Tag: crime fiction

Some debts can only be paid in blood.

A rich socialite is found hacked to death in her Dublin home. It’s the beginning of a killing spree that leaves five apparently unconnected people brutally slain. 

Kate Hamilton, a brilliant and ambitious detective sergeant, is assigned to the case and soon uncovers the connection between the victims – they were all involved in an illegal adoption scheme which was running in Ireland up to the 1980s.

In a deeply traditional society, unmarried mothers were shamed by their families, forced to give birth in secret and surrender their newborns for adoption, fuelling a lucrative and cruel baby trade. 

Now, decades later, it seems someone is taking bloody revenge on those who played a part in the adoption racket.

With each day bringing a new victim, Kate and her team race to stop the bloodshed. But when she discovers she has a personal link with both victims and murderer, Kate realises her own life is in danger as never before.Blood Mothers – the first in the gripping new series featuring DS Kate Hamilton

Gaye admits to a lifelong obsession with crime, and a keen interest in psychology and social history. She credits her parents, who were avid readers, with her love of fiction. When she graduated from Enid Blyton to Agatha Christie at age nine, so began a life of crime… reading.  

She enjoyed an award-winning career as a TV Producer/Director working for the BBC, ITV and RTE. She’s always written in her spare time, and during lockdown, when her husband built himself a workshop at the end of the garden, she seized control (peacefully) and renamed it her writing cabin.  The result was BLOOD MOTHERS.  

Now a full-time writer, she has three adult children and one adorable granddaughter. She lives in Dublin with her husband, to whom she now owes a workshop, two of her grown up kids and two rescue dogs who are not at all grown up, but make for great company at the bottom of the garden.  

Blood Mothers is Gaye Maguire’s first book with Inkubator Books. 

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My thoughts: this was a cracking start to a new crime fiction series, featuring DS Kate Hamilton. The case has a personal connection but not one Kate is immediately aware of.

A series of incredibly brutal killings lead to a private mother and baby home run by the Catholic Church. Someone is taking revenge for the actions of those involved years before, although not on the people directly involved but those more on the periphery, people not carefully protected. The nuns and the Bishop who facilitated the cruel system of forced adoptions are free to carry on their lives, but the victims of this killer are not.

The saddest death is that of Billy, a sweet man with learning disabilities, who worked at the home as the odd job man and bookkeeper, writing down the young women’s details and the births. He’s an innocent, just a little cog in the machine, and has been all but abandoned himself.

But Kate and her colleagues are working through the clues and the mysterious American has left plenty of evidence behind. But the final piece is Kate’s own history, it leads her to the killer and a tense standoff.

Dark, clever, twisting and rather heartbreaking at times, this is an intelligent and compelling read. Looking forward to the next one.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

A lonely recluse. A missing girl and a community in fear.
When the body of a young local girl is found next to an isolated lake, the main suspect is the old recluse who has lived next to the lake for many years – especially when the young girl’s purse is found on the old man’s doorstep.
But DCI Emma Gardner and her partner DI Paul Riddick aren’t so sure. Why would the old hermit leave such an obvious clue? And who would want to set the old man up?
As they dig deeper into the murder they discover a community in fear, determined to keep hold of long buried secrets. And Riddick is convinced that his own dark past is somehow linked to this crime, too.
Gardner fears that she may never get the answers she needs, until a break leads her down a path she’d rather not face. One that runs directly to her own front door…
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Wes Markin is the bestselling author of the DCI Yorke crime novels, set in Salisbury. His new series for Boldwood stars the pragmatic detective DCI Emma Gardner who will be tackling the criminals of North Yorkshire.  Wes lives in Harrogate and the first book in the series The Yorkshire Murders will be published in November 2022.

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My thoughts: this was a dark and twisting crime thriller, set in North Yorkshire, where long buried secrets threaten to come to light and some will go to great lengths to hide them. Where a murder has the oldest of motives but the clues seem to point in different directions and the detectives are distracted by issues in their personal lives, so it takes a little bit longer to solve.

