Steph's Books

When I read Humber Boy B earlier this year I found it very difficult to read. Not due to the style of writing or characters, just because of the storyline.
I found this follow up novel Nowhere Girl to be much better. Cate has moved with her young daughter to live with her partner Olivier in Luxembourg. When a teenage girl goes missing at a large fair the police don't take it seriously much to Cate's disgust. Olivier is one of the police officers looking into the disappearance and he refuses to discuss any part of the investigation with her. Struggling with the language barrier she along with Bridget, the mother and Eva a teacher start their own investigation.
Taking place at the same time is another story that concerns two teenagers Amina and Jodie. They have both been smuggled into the country from Algeria for the chance of a 'better life in Europe'. However it is not the life that they and probably their families ever imagined. The two stories merge, events from the past are revealed and things become more desperate.
There is a lot covered in the novel. People trafficking, abduction, child abuse and illness and it made a good read. I am reluctant to say too much about how they are covered because it would be easy to reveal too much. I would have liked to seen an outcome for everybody who features in the novel, there were a couple of characters I really liked. However we may, hopefully see them in future novels. I enjoyed reading about Luxembourg, a country I know nothing about and much to my shame I had to google it to find out where it actually is.
It would work as a standalone but there aspects of Cate's family life that wouldn't mean anything if you hadn't read the earlier books. Nothing is revealed about why certain events mentioned in the book are taking place but if you know what they are you understand her more.
With thanks to Jessica at Legend Press for the copy received for review.

More futuristic thriller than horror, Lost Girl by Adam Nevil is an image of how life could be in the not so distant future. Set in 2053, 'the father' who annoyingly never has a name is trying to find his young daughter who was abducted from their garden two years earlier.
The world is everything that our media warns us about. Extreme weather, disease, lack of food and over population has destroyed everything that is taken for granted.
I found it at times quite difficult to read. I didn't like that the father never had a name, I thought it made him soulless. Although part of me thinks that it was like this because he could be any father searching for his child.
There were not that many characters in the novel but two who appealed more than any of the others were Scarlett and Oleg. Still not likeable as such, but I felt they were stronger because they showed emotion and regret.
There were a few times when I was tempted to put the novel to one side but the appearance of Oleg made me much more interested in reading and finishing the novel.
I feel that this novel is an indication of how this world needs to change to make the future better. Much more preferable to be kept as fiction and not fact.
With thanks to the publisher for the copy received.

I've always felt very uncomfortable with any form of fortune telling so was uneasy straightaway with Time to Die. Tarot Cards worry me more than any of them and they play a huge part in this novel. The Tarot Card reader Bert, is and has always been a loner. Unwanted as a child and also as an adult he is very unlikeable and very convincing in all of his prophecies. Jennifer and Will start to investigate him when a series of suspicious deaths, including that of the future wife of an old schoolfriend appear to be connected to him.
Jennifer is settled in to her position in her unit, apart from Will they all have their own talents within the paranormal. She is however frightened by the number of ravens that seem to be everywhere she goes. The ravens have always been regarded with suspicion in Haven. She is also upset about the unwelcome reappearance of her father.
I didn't find it as spooky as the first in the series but I did prefer to read it in daylight. The combined detective/ supernatural storyline works very well and I was forever 'just reading another chapter'. I hope that there will be more books in this series especially if the storyline that was hinted at in the final chapter is the subject of the next book.
With thanks to the publisher for the copy via netgalley.

I am certain that How to be Brave is going to be a huge success. Based on fact, there are two stories running throughout the novel and both are equally addictive. Natalie and her nine year old daughter Rose are struggling to accept and adapt to the fact that Rose has been diagnosed with type one diabetes. To make the injections that she needs to survive less of a battle Natalie starts to tell Rose about her great grandfather (Colin) who was adrift in a lifeboat for over a month during WW2. She adds to the story by reading an excerpt from Colin's diary that was found in a box of items that belonged to his wife.
The other story focuses on Colin and his fellow survivors after the ship they were travelling on was torpedoed by the enemy. They had to find land before they ran out of supplies, cope with the blistering heat, some injuries and a constant companion -a shark.
At times I was very emotional. Reading about everything that Colin and his friends had to endure, understandably terrified, but still at times trying to make light of their situation.. And then at the same time reading about Natalie and Rose's relationship being affected by the diabetes. Both very much alike they had to get past the anger and frustration that the diagnosis had brought. But reading about the events that occurred in 1943 helped them both.
I adored this novel. I did cry quite a lot. I don't think I've cried so much over a book since reading Charlotte's Web when I was about six years old! But while it didn't make me laugh as such I did smile a few times. The relationship between Mother, Daughter, Colin and his friends was really quite special.
How to be Brave will definitely be one of my top ten books of the year. It's a hard act to follow.
With massive thanks to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of this novel.

fantastic, definitely one of my favourite books of the year. Full review to follow 

