☀️ Summer Reads ~ When You Looked Away by S M Govett

Penguin
Michael Joseph
9 July 2026

DI Helen Stratton #2

Thanks to the publisher for the invitation to read this book

 

Laura is ready to start a new chapter. Between her messy divorce with her ex-husband, and moving in with her new fiancé, her son Benjy and her successful writing career have been her only constants.

Until that fateful day. The afternoon starts like any other. Laura collects Benjy from school, then heads upstairs to write.

It’s not until the sun is setting that she realises the house is quiet. Too quiet.

It’s not until she sees the footprints in the garden that she knows something is terribly wrong.

One set is undeniably Benjy’s. It’s the other set that strikes fear in her heart – those of an adult.

Someone who took her son, right from under her nose…

DI Stratton is called to investigate. She must trust no one - and suspect everyone. Even Laura.

After all, doesn't her latest story follow a boy the same age as Benjy? One that takes a devastating turn.

☀️ My Review..

When You Looked Away hits the ground running with the tragic discovery that Laura Forrester’s eleven year old son Benjy is missing from home and with no signs of any disturbance in the house, the front door still locked, Laura heads out into the garden where she discovers two sets of footprints leading into the woods and with it comes the realisation that Benjy has left the house with someone. What then follows is a complex investigation and as DI Helen Stratton and her team of detectives start to unpick the less than obvious clues, so a twisty domestic drama starts to unfold.

What I enjoy about these crime novels is the believability of the characters especially DI Stratton who is both prickly and feisty in equal measure, she can be sharp and snarky and yet seems to get the job done without ruffling too many feathers. Intricately written, there’s a few clever twists I didn’t see coming and even though I thought I had the perpetrator sussed, there were so many red herrings that I was never quite convinced my theories were correct. The ending, when it comes, is entirely convincing and I’m pleased to discover that the story points in the direction of another DI Stratton story, hopefully, sometime soon.

There’s nothing better than settling down on a summer’s afternoon to read the latest crime thriller from this talented writer. To be back in the company of DI Helen Stratton in this second book in the series is a real delight. 

About the Author

S.M. Govett read Law at Trinity College, Oxford, before qualifying as a solicitor in the City. After realising that didn't suit her, she started tutoring before turning her hand to writing, which she discovered was her true calling. She has since authored several bestselling YA novels, including The Territory trilogy and We Go On Forever. She also co-wrote the screenplay for the feature film, T.I.M., which was the no. 1 film on Netflix upon release. Believe is her debut adult thriller.

She currently lives in London with her husband and three children.

X @sarahgovett #WhenYouLookedAway

X @MichaelJBooks

📖 Book Review ~ Death at the Castle Gates by Nick Oldham

 

Severn
2 June 2026

PS Jessica Raker #3

My thanks to the publisher for the copy of this book 

His dying wish will be her biggest regret . . .

With her colleague Dougie Doolan’s health rapidly failing, former firearms officer Sergeant Jessica Raker takes on his hunt for local crook Rory Walton. Not only is Rory the suspected arsonist behind a house fire that claims the life of a young mother, but he and his brother are also burgeoning rivals to the Ribble Valley’s crime supremo, Mags Horsefield.

As Jess strives to bring Rory to justice, she is drawn into a deadly web of deceit and corruption. But there’s another case Dougie also wants Jess to solve . . . Is she ready to confront a terrifying night from her own past twenty years ago to help a dying colleague?

📖 My Review ..

The opening prologue sets a rather creepy atmosphere which further continues as we meet once again with Police Sergeant Jessica Raker who, together with her small team of officers, seeks to keep the criminals at bay in rural Lancashire. However, as Jess discovers, to her cost, there is more going on in this small corner of the Ribble Valley than she could ever have imagined when she first moved to the North West from London. Chasing crooks is what Jess and her small team of police officers do best but this case is complicated from the start and it’s soon obvious that there is someone pulling the strings who may have previously had crime links in the area. 

Those who have read the previous book in the series Death on Wolf Fell will be more than familiar with this author’s gritty style of writing and whilst this story pretty much picks up where the previous story ended there are lots of new clues to follow and plenty of twists and turns in a plot which hits the ground running and which doesn’t let up its exciting pace until the dramatic conclusion, which more than lends itself to another story featuring Sergeant Jessica Raker.

