I read The Bat by this author a few years ago and was decidedly underwhelmed, after all the hype I'd seen about him. I think other Nordic writers did I read The Bat by this author a few years ago and was decidedly underwhelmed, after all the hype I'd seen about him. I think other Nordic writers did a way better job and I didn't bother to stick with that series. However, then I spotted this one going cheap last year and bought it. I'm glad I did. I'm still not planning to head back to Harry but there's a follow-up to this and at least another standalone I spotted so will get hold of those. Now, this story did NOT begin well with the death of a dog which upset me (though there's nothing more like that in it if you can stomach that) but it is a great tale, nonetheless. It reminded me quite a lot of Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer. Along a similar vein. I did like Roy a great deal and Shannon as well. Carl I wasn't much of a fan of. Their relationship with Kurt will run and run into the sequel, one expects.... There were hardly any errors, either. An odd misplaced apostrophe, he wrote sun-warm and not sun-warmed, a missed comma just once and he also wrote leap of trust when the saying is usually leap of faith....but perhaps it translates differently elsewhere. He also kept writing, "as people say" after things Roy was thinking about. I found it amusing at first but it did get a little tiresome, since it continued the whole way through. I'll definitely be buying the second book once the price drops somewhat, though !!...more
Got this download as part of an Audible try-out. Not my favourite way of consuming books, though. This was fascinating as it featured all the newsmen Got this download as part of an Audible try-out. Not my favourite way of consuming books, though. This was fascinating as it featured all the newsmen on the scene and their phonecalls into their offices relating what was happening, and other interviews by personnel close to the action before and after he died. Some of this audio has never been heard till now. I'm a real Kennedy buff and there was lots I'd not heard before so I greatly enjoyed it. Near the end we hear the footage from his funeral live. Hearing Airforce 1 making its flypast, then the gun salute followed by Taps (we have The Last Post over here which is slightly different) was almost the undoing of me.....I know I'd have been absolutely sobbing if I was watching live. We're always getting little bits 'n' pieces released piecemeal so I expect we still have SO much to learn, though I fear so much won't be released in my lifetime, unfortunately. Well worth a listen, I have to say....more
A case I've followed for years since first seeing a film or documentary about it, which I'm pretty sure wasn't the famed The Staircase, since I think A case I've followed for years since first seeing a film or documentary about it, which I'm pretty sure wasn't the famed The Staircase, since I think that's a relatively recent release, and this was WAY before the Alford plea.......I plan on watching it soon, though. There was a lot more in this about the girls, Martha and Margaret, and more of Elizabeth's and Kathleen's back stories I hadn't remembered. However, there was also a lot of stuff I recall that wasn't included in this Audible version. I'm not a fan of listening to books, really, but this was a free trial. I enjoyed it, though. It's always been a very intriguing case and I have never been sure whether Mike was guilty or not. This certainly opened my eyes up to a whole other side of him......and not a good one, either, so one wonders....more
I've followed this case for years now so picked a free Audible book about it as part of a trial from Amazon. Not really my favourite option for any boI've followed this case for years now so picked a free Audible book about it as part of a trial from Amazon. Not really my favourite option for any book. I listened to loads of it twice (or more) since they send me to sleep !! I'd thought I knew pretty much all there was to know about the whole sorry saga but there were a few little bits I had little idea of, especially about Chris' bit-on-the-side. She doesn't come out of this too well, but then who does ?? I enjoyed it but would've preferred the book....more
I was one of the diehards in August 2022 who, starting at 1am, (here in England) sat up to watch the judge's reading of his verdict in this trial.....I was one of the diehards in August 2022 who, starting at 1am, (here in England) sat up to watch the judge's reading of his verdict in this trial.....and watched......and watched till around 6am !! But I finally went to bed sobbing with relief that at last Chris Dawson was heading to prison, though still properly pissed that he'd enjoyed 40+ years of living his best life, shagging his way through Australia since he did away with Lyn. I had listened along with The Teacher's Pet podcast, way back when JC had her real name mentioned, along with Lyn's younger daughter....I am pleased JC finally took it upon herself to go to police but she knew as much in 1990 as she did in 1982, in my opinion, and she really gave no thought to Lyn's whereabouts then, did she ? All this talk of her being groomed actually gets my back up tremendously. I've been a 16/17 year old girl, and trust me, I knew just