The body of a young woman, Tia Meadows, is found by the home of a reclusive older man. He knew her father a long time ago, and at first glance all evidence points to him. But digging into the case DCI Gardner finds there’s a lot more going on. Has he been set up? Tia’s father, a man who dominates the local building trade, certainly believes the evidence and goes off to get his own justice, while the police investigate the men in Tia’s life. The answers may lie there instead.

Clever, and well paced, this is a gripping and suspenseful read. As the police work through the suspects and possible motives, their personal lives intrude and distract them, leading to tragedy, before they get back on track. A solid and knotty plot, highly enjoyable.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

Nothing is more important than family . . .
Matt Forrester has followed in his dad’s footsteps, climbing the police ranks to become a DI. But when he receives an urgent call for help, Matt has to rethink his career. His dad has been murdered, and Matt’s not going to let this case go. It doesn’t help that his current boss is sleeping with his ex-wife.
Hermia Forrester didn’t follow her brother into the police force, instead she works in research at the university. But, she’s not going to let that stop her from helping her brother find out what happened to their dad.
But the siblings soon find themselves surrounded by more danger than they ever imagined. Can they both survive this case or will there be more of their family in the morgue?
The thrilling first instalment in the Forrester Detective Agency Mystery series.
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Anita Waller is the author of many bestselling psychological thrillers and the Kat and Mouse crime series. She lives in Sheffield, which continues to be the setting of many of her thrillers, and was first
published by Bloodhound at the age of sixty-nine. Her first book for Boldwood will be published in August 2022.

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My thoughts: I can already tell that this is going to a be a corker of a series. This book online sets off at a blistering pace and we’re thrown into a shocking and terrible case. Matt’s father and business partner are brutally attacked and killed by unknown assailants. Was it to do with their past careers as police, their current PI business, or something completely different?

Matt hands in his badge to be able to investigate and when his beloved sister Hermia, is also attacked, he and best friend Steve, as well as his former police partner Karen, step up the case. They will stop at nothing to find the perpetrators and land them where they belong – in prison.

Gripping and totally thrilling, this book rattles along at a fair clip, and what the gang uncover is dark and disturbing but if they can survive and solve the case, will change things forever. And then there’s the small matter of a bit of romance too!

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

Like a precious doll, the girl leans against the towering pine tree with her long bare legs stretched out and her hands folded neatly in her lap. Her head tilts towards the sky, but this innocent child will never feel the warm glow of morning sun again; her fragile little body is cold, her tender heart is still.

When Detective Katie Scott receives a plea from neighboring Coldwater Creek to help with a tragic murder, she doesn’t hesitate. Fifteen-year-old Ivy Miller’s naked body was found tied to a tree, a freshly inked pink rose tattoo on her arm. The word “MORE” carved into her back means sweet Ivy could be the first of many…

Katie’s heart aches for the young girl whose life ended before it had even begun. But she has her work cut out with the inexperienced police department fumbling the case at every turn. There hasn’t been a murder in this small town for as long as anyone can remember, but why will none of the locals cooperate? Katie’s only lead is a blurry photograph of Ivy’s long-missing mother found in Ivy’s bedroom. If she can find out where it was taken, Katie knows she’ll have the first clue in a mystery that has been haunting Coldwater Creek for years.

But Katie’s world crashes down when Ivy’s two best friends are found murdered in the same woods days later. Inked with the same pretty flower, the rose girls were keeping a deadly secret. Katie will never forgive herself for not making the connection in time. As mothers cling to their daughters, terrified to let them out of their sight, Katie’s search leads her to an abandoned building deep in the forest where the last photo of Ivy’s mother was taken. But will she survive long enough to stop more heart-shattering tragedies?

A totally nail-biting, keep-you-up-all-night crime thriller from a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author. Prepare to pick your jaw up from the floor at that final twist! Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh will be absolutely gripped!

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Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.

In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

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My thoughts: this was so good. A terrible murder of a teenage girl, a town full of secrets, Katie and Gav on the scene as their car breaks down, world’s best canine officer Cisco finding important clues, it’s all here.

Utilising her extensive knowledge of forensics, k9 training criminology and basically all round awesome skills, Jennifer Chase has once again created a totally gripping, terrifying and intriguing case for some of my favourite fictional cops to solve.