The setting is perfect, rural Lancashire at its best, the police procedural is authentic and utterly convincing, the crooks are so bad, they’re horrid and yet there’s also humour and heart, with well drawn characters who remain long after the story is told.  Death at the Castle Gates had everything I wanted in a crime thriller, even a bit of a supernatural twist added for good measure, my only disappointment is that I’ll have to wait a while for the next book, which I hope won’t be too long in coming.

About the Author

Nick Oldham was born in Belthorn, Lancashire, in 1956. He has been a police officer since the age of nineteen, spending the majority of his service in operational roles, before retiring in 2005. He lives with his partner, Belinda, on the outskirts of Preston.

X @NickOldhamBooks #DeathAtTheCastleGates

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📖 Book Review ~ Troublemaker by Lesley Kara

Random House UK
Random House
15 January 2026

Thanks to the publisher for my copy this book

Storm used to be just like her name. Wild and strong. A force to be reckoned with.

But ever since her younger brother was killed in a violent mugging, she has led a very different life: quiet and cautious, seeing danger everywhere. Storm’s tendency to panic has resulted in several false alarms, so when she witnesses a murder with uncanny similarities to the way her brother was killed, and yet no body is found and no one is reported missing, the police don’t take her seriously.

But Storm knows what she saw. And the murder is only the start – the killer will stop at nothing to keep Storm quiet. But how can she solve the murder and stay out of danger when no one believes her?

📖 My Review…

After the traumatic death of her younger brother, Storm tries to pick up the pieces of her life and whilst she tries to carry on, she can’t shake off the suspicion that someone is targeting her. After a series of false alarms, and unable to convince the police, Storm is labelled a troublemaker and isn’t taken seriously. However, when events start to spiral out of control Storm realises that she has to conduct her own investigation whilst at the same time placing herself in great danger.

This is a cleverly written psychological suspense story which has all the necessary twists and turns to keep you guessing and whilst it took me a while to warm to Storm’s character I couldn’t help but want everything to work out well for her. The pace of the story is good, with lots going on, a few cleverly placed red herrings and some scary situations that had me gripped, especially toward the end of the story when the tension really starts to rack up.

Troublemaker looks at the issues around unresolved grief and the effects of PTSD and does so in an entirely appropriate manner whilst the same timely keeping the edginess of the story paramount.

Best Read With: A double shot of espresso and a comforting chocolate hobnob.

About the Author

Lesley Kara is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Rumour, Who Did You Tell?, The Dare, The Apartment Upstairs and The Other Tenant. The Rumour was the highest selling crime fiction debut of 2019 in the UK, a Kindle No.1 bestseller, and is now a major TV series on Channel 5. Lesley is an alumna of the Faber Academy 'Writing a Novel' course. She lives in Kent.

X@LesleyKara #Troublemaker

Instagram @lesleykarawriter

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📖 Book Review ~ A Death in Glasgow by Eva Macrae

Random House UK
Penguin Books UK
Cornerstone
8 January 2025
Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

She bought a return ticket. She never came back…

When Holly Campbell’s body is found on the train tracks at Glasgow Central, police quickly rule it a suicide.

She’d had a troubled past. She’d tried before.

But Sergeant May Mackay can’t let one detail go. If Holly never wanted to come home, why did she buy a return ticket?

Driven by her own haunting loss and a promise to Holly’s grieving mother, May is determined to solve the mystery.

But the deeper she digs, the more sinister the truth becomes.

Someone is hiding a terrible secret. And they’ll do whatever it takes to keep it buried.

Even if it means silencing May for good.

📖My Review..

Holly Campbell’s mother is distraught by the violent death of her teenage daughter and appeals to Sergeant May Mackay to do all she can to determine just why Holly landed on the train tracks at Glasgow Central Station. With so many twists and turns this well written and fast paced crime novel certainly hits the ground running and doesn’t let go of the tension until the whole of this complex crime drama has played out.

As it’s the start of what I hope is a new crime series there is a certain amount of scene setting and Sergeant Mackay’s own complex lifestyle certainly adds a very poignant dynamic to the story. However, it is Mackay’s tenacity to get into the very heart of the crime, leaving no stone unturned, in her quest for justice for Holly, and peace of mind for Holly’s grieving mother. Meanwhile as the story progresses May Mackay makes some very powerful enemies amongst the organised crime gangs who prey on the weak and vulnerable of Glasgow’s underbelly. I am sure we’ll get to know more about this corrupt gangland world in future hard hitting crime stories.

