Tag: Hardboiled

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: Blackwater by Sarah Sultoon

Published December 4th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Noir Fiction, Hardboiled, Political Thriller

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The world is counting down to the millennium – and to disaster. When a child’s body is found on a remote island east of London, journalist Jonny Murphy is sent to investigate. What he uncovers is more than a tragedy. It’s a warning. Something catastrophic is coming … and Jonny might be the only one who can stop it.

‘A propulsive, atmospheric thriller that ratchets up the tension with every page’ TM Logan

‘A powerhouse writer’ Jo Spain

‘Cleverly layered and beautifully atmospheric … Sarah Sultoon has become an auto-buy author for me’ Kia Abdullah

‘The clock ticks down towards a fantastic payoff … Abandoned islands, thrilling chases, investigative journalists – what more could you want?’ Holly Watt

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They feared the machines. 

They should have feared the people…

London, Christmas 1999. The world is on edge. With the new millennium just days away, fears of the Millennium Bug are spiralling – warnings of computer failures, market crashes, even global catastrophe. But fifty miles east, on the frozen Blackwater Island, a different kind of mystery unfolds. A child’s body is discovered on the bracken, untouched by footprints, with no sign of how he died. And no one has come forward to claim him.

At the International Tribune, reporter Jonny Murphy senses something is off. Police are appealing for relatives, not suspects. An anonymous call led officers to the scene, but no one knows who made it. While the world fixates on a digital apocalypse, Jonny sees the real disaster unfolding closer to home. With just twenty-hour hours before the century turns, he heads to Blackwater – driven by curiosity, desperation, and the sting of rejection from his colleague Paloma.

But Blackwater has secrets buried deep in the frozen ground. More victims – some dead, others still paying for past sins. And when Paloma catches up to him, they stumble onto something far bigger than either of them imagined. Something that could change everything. The millennium is coming. The clock is ticking. Can Jonny stop it? Should he?

And what if Y2K wasn’t a hoax, but a warning…?

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Christmas, 1999. A young child’s body is discovered  in the black mud on Blackwater Island. The island is a protected nature reserve and is supposedly uninhabited. So how did the child get here? How did he die? And, most strangely, why has no one come forward to claim him? Suspicious of why the police are appealing for relatives but not suspects, journalist Jonny Murphy travels to Blackwater, a place mired in myth and legend, to investigate. He meets DC Gillian Peters, the only permanently placed officer in the area, who is overworked and understaffed. Residents talk about a ghost who haunts the island, which is a place mired in myth and legend. But Jonny’s investigations soon lead him to evidence of a much more human crime and to decades-old secrets that threaten to be exposed.

Suspenseful, sharp, intelligent and totally addictive, I flew through this heart-pounding thriller in just two sittings. It was impossible to put down as Sarah Sultoon once again delivered a skilfully written story of secrets, mystery and cover-ups. It jumps straight in with both feet and never misses a beat, taking you on a fast-paced rollercoaster ride full of crazy twists and surprising revelations. I loved that I never knew where it would go next and how Ms. Sultoon kept me on my toes until the last page.

The dawn of a new century and the millennium bug are as important to this story as the mystery of the little boy’s death. The two storylines are intricately interwoven, all the enigma of who the boy is and what happened to him merging with the chaos and fear that surrounds the impending turn of the millennium. Do you remember where you were on New Year’s Eve 1999 and the Y2K/millenium bug hysteria? I remember it all vividly. So, this was nostalgic for me, transporting me back to the craziness and uncertainty of what would happen when the clock struck midnight. Sultoon perfectly captures those feelings, creating a sense of foreboding that is palpable.

Sense of place is important to this story and Ms. Sultoon has created a place that is dark, mythical, mysterious, claustrophobic and vibrates with the secrets it’s keeping. It gave me chills and its strange and secretive residents only added to the eerie atmosphere it exuded. I’d not want to be there at night and my heart raced as Jonny and his colleague, Paloma, investigated. I was rooting for them, and Gillian, to solve the mystery and enjoyed reading them. I also enjoyed the background characters and loved that we were never sure who the villain was right up until the very end. 

A clever and gripping thriller that will have you hooked, I highly recommend this one.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in this blog tour and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchnage for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Sultoon is an award-winning journalist and writer, whose work as an international news executive with CNN and for Channel 4 News has taken her all over the world, from the seats of power in both Westminster and Washington to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan. Her debut thriller, The Source, was a Capital Crime Book Club pick, won the Crime Fiction Lover Best Debut Award, was nominated for the CWA’s New Blood Dagger, was a number one bestseller on Kindle and is currently in production with Lime Pictures. It was followed by the critically acclaimed The Shot, Dirt and Death Flight.

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Thanks for reaading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Scars of Silence (Lidingo Mysteries, 2) by Johana Gustawsson

Published November 20th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical Mystery, Psychological Fiction, Hardboiled, Police Procedural, Crime Fiction, Crime Series

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

When two teenagers are found brutally murdered on the island of Lidingö, dressed in white tunics and wearing crowns of candles, former French police officer Maïa Rehn joins local Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery with a shockingly dark heart. The highly anticipated sequel to the international bestselling gothic mystery, Yule Island.

