Book Review: The Silent Victims by Alex Coomb @AlexHowardCrime @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Silent Victims by Alex Coombs

Blurb

DCI Hanlon faces the toughest decision of her career as a string of political murders lead to a deadly confrontation.

A controversial, right-wing German politician is due to speak at the Oxford Union. Following a series of murders linked to a violent anarchist group, the city is on high alert. DCI Hanlon has been partnered with DI Huss to ensure the speech goes smoothly and that there will be no more killing.

Meanwhile, as Hanlon traces the person behoond the murders, she soon realises that the chilling truth has a terrible price. Is Hanlon willing to meet the cost?

Blurb

What an absolutely cracking read this was. It was clearly inspired by the recent political climate, it was a very intriguing read.

There were plenty of twists and turns to keep your attention throughout. I am absolutely loving this series and every installment (although this is book 4, I have read them in order) I read I’m warming more and more to Hanlon.

5/5

Purchase here

Authors Bio

Alex Howard studied Arabic and Islamic History at Oxford, and has worked in adult education. He lives in London with his wife and two children. Find out more at alexhowardcrime.com

Book Review: The Lost Truth of April Dark by C. Iron @lovebooksgroup #lovebookstours

Thank you to Love Books Tours for giving me the chance to review The Lost Truth of April Dark by C Iron

Blurb

MYSTERY. MAGIC. ADVENTURE.

And a long gone identity.An entertaining and uplifting tale of dark secrets.

As April’s world is shattered by an anomalous disease and her eventual death, April regains consciousness in a mesmerisingly magical world, which is strangely familiar.

The path to discovering the truth, however, demands tremendous courage from April, forcing her to get involved in the bitter conflict between Makrav – an evil occupier of many kingdoms – and the insurgents, among whom April finds unexpected friends.

But as the journey gets more complicated and dangerous, what hunts April most is that it seems her past has more to do with Makrav than with the insurgents…

What April doesn’t know is that she’s running out of time to do what she has come back for, and that the truth is far more complex than anyone would expect..

Will April get ahold of the truth, or will the truth get ahold of April?

Review

I love a mystery book and this was certainly one of the best I’ve read in a while. It is well written and thought out, it keeps you hooked throughout. There is plenty of adventure involved.

I really enjoyed reading The Lost Truth of April Dark and look forward to seeing what else the author has up their sleeve.

5/5

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Authors Bio

C.Iron spent her childhood immersed in fantasy and mystery stories. Later on, she graduated in English Philology and continued doing what she likes most – writing. When she is not dealing with her passion, she can be found at the archery range by an enormous lake practising traditional archery. Currently, she teaches adults as she loves spending time with people.

Book Review: The Innocent Girl by Alex Coombs @AlexHowardCrime @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Innocent Girl by Alex Coombs

Blurb

DCI Hanlon is going undercover.

Oxford Philosophy lecturer Dr Gideon Fuller is in the frame, but Hanlon is not convinced.

From the specialist brothels in Oxford and Soho, to the inner sanctum of a Russian people trafficker with a taste for hurting women, the trail leads Hanlon deeper and deeper into danger – until she herself becomes the killer’s next target…

Can Hanlon track down the killer before it’s too late?

Review

I really enjoyed The Innocent Girl. The plot was well written and it kept me intrigued throughout. Im beginning to enjoy the other descriptive nature of these books, it really draws you in to the point that you feels as though you are there and Harlan is absolutely brilliant. I really enjoying this series. I look forward to reading the next installment.

5/5

Purchase here

Authors Bio

Alex Howard studied Arabic and Islamic History at Oxford, and has worked in adult education. He lives in London with his wife and two children. Find out more at alexhowardcrime.com

Book Review: Silent Graves (Cavendish & Walker #9) by Sally Rigby #SilentGraves @SallyRigby4 #CavendishandWalker @damppebbles #damppebblesblogtours

Thank you to Emma at Damppebbles for giving me the chance to review Silent Graves by Sally Rigby

Blurb

Nothing remains buried forever…When the bodies of two teenage girls are discovered on a building site, DCI Whitney Walker knows she’s on the hunt for a killer. The problem is the murders happened in 1980 and this is her first case with the new team. What makes it even tougher is that with budgetary restrictions in place, she only has two weeks to solve it.Once again, she enlists the help of forensic psychologist Dr Georgina Cavendish, but as she digs deeper into the past, she uncovers hidden truths that hurtle through the decades and into the present.