I was never a teenager who became obsessed with a band, pop star or actor but have heard about those who do in the media. From what I picked up from that source over the years The Blissfully Dead is chillingly accurate.
Teenage girls who worship a boy band are being tortured and murdered. Lennon and his team at desperate to find the killer before more die. They have to find a connection between thousands of forum and social media posts to try and find a link. And then the killing gets much closer.
I like the group of detectives who feature in this series with the exception of one, Winkler. He is just as obnoxious and infuriating as he was in From the Cradle. The only difference was that I could laugh at him as well as snarl. There wasn't as much focus on Lennon's private life which I was slightly disappointed in. I hope that we find out more in future books, as well as more about Carmella and Suzanne.
The band and all the people associated with them were believable, some of the fans not so but I did enjoy reading about their antics. I really enjoyed the parts that's involved Kai, he was very entertaining.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series, I have read both books in the last couple of weeks and enjoyed them very much.
With thanks to Marks Edwards and Louise Voss for the copy received via netgalley.

A series of sweetheart murders take place in a small town named Texarkana in 1946. Charlie Yates is a New York reporter who is out of favour with his boss. He is told to get out of New York and get the story.
His marriage is over and it looks like his career is heading the same way so he does as he is told. Nobody in Texarkana wants him there, they just see him as a hack who is desperate for his story with no thought for the victims or their families. The police see him as trouble and are very convincingly intimidating in their attempts to drive him out of town.
The Dark Inside is one of the most accurate titles of books that I have read. It is a fantastic novel that is very dark at times. Sometimes a little too much so for me and for a short period I could only read a few chapters at a time. Charlie is hard to warm to initially, he isn't blameless in the collapse of his marriage or for the fallout with his employers. Many of his problems are due to him being unable to participate in WW2, the reasons why are revealed during the novel.
However part way through, after a quite harrowing time for him my opinions changed and I was willing him to succeed. From that moment Charlie wanted to get answers for Lizzie a woman he had feelings for but mainly for himself. To prove everybody wrong.

Before I started this novel I expected it to be similar to Raymond Chandler but I was mistaken. It's so much more bleak than that. I could see it being on the screen, it would need a strong cast to carry of such a great novel and would ideally be in black and white. That is my wish anyway.
Quite violent, very atmospheric and totally different to other books that have been published recently. An excellent debut novel by an author that will go far.
With thanks to the publisher and the author for the copy received by netgalley
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From the Cradle is intense right from the opening chapter. We often read a crime novel where a lead police officer has a troubled private life but l think that Patrick Lennon must be very near the top of the list for having the most difficult and unusual one.
Along with Carmella, Winkler and Suzanne he is trying to find three young missing children. Very much aware that time is against them they are desperate to find a link and reunite the children with their frantic parents. Not all the team are working together. Winkler is not a team player and resents Lennon being in charge of the investigation. Lennon himself is struggling to stay in control. His private life is very close to the investigation and at times he questions his ability.
I had no idea which way the tale was going to go. There were a lot of twists throughout, especially in the final third, maybe if I've any gripe, a few too many. But it didn't ruin the book at all.
I would love to know how writing a book as a joint project works. I have read books by Mark Edwards before but I've never read any of the books that are also written by Louise Voss. I was quite impressed and I am happy that I have the second book in the Patrick Lennon series to read. Incidentally the second novel The Blissfully Dead is released today.

Whilst On Track for Murder was not really like I expected it to be I still found it enjoyable to read. I thought it would be a little sinister but instead I found myself reading a novel that combined crime, history and a big dash of romance.
I though the plot was different and after an initial surprise it went much the way I thought it would. I liked the main characters although I did find them unrealistic. I couldn't imagine many women being like Abigail in the late 19th century.
I found the historical part of the novel to be the most interesting aspect, I liked reading about Perth and the railroad. I did cringe at times over the way that Bertrand was described but I should imagine that was the how his condition was seen at the time.
One of the criminals was really sinister and I could understand why Abigail felt the way she did about him from his first appearance.
On the whole I liked it and will keep a lookout for the author in the future.
With thanks to Kate for the copy received for review.

The Killing Kind was one of those unusual novels where I liked the killer. Mike is a killer but is unusual in that he kills the contract killers who are paid to kill those who have crossed the people who have power. He is supposed to be dead and if another contract killer gets his way he soon will be.
Told by three very different viewpoints, that of Mike, Engelmann who is the contract killer who has been hired to stop him and Charlie who works for the FBI. I did like Mike, he was very loyal to the people he cared about, mainly Lester his only friend and Evie the love of his life who along with many thought that he was dead. He doesn't always like the victims he decides to help but if they agree to pay what he wants, he does what he needs to do with great precision.
He is being tracked by Engelmann who is a quite nasty, charming but lethal individual. There is nothing good to be said about him. Cold, ruthless and calculating but probably the most convincing out of all of them.
The FBI came across as slightly inept. Charlie, the lead, had guessed what was occurring but with her team were incapable of stopping it.
I did enjoy reading the novel, even though it was much more violent than I'm used to and at times I did feel like I was reading a movie script. It was easy to read though and I like the style of writing. I would be interested in reading the previous novels by Chris Holm.

Thanks to the publisher and the author for the copy received.