‘A horrific, baffling crime startles a small Swedish community. This is perfect Scandi Noir, dripping with atmosphere. The writing shines, and the story is impossible to resist. Gustawsson is a master’ Shari Lapena

‘A gripping mystery simmering with social outrage – this is what crime fiction should be’ Alexandra Sokoloff

‘Johana Gustawsson is an extraordinarily talented storyteller, with a beautiful, eloquent writing style. Scars of Silence unfolds at a breathless pace, and the climax is devastating’ Kate Rhodes

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Twenty-three years ago, a young woman was murdered on the Swedish island of Lidingö. 
The island has kept its silence. 


Until now…

As autumn deepens into darkness in Lidingö, on the Stockholm archipelago, the island is plunged into chaos: in the space of a week, two teenaged boys are murdered. Their bodies are left deep in the forest, dressed in white tunics with crowns of candles on their heads, like offerings to Saint Lucia.


Maïa Rehn has fled Paris for Lidingö after a family tragedy. But when the murders shake the island community, the former police commissioner is drawn into the heart of the investigation, joining Commissioner Aleksander Storm to unravel a mystery as chilling as the Nordic winter.

As they dig deeper, it becomes clear that a wind of vengeance is blowing through the archipelago, unearthing secrets that are as scandalous as they are inhuman.

But what if the victims weren’t who they seemed? What if those long silenced have finally found a way to strike back?

How far would they go to make their tormentors pay?

And you – how far would you go?

BUY THE BOOK

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MY REVIEW:

Happy book birthday to this heart-pounding slice of Scandi-Noir!

The small Swedish community of Lidingo is left reeling when the body of a boy who has been brutally murdered is discovered. He is found dressed as St Lucia: wearing a white tunic with a crown of candles on his damaged skull. Parallels are immediately drawn with another brutal murder 24 years earlier. Aleksander Storm and Maia Rehn work together to try and solve the crime and search for links to the historic murder. When another boy is found killed and dressed in the same way, they start to wonder if they have a serial killer on their hands. And, as they dig deeper, they unearth scandalous secrets that point towards a killer out for revenge after being silenced for too long…

Dark, powerful, atmospheric and heart-poundingly tense, the second book in the Lidingo mysteries packs a punch from the start. Johana Gustawsson has become one of my favourite thriller writers in recent years. A sinister storytelling powerhouse, she gets better with each book and has delivered another nerve-shredding whodunnit that simmers with horror whilst also exploring timely and relevant social issues such as consent. Exquisitely written, cleverly choreographed, fast-paced and filled with surprising twists, Gustawsson had me on the edge of my seat from its shocking opening to its devastating conclusion. And that reveal? I never saw it coming! Bravo, Ms. Gustawsson, bravo. 

One of the things I love about a series is coming back to the characters, and it was great to be back with Aleks and Maia. They are compelling characters who I enjoy reading, and this time around both of them are going through their share of turmoil alongside their search for a killer. Gustawsson strikes the balance between their stories and the plot perfectly, never allowing the pace to drop for even a moment as she also helps us develop an even stronger bond with our protagonists. I can’t wait to return for book three!

A darkly chilling and addictive Scandi Noir that you don’t want to miss, I highly recommend this book and series.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in this blog tour and Orenda Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series, including Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song, has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in nineteen countries. A TV adaptation is currently under way in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. The Bleeding was a number-one bestseller in France and is the first in a new series. Johana lives in Sweden with her Swedish husband and their three sons.

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ABOUT THE TRASLATOR:

David Warriner translates from French and nurtures a healthy passion for Franco, Nordic and British crime fiction. Growing up in deepest Yorkshire, he developed incurable Francophilia at an early age. Emerging from Oxford with a Modern Languages degree he narrowly escaped the graduate rat race by hopping on a plane to Canada – and never looked back. More than a decade into a high-powered commercial translation career, he listened to his heart and turned his hand to the delicate art of literary translation. David has lived in France and Quebec, and now calls beautiful British Columbia home.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

*The purchase link in this review is an affiliate link

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Black As Death (An Arora Investigation, 5) by Lilja Sigurdardottir

Published October 23rd, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Noir Fiction, Hardboiled, Nordic Noir, Translated Ficiton

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A final reckoning…

With the fate of her missing sister, Ísafold, finally uncovered, Áróra feels a fragile relief as the search that consumed her life draws to a close. But when Ísafold’s boyfriend – the prime suspect in her disappearance – is found dead at the same site where Ísafold’s body was discovered, Áróra’s grip on reality starts to unravel … and the mystery remains far from solved.

To distract herself, she dives headfirst into a money-laundering case that her friend Daníel is investigating. But she soon finds that there is more than meets the eye and, once again, all leads point towards Engihjalli, the street where Ísafold lived and died, and a series of shocking secrets that could both explain and endanger everything…

Atmospheric, dark and chilling, Black as Death is the breathtaking finale to the twisty, immersive An Áróra Investigation series, as Áróra and her friends search for answers that may take them to places even darker than death…

Perfect for readers of Camilla Läckberg, Karin Slaughter, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir and Jo Nesbø.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Breathtaking, emotional, shocking and twisty, Black As Death is the fifth installment and the unforgettable finale in the Árora Investigation series. Set in Iceland, a landscape with a bleak, mournful, sinister and forbidding atmosphere that is echoed in the emotions evoked by this story of love, loss, abuse, fear and murder. 