Gritty and powerful, A Death In Glasgow is a great introduction to Sergeant May Mackay and I hope to see more of her in future stories.

☕️Best Read With: : A tepid coffee and a hasty sandwich 

About the Author

Eva Macrae is the author of A Death in Glasgow, a thrilling police procedural set in Glasgow which is publishing in January 2026. Having been born in Glasgow, Eva is a former newspaper photographer turned crime

📖 Blogathon ~ Night by Night by Jack Jordan

Simon & Schuster
26 February 2026

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book and to Compulsive Readers for the opportunity
to take part in this Blogathon

 

If you're reading this, I'm dead.

Rejected by her family and plagued by insomnia, Rose Shaw is on the brink. But one dark evening she collides with a man running through the streets, who quickly vanishes. The only sign he ever existed - a journal dropped at Rose's feet.

She begins to obsessively dedicate her sleepless nights to discovering what happened to Finn Matthews, the mysterious author of the journal. Why was he convinced someone wanted to kill him? And why, in the midst of a string of murders, won't the police investigate his disappearance?

Rose is determined to uncover the truth. But she has no idea what the truth will cost her...

My Review..

After a tragic accident, and with her relationship with her husband and daughter in ruins, Rose Shaw’s life is in complete breakdown. Suffering from chronic insomnia Rose seems trapped in a world of her own, always out of step with the world around her. When she inadvertently comes across a journal written by another person in turmoil, it starts an obsessive interest in discovering more about the author of the journal,  and as Rose starts to delve deeper she gets dragged into a dark and dangerous place.

Night by Night is definitely a story which grabs your attention from the very beginning and doesn’t let up on the tension until the whole of this complicated plot is revealed with so much detail it made me both sad and angry in equal measure. The writing is intense, often gritty and quite disturbing in places, it reveals so much of what’s dark and dangerous that I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction.  

There is no doubt that the author  is very skilful and writes this dark and gritty crime really well. He has an uncanny knack of making even the most unlikeable of characters relatable, and believe me there are several in this story who are really so obnoxious they made my blood boil. The momentum of the story never falters, there are no loose ends left hanging and there is never a moment when I didn’t want to keep turning the pages even though at times I was fearful of what Rose was going to discover next.

Having been involved in this Blogathon to feature the re-published books in this crime series I am continually impressed by this author’s writing and how quickly I become invested in the plot. Night by Night is no exception as it continues the genre with a story which tugs away at every one of your emotions.

About the Author

Jack Jordan is the global bestselling author of Anything for Her, My Girl, A Woman Scorned, Before Her Eyes, Night by Night, Do No Harm and Conviction, and an Amazon No. 1 bestseller in the UK, Canada and Australia.

Do No Harm was described as ‘chilling’ by Sarah Pearse, ‘brilliant’ by Lesley Kara and ‘pulse-racing’ by Louise Candlish. It was an instant Times bestseller on first publication and a Waterstones Thriller of the Month pick.

To find out more, follow Jack on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok:

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Instagram @jackjordan_author

TikTok @jackjordan_author

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🎅🏻 Festive Read ~ Cold Blooded Killer by Alex Pine

Avon Books
October 2025
DI James Walker #6
Thank you to the publisher for my copy of this book

Journalist Gordon Carver receives news that sends a chill down his spine. Rushing home from the pub, he frantically calls his police contact, DCI James Walker to share his discovery, only to be struck from behind, plunging him into darkness.

James misses the call, and by the time he arrives at the crime scene, Gordon is dead. With his name as the last entry in Gordon's phone, James is thrust into a chilling investigation. What vital information was Gordon about to reveal, and who silenced him?

With no witnesses and scant evidence, James races against time to uncover the truth. Can he uncover the mystery before the killer slips away?

🎅🏻 My Review..

DCI James Walker unfortunately has to leave his wife and his young children on Christmas Day in order to start the investigation into the death of local journalist, Gordon Carver, whose body has been found in suspicious circumstances. What then follows is a complex murder investigation which becomes more and more complicated as time goes on and with several suspects DCI Walker and his team are determined to track down the perpetrator.

