From the blurb:

The Santa Killer

The Santa Killer is coming to town…

One night less than two weeks before Christmas, a single mother is violently assaulted. It’s a brutal crime at the time of year when there should be goodwill to all. When DI Barton begins his investigation, he’s surprised to find the victim is a woman with nothing to hide and no reason for anyone to hurt her.
A few days later, the mother of the woman attacked rings the police station. Her granddaughter has drawn a shocking picture. It seems she was looking out of the window when her mother was attacked. And when her grandmother asks the young girl who the person with the weapon is, she whispers two words.
Bad Santa.

The rumours start spreading, and none of the city’s women feel safe - which one of them will be next?
He’s got a list. It’s quite precise. It won’t matter even if you’re nice.

Purchase Link

Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication date: September 9th, 2022

My thoughts:
Dark and grim, but so well-written! If you've really enjoyed reading about DI Barton and his team, you'll be disappointed to find out this is the last instalment in the series. If this is your first Ross Greenwood book, don't worry-it can be read as a standalone and you can always go back and read about the team's previous cases.
A single mother is brutally attacked practically on her doorstep. The only witness, her young daughter, who is on the spectrum, draws a basic picture and says two mysterious words 'Bad Santa'. When another woman is assaulted in a similar way and a local DJ receives an ominous letter saying that the Santa Killer is coming to town, the race to solve the mystery and find the attacker begins.
Expect lots of suspects, unpredictable twists and turns that will keep on the edge of your seat.
Another compelling page-turner from Ross Greenwood!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy,  provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

About the author:

Ross Greenwood is the author of crime thrillers. Before becoming a full-time writer he was most recently a prison officer and so worked everyday with murderers, rapists and thieves for four years. He lives in Peterborough.
Social Media Links –  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RossGreenwoodAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/greenwoodross
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rossg555/
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/RossGreenwoodnews
Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ross-greenwood

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Hunted, the latest instalment in DC Bailey Morgan series of police procedurals by Caro Savage.

Hunted
Someone is out to murder Detective Constable Bailey Morgan before she can testify in an upcoming trial.

Using her undercover skills, Bailey embarks on a dangerous mission to help the police catch this elusive killer before it’s too late.

But it won’t be easy for she’s up against a cunning and ruthless adversary who will stop at nothing to eliminate her.

A tense game of cat and mouse ensues, leading to a shocking revelation at the heart of which lies the key to Bailey’s survival.

Purchase

My thoughts:

The DC Bailey Morgan is one of my favourite series of police procedurals and I think it keeps getting better and better! If you haven't read the first two books (Jailbird and Villain, both published by Boldwood Books), don't worry, the author provided a brief summary of what exactly happened to Bailey in the past and how it still affects her daily life. Having said that, these are spoilers and if I were you, I'd start from the beginning and enjoy this very well-written series.

Similarly to the first two books, Caro Savage opens this latest instalment with a bang- a professional killer is trying to get information out of a Senior Crown Prosecutor on the only witness in an upcoming trial. Yes, you've guessed it, the witness is our intrepid undercover police officer Bailey Morgan. Once, the victim is found, it is clear that Bailey's life is in grave danger. The undercover operations department have a bold suggestion for Bailey- she is to become a bait for the fantom killer, nicknamed Rex. The hunt begins...and it isn't immediately obvious who is hunting who or who is going to prevail in the end.

I found all aspects of the book fascinating. Bailey is a complex character, still dealing with the aftermath of her first undercover job. One thing is indisputable- Bailey has a strong moral compass and a kind and comassionate heart. Is it wrong of me to say that I found the character of Rex utterly fascinating?I don't want to give away the twist that took me by surprise and completely changed Rex and Bailey's deadly game of hunt and surival, both mental and physical.

The pace is absolutely fantastic in this book with its short, action-packed chapters. I found it absolutely impossible to put the book down until its gripping, nail-biting climax and epilogue. I dearly love having a peek at the last pages, but this time I wasn't tempted at all- I knew the book is to be savoured, page by page.