The book opens with Ísafold hiding in the bathroom after another round of abuse from her drug-dealing husband, Bjorn. She considers calling her sister, Árora, but knows she’ll tell her to leave or that there’s nothing she can do as Ísafold always goes back to him. So despite her desperation and loneliness, she decides it isn’t right to bother her sister. Not even as she whispers to herself that she thinks Bjorn will kill her soon.

We then jump forward, to Árora’s point of view. It’s now four years since Ísafold went missing and suspicion fell on Bjorn, the theory being that he killed her and then fled to Canada. But this past spring Ísafold’s body was found in a suitcase deep within a volcanic fissure in a lava field and Bjorn’s body was also located in another suitcase in that same lava field. If Bjorn didn’t kill her sister then who did? Árora’s partner, Daniel, a detective, and his work colleague, Helena, are investigating the murders, but answers aren’t coming quickly enough for Árora.

Running parallel to this, Daniel has discovered a possible money laundering operation that involves a local coffee chain. The shops aren’t busy enough for the amount of money they are taking and the owners have filed numerous complaints of criminal damage and violent acts against them that they later decline to pursue, making Daniel even more suspicious. This is just the kind of case that would benefit from Á́rora’s skills as an investigator and also prove a good distraction for her, so Daniel asks her to help. Arora happily throws herself into the case, it is soon clear that there is more to this case than first thought. And it is dragging her right back to that same street where her sister lived and died…

Darkly atmospheric, tense and heartrending, this was an addictive piece of Nordic noir. And what a finale! Lilja Sigurðardóttir had me in her thrall from start to finish. The story moves between timelines and narrators, the tension rising and the atmosphere getting tauter as the timelines converged and we raced towards an explosive conclusion. There is a lot going on in this book but it is never confusing, even when like me you’ve fallen behind on the series. Sigurðardóttir catches us up with past events and skillfully makes the different voices easily identifiable so that you never lose track of what’s happening. However, it isn’t always clear what timeline some of the characters and scenes are taking place in, but that felt deliberate and it heightened the mystery and suspense. I listened to this on audiobook, Sigurðardóttir’s expert storytelling and choreography merging with Lorenza Garcia’s fantastic translation and the compelling narration of Colleen Prendergast to create an utterly riveting and emotional thriller. I was on tenterhooks right up until its conclusion, which doesn’t leave you with the usual feeling of satisfaction you get when a killer is unmasked and the truth is finally revealed. Instead, there was a profound sadness at lives lost and other lives changed forever.

Árora, Daniel and Helen are likeable characters who it was easy to support. They each have different characteristics and skills that merge together to create a formidable crime-fighting team. While they, and all of the characters, are fascinating and layered, it is Árora and Ísafold who stood out as the most complex and memorable characters. Árora’s grief is palpable, as is her guilt at not being able to save her sister, her anger at her killer, and her desperation to find answers and justice. I was rooting for her at every step, praying that she would finally get the answers after years of torment. But I think the character who had the biggest emotional impact on me was Ísafold, and not only because I myself have been in an abusive relationship. Ísafold’s vulnerability, fear and turmoil radiate from the pages. We feel her inner conflict as she is torn between love for Bjorn and knowing she needs to leave, made even harder for her as he uses the classic abusive tactic of lovebombing her after each incident so that she forgives him again. Not only that, but having already isolated her from almost everyone, he cleverly manipulates her into giving up the job she loves to take a job as a carer and then coercing her into stealing pills he can then sell on. The biggest villains, Bjorn and his fearsome boss, Stuler, were skillfully written, made my blood boil and chills run down my spine. I spent the whole book longing for them to get their comeuppance and hoping justice would be served.

If you haven’t read this series, then add it to your TBR now. A must-read for all thriller fans.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Icelandic crime-writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written ten crime novels, including Snare, Trap and Cage, making up the Reykjavík Noir trilogy, and her standalone thriller Betrayal, all of which have hit bestseller lists worldwide. Snare was longlisted for the CWA International Dagger, Cage won Best Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year and was a Guardian Book of the Year, and Betrayal was shortlisted for the prestigious Glass Key Award and won Icelandic Crime Novel of the Year. The film rights for the Reykjavík Noir trilogy have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. Cold as Hell, the first book in the An Áróra Investigation series, was published in the UK in 2021. She lives in Reykjavík with her partner.

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ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:

Lorenza Garcia spent her early adulthood living and working in Iceland, Spain and France. She has been a full-time literary translator since 2008 and has translated and co-translated over forty novels and works of non-fiction from French, Spanish and Icelandic. She currently lives in South London with her Tibetan Terrier.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

*The purchase link in this review is an affiliate links

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BLOG TOUR: Deadman’s Pool by Kate Rhodes

Published September 25th, 2025 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Crime Series, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Police Procedural

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this nerve-shredding thriller. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Ben Kitto discovers the body of a young woman, buried near the ruins of an old isolation hospital on the island of St Helen’s, he is convinced the killer is hiding in plain sight … and determined to take more lives. The breathtaking, gripping new instalment in the Isles of Scilly Mysteries series…

‘A classy, edge-of-the-seat thriller which will keep you guessing throughout!’ B.A. PARIS

‘An absolute master of pace, plotting and character’ ELLY GRIFFITHS

‘Rhodes does a superb job of balancing a portrayal of a tiny community oppressed by secrets with an uplifting evocation of setting’ Sunday Express 

‘Dark, intense, and expertly crafted’ RACHEL ABBOTT

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DI BEN KITTO RETURNS…

A SACRED ISLAND

Winter storms lash the Isles of Scilly, when DI Ben Kitto ferries the islands’ priest to St Helen’s. Father Michael intends to live as a pilgrim in the ruins of an ancient church on the uninhabited island, but an ugly secret is buried among the rocks. Digging frantically in the sand, Ben’s dog, Shadow, unearths the emaciated remains of a young woman.