I thought the writer kept up the intensity of the story and whilst I have only read one previous book, and that was the very first in the series, I was soon able to pick up the dynamic of the plot and thought that the interaction between the detectives in the investigative team was good with DCI Walker very much in control of everything. There’s a definite festive edge to the story, the Cumbrian setting works well as does the cold and snowy weather. The short and snappy chapters ensure that the story moves along quickly and with several twists and turns, and quite a few red herrings, I found that I had to keep amending who I thought had murdered Gordon Carver. The ending pulled everything together well and with a successful outcome for DCI Walker I am sure we will see him return in another Christmas crime story next year.

About the Author

Alex Pine is the pseudonym of a bestselling author who has also written books under the names Jaime Raven, James Raven and JP Carter. He was born and raised on a council estate in South London and left school at sixteen. Before long, he embarked on a career in journalism, which took him all over the world - many of the stories he covered were crime-related. He then became a television producer and for a number of years was director of a major UK news division and co-owned a TV production company. He now splits his time between homes in Hampshire and Spain with his wife.

📖 Book Review ~ Believe by S M Govett

Michael Joseph
19 June 2025

Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to review this book

Natalie has spent ten years trying to get over the twin set of events which changed her life forever.

The first: the moment her boss assaulted her. The second: the moment the jury declared him innocent - and her, a liar.

The memories continue to haunt Natalie, and in her attempts to block out the past, she often wakes up with no recollection of where she’s been – or what she’s done,.

So when her husband, Ryan, gets accused of the same crime, Natalie comes perilously close to the edge.

Natalie wants to believe him. But when the body of the young woman who made the accusation is found in the woods near their house, Ryan becomes a prime suspect, and Natalie realises she can't trust anyone - herself included...

📖 My Review..

Natalie and her husband Ryan live a quiet sort of life, Natalie works from home whilst Ryan works for a marketing company. On the surface they have a lovely life but Natalie struggles with PTSD following an assault some ten years previously when the perpetrator walked free and Natalie was branded a liar. When, out of the blue, Ryan is now accused of a similar crime, Natalie struggles to rationalise this information however, with the discovery of a body, the police are relentless in their search for justice and are determined to make this case stick.

This is a cleverly put together crime novel which is told from Natalie’s perspective alongside that of DI Helen Stratton who is in charge of the investigation. Both women are compelling however, it is Natalie’s unreliability which really makes this such an interesting story. Stratton has her own demons which surface from time to time and although it took me a while to warm to her character I couldn’t help but be impressed with her tenacity. There’s some interesting dynamics between the rest of the detectives, all of which could be explored more if this becomes a crime series. The plot is filled with surprises as you’re never quite sure who to believe, hence the title of the book. I found myself trying to fit the crime to a completely different person only to have my theory completely shattered with the final denouement, which I honestly didn’t see coming.

Believe is a fast paced crime drama which kept my attention from start to finish. I really hope we get to see more of DI Helen Stratton in future crime stories, I have a feeling this one could run and run.

About the Author

S.M. Govett read Law at Trinity College, Oxford, before qualifying as a solicitor in the City. After realising that didn't suit her, she started tutoring before turning her hand to writing, which she discovered was her true calling. She has since authored several bestselling YA novels, including The Territory trilogy and We Go On Forever. She also co-wrote the screenplay for the feature film, T.I.M., which was the no. 1 film on Netflix upon release. Believe is her debut adult thriller.

She currently lives in London with her husband and three children.

X @sarahgovett #Believe

X @MichaelJBooks

📖 Book Review ~ One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

Simon & Schuster
3 July 2025

Thanks to the publisher for the invitation to read this book

A party at sunset. A body at sunrise.

What happened that night in the woods?

ELLIE

When the body of a young woman is discovered in the woods the morning after Halloween, arranged with ritualistic precision, teenager Ellie has more reason than most to be afraid …

RACHEL

As both Ellie’s mum and the local school counsellor, Rachel, must grapple with the terror gripping the community, a tough job that’s made even harder when she realises her daughter is keeping secrets …

BEN

Police detective Ben Chase is desperate to solve the murder, but with his daughter Ellie struggling and the noose circling ever tighter, can he catch the killer before they strike again?

📖 My Review..

A group of private school pupils sneak out into the woods on Halloween for an impromptu party which soon becomes something far more sinister especially when they begin to frighten each other with scary tales. The creepy woodland all contributes to the dark atmosphere and with a sense that someone is watching just heightens the tension. The following morning the body of a young teenager is found in suspicious circumstances and a whole police investigation is launched to determine just what happened at the fateful Halloween party.