what I was about, as did she !! So all this sympathy directed her way (though, in fairness, I am not sure Hedley disagrees much with me but has to sound like he's on-board with the old PC wagon) makes me bloody mad !! In her position I'd have gone on and on and on about "where's Lyn" till I was satisfied she wasn't coming back.....Lyn was gone 2 days before he moved her in and she took over her house and her life, and we're to believe she meekly said sweet FA and didn't keep on at him ??? Rubbish......she might pull the wool over a lot of people's eyes but I'm not having it !! She has the front to say, "Lynette Dawson showed me more kindness than anyone else ever has in my entire life".....she wasn't concerned about Lynette when she took her rings, her home, her kids and her husband and made them hers, was she ? Pass me a bucket.....then to say, that after Chris made Lyn drinks so she'd head off to bed early and "Chris Dawson would want to have sex with me".....like it was some appalling imposition ?? Like she didn't encourage him all the way. Sorry, but I don't believe her being recast as a sodding victim in this.....not one little bit. Anyway, this book is superb and a lot contained within we were never made aware of in the actual podcast itself so, even if like myself you listened to it all, it's still well worth a read. Though it wasn't cheap, I have to say. A pal of mine had listened along with me and she also sat up with me on verdict night and we compared notes and I gifted her a copy as well. I'm sure she'll also enjoy it. I have re-downloaded the first series again, actually, and now I know all the background ins and outs and can picture who everyone is I plan to re-listen. I will never really be able to understand or get it right in my head how Lyn's disappearance was really overlooked, but mostly by her family.......if it was my daughter/sister and the husband had his tart move in 2 days after his wife supposedly disappears, I'd not have let that go in any rush !! Everyone close to her seemed to just sort of believe someone else might do something about it. That level of apathy shocks me still ! I really never thought the Simms family came out of the whole event very well at all. I have never understood why Paul Dawson was never arrested, along with the other teachers that have been named, either. Rather than prosecute Chris Dawson over the carnal knowledge, when he ain't going anywhere, I think Australian taxpayers would've been better served if their DPP had gone after the others involved.......yet Paul and his little gang of knobbers seem to have skated free and clear, unless there are investigations still underway. Here's hoping.... I didn't really understand how Lyn's half of the house was awarded to Chris when she wasn't dead, if you were to believe him. Why didn't it get put in trust for her children ? I found it odd he got the lot, while still maintaining she was alive. He must've been laughing his arse off. Some parts made me really tearful....what a waste of life and such a bummer he got away with it as long as he did. But remember, he was no criminal mastermind. Apathy let him remain free for over 4 decades. Thank goodness Hedley stuck with it and finally helped ensure he is where he needs to be. ...more
I got an advanced copy of this for my perusal and whizzed through it. It's the fourth in this series and Sally's Sebastian Clifford series remains my I got an advanced copy of this for my perusal and whizzed through it. It's the fourth in this series and Sally's Sebastian Clifford series remains my big favourite but I'm yet to pick up one of her stories I haven't enjoyed. She creates some (in the main) extremely likeable characters and teams of police personnel. It's always nice in one of her series to pick up again with previous characters you've already met. With this story we got the added bonus of super-sleuth Ellie joining this team while on holiday in Cornwall !! I found there weren't so many twists in this one as in previous stories but that didn't take away my enjoyment in the least. Here we have retired police officers being targeted which makes for an interesting premise.....I had thought I'd figured out where it was heading till I got to reading about the third victim, however, then my theory went out the window !! As I said, I really enjoyed Ellie being seconded here for a while and I hope she'll still be featured perhaps in the next story based in Cornwall. I look forward to getting my hands on it ! ...more
I've already read books by this author and enjoyed them a great deal so when this one dropped in price I snapped it up PDQ ! Again, she hasn't disappoI've already read books by this author and enjoyed them a great deal so when this one dropped in price I snapped it up PDQ ! Again, she hasn't disappointed and I was hooked. As usual I had no idea who was going to turn out to be the baddie and guessed at a few differing people as she dropped clues here and there, knowing we'd usually get it wrong !! I usually have to give up if I'm really not keen on or liking the protagonist very much but in this case with Tina it wasn't a problem. I was onside till she crossed a line for me I wasn't too happy about and I wiped my hands of her, then. There's only so far my empathy with her was going to take me !! I liked Sorcha yet found