A SHOCKING MURDER


The discovery chills Ben to the core. The victim is Vietnamese, with no clear link to the community – and her killer has made sure that no one will find her easily.

A KILLER ON THE LOOSE

The storm intensifies as the investigation gathers pace. Soon Scilly is cut off by bad weather, with no help available from the mainland. Ben is certain the killer is hiding in plain sight. He knows they are waiting to kill again – and at unimaginable cost.

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MY REVIEW:

Jumping into a series on the eighth book isn’t something I’d usually do. But – full admission here – I didn’t realise that this book was part of a series when I asked to join the blog tour. I was nervous about starting a series so late and worried I’d feel lost or find it hard to connect with the characters. But Kate Rhodes made it easy by crafting a story that is expertly paced and plotted and richly drawn characters that she brings the reader up to speed on the backstories of so that we never feel out of the loop. 

A winter storm rages on the Isles of Scilly and DI Ben Kitto makes a shocking discovery: a child’s body wrapped in a shroud and buried in the sand. Evidence shows that the victim was kept in a dark place for years. Things take another chilling turn when a newborn baby is left in a box outside the police station. How could a child be kept captive and a pregnancy hidden in such a small, close-knit community? As links between the two cases are confirmed, Ben and his team must battle the elements to find the baby’s mother and to stop a killer before they have the chance to kill again.

Atmospheric, dark, intense and unpredictable, this had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. A vivid sense of place and character makes the islands and their inhabitants come alive and made me lose myself in this small community and the hunt for a depraved killer and vulnerable new mother. DI Ben Kitto is a likeable protagonist who obviously cares a lot about his job and his home and I was behind him at every step. The inclusion of Mai’s story added an extra layer of tension that made the stakes even higher and her emotions were palpable. I was on tenterhooks with my heart racing, unable to put the book down as I desperately needed to know if they would find her before it’s too late. Rhodes provided multiple possible culprits, planting seeds of doubt that could have been clues or read herrings that kept me guessing right up until the shocking truth was unveiled. 

Nerve-shredding and totally superb, I’m so glad that I finally discovered this series and can’t wait to read the backlist. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Rhodes is an acclaimed crime novelist and an award-winning poet, selected by Val McDermid’s New Blood panel at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival for her debut, Crossbones Yard. She has been nominated twice for the prestigious CWA Dagger in the Library award, and is one of the founders of the Killer Women writing group. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, the writer and film-maker Dave Pescod, and visited the Scilly Isles every year as a child, which gave her the idea for the critically acclaimed Isles of Scilly Mysteries series

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

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book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Children of Eve (Charlie Parker,22) by John Connolly

Published May 8th, 2025 by Hodder & Stoughton
Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Suspense, Horror Fiction, Ghost Story, Hardboiled, Crime Series, Supernatural Fiction

Welcome to my review for this taut and twisty thriller. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Connolly grips like a vice and he’s an extraordinary storyteller’ Crime Time
‘One of the best thriller writers we have’ Harlan Coben

Wyatt Riggins, the boyfriend of rising Maine artist Zetta Nadeau, has gone missing, leaving behind a cell phone containing a single-word message: RUN.

Private investigator Charlie Parker is hired to find out why Riggins has fled, and from whom.

Parker discovers that Riggins, an ex-soldier, has been involved in the abduction of four children from Mexico: three girls and a boy, all belonging to the cartel boss Blas Urrea – except Urrea’s family is safe and well in Mexico, which means the abductees cannot be his children. Yet whoever they are, Urrea wants them back, and has dispatched his agents to secure them, even if it means butchering everyone who stands in their way.

One of those agents is Eugene Seeley, a clever, ruthless solver of other men’s problems. The other is an unknown woman.

Every child has a mother. Now Charlie Parker will face one unlike any other, and learn the terrifying truth about the Children of Eve.

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MY REVIEW:

Crime thriller meets supernatural fiction with a side of Inca mythology in the latest Charlie Parker thriller. Parker is investigating the disappearance of Wyatt Riggins, the boyfriend of rising Maine artist Zetta Nadeau. Meanwhile, someone is torturing and murdering those involved in the illegal trade of goods from Mexico. When Parker finds links between the two, the race is on to find Riggins before it’s too late.

John Connolly is pretty much the only author my husband reads, so when the SquadPod were offered the chance to read the latest in his Charlie Parker series, The Children of Eve, I jumped at the chance. I was excited but also nervous. Would I feel lost starting a series so far in? And would I love this series as much as Mr. Bibliotreasures?

Exquisitely written, cleverly choreographed and filled with a large cast of richly drawn characters, it’s easy to see why John Connolly and the Parker series are so popular. He certainly has a new fan in this reader. Jumping into a series on book 22 isn’t ideal and, as expected, I didn’t really know what was going on to begin with. It took me a little bit of time to get into the book as I had to learn who the recurring characters were and forge a connection with them. But before long I was completely hooked. I particularly loved how Connolly merged supernatural and mythological elements with a complex and layered thriller. And that ending! Talk about making me want to come back for more!