This is a really creepy story which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I found myself jumping at shadows, imagining a dark, dark wood with hidden figures, and the hint of something dangerous lurking in the undergrowth. The characters are well drawn and the fractured relationship between the main characters is done with a fine eye for captivating the nuances of teenagers who all have secrets to hide. The police procedural part of the story doesn’t intrude too much as it’s more about the dynamics between the lead detective whose daughter Ellie has been caught up in the events of Halloween night and his ex-wife who is a member of staff at the school.

One Dark Night is a real page turner of a read and one I couldn’t put down until final clever twist in this dark and creepy tale had been revealed.

About the Author

Hannah Richell was born in Kent and spent her childhood years in Buckinghamshire and Canada. After graduating from the University of Nottingham, she worked in the book publishing and film industries in both London and Sydney. She is a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia, and currently lives in the South West of England with her family.

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#HannahRichell #OneDarkNight

📖 Book Review ~ Palisade by Lou Gilmond

Armillary Books
21 November 2024

#2 Kanha and Colbey trilogy

Thanks to Midas Campaigns for my copy of this book

 

When opposition Chief Whip Esme Kanha is handed a secret dossier containing evidence of government corruption, she suspects its original owner, a top journalist, was murdered for gathering it. Despite the danger, she feels she must investigate. Meanwhile, lowly backbencher Harry Colbey is working his own leads. A known campaigner against big tech, he is often sent data from anonymous sources and this time round he has something truly alarming.

But both Colbey and Kanha must tread carefully in a world dominated by AI, where 'what can see watches, what can hear listens, and what can be followed is tracked'.

As Kanha and Colbey again join forces, they are locked into a deadly race against political corruption, no matter what the cost. But when an old enemy returns, it may already be too late…

📖 My Review..

I started Palisade pretty much as soon as I finished reading the first book in this trilogy and was pleased to discover that this second book picked up very soon after the events of Dirty Geese. MP Harry Colbey, now relegated to the opposition back benches, once again, joins forces with opposition Chief Whip Esme Kanha to whittle out those government ministers who are just as corrupt and even with a new coalition government in power the corruption hasn’t stopped. With secret documents being passed around Colbey and Kanha have another difficult task ahead in order to keep one step ahead of those who would do anything for power. 

The sinister surveillance of artificial intelligence dominates and is so scarily realistic that you can sense the watchful drones hovering overhead and of the more clandestine listening devices which overhear every conversation and observe every move, so that no one is safe from being listened to, watched or followed. It is indeed a terrifying world which this clever writer has recreated so intelligently that you very soon get drawn into the sinister activities of shadowy figures who are so deep into a world of artificial intelligence that there is no possibility of escape.

Written with scrupulous precision, Palisade is an excellent continuation of this scarily realistic series which looks at government corruption at the highest level and of the unstoppable rise of artificial intelligence. I’m looking forward to be part of the blog tour in July and of sharing my review of Divinity Games, the third and final book in this clever trilogy.

About the Author

Lou Gilmond is the author of three political thrillers - Dirty Geese, published 6th July 2023, Palisade published 21st November 2024 and Divinity Games to be published 17th July 2025. Under her given name of Louise Boland, Lou is also the founder of small but well respected publishing house, Fairlight Books,which focusing on nurturing and promoting new and emerging literary talent. She is also the author Bookshop Tours of Britain, a slow travel guide journeying across Britain, bookshop by bookshop - Lou is a keen champion of bookshops.

June is the National Crime Reading Month

📖 Blog Tour ~ Sun Trap by Rachel Wolf

Head of Zeus
8 May 2025

My thanks to the publisher and Sophie Ransom PR
for the invitation to this blog tour

 

BE CAREFUL

Ellie has wanted to be an actor since she was a child so, when a role in a blockbuster film presents itself, she grabs it.

WHAT YOU

On the plane to location in Abu Dhabi, Ellie overhears something she shouldn't – two people discussing their plans to murder someone.

WISH FOR

Unsure if what she heard was even real, and not wanting to ruin her big break, Ellie remains quiet. Then ten members of the crew become nine...

Ellie needs to be careful – it's more than just her career on the line.

Because she isn't who she says she is.

And liars are always the prime suspect…

📖 My Review..