my feelings on her turned the other way. At first I thought she was a self-satisfied, vacuous dope but I ended up greatly warming to her. There are some very funny lines throughout this which made me giggle to myself. No doubt some readers will find the odd bit of language unacceptable but I always like bad language being used as people talk like that, so for me it rings way truer than the odd "goodness gracious" !! Though, since I mentioned language, this sentence reads just wrong to me altogether, "When I look in the mirror, I'm disappointed to see I don't look quite as good as I hoped it might"...... I couldn't find the definition of "hanging like a bat".....I took it to mean smelly but Google or even the Urban Dictionary were of no help here. We got to hear too often, as an aside, Christina was feeling hot or sweaty, too !! There were the odd words dropped from sentences, drug taking I'd personally hyphenate, "Its uncomfortable" when it ought to be "It's" and I'd write speciality not specialty, as that's usually an Americanised version. Then THIS line baffled me but then I realised all it needed was a comma to make the sense it was supposed to-"Joan had left a large pot of home-made soup, which would be easier for me to eat on the stove......." Read it back to yourself and you'll get what I'm meaning. These errors aside, I'll definitely read more by this author. Oh, I'm with her regarding Twitter vs X as well.....I mean, we send a Tweet.....so what do we do on X ? Just post, I suppose ? There was no need to change its name in the least...a dumb move as everyone knows what I mean when I say Twitter and never correct me on it so they probably still call it that themselves !!...more
I bought myself a copy of this when I spotted the film/series has been put out online. It had been in my favourites a while and was on offer so it wasI bought myself a copy of this when I spotted the film/series has been put out online. It had been in my favourites a while and was on offer so it was the perfect time to snag my copy. I am so glad I did. It is a fascinating 'story' altogether. And I have no idea why I've not heard about it till now, either !! I guess the timing, November 1997, maybe took it away from UK news as we were probably still full of Diana's death then, and little else. I do believe Warren wasn't as culpable as Kelly was; however, for me, Josephine was the main protagonist and she was lucky to get away pretty much scot-free.....though, she ended up as a stripper, so I guess didn't do so well for herself. I actually grew to like Warren through Rebecca's terrific writing and also Syreeta. The Russian sisters too, and I had the highest hopes they would do well for themselves. I wish she'd included photos but I will do a search on Google when I'm done here to find Reena. I did struggle to understand why Reena pursued Colin when she had a boyfriend, however. It wasn't ever really explained and left me more than a tad baffled ! I guess in some ways it's lucky the perpetrators were young, as teenage offenders can NEVER help themselves and always have to run their fool mouths and boast about what they've done. Same the world over. So we can count on them to drop themselves straight in it !! The police interviews with the kids I found really interesting as well, and I am glad she included them in full here. She wrote some tremendous passages, such as, "She was dark-skinned and heavy in a town and time that valued the thin and the blonde".....I would hazard a guess that that remains the case if we're brutally honest. Also, "The water was so very still in the bay of recovery." A sentence she wrote about Warren and his dad had me howling...."...that was the first time his father had ever told him he was loved".....when he was in jail !! THAT speaks volumes. As does a quote from a police officer, "The kids in the beating and murder, not one of them came from an intact family." I find that extremely telling, even (and probably especially) now when the family unit has further fractured and kids' violence gets more and more extreme. We learn near the end that the girl convicted has a child in prison.....I also find THIS wrong on just so many levels and wonder what on earth possesses some authorities !! She's perfect parent-material, of course !! Just ridiculous to allow her to be able to fall pregnant, let alone KEEP a child !! We're also left with Suman, Reena's mother, offering Warren support and encouragement. That level of forgiveness I personally could never manage but it's admirable. It wasn't without the odd mistake...the foreword had it's written and not it's, effect was written, not affect and french not French. She used the word outlaw in an odd fashion here: "....Josephine and Dusty may have dreamed about in their fantasies of being tough and outlaw." Then now and not know was written and gang related/rule bound/exboyfriend/ need hyphenating. I will now look up the pictures of the real people to see who's who and watch the film/series. I was saddened to learn of the author's early death and what a shame, too, that the she didn't live to see it, I imagine. A pity we lost a terrific author, too. She did a really tremendous job on this....more