Review

This maybe the 9th book in the series but I didn’t feel as though I had missed out, meaning it can easily be read as a standalone. It was an absolute page turner, that has made me want to read all the other books in the series. I loved the plot and the characters. A superb read.

5/5

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Authors Bio

Sally Rigby was born in Northampton, in the UK. She has always had the travel bug, and after living in both Manchester and London, eventually moved overseas. From 2001 she has lived with her family in New Zealand (apart from five years in Australia), which she considers to be the most beautiful place in the world. After writing young adult fiction for many years, under a pen name, Sally decided to move into crime fiction. Her Cavendish & Walker series brings together two headstrong, and very different, women – DCI Whitney Walker, and forensic psychologist Dr Georgina Cavendish. Sally has a background in education, and has always loved crime fiction books, films and TV programmes. She has a particular fascination with the psychology of serial killers. Check out her website for a FREE prequel story….. http://www.sallyrigby.com

Book Review: The Silver Rose Dating Agency by Angelena Boden @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Silver Rose Dating Agency by Angelana Boden

Blurb

When lonely widow Kitty Merriweather moves to Derbyshire’s Hope Valley, she joins the Silver Rose online dating site because it offers a safe place for the over sixties to find romance.There, she meets the enigmatic Harvey, a scientist working on a conservation project in Bali who promises her “hot days and stormy nights.”Love blooms quickly but Kitty breaks all the rules laid down by the agency, putting herself at risk. When little things don’t add up she dismisses them as being unimportant. Nothing matters more than her plans for them to live happily ever after.When she confides in her new friend, Edna Reid, octogenarian and former café owner, Kitty gets angry at Edna’s implication she is likely the victim of a scam. The more Edna hears about Harvey, the more she is convinced he’s only interested in Kitty for her money.Using her knowledge of computers Edna finally uncovers the truth, but where does black magic and murder fit into this intriguing cosy mystery?** Formerly Published as Love Bytes Back **

Review

What a lovely little cozy mystery this was. It is lovely to read a book that has an older female protagonist. The story had some wonderful characters and an absolutely fabulous setting. There was plenty of humour involved. I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed reading this book.

5/5

Purchase here

Authors Bio

Angelena Boden has spent 35 years writing and delivering training programmes on resolving conflict, interpersonal skills and advanced communication. Amongst her many international projects, she set up a charm school for nightclub door staff in the 80s, worked in Belfast on a skills development programme to help people on the Shankill Road get back into work and has helped large numbers of young unemployed and ex-offenders to find their place in society.She speaks four languages and has travelled extensively. Now retired, she writes cosy mysteries.. She can be contacted via twitter Lena B Writes @valleymystery. Website for free books and blogs Www.angelenaboden.com

Book Review: The Stolen Child by Alex Coombs @AlexHowardCrime @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Stolen Child by Alex Coombs

Blurb

When the kidnap of a 12-year-old boy blows the case of some missing children wide apart, the finger is pointing at the heart of the Met.

Hanlon is sent in as the only cop who is incorruptible enough to handle it. But can she find the killer before another child is stolen?

Once you start the DCI Hanlon series, you won’t be able to put it down. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan and Mark Dawson.

This book was previously published as Time To Die by Alex Howard.

Review

Prior to reading this I hadn’t read anything from this author, I found the blurb to be very enticing.

The book did not disappoint, there was plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged throughout, I did, at times, find the descriptive text to be a bit too much, however, I think this added to the authenticity of the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Stolen Child and look forward to reading the rest of the books in the Series.

5/5

Purchase here

Authors Bio

Alex Howard studied Arabic and Islamic History at Oxford, and has worked in adult education. He lives in London with his wife and two children. Find out more at alexhowardcrime.com

Book Review: Bad Girls by Gemma Rogers @GemmaRogers79 @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review Bad Girls by Gemma Rogers.

