My review of The Fifth To Die by J.D. Barker

Exceptional storyline and writing. Read the 4MK first otherwise, you will miss out on a real treat of a series that is compelling, exciting and unputdownable. This book, like the first, is fast-paced and so tense my toes curled. It has multiple storylines, but you won't get lost or confused because J.D brings all the threads together - eventually. It has multiple POV's but again you won't get confused because each character is unique with their own distinct voice. You will enter a world full of believable personalities and this book is rich with excellent dialogue. I loved Sam Porter even more in this book, but now we have some unanswered questions and I can't wait to find out what's going on. But I will have to wait because this is, of course, not the end. And then there is Anson Bishop, the sociopath that Porter is obsessed with finding. He has such a brilliant, twisted mind that I'm left admiring him! and that's bad right? Because he's a serial killer, but he draws you into his sick games where you keep trying to guess his next move and never get it right. He's scary, thrilling and I'm left enthralled by him. He's a man with, 'a steady tick of a clock somewhere in a little nook of my subconscious, a clock more accurate than any hanging on a wall.' And his 'anger can be held in check, bottled and stored and opened when it is most needed.' He makes me shiver with delight. This is a dark, gritty, compelling read where the tensions build from the start and don't end. I can't wait for the next installment. Thank you J.D Barker for another masterpiece.

My review of Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh




When I saw this hook I just had to read this book.
THE SERIAL KILLER ISN'T ON TRIAL.
HE'S ON THE JURY...
It didn't disappoint. Eddie Flynn is such a great character, a conman turned lawyer who still retains the cons skills and uses them to defend his case. Joshua Kane, the evil serial killer, was also brilliant. Cold, intelligent and manipulative. This is exciting and thrilling right to the very end. A great read. and another author I will be following.

My review of The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech




Louise Beech is one hell of a writer. This is a story about Ben and Andrew. Andrew made a wish that he wrote down and kept in a silver box ... Ben lost his mum to cancer and has a difficult relationship with his father, Andrew never knew his father. Many coincidences bring them together resulting in a moving, tragic yet also uplifting book.
The author transports you to the heat and smells of Africa with such attention to detail that you really believe you are there, and then she takes you back to damp Britain. And the characters are so real that you can't help but love them and care deeply about the choices they make and how life treats them.
Her writing is exquisite, how anyone can convey such emotion with words is amazing, I'm blown away by it. For example, 'the words knotted Ben's stomach, like ribbons just too tight around a gift.'
Louise Beech is now one of my favourite authors ever.
You have to read her books. HAVE TO!

My review of Red Snow by Will Dean




Two bodies, two coins, two weeks and so the story unfolds. I loved Dark Pines and couldn't wait to read this one and follow Tuva Moodyson's journey. Tuva is now preparing to leave Garvrik, which I for one, am sorry about. I love shivering when I read about this cold, isolated place where when you open a window, 'freezing air pours in like seawater' and where 'everything’s white. It looks like God poured a bottle of correction fluid over the whole town, and who the hell could blame him.' The author's descriptive writing is so good you are transported to Garvrik and chilled to the bone as you read.
Before Tuva leaves she has one last job to do, research on the liquorice factory and the secretive family who live there.
The author's last book left me with strange images of trolls and this book has left me with images of snow skulls! Very creepy and I loved the information about liquorice.
Tuva is a great character, very well drawn, very real and I hope she continues to feature in future books. I so wanted her to find love, especially when we find out what's going on in Tuva's head, for example. 'When she stands in front of me my head turns into a soft clump of overcooked pasta' or 'we're slowly tangling together like climbing roses.'
The writing throughout this book is beautiful, descriptive, excellent and this, together with the fantastic array of characters, makes this an outstanding book.