My Kindle First choice for the month. I really liked it, though I'd say it wasn't a story particularly strange or startling, if you get me. But I was My Kindle First choice for the month. I really liked it, though I'd say it wasn't a story particularly strange or startling, if you get me. But I was eager to pick it up each time I went back to it, which is always a positive sign !! I got a kick out of the drought throwing up all the bodies in barrels as I recall that that was a "thing" during a drought recently in the States and bodies were appearing that people thought would've been long forgotten about !! Willa's mum made me laugh, though we don't see much of her. One mention of her made me laugh aloud, ".....then bragged to the tow truck driver she hadn't even spilled her beer when we crashed" !! She was a real pistol, as they like to say over there ! Another line that made me chuckle was when a gun instructor said, "If you do shoot an intruder, you'd better kill them. Otherwise, they'll sue you" !! Hehehe......he probably isn't far wrong there. It wasn't without the odd error. Chardonnay ought to be capitalised, yet she did that thing of capitalising black, which I see a lot lately. A few words I think needed hyphenating as well, like shell shocked, sleep deprived or gut wrenching. Another sentence near the end reads as awful English to me, too....'There's still a running debate on if men like (X) are born or made.' It wasn't an unreadable mess, though. I had to look up to see what a po'boy was and a dip and what getting out over your skis meant. Then ONW as well....I'm clearly not as down with the kids as the author !! Sometimes you wonder that we speak the same language !! I'll definitely read something else by her off the back of this one. ...more
You know, I have had this book on my devices since 2017, I'm ashamed to say.......along with Dani Atkins I keep this author's books to one side as theYou know, I have had this book on my devices since 2017, I'm ashamed to say.......along with Dani Atkins I keep this author's books to one side as they necessitate a read in private, because one can pretty much guarantee I'll be a snivelling wretch at some point (or usually at more than one point) in stories they both write. Plus I usually read thrillers and true murder more than anything else. I digress......this is a fabulous story and I laughed and cried and then cried some more. One passage in particular I have kept as it is an absolute beaut....though I know that even while I type it out here it's going to have me howling yet again...."And when that dreaded tomorrow comes for us, please know that I didn't want to leave you, or be left behind, that every single moment spent with you were the best times in my life..." I hope the author won't mind but I wrote it out in a card for my other half to keep...it's just so touching and really affected me. I just adored her characters here, especially the leading pair of Adam and Christine. Though her sisters also take some beating, I have to say. Later in the story I was crying at yet another little sentence or two then in the same page one of her sisters said something cutting and I highlighted that as well and write, "Thanks, Brenda" as she made me laugh on the very same page. Now, that surely takes some doing !! And there are some VERY funny little moments as well.....the mention of Christine being much fonder of Barry's mum than he believed really appealed to my sense of humour, as did the mention of water in Adam's ears !! As for errors, I spotted the word to missed from a sentence and that was it !! Sterling work for sure. I'll definitely not be waiting so long next time to read another of her super books, that's for sure !!...more
A Kindle First jobbie and I made a great choice. This one is a laughing then sobbing type of story. And yes, you need to suspend belief here and thereA Kindle First jobbie and I made a great choice. This one is a laughing then sobbing type of story. And yes, you need to suspend belief here and there but that doesn't do any harm now and then. I really enjoyed it a great deal and will definitely read another by this author. Something else I ought to mention is you need to concentrate well as it hops about in more ways than one in differing timelines with differing results and it did get a little convoluted for me here and there but it's worth sticking with it. It's intriguing too as the dates it's set in partly were the actual days I was reading it !! The characters are likeable and you're really egging them all on to do the right thing and get a satisfactory resolution for all concerned. It wasn't without some errors-missed hyphens in jelly like, one handed, cotton wool, over emotional and free fall, then a couple of words were dropped from sentences here and there and she writes nob where I'd have written knob. At one point she also wrote about a "note" on the back of a photo that didn't ring true as it was so long !!! She also uses inquiries and not the more English enquiries. But well worth a read for sure !! Most intriguing and something a little different, too. ...more