Taut, tense and twisty, I highly recommend this one. Now I just need to find time to go back and read this series from the beginning.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and have, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a “gofer” at Harrods department store in London. I studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which I continue to contribute, although not as often as I would like. I still try to interview a few authors every year, mainly writers whose work I like, although I’ve occasionally interviewed people for the paper simply because I thought they might be quirky or interesting. All of those interviews have been posted to my website, http://www.johnconnollybooks.com.

I was working as a journalist when I began work on my first novel. Like a lot of journalists, I think I entered the trade because I loved to write, and it was one of the few ways I thought I could be paid to do what I loved. But there is a difference between being a writer and a journalist, and I was certainly a poorer journalist than I am a writer (and I make no great claims for myself in either field.) I got quite frustrated with journalism, which probably gave me the impetus to start work on the novel. That book, Every Dead Thing, took about five years to write and was eventually published in 1999. It introduced the character of Charlie Parker, a former policeman hunting the killer of his wife and daughter. Dark Hollow, the second Parker novel, followed in 2000. The third Parker novel, The Killing Kind, was published in 2001, with The White Road following in 2002. In 2003, I published my fifth novel – and first stand-alone book – Bad Men. In 2004, Nocturnes, a collection of novellas and short stories, was added to the list, and 2005 marked the publication of the fifth Charlie Parker novel, The Black Angel. In 2006, The Book of Lost Things, my first non-mystery novel, was published.

Charlie Parker has since appeared in five additional novels: The Unquiet, The Reapers (where he plays a secondary role to his associates, Louis and Angel), The Lovers, The Whisperers, and The Burning Soul. The eleventh Charlie Parker novel, The Wrath of Angels, will be available in the UK in August 2012 and in the US in January 2013.

The Gates launched the Samuel Johnson series for younger readers in 2009, followed by Hell’s Bells (UK)/The Infernals (US) in 2011. A third Samuel Johnson novel should be finished in 2013.

I am also the co-editor, with fellow author Declan Burke, of Books to Die For, an anthology of essays from the world’s top crime writers in response to the question, “Which book should all lovers of crime fiction read before they die?” Books to Die For is available in the UK as of August 2012, and will be available in the US in October 2012.

I am based in Dublin but divide my time between my native city and the United States, where each of my novels has been set.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliohphiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: The Mistake by M. J. Arlidge and Lisa Hall

Published May 29th, 2025 by Orion
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Hardboiled

Today is my stop on the blog tour for this gripping thriller. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orion for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

In this family, everyone is telling lies.

Pete never wanted another child. Before baby Erin was born, they were happy. If Natalie hadn’t got pregnant, he would never have done what he did.

Natalie knows things have been difficult since the surprise arrival of Erin. Life with Pete and their two other children – Emily and Zadie – has been balancing on a knife-edge.

Now their home is full of guests at a party Natalie didn’t want to throw – and she’s about to reach breaking point.

But so is her family.

Because everyone has a secret that they’ve been hiding and when Erin suddenly disappears everyone becomes a suspect.

Surely no one here would want to harm their baby? But after the events of the party there are plenty of people who would want to hurt Natalie.

Including her husband…

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MY REVIEW:

When Natalie unexpectedly becomes pregnant at almost forty, it isn’t exactly welcome news. Her eldest daughter, Emily, is about to leave for university, while her youngest, Zadie, is now eight. Life is comfortable and she and her husband Pete are full of dreams for their future when the nest is empty. Another child now would disrupt all their lives. Ultimately, Natalie decides to go ahead with the pregnancy. Erin arrives after a traumatic birth and is a difficult baby who screams incessantly and doesn’t sleep. Natalie is in a downward spiral and her days are spent trying to survive. Pete is never home and the older children are also struggling. This is a family at breaking point. It all comes to a head the night of Emily’s 18th birthday party, when all the secrets, lies and resentments finally boil over and little Erin disappears. But which of their closest family and friends took their daughter? And why?

M. J. Arlidge has long been one of my favourite thriller authors and I’ve been loving his Crime Writers Room collaborations, so I was excited to read this collaboration with Lisa Hall. As I hoped, it was another cracking thriller that I devoured in just a few hours. Expertly written and deftly choreographed, Arlidge and Hall have crafted a thriller that keeps you guessing from the first page to the last. The heart-stopping prologue reeled me in and I remained glued to the pages as the story  switched to a slower burn as we went back to the time where Natalie first found out she was pregnant. I was on the edge of my seat as tension escalated and suspicion swirled with multiple suspects in the frame when Erin went missing. I had my theories about who it was, but that did change a few times as Arlidge and Hall skillfully kept their identity hidden and created believable red herrings. 

The story is told from Natalie and Pete’s perspective, offering us an insight into their mindset and motivations, allowing us to understand their actions. While they were relatable characters, they weren’t always likeable and I often just wanted to shake them. I did have a lot of sympathy for Natalie, who showed signs of postnatal depression, but I’d want to hug her one minute and be frustrated with her the next. I wanted to tell her to reach out for help and just talk to her husband. Meanwhile, Pete was useless both practically and emotionally, but reading his perspective made me confront the shades of grey that led to his withdrawal from his family and other bad decisions. I still wanted to yell at him to help his wife though. And at both of them for refusing to see how their other children were struggling. 