Ellie and Phoebe meet in an acting class in New York, against all the odds they are so alike they could be doppelgängers so when Phoebe offers Ellie the chance to take her place on the set of a movie, Ellie, is at first reluctant but then realises it’s an amazing chance to kick start her own acting career. Flying to Abu Dhabi, Ellie meets the rest of the cast on an eventful flight which sets the scene for the rest of the plot. There’s such a lot going on and Ellie has to convince everyone that she is who she says she is but then mysterious things start to happen and tension flies high as more and more things  start to go horribly wrong.

I enjoyed the complexity of the plot, members of the cast seeming to get bumped off rather quickly which adds a certain frisson of excitement to the novel as you never quite know what’s going to happen next. It’s all set against a stunning desert backdrop which adds a surreal quality and whilst there were times when I had to suspend belief I did enjoy trying to guess which way the plot was heading. There’s several twists and turns which add depth and a final reckoning which I didn’t see coming. All in all Sun Trap is a well thought out destination thriller, with a stunning location, a diverse bunch of quirky characters and an exciting plot. It would make a great holiday read.

About the Author

Rachel Wolf grew up in the North of England and studied at Durham University. Before turning to writing, she worked for a holiday company and travelled widely. Her thrillers take inspiration from some of those travels.

X @RachelWolfWritr #SunTrap

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📖 Book of My Month ~ Death on Wolf Fell by Nick Oldham

Severn House
6 May 2025

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

 

A tense and utterly addictive police procedural set on the Lancashire moors featuring Sergeant Jessica Raker.

Former Metropolitan Police firearms officer Sergeant Jessica Raker is on a mission to bring down a brutal organized crime group operating in the idyllic Ribble Valley.

The OCG's leader, Mags Horsefield, is determined to make one of the members pay for getting caught by the police, using her contacts to make sure he’s released from prison early . . . into her waiting clutches.

Jess knows Mags from their school days, but their lives now couldn’t be more different. A fire at a local mill puts Jess on the tail of Mags’ OCG; is this her opportunity to catch the Ribble Valley’s most wanted criminal? The battle lines have been drawn, but when Jess is called to an incident at Wolf Fell Hall, a series of terrifying events follow…

📖My Review..

I love a good crime novel where I can instantly be familiar with the characters and also picture the setting in which they go about their nefarious business. Death on Wolf Fell intrigued me particularly because it’s set in my home county of Lancashire and some of the places mentioned I have visited so can easily put everything into context. The story begins with a dramatic opener which gets this pacy police procedural off to an explosive start with a gangland madam determined to succeed and a feisty police sergeant who is equally ferocious in her determination to stop crime boss Mags Horsefield in her tracks.

Nick Oldham is a new author for me and whilst I haven’t read the first book in this Jessica Raker series, this second book hits the ground running with enough back story included so that I never felt as if I was floundering in a sea of what happened before. It’s gritty and occasionally violent without being gratuitously so which makes everything feel authentic, if rather gung-ho at times. I feel PS Raker is a central character who will grow more into her lead role as the series progresses.There was enough bad stuff going on to keep me guessing and I enjoyed the insight into Jess’s personal life, with her kids and mother, and her burgeoning interest in fireman Joe.

I raced through the story pretty quickly as once started I could put the book down eager for the final outcome and hoped that Jess Raker would sort the good guys from the bad. The story ends on a real cliffhanger which gave me hope that there will be another DS Jessica Raker novel following in the not too distant future and in the meantime I can read the first book in the series Death at Dead Men’s Stakes so I’m all caught up. I am delighted to make Death on Wolf Fell the Book of my Month for May.

About the Author

Nick Oldham was born in Belthorn, Lancashire, in 1956. He has been a police officer since the age of nineteen, spending the majority of his service in operational roles, before retiring in 2005. He lives with his partner, Belinda, on the outskirts of Preston.

X @NickOldhamBooks #DeathOnWolfFell

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Body on the Shore by Diane M. Dickson

The Book Folks
2020

DI Jordan Carr #1

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book 

 

A nameless victim, an elusive killer, and a puzzling case for a detective in a new role

When a body washes up on Crosby Beach in Liverpool Bay, detectives quickly declare foul play. Yet they will struggle to establish the identity of the victim, let alone the killer.