I bought this way back in 2022 because I always like to have one ready to pick up at any given time but I finally had to cave in and read it BEFORE shI bought this way back in 2022 because I always like to have one ready to pick up at any given time but I finally had to cave in and read it BEFORE she has released book 11 in the series. I'm more than a little bothered it hasn't been forthcoming as yet. On the author's website it mentioned that she had a contract for 3 more in the series after book 9 so I am ever hopeful !! Once again this one was an easy 5* for me. I love this set of books. The characters especially are real old friends now, though I properly wanted to shake Nora a few times during this one !! I always enjoy reading about her and Thomas's personal lives away from work, too. Marlaine Delargy has once more done a sterling job with her translation. Though she is based here so I'm unsure why she goes with Americanised spellings. Most translated works appear to be the same, however. The story was an exciting one and as usual I guessed all wrong as to what was occurring !! The ending made me decidedly sniffy, though in the Acknowledgements I had to laugh at the "sharp archipelago eyes" mention ! The only 'mistake' I spotted was I'd have capitalised Shepherd in German shepherd but that was it so a really terrific job from all concerned. Now, PLEASE get onto book 11 !!...more
A tremendous read. This is set around the sorority house murders in Florida perpetrated by the infamous Ted Bundy. To her credit, the author refused tA tremendous read. This is set around the sorority house murders in Florida perpetrated by the infamous Ted Bundy. To her credit, the author refused to mention his name once the whole way through. I have read a LOT about this case and I found it interesting that sometimes she uses real names, then doesn't. An interesting conception. Usually it's one way or the other......this aside, it was very well written and offered up what occurred from the viewpoint of one of the girls in the house that night. And I saw in the acknowledgements that one of them was thanked so it came right from the horse's mouth, so to speak. The final chapters were extremely harrowing, from the point of view of knowing what happened to Ruth. Very sad indeed. I did get a little confused here and there as we jump around in timelines but also Pamela and Ruth are both pseudonyms. I think, from a personal preference, I'd have been a little less baffled if she HAD used real names the whole way through. In all fairness, all the characters with fictional names HAVE been named throughout the ensuing decades. However, she clearly has her reasons not to have done. I read a book last year about the Speck killings in Chicago and this is reminiscent of that, though it could well have been written before that one was. Both are very good indeed. I was aware his time in the house wasn't hours and hours but hadn't taken on board that the damage he did was really only in the space of around 20 minutes !! He had truly lost his mind altogether by then. I had also always "remembered" that the attack down the road happened first, but according to this he went on after this attack to the other victim's place !! I liked there was some levity in the girls' thoughts and actions post-crime.....as in true-life there would have been, I'm sure. People need to find humour in dreadful events at times or they'd fall to pieces. No doubt there was plenty of that, too, to go round. Loved this little passage she wrote, "Nobody had ever treated me like I was the silver ball of mercury in the thermometer's glass chamber." I googled a "see you soon" that was referred to but Google was no help......clearly an American idiom of old they consider we'd all understand ! She also described Bundy as an incel, which I wouldn't as he WAS legitimately getting laid most of the time as I recall. There were hardly any mistakes, either. She did commence proceedings using a LOT of hyphens but that dropped off as I read, and at one point she wrote compounded and not impounded then least where I'd have written worst to make better sense, and I also spotted a few missed question marks. Nothing sufficient to mar this terrific tale, though. I'll definitely be reading other books she's written, too....more
My Kindle First choice for March, 2024 and what a cracking choice it was !! I so enjoyed it. Poor Simone properly put herself (and all around her, tooMy Kindle First choice for March, 2024 and what a cracking choice it was !! I so enjoyed it. Poor Simone properly put herself (and all around her, too) through it off the back of what the fortune teller had imparted. I have someone close to me who suffers with anxiety and I am forever pointing out it isn't a disease, or a sickness, just what his own thoughts and brain are telling him and they need to pack it in....he needs to ignore them. Just as she should've done as it pretty much took over her whole life. And not for only a month or so, but needless whole years. Her husband in particular had the patience of a bloody saint with her. She was lucky he so patently adored her. The ending blew my socks off, I must say, though !! At one point she wrote brewing where I'd have used the word stewing, and I spotted a couple of missed-off question marks. Then I spotted a dropped word from a sentence on page 283 and made a note that this was a rare mistake, so presentation was up-to-snuff as well, which also made the whole experience more of a pleasure, trust me. I can't say too much more as I refuse to do spoilers, hidden or otherwise, but it was a fascinating story and also something a bit different and I loved it. These Kindle First offerings are a super idea since I rarely take a punt on actually BUYING books these days from unknown authors, but I've found a few now using this service that I have gone onto pay for from the same author, and it will be the same with this one. Highly recommended. Oooh, her new book due out in June is on sale right now for 99p as a pre-order....bish, bash, bosh..........sorted !!...more
