has charm to spare, but keeps most of it bottled up because of a difficult past.
The book was more entertaining than I have come to expect from the typical Harlequin, but in many ways not very unique from the standard plot line. While I did enjoy reading it, I doubt that I will remember much about the book.
Claire is easy to like, with her bead store that attracts such colorful characters, and the patience she exhibits in all of her relationships, from the one with her mother to the ones with her ex-husband and his new, pregnant wife. I even like how her injuries drive Riley to constantly offer to help her in any way possible.
Riley's honesty is at times comedic, shocking, and even alluring. He has charm to spare, but keeps most of it bottled up because of a difficult past.
The book was more entertaining than I have come to expect from the typical Harlequin, but in many ways not very unique from the standard plot line. While I did enjoy reading it, I doubt that I will remember much about the book.

graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Bring Her Home in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Bring Her Home is...fine. It's a perfectly serviceable summer read that moves briskly. The plot is interesting and I did want to know how everything turned out. There are plenty of twists, some more easily guessed than others, although the last(-ish) one starting around page 355 and continuing until near the end was a bit much. While I don't expect the story to be realistic, it still stretched my plausibility meter for the book. <spoiler>I just find that two major events concurred one the same day at basically the same time is extremely unlikely.</spoiler> I would have liked a tighter, less convoluted answer to everything, plus another character's viewpoint besides Bill, Summer's dad, maybe Paige or Detective Hawkins. The book is told through Bill the whole time, all 425 or so pages, and it could be tiring as he has next to no impulse-control. I understand some of what he did, but at the same time, I found him irritating and felt like the police should just lock him up until they solved the case. Also, characters who should be keeping facts confidential (a guidance counselor and a pastor), just spout off for what they think is the greater good or something. I'd be pissed if something I had said or done in confidence was told without my say-so, I don't care what the case should be, I'd never trust those people again. There are a few other things that raised my eyebrows and made me think "as-if!," but nothing I can divulge without spoiling so I'll keep my trap shut. Anyway, overall, the book is entertaining and diverting, just don't expect it to blow your mind.
Received through Goodreads Firstreads giveaway.
Received through Goodreads Firstreads giveaway.

ClareR (5884 KP) rated The Silver Road in Books
Mar 7, 2019
A wonderful debut
This is a novel of love and loss, guilt and grief, and of family in both the good and bad sense of the word. It has been translated so well from the Swedish by Susan Beard that I didn't actually occur to me that it had been translated at all.
Lille's daughter has been missing for three years, and he spends every night of the summer driving the Silver Road in an effort to find her. This has caused the breakdown of his marriage, and he has a tenuous grasp on his sanity: he drinks too much, he smokes too much, and he sleeps too little in the summer. His wife has left him, and he spends a lot of time alone with the ghost of the daughter he is searching for.
Enter Meja: her mother has mental health problems, and has decided to move in with a man she has only met online. Meja is used to being her mothers carer, and she's used to a series of men moving in and out of their lives. This is such an emotional novel. I became really invested in the characters of Lelle and Meja. There was a real atmosphere of sadness around both of them.
The peripheral characters were really well written as well: from the ex-wife to the local police officer, from the family of 'Preppers' to Meja's mother and her new boyfriend, Torbjorn.
I loved the atmosphere of this book: there was an air of 'something drastic is going to happen very soon', and the melancholy was palpable. Although the subject matter was very sad, it really was a joy to read.
Many thanks to Readers First, The Pigeonhole and the publisher for the chance to read this book.
Lille's daughter has been missing for three years, and he spends every night of the summer driving the Silver Road in an effort to find her. This has caused the breakdown of his marriage, and he has a tenuous grasp on his sanity: he drinks too much, he smokes too much, and he sleeps too little in the summer. His wife has left him, and he spends a lot of time alone with the ghost of the daughter he is searching for.
Enter Meja: her mother has mental health problems, and has decided to move in with a man she has only met online. Meja is used to being her mothers carer, and she's used to a series of men moving in and out of their lives. This is such an emotional novel. I became really invested in the characters of Lelle and Meja. There was a real atmosphere of sadness around both of them.
The peripheral characters were really well written as well: from the ex-wife to the local police officer, from the family of 'Preppers' to Meja's mother and her new boyfriend, Torbjorn.
I loved the atmosphere of this book: there was an air of 'something drastic is going to happen very soon', and the melancholy was palpable. Although the subject matter was very sad, it really was a joy to read.
Many thanks to Readers First, The Pigeonhole and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Widow in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Little Bella has gone missing from her front yard. Her mother took her eyes away for only a few minutes. Over the next four years, the police will go over every aspect of the case, trying to figure out who took Bella and why.
Jean Taylor, the wife of Glenn Taylor, who was suspected of taking Bella, has a natural interest in the case from the start. She and her husband are not able to have children and she can't see how a mother could take her eyes off such a precious thing for even a moment. But did Jean know that Glenn had taken Bella? Was she a part of the plan from the start?
After her husband is acquitted and then dies from being hit by a bus, Jeanne has to make a decision about what she is going to do with the rest of her life. Will she tell the authorities what she knows, or will she keep the secret forever. Told from the perspective of Jean, The Widow; The Detective; The Reporter and one chapter by the Husband.
This book dives into the world of pedophilia and lets you know there are a lot of sick people out there. Listening to this book, I got confused on the dates and had to think hard about what was going on and when. I think that would have been easier if I was reading the book. Overall, I was intrigued by the story and I had to know what was going to happen, if they were going to find Bella, if Jean had something to do with it, and if they were going to catch the culprit.
If you have children this book will make you hug them tighter each night.
Jean Taylor, the wife of Glenn Taylor, who was suspected of taking Bella, has a natural interest in the case from the start. She and her husband are not able to have children and she can't see how a mother could take her eyes off such a precious thing for even a moment. But did Jean know that Glenn had taken Bella? Was she a part of the plan from the start?
After her husband is acquitted and then dies from being hit by a bus, Jeanne has to make a decision about what she is going to do with the rest of her life. Will she tell the authorities what she knows, or will she keep the secret forever. Told from the perspective of Jean, The Widow; The Detective; The Reporter and one chapter by the Husband.
This book dives into the world of pedophilia and lets you know there are a lot of sick people out there. Listening to this book, I got confused on the dates and had to think hard about what was going on and when. I think that would have been easier if I was reading the book. Overall, I was intrigued by the story and I had to know what was going to happen, if they were going to find Bella, if Jean had something to do with it, and if they were going to catch the culprit.
If you have children this book will make you hug them tighter each night.