Leading the inquiry on his first murder case, DI Jordan Carr must marshal a somewhat motley team to build a picture of what happened one grim day on the Mersey. Like footprints in the sand, in time the clues will disappear.

With a victim who has clearly concealed her own identity, it will require a journey into Liverpool’s underworld to shake loose the facts.

But once they have their man, the police still need to know why the woman was killed. And answering that question will be DI Carr’s biggest challenge.

📖 My Review..

A woman’s body washes up on Crosby beach, and with few clues to go on, DI Jordan Carr and his hastily put together team of detectives have a difficult job of tracing the last known whereabouts of this mysterious young woman. However, with perseverance, good detective work, a bit of luck here and there and all the pieces of this complicated murder investigation eventually start to come together and what a tangled web of deception unfolds.

With clever precision we follow the story and see everything through the eyes of those who are involved from the police, to the crime perpetrators, the story unfolds in fine detail so that we are able to follow the clues as they are laid out before us. The author writes well and keeps the momentum going so that the story never slows down and even though we know from the beginning whodunnit, we don’t know all the whys and wherefores, there are several clever twists along the way and an ending I really didn’t see coming.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being in Liverpool with this first book in the DI Jordan Carr series of crime novels which are set in and around Merseyside and up to now there are a further seven books in the series, the first four books are currently available in a box set. 

About the Author 

“After the Secondary Education System in sixties Liverpool spat me out I had a pretty eclectic career. I worked as a veterinary nurse with the RSPCA, and then had a go at nursing (people this time). I had a super job as a Personnel Officer at a military hospital in Riyadh which presented very unusual challenges. After over twenty years in the Middle East I ended up as a PA in Portsmouth. I’m a total Reacher creature, Terry Pratchett addict and lover of JD Robb”

Diane grew up in Bradford but has spent her life working all over the world. She has always been fascinated by the mechanics of the “inexplicable magic that translates small marks on paper (or screen of course) into something that can inform and entertain and educate” and for a period she taught adults who had problems with literacy. She describes opening their eyes to this as being one of the most rewarding things she’s ever done.

She has written books that span many genres often focusing on the underdogs and people on the margins of society. She is the author of the bestselling DI Tanya Miller series set in theMidlands and Oxfordshire. But regardless of the genre, her writing has an immediacy whichis both natural and accessible.

She is a member of the Crime Writers' Association.

THE DI JORDAN CARR CRIME MYSTERIES 1–4 BOX SET

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DTQCGM4R

BODY ON THE SHORE

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08MQ9JSZV/

Social Media links

Website: thebookfolks.com

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Twitter: @thebookfolks

Facebook: facebook.com/thebookfolks

Blog: thebookfolks.com/blog/

Author’s social media links

Website: dianemdickson.wordpress.com/

📖 Blog Tour ~ The Crime Writer by Diane Jeffrey (Giveway)

HQ / Harper Collins 
13 March 2025

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book
and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour

2019. Leona Walsh, a 34-year-old wife and mother vanishes on a bitterly cold afternoon while out jogging on the edge of Exmoor. It’s a mystery which captures public interest and ignites wild speculation. The police have a prime suspect: Leona’s husband, Matthew, a renowned crime writer. He can plot the perfect crime. But is he capable of committing the perfect murder?

Despite extensive searches, the police find no trace of Leona and her disappearance remains shrouded in mystery. As public interest dwindles, Matthew returns to raising their two daughters, aware the cloud of suspicion is never far away.

2024. Some human bones are discovered in a garden. Could they be Leona’s remains? And if so, is there enough evidence to find out what really happened five years ago?

Journalist Gabriela Conti covered the news story back in 2019. The police may have stopped watching Matthew, but Gabriella hasn’t forgotten him. And she is determined this case will define her career… even if that means getting close to a murderer.

📖 My Review..

The story opens with the mysterious disappearance of thirty-four year old Leona Walsh and the start of an investigation which will see her family placed under intense scrutiny not just by the police but also by people on social media. The finger of blame points at Leona’s husband, Matthew, whose success as a writer of crime fiction places him in the spotlight, however, with time passing and no real evidence linking him with Leona’s disappearance the case pretty much comes to a dead end.  Five years after Leona’s went missing, new evidence comes to light and once again Matthew Walsh finds that the past never really goes away.

