All the Wicked Games

by Lauren North

Pub Date: 01 Sep 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 29 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

5 years earlier, best friends and housemates, Cleo and Rachael, like to spend Friday nights on Camchat, an online chat room.  They starts playing ‘games’ by pretending to be other characters.  Rachael starts obsessing with Camchat.  
In present day Cleo is called from Rachael’s sister to advise she has gone missing and needs her help to trace her down. Despite not seeing or contacting Rachael in those 5 years, Cleo has a sense of guilt and obligation to help Rachael.  Unbeknown to Cleo, someone wants to play a game with her and events soon take a sinister twist.
A really enjoyable and engaging plot, the different timeline and person perspectives were easy to follow and really felt an emotional attachment towards the characters.  5 stars to Lauren North.

 

Lying Beside You

by Michael Robotham

Pub Date: 23 Jun 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 27 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

The next instalment with Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist and Evie McCormack, his lodger with a troubled past.  It was be beneficial to have read the first two books to understand the past of these two characters and the bond they have.  Cyrus is brought into to help when Maya goes missing for her home where her father is found murdered.  Then Mayas body turns up and now the plot thickens when there is a deeper meaning behind this attack and a similar one from 6 years earlier.  Meanwhile, Cyrus has to deal with the thought of his schizophrenic brother, who murdered their parents and twins sisters, being realised from the psychiatric hospital when he has been held for the last 20 years.
Another masterpiece from Michael Robotham, already looking forward to the next instalment!

 

Do No Harm

by Jack Jordan

Pub Date: 26 May 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 27 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

Do No Harm is told from the perspectives of Anna, a heart surgeon, whose son has been kidnapped to force her to kill a high profile patient.  Margot, a nurse who assists Anna in the operation theatre, who is also an opportunist thief under pressure to raise money.  Then Rachael, detective investigating the death of Anna’s neighbour..  The viewpoints and back stories intertwine putting together a rather intriguing plot.  A dark and twisty ending and the whole book will keep those pages turning!!

by Jack Jordan

Pub Date: 26 May 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 27 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

Do No Harm is told from the perspectives of Anna, a heart surgeon, whose son has been kidnapped to force her to kill a high profile patient.  Margot, a nurse who assists Anna in the operation theatre, who is also an opportunist thief under pressure to raise money.  Then Rachael, detective investigatin the death of Anna’s neighbour..  The viewpoints and back stories intertwine putting together a rather intriguing plot.  A dark and twisty ending and the whole book will keep those pages turning!!

 

The Last Girl to Die

by Helen Fields

Pub Date: 01 Sep 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 22 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

A standalone from Helen Fields.  Adriana Clark is 16 years old and her family has recently moved from America to the Isle of Mull, Scotland.  Adriana has gone missing and local police have not been able to find her. The Clark family calls in the help of private investigator Sadie Lavesque.  Sadie searches the island and finds Adriana’s body, her mouth has been filled with sand.  It turns out another local girl met a similar end 40 years ago and the killer was never found.  Is it the same killer, or a copycat.  When a second girl goes missing, police and Sadie try all they can to find out who is responsible.
A great book, but found the last few chapters took a different dialogue to the rest of the book and found it let the ending down.

 

Girl, Forgotten

by Karin Slaughter

Pub Date: 23 Jun 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 22 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

Newly qualified US Marshall, Andrea Oliver is sent on a placement but with a secret ulterior motive - to see if her criminal father was responsible for the death of pregnant school girl Emily Vaughn in his home town 40 years ago.  Her real mission is to investigate desth threats to Emily’s mother, Judge Esther Vaughan.  With her new US Marshall partner, Bible, investigations of past events and the present situation start to intertwine.
Quite different to Pieces of Her, but found the plot and pace of the book more gripping  and thoroughly enjoyable.
Another Karin Slaughter masterpiece.

 

The Devil's Playground

by Charly Cox

Pub Date: 14 Apr 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 22 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

Skye, Elena and London are enjoying their usual Thursday night meet up.  London is reading to Skye’s children when the hear blood curdling screams.  London and the children hide and when London thinks the coast is clear to call the police, the intruders kidnap her and takes her to the ‘Devils Playground’ and is tortured.
Detective Alyssa Wyatt investigates and the team start to link the murders with an old cult movement.  Are they able to find London in time.
A gritty plot, full of gruesome details, but entirely gripping.  This is the fourth instalment of Alyssa Wyatt and each book better than the last.  It can be read as a standalone as well.  Can’t wait for next in the series!

 

by C.L. Taylor

Pub Date: 23 Jun 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 13 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

5 years ago, Olivia Sutherland was framed for plotting to kill her husband.  Now she is out of prison, Olivia is determined to take revenge.  The more she looks into her husband, Dominic and the joint friend, Dani, the bigger the web of deception.
I found I couldn’t put this book down.  As the story develops, it’s became harder to put down.  Really enjoyed the plot, with great twists.  Another  masterpiece by CL Taylor.

 

by Jess Lourey

Pub Date: 16 Aug 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 06 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

It’s 1977 and Heather and her fiends live in a small town, which when built had a series of tunnels connecting the whole town underground.  Al the local children love playing in the tunnels and escaping the souring heat above.  However, one night, Heather, her younger sister Julie and some of close friends open a door to one house in the tunnel and see something they shouldn’t have.
With one girl missing, then one of Heathers gang goes missing and late found dead, Heather knows the town she grew up in is not what she thought, nor the people close to her.  Pantown is full of secrets, and Heather needs to know who to trust.
A spectacular, compulsive read which keeps you wanting more.  You really sympathised with Heather and the girls of Pantown.  5 stars!!

 

by Robert Dugoni

Pub Date: 23 Aug 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 06 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

Detective Tracy Crosswhite is in the cold case unit and is asked to looked into the disappearance of a report, Lisa Childress nearly 25 years ago.  Lisa disappeared without a trace one night leaving behind her young daughter and husband.  Running through old details, Tracy comes across a drug running enterprise that may have been linked at the time.  However the nearer she gets, the more danger Tracy faces.
An enjoyable book, first in the series for me, not sure if I have missed any previous essentials but read well as a standalone.

 

by Sharon Bolton

Pub Date: 26 May 2022

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 01 Apr 2022

My Recommendation

 

Great to have PC Lacey Flint back in this latest from Sharon Bolton.  After a baby is snatched and thrown into the Thames, Lacey witnesses the scenario and rushes into the canoe to rescue the baby.  A series of events follow and a new woman hate group is prevalent in the city on the dark web.  DCI Mark Joesbury heads up in investigation and needs to identify the leaders behind this new terrorist group.
It’s becoming harder for Lacey to conceal her troubled past, and nearly comes to surface in this instalment.  Can’t want to see how 
Lacey deals with this going forward.  This can be read as the series or standalone as goes into detail on past events.