I can honestly say that I've become a big fan of Caro Savage and can't wait for her next book to come out. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a well-written, fast-paced police procedural with a strong female lead.

Author Bio –
Caro Savage knows all about bestselling thrillers having worked as a Waterstones bookseller for 12 years in a previous life. Now taking up the challenge personally and turning to hard-hitting crime thriller writing, Jailbird was published by Boldwood in October 2019.

Social Media Links
Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter

Thank you for reading the post! Have a wonderful Monday!

Retribution
An ex-soldier is mown down in a brutal hit and run. Was it an accident, or an act of murder?
DCI Jane Birchfield isn’t sure. She is struggling to stay focussed after a surprise marriage proposal, and is still waiting for news about a promotion. But she has to push it all to one side as the investigation swiftly escalates into the biggest challenge she has ever faced, bringing her into conflict with her superiors, her partner, and the British Army. She’s tested to the absolute limit, and for the very first time, finds herself asking whether it’s worth the sacrifice. Can she survive the pressure as the harsh reality of military conflict hits the streets of Ashbridge?
Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Retribution-Heaton-Wilson-ebook/dp/B098B9J9JN/
US - https://www.amazon.com/Retribution-Heaton-Wilson-ebook/dp/B098B9J9JN/

My thoughts:
This is my second book by Heaton Wilson and the third one in his excellent series of police procedurals featuring DCI Jane Birchfield and her team. It is better to read them in order as the team talk about  and deal with the aftermath of the previous cases, but you can start from later books as well.
As it was the case with the previous book Whatever It Takes we are thrown into action straightawayby witnessing a car deliberately hit a man. The perpetrator then checks that the victim is dead and leaves the crime scene. We know that this hit and run is a murder, but, of course, it isn't obvious to the police. Then a second similar case occurs  and there is aclear connection between the two victims. The race to stop further murders by figuring out the motive and the identity of the killer begins...
The best part of this book for me is the team and its likeable and realistic members. Starting from Jane herself who is honest and considerate. Her relationship  troubles are far from being over and the position of Superintendent that was all but promised to her goes to somebody less competent. Her team all have their own fascinating storylines.
The pace was excellent and the whole book is written in an extremely engaging way. The case isn't staightforward and we get to learn what it was all about together with the team, as they painstakingly and meticulously do their job.
Great addition to a fantastic series which I cannot recommend high enough.  Can't wait to read the next book!
Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, the publsher and the author for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Author Bio 

  I have been a newspaper journalist, a postman, a public relations officer, a consultant, an actor, a director, a playwright. And I have always kept writing.
I always felt I could write a novel. And I did! The first book in my crime fiction series featuring DCI Jane Birchfield, Every Reason, came out in 2016.  Whatever It Takes was published in 2021; and the third book (which follows on where Whatever It Takes ends) is nearing completion.
I'm from Manchester but now live on the Isle of Wight, where the sea is never far away. It's the perfect place to be creative, and to walk the dogs.
Social Media Links –  @kkevvin
http://facebook.com/heatonwilson

Synopsis:

A homicide detective in the dark. A serial killer on the loose. Both have their obsessions in a nerve-twisting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton.

Austin homicide detective Jordan Poe is hunting a serial killer she fears is the same man who assaulted her sister, Avery, two years ago. The details line up: the victims are the same age, same type, dead by the same grim MO. Luckily Avery survived. But the terrible memories linger, making Jordan more determined than ever to stop this monster in his tracks.
Texas Ranger Carter Spencer isn’t one to poach on a detective’s territory. Yet no matter how resentful a capable lone wolf like Jordan is, when she is attacked at a third crime scene and suffers a trauma that leaves her with limited vision, it’s up to Carter to help Jordan navigate a world she no longer recognizes. He needs her instinct, her experience, and her fearless resolve to crack this case. A case that’s about to get even darker.
A stranger is watching. He’s closing in on his ultimate prey. And no one but the killer can see what’s coming.

Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: September28th 2021
Amazon US  / Amazon UK

My thoughts:
My first book by Mary Burton and I can see why this prolific author is very popular. This standalone thriller/police procedural had a strong female lead, a logical storyline with a few twists and red herrings to keep the reader guessing and a good pace- no wonder I read it in no time at all.

Detective Jordan Poe is both hard-working and tenacious. She has to be. Her mother (also a police officer) had a substance abuse problem and Jordan learnt quickly to take care of herself and her little sister Avery. When their mother died, Jordan had to cope not ony with her own but also with Avery's grief and later her descent into drug abuse. The low point came when she found Avery in her drug dealer Marco's place, tied and suffocating. Avery has been clean and sober ever since, but Jordan cannot help worrying about her.
When the first body of a young woman is found wrapped in plastic, Jordan has very little to go on to identify the victim, but when the second one is found, she has a terrible suspicion that the cases resemble what happened to Avery. The victims were young, blond, petite,and had a history of drug abuse. There is a bit of tension about who should deal with the investigation as Jordan isn't particularly happy to let the case go to Texas Ranger Carter Spenser. Carter has a tendency to rub people (esp. politically influential ones)  the wrong way, but he has experience of dealing with serial killers as well as the wisdom of recognising Jordan's detective skills and tenacity.
What made this book stand out is what happened, while Jordan was trying to save the killer's next victim. This isn't a spoiler (it maybe if you don't read blurbs)- Jordan suffers a blow to her head and is left with impaired vision. Remember she is in the middle of an ongoing investigation, the killer is still on the loose. Jordan is a fiercely independent person, but now she is forced to deal with tremendous changes to her her daily life, career and entire future.
I can't say I found it too easy to guess who the killer was- perhaps other, more savvy readers would see it early on. The plot was logical and everything was tied in the end. The only thing I wasn't sure about was the romance-it came in at a very late point in the book and I didn't feel it was necessary. This is a more plot-driven, action-packed kind of book, so the other characters apart from the protagonist were not as developped, but I think there is a potential for this standalone to become a series.
I liked Jordan and the way she dealt with adversity in her life with determination and compassion and I would certainly like to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Mary Burton is the popular author of more than thirty-five romance and suspense novels, as well as five novellas. She currently lives in Virginia with her husband and three miniature dachshunds. Visit her at www.maryburton.com.

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Death on the Lake, the fifth book in Jo Allen's DCI Satterthwaithe series of police procedurals.

Death on the Lake

Three youngsters, out for a good time. Vodka and the wrong sort of Coke. What could possibly go wrong?

When a young woman, Summer Raine, is found drowned, apparently accidentally, after an afternoon spent drinking on a boat on Ullswater, DCI Jude Satterthwaite is deeply concerned — more so when his boss refuses to let him investigate the matter any further to avoid compromising a fraud case.

But a sinister shadow lingers over the dale and one accidental death is followed by another and then by a violent murder. Jude’s life is complicated enough but the latest series of murders are personal to him as they involve his former partner, Becca Reid, who has family connections in the area. His determination to uncover the killer brings him into direct conflict with his boss — and ultimately places both him and his colleague and girlfriend, Ashleigh O’Halloran, in danger…
 
Purchase Links
UK / US

My thoughts:

Death on the Lake is the fifth book in Jo Allen's series of police procedurals set in Cumbria. I started from Book 4 Death at the Rainbow Cottage and quickly became a fan of this author's engaging writing style, interesting characters and clever plots. The books can be read as standalones, although as with any good series of police procedurals, there is a balance of professional and private, the ongoing murder investigation and developments in the life of our recurring characters- the police team led by DCI Jude  Satterthwaite.

A young woman called Summer Raine is reported missing by her boyfirend who  has a history of violence towards his previous partner. DCI Satterthwaite who makes it his business toknoweverything about his area is already on alert. Then his boss asks him to pay extra attention to the case as the woman was seen near a rich man's property. The man in question is in the centre of a large fraud and money laundering investigation, so Jude's is sworn to extra secrecy. The reader already knows that the man's twin sons are involved and their stepmother is also hiding a few secrets of her own, sowe are hooked on the story from the first page. When Summer's body is found, her death appears to be a tragic accident, so why are Jude and his partner Ashleigh feeling something is off? More and more bodies keep piling up and it's clear the case isn't straightforward at all. Add more complications related to Jude's and Ashleigh's past relationships and you get a real rollercoaster of intense emotions, unexpected twists and some extremely dangerous people who won't stop at anything in order to get what they want.