I have more than half a dozen books by this author but the last one I read some years back I found pretty disappointing. However, I used to really likI have more than half a dozen books by this author but the last one I read some years back I found pretty disappointing. However, I used to really like her stories so took a gamble on a revisit. Glad I did as I greatly enjoyed this one. The synopsis has a proper hook....I recall telling my chap about it back when I bought it in July last year, and, to his credit, he remembered my mentioning it when I started it !! Or else he put on a good act of doing so.......hehehe. You have to pay attention down to the cast of characters and the kids being mentioned a lot. I took a lot of guesses in my head as I read as to what was occurring but I was wrong on all counts, most satisfyingly ! I loved the explanation behind the nickname Chimpy as well..... I got a kick out of Beth's sense of humour throughout....the little thoughts and asides she has had me giggling. She did this thing I am liable to do as well, when she said to Dom, "Please answer the question I'm about to ask you honestly, without trying to please me"......though I usually do using his name as a preface......then he knows something serious is coming !! I WAS irritated to see it was originally released in 2020 under another bloody title, however. I'd have had the raving hump if it was one I already owned. I wish publishers would pack this lark in altogether. She did the Americanised thing too of writing leaped and not leapt and I spotted a couple of missed-off apostrophes and dropped speechmarks once that I noticed but that was it for errors, which is pretty good going. I'll definitely go back to reading some more by this author, though I'll annoyingly need to check first I am not purchasing a re-release now I'm aware her particular publisher does this !!...more
Another tremendous tale in this super series, and when I looked back I was shocked to see the last one I read was back in July 2022 so it's been a lonAnother tremendous tale in this super series, and when I looked back I was shocked to see the last one I read was back in July 2022 so it's been a long old wait !! In the interim the author's been no slouch, as she started her third series (another one I highly recommend) so I'd no idea it had been so long !! It didn't feel like it, since this is book 13 and it is easier to recall who's who with greater ease after a break. This was once again an advanced read courtesy of the author, which is very kind of her.....plus I never miss a release, either !! I was pretty disappointed when it ended where it did as "we" all had a special occasion to attend so I hope in book 14 we get to actually do so......hint, hint.... It was super to hear Whitney's no-nonsense approach to her work and one remark she made to an interviewee made me laugh aloud when he told her something she needed to know was 'complicated'. Right away she snapped back with, "Well, uncomplicate it" !! Perfect. It was an interesting tale, though I was intrigued to learn more about the Death's Shadow theory itself. I wish she'd gone into it a little deeper, although for the story's purpose it wasn't required. I learned in this book too that a family liaison officer rocks up after a murder as a matter of routine. It sounded like the victim's family get little choice. I hadn't realised this. I just hope book 14 is out sooner for us as I'm itching to follow on from the ending in this one !!...more
I just LOVED this book so much !!! It was a Kindle First download choice and I realise I have read the ones I had picked in the wrong order so I'm proI just LOVED this book so much !!! It was a Kindle First download choice and I realise I have read the ones I had picked in the wrong order so I'm properly late reviewing this one. I was a little unsure at first if it was my sort of thing but I'm so glad I took that punt and gave it a go. It is just tremendous. Had me smiling then sobbing in equal measures......though probably more sobbing than not ! It's such a lovely, lovely story and she's written it so well. So many touching little passages I highlighted to keep as well that really resonated for me. It was written using Americanised spelling which annoyed me at first but then the bulk of the story's set over there. I did find it odd that Evie referred to autumn AS autumn and not fall, however. She also does that thing they do writing, for example, slinked and not slunk, creeped not crept or leaped and not leapt. She spelt glamorous wrong, too, as glamourous (though as I type that here it hasn't put the red wiggly line beneath it, but Google didn't find it spelt that way as I was reading). She wrote French properly one time as well, then suddenly didn't capitalise it on every other mention. Someone ought to have spotted that !! A few sentences lost question marks at the ends, too. I will not be marking this down a star, however, as I just can't........it's a story and characters that will stay with me for an age. I will be searching out the other book I see she's also written...though not reading it right away. I need to recover from this one, first. I told my chappie I was glad I was at home and not over his place as I finished it as I was howling......it wouldn't have been pretty !! So this one comes HIGHLY recommended.....give it a go. It's super....more