I’ve really enjoyed this intricately plotted crime novel, especially the added inclusion of local journalist Gabriela Conti, who befriends Matthew, and whose True Crime podcast helps to put snippets of the plot together with some interesting character vignettes. There are lots of clues and hidden twists which I enjoyed working out, and the flip between time frames is done with precision and fine attention to detail. The conclusion to this complex story is done really well, with a twist I didn’t see coming, making The Crime Writer such an intriguing read that I’m still pondering about the ending.

About the Author

Diane Jeffrey is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She grew up in North Devon and Northern Ireland. She now lives in Lyon, France, with her husband and their three children, Labrador and cat. Diane has written six psychological thrillers, all published by HQ / HarperCollins.

THE GUILTY MOTHER, Diane's third book, was a USA Today bestseller and her fourth novel, THE SILENT FRIEND, was a Karin Slaughter Killer Reads pick for ASDA. Her fifth psychological thriller, THE COUPLE AT CAUSEWAY COTTAGE, won the 2023 International Thriller Writers award for the best ebook original novel.

THE OBVIOUS SUSPECT is Diane's seventh psychological thriller.

Diane is an English teacher. When she's not working or writing, she likes swimming, running and reading. She loves chocolate, beer and holidays.

Author website: www.dianejeffrey.com

Readers can also follow Diane on Instagram and

Twitter @dianefjeffrey

or on Facebook.com/dianejeffreyauthor

**GIVEAWAY **

Giveaway to Win your choice of Diane Jeffery’s previous paperback releases (Open INT)

Prize choice is between The Other Couple, The Couple at Causeway Cottage, The Silent Friend, The Guilty Mother, He Will Find You or Those Who Lie

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. 

 Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494608/

📖 Book Review ~ Pink Lane by Barbara Scott Emmett

Independently Published
14 January 2025

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

 Newcastle upon Tyne 1956

Cross-dressers are being murdered in the seedy Pink Lane area.

DI Michael Metcalf and his sidekick, DS Al Hughes, are stumped while rookie WPC Betty Morgan has ideas of her own. Her boss is a sexist slob, her mother’s a drunk, and Morgan is the lowest of the low.

When she faces the ultimate challenge, can Morgan prove she’s not just a ‘chit of a girl’?

Some of the characters from Dog Leap Stairs also appear in Pink Lane but both books are standalones and can be read independently.

*WARNING*The speech and attitudes of the characters in Pink Lane reflect those of the time in which the novel is set and not the author’s views. If you are over-sensitive to such things, please don’t read it.

📖My Review…

In Pink Lane we return to Newcastle in the 1950s which the author described so vividly in her previous book Dog Leap Stairs and whilst there is a slight crossover of characters this is very much a separate story but the actions, speech and behaviour of the characters still reflect a very different era which some readers may find difficult to absorb.

In the seedy area of Pink Lane there appears to be a vendetta against cross-dressers and when one victim is found violently murdered the local police have problems discovering who is responsible because as with any close knit community there is a pact of silence with secrets being kept and doors firmly closed.. Detective Inspector Michael Metcalf is in charge of the investigation who together with his DS Al Hughes and WPC Betty Morgan do whatever they can to find out who is responsible and as the deaths escalate so the investigation tightens its grip on the local community.

I thought Pink Lane was really interesting crime fiction and whilst the behaviour of all the characters is not what we consider acceptable today the story is very much of it’s time and the writing reflects this really well. The area around Pink Lane comes alive, from the seedy boarding house of ex-brothel keeper, Lily Frogmore, to the closed confines of a private drinking establishment and the belligerence of local rent collectors there is never a moment when the story doesn’t pull you in. It’s difficult now to imagine a time without computers or mobile phones but without these technological advances the detectives back in the 1950s very much had to rely on good old policing methods, walking the streets, speaking to locals and relying on gut instinct to lead them in the right direction.

Pink Lane is a fascinating and gritty crime novel which gets right into the heart of a community which holds its secrets close and where danger is never very far away. I hope that we get a chance to meet again with DI Metcalf, DS Hughes and WPC Morgan as these novels, should the author oblige, have the potential to develop into a fascinating historical crime series.

About the Author

After many years away, Barbara Scott Emmett is now back living in her home town of Newcastle upon Tyne. She has been writing for many years and has five novels, a book of short stories and a selection of quirky poetry to show for it. She lives in a house overlooking the river with her husband, the writer Jimmy Bain, and their cat, Kitty.

Website

Amazon UK