Death on the Lake is a real page-turner, it is well-written and easy to read. Jude is a flawed character, but his intelligence and his compassion make him a very likeable one. I would definitely like to continue with the series and find out how the current circumstances in which the members of the police team find themselves are going to play out in future.

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random resources and the author for the gifted review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio 

Jo Allen is the author of the successful DCI Satterthwaite series of detective novels set in and around the English Lake District, where she lives. After a career in economic consultancy she took up writing and was first published under the name Jennifer Young in genres of short stories, romance and romantic suspense. In 2017 she took the plunge and began writing the genre she most likes to read – crime. In common with all her favourite characters, she loves football (she's a season ticket holder with her beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers) and cats.

Social Media Links

Twitter @JoAllenAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoAllenAuthor  
Instagram @JoAllenAuthor

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If you would like to find out what other bloggers thought of the book, here is the full tour schedule:

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Whatever It Takes, the second instalment in Heaton Wilson's series of police procedurals featuring DCI Jane Birchfield.

Whatever It Takes

DCI Jane Birchfield is facing a series of personal challenges: a rocky relationship with her partner, her mum hardly talks to her; and her boss and mentor is critically ill, which means she is having to cover his post as well as her own. Then she has to take charge of the toughest of murder investigations.
Jamie Castleton is found dead, seemingly frozen in position at a computer in a grubby internet cafe in the Manchester suburb of Ashbridge. Enquiries reveal he was a self employed tech consultant and a computer expert, so what was he doing in there?

The more Jane and her team dig under the surface, the more the evidence points to one of Manchester's biggest companies, Greaves, and its super-wealthy boss, Graeme Hargreaves. This leads Jane into a sordid underworld, and a surprise twist in the investigation forces her to face up to an event in her own past, that she has kept buried for 25 years.

Slowly, but surely, the net tightens around the suspects, but can she stay objective, and can she keep herself, her team, and her relationship, together, and bring the killer to justice? For Jane it has become a personal crusade, but in this race against time there is far more at stake than she ever imagined.

Purchase Link - https://linktr.ee/heaton

My thoughts:
Whatever it Takes is the second instalment in DCI Jane Birchfield series and I'm really gladto have discovered yet another great series of police procedurals to follow. The book can be read as a standalone as the author provides enough background to fill the new reader in.

We get thrown into action from the word Go.  A young man is murdered by an injection of a lethal substance that causes immediate paralysis. When the police are called to the scene of crime, an unremarkable Internet cafe in Manchester, they are not even sure if they are dealing with a murder case. But Jamie Castleton was young, healthy, and had alhis life ahead of him. His mother tells the police that Jamie's behaviour recently changed and she suspected he got himself into trouble. DCI Jane Birchfield promises to leave no stone unturned and find the murderer 'whatever it takes'. The internet cafe, where Jamie lost his life, belongs to a big and successful company that has recently been hit by hacking rumours. This has already affected the share price and caused significant damage. What had Jamie been working on when he was killed and could it have cost him his life?

Overseeing this particular investigation isn't easy for Jane. She had to step in to cover her  mentor's job, while Charles Aston is slowly fading away in a hospice, and this is obviously putting Jane under a lot of  emotional strain. At the same time her relationship with Allan has hit a rough patch and she has to take a long and hard look at where her life is going. Jane is an extremely complex character who has a lot of things on her plate and is dealing not only with a vast range of her own emotions, but also takes care of people in her team.

The plot was tight and slowly, but solidly built, with a few surprising developments. The book was well-paced and really engaging- one of those police procedurals where you can't predict where the case is going to take you, but have to work it out together with the team.

