Review: The Girl in the Green Dress

The Girl in the Green Dress by Cath Staincliffe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Allie Kennaway is off to her school prom, an evening most teenager look forward to, a time to get dressed up and go out with friends and have some fun. That is what Allie has planned and as she’s ready for the off, her dad Steve couldn’t be any more proud of her.
The night doesn’t turn out to be much fun for Allie. Allie Kennaway age 18 is never to return home. Brutally murdered, beaten to death in an apparent hate crime because of her transgender identity.
A crime that has destroyed a family a father who had lost his wife to cancer has now lost his daughter, his younger daughter Teegan has lost her sister, a family ripped apart so cruelly. A crime that has appalled the country, and the police have a huge job on their hands to find the killer.

Another very interesting read, I have now read a number of books by Cath Staincliffe and I seem to have enjoyed them all.
This one is a very interesting & a compelling read, told at a steady pace. It’s subject is quite topical at the moment and something we seem to be hearing more and more about. Todays society is a lot more understanding with thing although I still believe a lot of people are still uncomfortable with this subject, and i like how that was highlighted in the book with certain characters and their views.

This really was an fascinating story, and I really don’t think anything I write about it will do the book the justice it deserves, I’m worried about saying to much, then concerned I'm not saying enough, so I'll end with – Give this book a read, and decide for yourself.

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Review: My Bloody Valentine

My Bloody Valentine by Alastair Gunn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Back with Antonia Hawkins for book 2. It seems forever ago since I read book 1 and I purchased this book back in August 2015. Bad me, i'm slowly playing catch up with some of the series of books I've started and not yet finished. This is another of those books that for some reason got lost in the dark and dusty archive shelves of my kindle. It must have really needed me to read it as it somehow just happened to pop up to the top of the page, so it was really telling me to read it.
The good thing now with being slightly behind, I get to read book 3 and 4 as soon as I choose to.
Anyhow, the book. What did I think? Well I actually enjoyed it, I like Antonia, she's gutsy but stupid sometimes, she stubborn and awkward, she's a character i'm enjoying getting to know.
Antonia has received some pretty horrific injuries after being stabbed a number of times, and after weeks in hospital is going mad with boredom. Along with the worry of someone else stepping into her shoes at work, her stubborn streak kicks in, and she manages to force herself back to work. She is certainly not ready to be back and probably shouldn't be starting on a new murder investigation. But Antonia doesn't always seem to do what is right. Antonia decides working while recovering is the best thing for her.
With her new set of wheels, her wheel chair that she is less than happy to be using, she throws herself into work as is soon on the hunt for a killer. A killer who seems to like hitting people over the head with an hammer.
It soon becomes apparent that her and her team are looking for a serial killer. The team need to throw everything they have into this case to get it solved.
Another good solid, interesting read. I have only read the first 2 but I would certainly advise that they are read in order.

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Review: Dead Lost

Dead Lost by Helen H. Durrant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book 4

It's great to be back with some familiar characters, getting to know them a little more.
Another book that will keep you reading. Once started this book does manage to keep your attention the whole way through, and leaves you wanting to know 'what next' which means as you finish one chapter you want to carry on with the next.
​Book 4 in this great series, The book just got better and better the more I read, It's a great series to follow and I think would keep the interest of most crime fiction fans.

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Review: The Missing Girls

The Missing Girls by Carol E. Wyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well if there has to be one advantage of being a little late to the party, it is the fact that I have gotten to read all 3 books in such a short time to each other. Non of this trying to remember any of the main characters.
​Book 3 in the Detective Robyn carter Series, is just as good as the first two. 
Here we are back with Detective Robyn Carter. A great character, and getting to know has been interesting. 
Robyn is still struggling after losing her husband, and wishes he was with her, life is lonely so what do you do? get yourself stuck into a new case. 
The body of a missing girl is found in a storage warehouse, but no one knows who the woman is that had the chest put in there. It's not to long before a second body turns up and it soon starts to look like this is the same killer, but still the team have no idea who they are looking for.
This book certainly keeps you going, page after page, you want to read just that little bit more. I love it when a book grabs my attention and this certainly did that. 
I love the main character Robyn, she seems like a woman who is passionate about what she does, yet cares about the people around her. 
I'm looking forward to book 4 which I now get to read right away, and consider myself very lucky to be able to do so. Looking forward to it because the ending of this book has really left me needing the next one. NOW!

As always I say this is part of a series, and I personally think the books are better read in order, but you could get away with reading it as a stand alone. But personally i'd just buy yourself all 3 books now and lock out the world, by the time you finish them book 4 should be available. How cool is that?

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Review: 99 Red Balloons

99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was one of those books that once started you really want to know what is coming next, and second guessing what is happening can't be helped. As usual I got it wrong. A very interesting read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once or twice i did find myself back tracking and forgetting who was who, but I think that's just my dumb head at the moment.
When 8 year old Grace goes missing her mother Emma has her life thrown into turmoil. Every parents worst nightmare and she has to live it.
We go through the agony of a family in limbo of not knowing what has happened to their precious little girl.
We also meet Maggie Taylor, who show's a keen interest in the disappearance of Grace as many many years ago she went through something similar with her granddaughter going missing. Could Maggie find similarities between the two cases or is it just her age and mind playing tricks on her.
I have to say for me through this book I loved Maggie and the relationship she had with her old pal Jim. It was a lovely part to a very disturbing story.
Very well written and worth reading.

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Review: Head In The Sand

Head In The Sand by Damien Boyd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book 2 in the Di Nick Dixon Crime Series. I'm pretty new to this series, having only read book one and two so, but I consider myself quite lucky as I can dive into the rest of the series so far at my leisure. No hanging around waiting for the next one.

​I've enjoyed this book, I'm slowly getting to know characters and making my mind up of what I think of them. 
​A head is found in the sand at a golf course. It's down to the team to figure out the who, why and how. And it's done very well. 
​When the case seems to be linked to a case decades before the story really gets going and makes you think.
​Very well written and thoroughly enjoyable. Gorey but not to over done. A crime thriller to keep you guessing, and will keep you turning the pages.

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