The other characters are brilliantly written but Eve, Natalie’s best friend, is most memorable. Unnerving and manipulative, she gave me the ick from the start, and I didn’t like how she behaved around Natalie’s youngest kids. It was obvious that Natalie relied on her, but this girl was toxic and I was yelling at the pages for Natalie to cut her out of her life and talk to Pete instead. 

Suspenseful, dark, emotionally and totally addictive, The Mistake is a must-read for all thriller lovers. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

M.J. Arlidge has worked in television for the last 15 years, specialising in high end drama production. Arlidge has produced a number of prime-time crime serials for ITV In the last five years, and is currently working on a major adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans for the BBC.

Lisa loves words, reading and everything there is to love about books. She has dreamed of being a writer since she was a little girl – either that or a librarian – and after years of talking about it, was finally brave enough to put pen to paper (and let people actually read it). Lisa lives in a small village in Kent, surrounded by her towering TBR pile, a rather large brood of children, dogs, chickens and ponies and her long-suffering husband. She is also rather partial to eating cheese and drinking wine.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Audio Books book reviews Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOKS: The Man She Married by Alison Stockham

Published January 20th, 2025 by Boldwood Books
Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Crime Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Noir Fiction, Hardboiled, Mashup Novel

Welcome to my reivew for this unsettling thriller, which is one of the SquadPod Featured Books this month. Thank you Boldwood Books for sending me an audio copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

How can you fight for a life you can’t remember?

One moment I was just living my life, finding my way in the world. The next I woke up in a hospital bed with years of my life missing.

The man by my side – Rob, my husband – looks familiar, but I can’t remember marrying him. I can’t remember our life together. Most haunting of all: I can’t remember anything about the last five years.

Rob keeps telling me that everything will be fine, that my memories will return, but something feels… wrong. Why does our flat feel so unfamiliar? Why does he flinch when I ask questions? Why are none of my friends and family in touch?

The more I try to piece my life back together, the more I question everything – even myself. Who is Rob, really? And can I trust him? More importantly, can I trust myself?

A compulsive and obsessive read that will have you saying ‘just one more chapter!’ Perfect for fans of Before I Go To Sleep and Alice Feeney

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MY REVIEW:

Beth wakes up in hospital with no memory of what happened or how she got there. She’s told she had a car accident and that they’ve called her husband. But Beth doesn’t have a husband. And how did she end up in England when she’s never left Australia? The Doctor tells her she has retrograde amnesia and Beth learns she’s lost five years of her life. Rob, the man they say is her husband, takes her home to recover and keeps telling her everything will be fine. But Beth can’t shake her feelings of unease. And it seems that the more she learns, the more questions she has. Can she really trust what Rob is saying? Moreover, can she trust her own mind? 

Dark, emotive and unbearably tense, Alison Stockham had me in her thrall from start to finish with this unsettling thriller. I listened to this on audiobook and loved how evocatively the narrator told the story, immediately pulling me in. But it is Stockham’s writing that really stole the show. Expertly written, tightly plotted and fast-paced, it was hard to predict and I didn’t see those jaw-dropping twists coming. Filled with adrenaline and atmosphere, the suspense and fear pervades every page and you’ve no idea who to trust or what the truth is. 

The story was filled with characters who are complex, flawed, relatable and real which made it easy to feel invested in their lives and care about what happened to them. Beth is likeable and Stockham does a great job of putting the reader in her shoes. From the moment Beth wakes up in hospital we feel her confusion, fear and disarray. Her flashbacks were so vivid and palpable that I would feel my own heart race alongside hers, and my heart broke as she tried to remember the pieces of her life she’d lost. But where I empathised most of all was with Beth’s feelings regarding her husband, Rob. Rob triggered my bad guy radar early on with what seemed like cold, mean and manipulative behaviour. And there was also the uneasy feeling he gave Beth. But what I liked was that you couldn’t be completely sure you were right about anything or anyone in this story as Stockman kept you questioning your own mind, just as Beth questioned hers. 

Taut, twisty and unnerving, Alison Stockman has crafted a consuming sinister thriller not to be missed. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alison Stockham’s debut novel, The Cuckoo Sister, was a top 10 bestseller and was also longlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize. Her novels The Silent Friend and The New Girl have since been published.

From a background in film and television production, working in film dramas and then TV documentary production for the BBC and Channel 4, she then worked as the events coordinator for Cambridge Literary Festival. Now a full time writer, she lives in the city with her husband, their children and their cat, who keeps her company while she works on the next book.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Amazon*
*This is an affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
Blog Tours Book Features Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2025

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Into Thin Air by Ørjan Karlsson

Published January 16th, 2025 by Orenda
Nordic Noir, Crime Fiction, Thriller, Hard-boiled, Mystery, Police Procedural, Crime Series

Today is my stop on the blog tour for the first in what promises to be a brilliant new series. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part in this tour, and to Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Chief Investigator of Nordland Police, Jakob Weber is drawn into a complex case when a teenaged girl goes missing in Northern Norway, and a second woman disappears from a remote island in similar circumstances … FIRST in a compelling, dark new Nordic Noir series.
 