The Girl Who Wouldn't Die was one of the many books that Ive had on my kindle for a while and when I noticed that the second had been released I settled down to read.
George is a student at Cambridge University who is on placement in Amsterdam. When a student is murdered she is approached by Inspector van den Bergen to help identify the killer. When more murders are committed she realises how much danger the people she cares about and herself are in.
I enjoyed this novel very much. Amsterdam is somewhere I have always wanted to visit so it was interesting to read about the city itself. George is very likeable although she does have her faults. Very independent, a bit touchy and also a touch OCD but when you get to know about her past and her relationship with her mother you can understand why she is that way.
I also liked the Inspector, who delighted in frustrating his superior, and Ad although I did find him a bit self indulgent. I totally loathed Vin Fennemans . I won't say why but it doesn't take long for him to make a very unfavourable impression.
A fairly quick read, gruesome at times but a very good introduction to George and I'm looking forward to getting to know her better. I received my copy from netgalley so thanks to the publisher and the author for the copy received.
Since reading I have downloaded the first two and pre ordered the third in the series.

Romantic Comedy is not a style of book that I would usually read but I am familiar with the author's other novels (writing as Mel Sherratt) and love them. Plus I also needed a break from my usual choice of crime fiction.
I was not disappointed. It was very enjoyable reading about Lily, Kate and Chloe. Three different generations of independent women and their determination to open the coffee shop and make it successful. All three had experienced a loss or uncertainty over the future and all three helped each other deal with it. One of the reasons I liked it so much was the relationship between the three. They had their disagreements like everybody does but they were resolved. It's very much a feel good novel, and even though I did cry a couple of times it was lovely, light hearted easy read and I am looking forward very much to reading the next Marcie Steele. And I would LOVE to visit the coffee shop!
With thanks to the publisher and the author for the copy via netgalley.

The Widow by Fiona Barton is being published as the book to watch in 2016. I received my copy as a limited edition proof (number 22/100) at this years crime festival in Harrogate. Even though it won't be published for a few months yet I decided to read it early before any opinion I had was influenced by hype.
It is a good book but one that I did struggle with at times. The narrative switches between different people. That of the widow I did like reading although at times I felt she was older than the age she was said to be. There was also the police officer who failed in the investigation and refused to let go. And then there was the journalist. It was this part of the novel that I struggled with. I found it draining to read and unfortunately it was a fairly large part of the novel. The husband and Bella's mother also have their turn but not to any huge degree.
It is clever and I've not really read anything like it before. Most crime books I have read focus on the police rather than that of a relative of a suspect. Sadly it is the image of the press that I am left with.

Not everyone who's missing is lost..

The Lost had been sat in the kindle pile for a while and after seeing a flurry of tweets about the new book in the series I decided to see what I was missing.
I found it to be a fantastic novel. The first in a new series Paula Maguire has been employed by the police force in her home town. She is working with a team who are assigned to cold cases but who are also investigating a current case, the disappearances of two missing teenage girls. She doesn't really want to be back there. Looking after her father, seeing old friends she hasn't been in touch with for years and unanswered questions about her Mother's disappearance years earlier.
The team were brilliant. Consisting of both Catholic and Protestant, Northern and Southern Irish, the way they interacted with each other was a joy to read. I could hear the dialect as I read, something that I have felt in other novels seemed false.
The investigation has its problems and initially Paula isn't accepted by the others but she is determined to solve the case with or without their help.
It was a great book to read, I know that there are at least another two I can read and I'm looking forward to doing so. I see great potential for the team of detectives in Ballyterrin.

I enjoyed this unusual novel set in Yorkshire. The detectives had a good relationship despite some suspicions from some of the team towards Maria initially. I did struggle with the amount of detail it did overpower the story at times and with the amount of people who featured in it ! I had to go back several times. I knew it was part of a trilogy before I read it so the ending wasn't a huge shock. I will read the next book which I understand will be published soon. With thanks to TBC on Facebook for the copy received in exchange for an honest review.

The Life I Left Behind had me hooked right from the beginning. It starts with one of my biggest fears, that of finding somebody dead whilst out walking. The whole of the novel is told from three women's point of view. The police officer Victoria, who is investigating the murder of Eve and consequently looking into the assault on Melody. Then there is Melody whose life has never been the same since the attack on her, and finally Eve. Eve is the women whose body was found, and her story about how she got there is fascinating. She was a journalist who started investigating the sentence against the man who attacked Melody and whether he was wrongly accused.
I found Melody hard to engage with at first. I think this was mainly due to her relationship with very controlling Sam who seemed to manipulate the way she was left after the attack. But as I got more into her story I liked her very much. And hated him more by the page.
Victoria was determined to get to the truth regarding the two cases. Even if it means upsetting her superior who investigated the original case. Very much a minor character compared to the other two who dominated the story.
I loved Eve, her humour, compassion and her determination to get the true story from Melody's ordeal was fantastic to read. She was a delight and I loved getting to 'know' her.
This novel is easily one of my top ten books of the year. Highly recommended, especially if you like something that little bit different.
Thanks to the publisher and the author for the copy via netgalley.