Whatever It Takes does indeed have it all- excellent writing, interesting characters, an intriguing case which turns out to be really dark. Can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources, thepublsher and the author for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Author Bio 

I have been a newspaper journalist, a postman, a public relations officer, a consultant, an actor, a director, a playwright. And I have always kept writing.
I always felt I could write a novel. And I did! The first book in my crime fiction series featuring DCI Jane Birchfield, Every Reason, came out in 2016.  Whatever It Takes was published in 2021; and the third book (which follows on where Whatever It Takes ends) is nearing completion.
I'm from Manchester but now live on the Isle of Wight, where the sea is never far away. It's the perfect place to be creative, and to walk the dogs.

Social Media Links –  @kkevvin
http://facebook.com/heatonwilson

Thank you for reading thepost! If you like police procedurals as much as I do, be sure to check this one out. If you haven't read the first book in the series, you can find more about it here:
Goodreads (Every Reason: DCI Jane Birchfield)

Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me toparticipate in the blog tour for Retribution, the second novel in Christina O'Reilly's DS Baldrick series of police procedurals.

Retribution

A young woman has been murdered on Ripton Beach.
    DSS ‘Archie’ Baldrick and DC Ben Travers eventually identify the body as that of Lucy Martin, who has been renting a bach in the area. Her husband, Oliver, seems to know very little about his wife or her background.
     What was Lucy hiding? Why has she no family or friends?
     As the number of suspects mounts up, Archie begins to conclude that the real answer lies in Lucy’s dark and mysterious past, and that the murderer may be just a little too close for comfort …
 
Purchase Links
UK / US

My thoughts:

This is my second book by Christina O'Reilly and I must say I'm a fan of this author. Into the Void, published in December 2020 introduced us to DSS Archie Baldrick and DC Ben Travis. I loved Christina O'Reilly's descriptions of Archie's chaotic family life, his easygoing wife Jenna and his teenage daughters Alicia and Summer. If you like a well-written whodunnit with likeable main charachers and subtle humour, I'd recommend you read both Book 1 Into the Void and Book 2 Retribution.

A body of a young woman is found on the beach. The identity of the victim is quickly established when Oliver Martin calls the police to inform that his wife Lucy lived in a rented bach near the beach. Lucy left her teaching job to write a novel and needed some peace and quiet to reflect and complete her work. Lucy doesn't appear to have any other family apart from her husband whoclaimsto have been in Sydney at the time. Moreover, there is something about the murder that makes the police suspect the perpetrator was local or at least somebody who knows the beach area very well.

What follows is solid police work. Alibis are provided and thoroughly checked, telephone call registers are analysed, anyone who might have had any links to the case is paid a visit and interviewed, and suspects, likely and unlikely are identified. There are twists and turns as more evidence comes to light and shifts the investigators' perspective. The plot is solid and although you may have an inkling of what the title of the book refers to, it isn't easy to guess the identity of the murderer and the motive.

As it was the case with the first book, the parts I liked the most were the ones dealing with Archie's family. Let's say being a father isn't all joy and pride, it also involves plenty of worry and racking your brains on how to pass on your life knowledge and lifehacks, while allowing your independent teenagers make  their own life decisions and possibly mistakes. As long as they do know you are and always will be there for them.

This short book was genuinely entertaining and time spent in the company of Archie and his team flew fast. I loved the setting (New Zealand), the characters, both main and secondary, drawn with memorable details, the intrigue and the fast pace. I hope Christina O'Reilly is going to continue with the series and can't wait to meet Archie and his team again.
Wholeheartedly recommended.

Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy gifted with no expectation of a favourable review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio

Christina is a writer and professional proofreader living in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Four of her short stories have been published, one in a magazine and the others in anthologies produced by Page and Blackmore, Rangitawa Publishing and most recently in Fresh Ink: Voices from Aotearoa, produced by Cloud Ink Press.
As well as being a finalist in the 2020 Ngaio Marsh Awards, Christina’s first crime novel Into the Void was longlisted for the 2019 Michael Gifkins Memorial Prize for an unpublished novel.
 
Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/Christina-OReilly-Author-102419694721372/

Thankyou for reading the post! Have a wonderful Sunday!

Thankyou to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for invitingme to participate in the blog tour for A Knotof Sparrows, the fourth book in DI Winter Meadows series of police procedurals by Cheryl Rees-Price.

A Knot Of Sparrows

Welsh detective Winter Meadows takes on a new murder case
There were a lot of things you could call Stacey Evans. And many of them would be true. And unprintable. But did she deserve to be murdered?
DI Winter Meadows has no doubt of the answer when he takes on the case. The crime was violent. The victim helpless. But the motives are many, and the only clue is a strange word left on Stacey’s body.
DI Meadows struggles to pierce the secrecy surrounding the teenager’s busy love life. Was the killer one of her pursuers acting out of jealousy? Maybe someone’s wife seeking revenge?
But as each suspect is excluded from the enquiry, and other markings turn up, Meadows is convinced that something more sinister is afoot.
When another body is found, a veil of silence descends like a fog upon Gaer Fawr. What more will it take for the village to give up its secrets?

A KNOT OF SPARROWS is the fourth standalone title in a series of murder mysteries by best-selling author Cheryl Rees-Price. It will appeal to fans of David Pearson, L J Ross, John Dean, Joy Ellis, and Pippa McCathie.

The full list of books is as follows:

1. THE SILENT QUARRY
2. FROZEN MINDS
3. SUFFER THE CHILDREN
4. A KNOT OF SPARROWS
Cheryl Rees-Price is also the author of the standalone thriller BLUE HOLLOW.

All of these books are FREE with Kindle Unlimited and available in paperback from Amazon.

Purchase Links
UK / US

My thoughts:
This was my first book by Cheryl Rees-Price and I'm really happy to have discovered a new author to follow. A Knot of Sparrows is the fourth instalment in the series of police procedurals, set in Wales and featuring DI Winter Meadows. It can be read as a standalone, as it really focuses more on the crime DI Meadows is investigating, although we do get to know the team.

From the very beginning we get a glimpse into the mind of the killer and know that this one is one in a long series of crimes. Then we find out the identity of the victim as the police get a report of a seventeen year old schoolgirl Stacey Evans missing only to find her lifeless body a few hours later. There is a mysterious inscription on it,  but the meaning of this macabre message from the killer isn't immediately obvious.  As DI Meadows and his team start piecing her life together, it becomes clear that there might be quite a few people who could have meant harm to Stacey.

As I hadn't read the previous books in the series, I paid a lot of attention to the protagonist. His reactions were very humane. He was kind to the witnesses, bereaved relatives, his team members, and never de-personalised the victims. There are plenty of twists and suspects in this story, so it was important to seethis attitude of not treating this horrific crime spate as a logical puzzle to solve.

The twists did keep me on my toes, though. Every time I thought a suspect was the killer, they would have a watertight alibi. It turned out this quiet village had plenty of deadly secrets.

I really enjoyed this fairly short, but gripping police procedural  and would like to go back and read the previous books as well as future instalments in the series. Recommended to all fans of mysteries and thrillers.

Thank you to Rachel and the author for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Author Bio

Cheryl Rees-Price was born in Cardiff and moved as a young child to a small ex-mining village on the edge of the Black Mountain range, South Wales, where she still lives with her husband, daughters and cats. After leaving school she worked as a legal clerk for several years before leaving to raise her two daughters.
Cheryl returned to education, studying philosophy, sociology, and accountancy whilst working as a part time book keeper. She now works as a finance director for a company that delivers project management and accounting services.
In her spare time Cheryl indulges in her passion for writing, the success of writing plays for local performances gave her the confidence to write her first novel. Her other hobbies include walking and gardening which free her mind to develop plots and create colourful characters.

Social Media Links –
The Book Folks | Facebook
Cheryl Rees-Price | Facebook
https://twitter.com/CherylreesPrice

Thank you for reading the post! Have a wonderful Thursday!

