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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Chestnut Man in Books

Mar 24, 2019  
The Chestnut Man
The Chestnut Man
Søren Sveistrup | 2019 | Crime, Thriller
8
8.7 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
A great debut
If that cover doesn't draw you in and make you pick it up, you are a lost soul !!!

And if the cover doesn't do it for you, the story certainly will. It does make for uncomfortable reading at times given the subject matter but it is a story about a serial killer so some gruesome descriptions of the crimes shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

The plot is gripping, dark and thrilling and the pace of the book is ideal with a seamless mix of murder, politics and police procedure all wrapped up in a perfect psychological thriller package. I actually don't normally like what is called Scandi-noir after having previously tried and failed to read one by a very successful author but this one is excellent.

The characters are fantastic - I know it's a good book when I can see the characters as real people and imagine who would play them if the book were made into a film or TV series - the Danish actor, Kim Bodnia, from The Bridge (Bron/Broen) and Killing Eve would be perfect for the role of Hess.

This is the debut novel by this author, although he has written the highly acclaimed series "The Killing", and a very accomplished debut it is and my thanks must go to the publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
  
All The Rage (DI Adam Fawley #4)
All The Rage (DI Adam Fawley #4)
Cara Hunter | 2020 | Crime, Thriller
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Highly entertaining
I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and ate it up in super quick time. I read Close to Home, book 1 in the series, immediately before this one and I think this enhanced my enjoyment of this story as it gave a bit more meat to the characters but having said that, I think it would work as a standalone.

A young woman is attacked but doesn't want the police involved and then it happens again; both cases bearing a striking resemblance to an old case Fawley was involved in where the perpetrator was imprisoned ... could this be a copy-cat or has an innocent man been in jail for many years?

Once again, we are treated by Ms Hunter with her excellent characters, dark and gritty story line, intrigue and suspense all wrapped up in this fast paced, page-turning thriller with twists and surprises along the way. All this and the use of social media excerpts, court and interview transcripts woven, throughout make this feel current and relevant.

This will not be my last of reading Ms Hunter's books and I highly recommend to those who enjoy police procedural/thrillers with complex story lines which are easy to follow and that are highly entertaining ... can't wait for book 5!

Thank you to Penguin Books (UK) and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
  
The Wrong Family
The Wrong Family
Tarryn Fisher | 2021 | Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences, Thriller
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A wild and wacky thriller
Juno, a former therapist, moves in with Winnie and Nigel Crouch because she thinks the family is nearly perfect. They appear a loving couple who adore their teenage son, Sam. But once she's living in their picture perfect house, Juno realizes all isn't as it seems. And when she overhears a conversation between the couple that she cannot forget, she gets involved... setting in motion a string of events that she cannot undo.

"Humans had a way of uprooting happiness. They found flaws in it, picked at it until the whole system unraveled."

Well, this was an interesting read, to say the least. It had the odd distinction of being both predictable in many ways yet really weird and crazy. It's a fast read and while there's nothing really amazing here, it was certainly good for a crazy (!) twist or two. I didn't care for any of the characters--Winnie, Juno, or Nigel--and most of my sympathies stayed with poor Sam, who had to deal with all these wacky adults in his life. There's a lot of drama and truly, the plot is bizarre and wild. Which is definitely fun at times and a bit too much at others.

Overall, this is a dark read with an insane plot and characters that aren't exactly endearing. It's a quick read that stressed me out and probably won't stick with me long, but was enjoyable enough for a few days. 3 stars.
  
Stay Dead (Elise Sandburg #2)
Stay Dead (Elise Sandburg #2)
Anne Fraiser | 2020 | Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
146 of 200
Kindle
Stay Dead ( Elise Savannah book 2)
By Anne Frasier

Frasier takes readers back to her dark, enchanting Savannah--a place as terrifying as it is mesmerizing.
Homicide detective Elise Sandburg is traumatized after her run-in with a madman the press has dubbed "The Organ Thief." As Elise takes refuge in her deceased aunt Anastasia's abandoned plantation to investigate and recover from her ordeal, she begins to question everything--from her dangerous line of work to her complex relationship with her handsome, tortured partner, David Gould. But with a madman on the loose, and her mother's claims to still hear from Aunt Anastasia, she may have more immediate problems on her hands. In Elise's world, where cold hard crime mixes with the local Gullah culture, nothing is ever what it seems, and no one is above suspicion--not even the dead.



This is book 2 in the series and it was brilliant! The story continues from book 1 with the mystery surrounding not only the murders but the so called murderer waking and walking away from a coma. Elise is not yet recovered before she’s back up and chasing the organ thief, as well as dealing with two major back from the dead family members, the growing feelings for Gould and the daughter that won’t do as she’s told!! The writing is just brilliant a thriller with a touch of possible voodoo witchcraft!