Blurb

No Body. No Crime. No Time.
Can you ever escape your past?

Fresh out of prison, Jess Strickland has just six months’ probation to serve until she’s free to get on with the life, she left behind 4 years ago.

With few options available, Jess takes a job at Bright’s’, an industrial laundry company alongside other ex-cons, all eager to keep their noses clean.

Here she finds an ally in Karla but soon learns her new boss Terry, is not all he seems.

Realising she’s no safer on the outside Jess refuses to be a victim any longer.
How far will she go to avoid going back to prison?

Review

What an incredibly gripping thriller Bad Girls was. After only recently discovering Gemma’s books and having only read Payback, I was intrigued to read her latest offering.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bad Girls, the characters were epic. The story itself was intense and gripping. There was plenty to keep you engrossed throughout the book.

I realy enjoyed reading this book, im off now to read the rest of Gemma’s books.

5/5

Authors Bio

Gemma Rogers lives in West Sussex with her husband, two daughters and beloved bulldog.
Her love of writing began in her early teenage years, inspired by hours spent buried in Point Horror, Richard Laymon and Christopher Pike with the occasional Judy Blume thrown in for good measure.

Other passions include movies – horrors especially (who doesn’t love a good scare), bulldog walks, swimming and anything involving cake.

Her debut novel Stalker was released on the 10th September 2019, quickly followed by Payback in January 2020, and Reckless in May 2020. All are standalone titles.

Book Review: The Lake House by Christie Barlow @ChristieJBarlow @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Lake House by Christie Barlow

Blurb

There’s a newcomer to the village of Heartcross and she’s never been more in need of a friend.

As the new waitress at the local bistro, The Lake House, Ella is ready to start afresh ––and that could mean there’s love on the horizon in the form of the gorgeous Roman, the local water taxi driver. Every day Roman is there to ferry Ella to the restaurant on the other side of the lake and every night he makes sure she gets home safe. But Roman has secrets of his own…

Can the Love Heart Lane community offer Ella a chance of a new life? Or will the ghosts of her past catch up with her?

Review

This is book number 5 in the series, and I do recommend reading the previous instalments to get a feel for the central area where the series is based.

The story was well written with some fantastic characters. It has some unexpected twists and turns which will keep you on the edge of you seat. I was certainly hooked throughout.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and the series as a whole.

5/5

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Book Review: Dreamy Days and Random Naps by Mawson Bear

Thank you to Mark and Mawson for reaching out to me to review their latest offering, Dreamy Days and Random Naps by Mawson Bear

Blurb

Mawson Bear awakes and ponders on the art of creative napping. Scotland the Brave imagines doing great deeds. Professors Caddy and Bree hold the highest hopes for their visionary inventions. Samantha sees wondrous things all round her. The Seekers journey all the way to the edge of the world, being sure to return, of course, by bedtime.

Flop down and relax awhile with Mawson and his drowsy friends. Refresh the soul in the tranquility of simple joys and innocent dreams.

Review

I absolutely adore the Mawson Bear books. I enjoy seeing what adventures he gets up to and each little book has a wonderfull message to convey. The accompanying pictures make it an enjoyable read for all the family, my daughter loves looking at the pictures and shouting “Bear”. I particulatly enjoyed Dreamy Days and Random Naps for its ability to show the young and old that it is good to use your imaginatinon. This was another delightful read from Mawson Bear.

5/5

Purchase here

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my new blog.

For those of you who don’t know, I used to run the successful blog Babydolls and Razorblades. That blog had unfortunatley disbanded at the end of 2020, this was a decision I didn’t take lightly but felt was the right choice as it featured things that are no longer relevant to me.

I ‘ve always said my blogs would feature things that I enjoy Babydolls and Razorblades didn’t feel like me anymore, so here we are. A nice, shiny new blog and new name that I think is more suiting and more appropriate (at least it doesn’t sound like a porn site).

This new blog will be Jolene’s Book Corner (obviously). It will include Book Reviews only!!!

Please check out the Review Policy page.