The Final Hours of Muriel Hinchcliffe M.B.E

by Claire Parkin

Pub Date: 21 Mar 2024

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 6 Mar 2024

A elderly Ruth cares for her life long best friend, Muriel, who is now bed bound. Sharing a colourful past, the pair have their ups and downs but coexist with mutual benefits. Muriel has an episode and predicts her time of death. The story jumps to different times of their lives, where the plot builds and layers of intrigue unravelled.  
A cosy crime vibe to this audio made for easy listening, but the story kept you hooked as to what else this pair got up to in their younger days and the events that lead to present day.

 

The Fallen Girls

by Paul J. Teague

Pub Date: 29 Jan 2024

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 6 Mar 2024

A 5 star read from Paul Teague. Told from different times, the connection between a nun hanging from a bridge and a home for unmarried mothers in the ‘70s is made by new Detective in the area, Hollie Turner.  
The flashbacks really built up the suspense on what the girls experienced at the time and what could lead to vengeance all these years later. The book finished on an absolute cliff hanger and can’t wait to read part 2.
The background to Hollies character is well laid out and feel for her battle between career and family life. Building up new relationships in the workplace is never easy, and has a few challenges to overcome.  
A start to a compelling series and looking forward to seeing what happens next.

 

Her Daughter

by Jen Craven

Pub Date: 1 Mar 2024

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 6 Mar 2024

Rachel was a teenager at university when she fell pregnant with Chloe, and now, with Chloe a teenager going to university, her biggest which is for history not to repeat itself. So when Chloe falls pregnant, she turns to her mums best friend, Monica for guidance. Monica hates keeping secrets from her friend, but can’t break Chloe’s confidence.  
When the baby arrives, it is clear there has been a number of secrets kept and deceit. Rachel and Monica’s friendship is put to the test along with their marital relationships.
An easy listening audio book that keeps you hooked, wanting to know more as the next layer is unraveled. The characters are well defined and you could feel their personal angst. A cleverly written book with plenty of twists and bombshells. Told from different points of view helped the narrative along.

 

Profile K

by Helen Fields

Pub Date: 25 Apr 2024

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 6 Mar 2024

The blurb had me hooked, but the overall plot fell a bit flat personally. Midnight Jones works as a profiler at a large tech company, analysing university applicants. She stumbles across a profile that cannot exist, showing no human emotion to the most graphic images. Reporting this to the top ranks, she is told it is Profile K, a psychopath, a killer. Midnight, despite warnings from friends and her employer, is determined to find out who Profile K really is.
I liked Midnight, but her stubbornness, putting herself and sister who she cares for in constant danger, grated on me somewhat. A real dark crime story, with a dystopia edge is quite unique and will appeal to plenty.

 

The Wrong Sister

by Claire Douglas

Pub Date: 14 Mar 2024

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 16 Feb 2024

Tasha and Harry, parents to twins are swapping lives with her wealthy, child-free sister, Alice and husband, Kyle for the weekend and celebrating their anniversary at Alice and Kyles apartment in Venice. While in Venice they encounter an stalking stranger in a dark alley way which scares them. However, back at home, a house intruder breaks in and Kyle is murdered and Alice brutally attacked.  
Tasha and Harry dash home, relived their daughters are safe, but frantic over what’s happened. 
Without revealing more plot detail, this psychological thriller is superb and completely compelling. The twists keep on rolling, tying up different aspects of the story, urging you to keep those pages turning. 5 stars as always to Claire Douglas

 

The Kill List

by Nadine Matheson

Pub Date: 9 May 2024

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 16 Feb 2024

Andrew Kenan has spent nearly 25 years behind bars for the being the serial killer, the Burier. However, on his deathbed, Andrew proclaims his innocence and sets off a spiral of events as the real killer unearths himself and starts a fresh kill list. This one has personal vengeance attached. DI Anjelica Henley and team are back to investigate to latest killing spree. Can they identify the killer before it’s too late.
An intertwined plot and multiple subplots build a fantastic read. The team are well developed from the previous books in the series and the team dynamics continue to evolve in this book too.

 

Don't Let Her Go

by Willow Rose

Pub Date: 2 Feb 2024

Review by

Emily B, Reviewer

Last updated on 16 Feb 2024

Detective Billie-Anne is called into on a missing child case. But things don’t add up when there are no records of the mum or daughter and no evidence of child paraphernalia around the house. However, as the body count around the town starts to build up, the urgency to find the missing child, Emma, builds up. Billie-Anne makes the link to a case 14 years ago that she was involved in, another missing girl and now knows the race is against the clock to find this perpetrator.
A really enjoyable start, to what I hope is a new series. Billie-Anne’s character was refreshing and suitably buoyant in determination to find the truth. A thought out plot that plays out well. Looking forward to reading more with Billie-Anne.