‘This is first-class Nordic Noir from the real North, where danger lurks around every corner’ Gunnar Staalesen
 
‘Jakob Weber is a great protagonist, and the sense of place is phenomenal. The perfect start to a series destined for greatness’ Thomas Enger
 
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In Norway’s frozen north, it’s not just secrets that are buried…
 
When nineteen-year-old Iselin Hanssen disappears during a run in a popular hiking area in Bodø, Northern Norway, suspicion quickly falls on her boyfriend. For investigator Jakob Weber, the case seems clear-cut, almost unexceptional, even though there is some suggestion that Iselin lived parts of her life beneath the radar of both family and friends.
 
But events take a dramatic turn when another woman disappears in similar circumstances – this time on the island of Røst, miles off the Norwegian coast, in the wild ocean.
 
Rumours that a killer is on the loose begin to spread, terrifying the local population and leading to wild conspiracies. But then Jakob discovers that this isn’t the first time that young women have vanished without a trace in the region, and it becomes clear that someone is hiding something … and another murderous spree may have just begun…
 
For fans of Joe Pickett, Ragnar Jonasson and Jorn Lier Horst

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MY REVIEW:

There’s a new sinister storyteller on the block. Ørjan Karlsson is one to watch for anyone who enjoys their thrillers as dark as the starless sky. 

I always think there’s something so exciting about starting the first book in a new series as you aren’t only anticipating the book in your hands but all future books in this series, where the characters are like old friends you return to time and again. When the book is a Nordic Noir published by Orenda then your anticipation is even higher. But, as I expected, Into Thin Air did not disappoint. 

Chief Investigator of Norland Police, Jakob Weber, is drawn into what appears to be a clear-cut case when teenager Iselin Hanssen disappears during a run. Suspicion quickly falls on her boyfriend and it looks like this case will be tied up quickly. But things take a dramatic turn after another woman disappears in similar circumstances and rumours begin to spread about a serial killer being on the loose. Then, as Jakob investigates the increasingly complex case, he discovers that this isn’t the first time young women have vanished in the area. Could his cases be connected to these cold cases? And is he hunting for a serial killer who has been hiding in their midst for decades?

Chilling, addictive and suspenseful, this wild and crazy rollercoaster ride was a brilliant start to a new series. Exploring dark deeds, depravity and the murkiest depths of humanity, it had me hooked from its sinister prologue to its unforgettable finale. Skillfully written and cleverly choreographed, Karlsson kept me on my toes with an array of red herrings, twists and turns, and there are so many threads in this story that you could weave a jumper. A strong sense of place transported me to the icy and rugged Norwegian landscape, and provided a treacherous backdrop where danger lurks waiting to pounce. 

The story is told from multiple points of view as Karlsson introduces us to the varied cast of fascinating characters. While it never felt confusing, it did take me a while to get to grips with who each person was as Karlsson established the people we will meet time and again in this series. Our main protagonist, Jakob Weber, is a great central character, while his new partner, Noora Yun Sande, is a mysterious addition with a dark backstory that provides a lot of uncertainty and tension. Karlsson also includes the mysterious killer’s perspective; the odious, cruel and twisted character allowing the author to explore the depravity that can lurk inside humanity. 

A taut, tense and propulsive thriller, this was a fantastic start to a new series and I can’t wait for book two!

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ørjan N. Karlsson (b. 1970) grew up in Bodø. A sociologist by trade, he received officer training in the army and has taken part in overseas missions. He has worked in the Defence Ministry and is now a departmental manager in the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection. He has written a large number of thrillers, sci-fi novels and crime novels for adults. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

Categories
Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: The Torments (The Annie Jackson Mysteries, Volume 2) by Michael J. Malone

Published September 12th, 2024 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Gothic Fiction, Horror Fiction, Contemporary Horror, Hardboiled, Book Series

Happy publication day to this chilling gothic thriller and welcome to my stop on the blog tour. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A tense, creepy page-turner’ Ian Rankin, New Statesman
 
`Malone is the master of twists, turns and the unexpected´ Herald Scotland
 
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Annie surged forward, but she was too slow, too late.
A hand came over and down, and she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck.
Then all became smoke, and silence.
 
Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch, Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs, a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries.
 
While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths.
 
Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for Annie’s help. Mandy’s nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping off his four-year old son at his mother’s home.
 
Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis’ life may be changed forever…
 
The second book in the critically acclaimed Annie Jackson Mysteries series, The Torments is both a contemporary gothic thriller and a spellbinding mystery that deeps deep into a past that should, perhaps, remain undisturbed…
 

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MY REVIEW:

He’s done it again. The second book in Michael J. Malone’s Annie Jackson mysteries is another eerie, haunting and compulsive journey into the unknown. This time Annie and her twin brother, Lewis, are drawn into investigating the disappearance of a family friend, leading them to a darker mystery and long-held secrets that are better left undisturbed….

This is a stay up all night and feel knackered the next day, but it’s totally worth it kind of a book. Malone is a masterful gothic storyteller and this one is deliciously dark, merging folklore and mystery with an unsettling but hypnotic atmosphere that kept me glued to the pages. Exquisitely written, intricately woven and cleverly choreographed, Malone toys with the reader, taking us down a road of misdirection and shocking twists. Other than a theme of the characters being tormented by forces that feel beyond their control, I had no idea how the two timelines or characters were connected or what would happen next and I devoured the book in one sitting, forcing myself to stay awake long into the early hours in my desperate need for answers.