This is my favourite of Sally's series of books and, trust me, I read them all. She always writes terrific and (mostly) likeable characters but somethThis is my favourite of Sally's series of books and, trust me, I read them all. She always writes terrific and (mostly) likeable characters but something about Sebastian and Birdie appeals to me more, somehow. This one was quite fascinating as it features a hunt for a long-ago adopted child and it came at a time that Birdie had of course recently embarked upon her own personal quest so she could properly empathise. And Sebastian also gets his own shocker in this story, which made me chuckle ! I love how Seb always manages to put his snootier clientele right back in their boxes each and every time they've not wanted to share information with or seem to have the slightest doubts about Birdie. I like this about him a great deal. I am imagining Sally had to put some real legwork into researching this story, too, since it also featured a storyline on organ transplantation, which gives it an intriguing edge. I did laugh to myself at the name of a town-Wells-next-the-Sea......I highlighted it, thinking it was a mistake and then googled it later and it wasn't at all, so I did the author down there in my mind. Apologies, Sally !! I received an advanced copy of this story so any errors or other remarks I may have I will forward directly to the author. However, this series is a terrific one and I highly recommend it....more
LOVED this story but I'm a little irritated, however.......the synopsis has the women sounding like they're being kept someplace secret together. But LOVED this story but I'm a little irritated, however.......the synopsis has the women sounding like they're being kept someplace secret together. But what is written there is ONLY written there and not in the actual book. So the whole way through I waited for this encounter that never occurred ! Most peculiar....I am not sure if maybe that's cos' I was given an ARC version and it appears in the final proper published copy or what ? Anyhow, this aside, it was super to meet this newest team in Sally's stable of great characters once more and to catch up with what's going on with them all. I see there's a third book incoming too, soon, so that's a treat. I still think my favourite of her series is the one with Sebastian but only by a very small margin as she writes some terrific characters. There's a real jaw-on-the-floor shocker at the end of this one as well !! Made me gasp ! It is interesting this set of stories are set in real places as I'm pretty sure her Lenchester set are in a fictional place as I am sure I tried googling it in the past... I loved how Lauren opened her questioning to the suspect near the end and got him fired up. That was rather delicious for me. I would suggest you read the first in this series before this one as little odds 'n' sods referred to in this story happened in that one. Plus it makes sense, really, I always think, to read a series by date of issue. That's why they're in numerical order in the first place !! Any mistakes I spotted I'll pass onto the author directly-the least I can do to reciprocate her gifting me such another terrific few days of great entertainment....more
This was a Kindle First offering which I was delighted to see as I love the Nordic authors. They know how to weave a terrific line !! There were some This was a Kindle First offering which I was delighted to see as I love the Nordic authors. They know how to weave a terrific line !! There were some very surprising and shocking incidents in this one and it certainly held my interest. Camilla the Instagram fiend was a scary proposition as there are probably people like her that really exist in this day and age. Per seems very smitten with Charlotte, which is an interesting relationship, since she is also good friends with Mia, his wife.......one to watch in ensuing stories. I noticed the translator went with Americanised spellings but then saw at the end that he's based there. For some reason Tramadol was never capitalised, whereas another brand name-Dolcontin-always was. Thought that was peculiar but it happened at every mention. Canvas was written and not canvass.....drama queen was a little lost in translation as well as it pretty much referred to a tarty girl, and then this sentence, "I've been looking for you like a ferret" probably meant "I've been trying to ferret you out" !! They write Syndicates a lot, too, whereas they're usually referred to as Syndicate in the singular, these types of organisations. A sentence near the end caught my eye.....being a fan of true crime, people often wonder why and I often say pretty much the same thing, "It's said that all of us are potential murderers, if the situation demands it." I'll definitely be getting hold of the next story in this series....more
Loading...