Small towns can be creepy, everyone knows everyone, secrets fester below the surface and outsiders get little response. Which makes solving the series of murders and disappearances in this small town harder than it needs to be. The few people willing to help will only go so far, for their own safety mostly, and warning off Katie makes her more determined to stay put.

Luckily she and Gav have excellent back up and skills their enemies don’t know about. Also Cisco. Who is my favourite character, he’s so good.

Cannot wait for book 10, this series just gets better and better.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

The shocking murder of a heavily pregnant woman throws the New Zealand city of Dunedin into a tailspin, and the devastating crime feels uncomfortably close to home for Detective Sam Shephard as she counts down the days to her own maternity leave.

Confined to a desk job in the department, Sam must find the missing link between this brutal crime and a string of cases involving mothers and children in the past. As the pieces start to come together and the realisation dawns that the killer’s actions are escalating, drastic measures must be taken to prevent more tragedy.

For Sam, the case becomes personal, when it becomes increasingly clear that she is no longer safe, and the clock is ticking…

Vanda Symon lives in Dunedin, New Zealand. As well as being a crime writer, she has a PhD in science communication and is a researcher at the Centre for Pacific Health at the University of Otago. Overkill was shortlisted for the 2019 CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award and she is a four-time finalist for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel for her critically acclaimed Sam Shephard series. The fourth in the series, Bound, was shortlisted for a Barry Award. Vanda produces and hosts Write On, a monthly radio show focusing on the world of books at Otago Access Radio. When she isn’t working or writing, Vanda can be found in the garden, or on the business end of a fencing foil.

My thoughts: Vanda Symon is back, Sam Shepherd is back, but not for long. Maternity leave calls for the detective, but she’s determined to solve this awful case first. Because babies always stick to the timetable.

A murdered woman, her unborn baby taken from her body, rocks the New Zealand Town of Dunedin – it’s so horrific most people can’t imagine it. The hunt for the baby is key, but so is finding the killer.

Sam, up against her terrible boss as usual, refuses to accept desk duty and sets about investigating who would want to take a newborn. A desperate woman? Stolen to order or something far sadder but also something that could have been avoided.

Without giving much away, I actually immediately knew why once a few key bits of info fell into place, and it is heartbreakingly sad. I used to work in a DNA blood typing lab and yeah, this needs to be something that’s done every time. DM on Twitter to discuss once you’ve read it if you like. Drawing on her scientific background, Symon has once again crafted a clever, intense, compelling read.

Hopefully Sam and baby will enjoy their time off, there’s a great nursery nearby and Sam will be back with more cases soon.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

Murder in broad daylight…
When millionaire magnate, Rex Hunter is found with his head bashed in on the eighth hole of his prestigious golf and country club in beautiful Chianti, it’s a clear case of murder. Hunter was rich and
successful and the envy of many, so retired DCI Dan Armstrong thinks the case will be a hole in one to solve….
A despised victim…
But as Dan and his trusty sidekick Oscar begin to dig deeper into Hunter’s lifestyle, they discover a man despised by many. A renown womaniser, ruthless boss and heartless family man, it seems no one is particularly sorry to see Hunter dead. And the list of possible suspects is endless…
A murderer covering their tracks.
Dan is determined to catch this clever killer, but it seems every new lead brings another dead end.
Will this be one case Dan and his canine companion won’t solve?
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T A Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo
and is now turning his hand to cosy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. The
series will introduce us to retired DCI Armstrong and his labrador Oscar and the first book, entitled Murder in Tuscany, will be published in October 2022. Trevor lives in Devon with his Italian wife.

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My thoughts: I probably shouldn’t enjoy crime fiction as much as I do, but when they’re this good, it’s a bit tricky not to!

A dead man on the golf course, head staved in with a club. Digging into the case Dan discovers he’s pretty awful and there’s plenty of suspects. Including his own children.

Oliver, an excellent canine detective, finds several clues, everyone eats and drinks delicious local produce. I start looking up flights to Florence. Murders not withstanding, it is a beautiful place (I’ve been, years ago).

This series is lots of fun, the characters are entertaining and I love the relationship between Dan and the local police – his years of knowledge and experience plus interpreter skills are a bonus. And he is a great protagonist, writing his novels but also solving crimes, and not always giving Oliver enough walks!

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.