If you would like to findout what other bloggers thought of this book, here is the full blog tour schedule:

My thoughts:
Angela Marsons never disappoints!
I can't believe we are on Book 14 and I still can't get enough of this fascinating lead character and her team. I really enjoy unpredictable books and this one is in a league of its own!

Kim is stuck with her nemesis-local reporter Tracy Frost- for a whole day. Tracy's been promised she can follow Kim and her team wherever they go. Very soon Kim sees DCI Woodward's secret agenda. Kim's first stop is the family of  Trisha Morley who was abused and murdered by her husband. NickMorley had a stellar reputation and a PR team strong enough to put a lot of pressure on the jury. The first trial ended in a hung jury and it looks likely that Nick might walk free.The police have done everything possible. There's nothing they can do at this point to prevent the injustice. But Tracy can.

Then Kim's team gets called to a murder scene and what promised to be a slow day begins a frenetic hunt for a twisted serial killer who tortures his victims in horrendous ways. When Kim has to inform the family of the first victim of what happened and immediately senses that something is off in the way the wife and her sister react to the news. The next day they seem to have vanished into the thin air and it is up to Kim's team to trace their whereabouts using good old policework. Kim does discover the connection between the first victim and the second, but is sworn to secrecy and forced  to work with somebody who makes her reflect what it means to be a good police officer and sacrifice everything in order to do your job well.

Both plotlines are fascinating and full of their own twists. There was no way I could have guessed the ending! As usual there are thought-provoking themes- one of which is whether it is possible to completely disappear in our heavily-digitalised society, why someone might want to do that and what emotional cost it might have.

It was interesting to see the change in the way Tracy and Kim interact with each other- a different level of understanding and begrudging respect that is slowly built between these two strong and determined women. Kim's team is superb - Bryant, newly married (she won't let anyone forget it even for a minute) Stacey, Penn, Keats.

The book has Angela Marsons' trademark short and snappy chapters that keep you on the edge of your seat. The pace is perfect- you understand the urgency of stopping the killer (no, I didn't guess who it was) and the frustration of not being able to find or interpret the clues, the long hours and the breathless rush when the team finally get closer to solving thecase, hoping it isn't too late.

Another excellent addition to my favourite series of police procedurals.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

My thoughts:

Flesh and Blood is the fourth instalment in Caroline Mitchell's series of police  proceduralsfeaturing DI Amy Winter. If you have been following the series, you know quite a lot about Amy's family of origin and why her background makes her an outstanding police officer. If you are planning to start the series from this book, it is possible to read and enjoy it as a standalone.

DI Amy Winter and her team are enjoying a brief respite after their last case, when Donovan gets bad news from the police station in Clacton where he used to work before coming to the Met. One of his colleagues committed suicide by jumping off the pier. The weird thing is that she had called Donovan just a few minutes before it and left a voice message asking for his advice on a case.If only he'd answered his phone... A closer look at what has been happening in the area reveals a strange spate of suicides with victims apparently having nothing in common. Amy's super team decide to investigate what has really been going on in this seaside community and what mysterious case Carla had been looking into before her death.

One of the things I like so much about this series is the author's personal experience of a police officer which shines through in the level of realistic detail. Caroline Mitchell knows how to engage her reader with an interesting case, as well as giving us  a glimpse into what it's really like to do this job on a daily basis. The members of Amy's team are all strong characters with their own unique voices. I was particularly happy to get to know Molly and discover her secret. While Amy's horrific past is and always will be there in her life, she isn't defined by it, and we see how she is finally allowing herself to believe in the possibility of her own personal happiness. This case has less focus on Amy, although it turns  out to be quite personal for Donovan.

Caroline Mitchell masterfuly weaves together several threads and throws in a few red herrings to keep the reader guessing until the end. The pace is really good - the story isn't rushed at any point, but the chapters are quite snappy and leave you wanting to read more. The ending opens up new possibilities and new dilemmas Amy will have to face up in the next book.

A well-written, intriguing, and gripping read from page one to the last page, Flesh and Blood is a great addition to an excellent seriesand I can definitely recommend it to all the readers who enjoy the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.