The story is told in dual timelines: then and now. Both narratives are dripping with menace, foreboding, disquiet, mystery and intrigue, chilling me to the bone while keeping me on the edge of my seat. Annie narrates the present and follows as she and Lewis begin their hunt for their missing family friend. Annie is still trying to adjust to life with the murmurs, which remain unpredictable. All she can predict is for some reason they leave her alone when she’s home at her cottage, leading her to isolate herself a lot. I loved Annie’s relationship with her twin brother, Lewis, and think they make a great investigative duo. Meanwhile, the past timeline is narrated by Ben and Sylvia, two lost souls tormented by darkness and found by the wrong kind of people. They are children when their story begins, and I felt sorry for them at the start, but they made my skin crawl when they were adults. Malone has witten them cleverly, surprising me many times with their character arc, particularly  when all was finally revealed. 

Nerve-shredding, dark, twisting and unputdownable, this is a must for your spooky-season TBR. So, if like me you enjoy your thrillers with a slice of gothic, then this book and series is for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought upin the heart of Burns’ He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The Bad Samaritan; and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines and After He Died soon followed suit. Since then, he’s written two further thought-provoking, exquisitely written psychological thrillers In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation, cementing his position as a key proponent of Tartan Noir and an undeniable talent. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please chcek out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOGATHON: Nighthawking by Russ Thomas

Published April 29th, 2021 by Simon & Schuster UK
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Hardboiled, Gay Fiction, Crime Series

Today I’m delighted to resharing my review for Nighthawking, the second book in the DS Adam Tyler Series as part of the Russ Thomas Blogathon. Thank you to Tracy at Compulsive Readers Tours for the invitation to take part and to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Hard-hitting’ SUNDAY TIMES, CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH

‘A riveting follow-up to Firewatching‘ HEAT

‘Comparable with the best of Michael Connelly’s Bosch books and James Lee Burke’s Robicheaux novels, and – naturally – Ian Rankin’ AJ FINN
The new must-read novel from the bestselling and highly acclaimed author of FIREWATCHING

Sheffield’s beautiful Botanical Gardens – an oasis of peace in a world filled with sorrow, confusion and pain. And then, one morning, a body is found in the Gardens. A young woman, dead from a stab wound, buried in a quiet corner. Police quickly determine that the body’s been there for months. It would have gone undiscovered for years – but someone just sneaked into the Gardens and dug it up.

Who is the victim? Who killed her and hid her body? Who dug her up? And who left a macabre marker on the body?

In his quest to find her murderer, DS Adam Tyler will find himself drawn into the secretive world of nighthawkers: treasure-hunters who operate under cover of darkness, seeking the lost and valuable . . . and willing to kill to keep what they find.

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MY REVIEW:

“He can’t bear to think of her that way, all cold and dead and wasting away in her grave beneath the rose bushes. He’d always pictured her whole, whenever he thought about her. All peaceful and sleeping. The way she’d looked when he buried her.” 

On a cold winter night, a nighthawker – a treasure hunter who operates under the cloak of darkness – breaks into Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens to search for treasures buried beneath the flower beds and instead uncovers the arm of a murdered young woman. DS Adam Tyler is called in to investigate, drawing him and his team into the mysterious, tangled web of nighthawkers, hidden treasure, secrets and murder. 

Russ Thomas’ debut thriller, Firewatching, was one of my favourite books of 2020, leaving me eagerly awaiting its follow up. But with such excitement comes trepidation. Would Nighthawking live up to the brilliance of Firewatching? The answer is, yes. Like its predecessor, Nighthawking is a heart-pounding thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. 

Being set in my hometown gives this series a special place in my heart, but that isn’t the only reason I love these books. They are exquisitely written, intricate and action-packed, bringing Sheffield to life not only in terms of the vivid imagery, but the atmosphere. When I first heard that this book would be set in the Botanical Gardens I was delighted as it is probably my favourite place in the city. I even went there just last week and loved how clearly I could picture every moment that happened there. It was a fabulous setting that the author has clearly researched extensively and I know that the Gardens will forever be synonymous with this book for me. 

The author has filled this book with a cast of richly drawn, compelling and nuanced characters. The multiple narrators allow him to weave in the human elements of the story and offer us greater insight into their nature, behaviour and motivations, and drawing more empathy from us for certain characters by showing us the trauma and pain they have suffered. I loved being back with Tyler and his team, a realistic bunch who bicker and don’t always work together well. I like that Tyler isn’t your usual affable and charming protagonist. He is someone you warm up to and I think his spiky, zealous nature gives the books a bit of an edge over the ones with a more likeable central character. I was glad to see Mina Rabbani back as she is probably my favourite character. It was great to see her  grow in confidence and come into her own over the course of this book and I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store for her next. 

Complex, twisty, dark and exhilarating, Nighthawking is an addictive page-turner that keeps you guessing. This can be read as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading them in order because they are simply fantastic thrillers. A must read for all thriller lovers.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

RUSS THOMAS was born in Essex, raised in Berkshire and now lives in Sheffield. After a few ‘proper’ jobs (among them: pot-washer, optician’s receptionist, supermarket warehouse operative, call-centre telephonist, and storage salesman) he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. Firewatching is his debut novel.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx