A little girl with cancer is snatched from a hospital. Her abductor is found dead shortly afterwards but Rosie is still missing. Behaviour specialist Jessie Boyle and DS Seamus Keneally begin a frantic search for the little girl but her time is running out..
Her Child’s Cry is the third book to feature Boyle and Keneally but the first that I have read. There are mentions of events from previous books and I presume the serial killer character appeared in an earlier book.
This book is full of tension right from the beginning. A little girl with cancer is kidnapped which is a highly emotive case. I liked the main trio of investigators as they work together to figure out who took Rosie and why. Their boss Dawn Wilson is a great character, a strong woman in a male dominated world and a fabulous leader.
The book is set in Ireland and there are some historical elements to the plot. There are many different plot strands as the investigation proceeds and they explore cults, gangs and internet predators.
There are some chapters written from specific characters viewpoints including Rosie’s. This gives us a personal perspective as well as increasing the tension as we fear for their safety. I enjoyed following the twists and turns of the plot developments and want to read the previous books to see how the serial killer interacted with the lead characters.
Her Child’s Cry is an entertaining crime thriller novel.
Her Child’s Cry book description:
‘I just want my little girl back. She’s so little, she needs her mummy. And she doesn’t even have her panda bear with her. Find her, please find her, before it’s too late.’
Little Rosie Blake has been taken. Since going missing from the hospital where she was being treated for cancer, Rosie’s distraught parents haven’t heard a word. And time is swiftly running out. They have to find her, and right away, because Rosie can only survive for ten days without her medication.
With the police unable to find any leads at all, criminal behaviourist Jessie Boyle and her team are brought in to help. Who would be so evil as to steal a sick child? Narrowing down on a suspect, Jessie quickly moves to arrest them, only to discover the suspect’s dead body instead… And with no Rosie in sight, the case becomes even more desperate.
Who killed their chief suspect, and where is Rosie now? And is Rosie’s disappearance linked to the sudden revival of Dublin’s Hellfire Club, an ancient and terrifying cult obsessed with death and human sacrifice?
As the race to find Rosie intensifies, her heartbroken parents know their little girl’s time is running out. The clock is ticking, but Jessie clings on to the hope of finding her safe. Then her search leads her to Ireland’s remote mountains… Will Jessie be able to survive the deadly threat that awaits her, rescue Rosie, and get her back to safety, before it’s too late?
An utterly compelling crime thriller that will have you hooked from the very first line. Fans of Patricia Gibney, Lisa Gardner and Lisa Regan will not want to miss this.
Author Bio:
Shane Dunphy (S. A. Dunphy) was born in Brighton in 1973, but grew up in Ireland, where he has lived and worked for most of his life. A child protection worker for fifteen years, he is the bestselling author of seventeen books, including the number one Irish bestseller Wednesday’s Child and the Sunday Times Bestseller The Girl Who Couldn’t Smile. His bestselling series of crime novels (written under the name S. A. Dunphy) feature the criminologist David Dunnigan. Stories From the Margins, his new series of true crime books written for Audible, has been critically acclaimed and the second title in the series, The Bad Place, is an Audible True Crime bestseller.
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Val and Josie devised a bucket list of American adventures but cancer prevented them enjoying their final trip. Now Val persuades her niece Cathy and her close knit group of friends to undertake the trip with her.
What Next? is the third book to feature Cathy and her friends. I have not read the previous two and this book worked perfectly well as a standalone novel.
Cathy is moving to the USA with her husband but is reluctant to leave her home. She is persuaded to join her aunt Val on a bucket list trip which alllow her the chance to delay the move. Her friends and family are also facing dilemmas in their lives and the trip offers them an opportunity for some soul searching.
Val’s character is bold and brash, loud and loveable. But she also has such sadness about the death of her friend. Carol and Jess are both feeling that their relationships are failing. The book is written from each of their first person perspectives so we learn about their emotions and actions.
There is plenty of comedy throughout the book and there were some wonderful turns of phrases used by the author. The characters’ interactions and dialogue added humour as well. However, there are some serious emotional notes to the plot and characters as well. Val bitterly regrets being unable to complete her bucket list with her late best friend. Relationships cause tension and the characters need to find resolutions in order to find happiness.
What Next? is a light hearted novel about making the most out of life’s chances.
What Next?
Two weeks, four friends and one big bucket list of secrets to unravel…
Val Murray and her best friend, Josie had been planning a ‘Thelma and Louise’ bucket list style holiday.
Now Josie is gone, and Val needs to make the trip before it’s too late.
But Val doesn’t want to do it alone, so she enlists the help of her nieces, Carly and Carole, and their best pal, Jess, who jump at the chance to join Val on a trip of a lifetime.
What Val doesn’t realise is that Carly, Carole and Jess are all at turning points in their own lives, nursing crushing secrets, lies and betrayals.
Somewhere between Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York they all hit a crossroads and have to decide if they want to return to the lives they left behind or let Josie’s last wishes take them on a brand new adventure.
Author Bio –
Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 25 novels, including One Day In Summer and My One Month Marriage and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. She lives near Glasgow.
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Charlie and Jamie relocate to Crete to start living their dream life in the sun. But one of them doesn’t settle and leaves the dream and relationship behind…
What Happens in Greece is a light hearted book guaranteed to make you eager for a summer getaway! Warning : there are lots of food descriptions so don’t read while hungry!
Charlie and Jamie start the book as a united couple and share a dream of leaving rainy England behind them. They move to Crete, embracing the culture and change in lifestyle. But one of them struggles to fit in (in my opinion, they made zero effort…) and returns home leaving the other on their own.
The plot develops gradually and the break up happens over a third of the way through the book. Greek food, landscape and characters are described vividly and bring the plot to life. The ending was a little abrupt and left me wanting to find out more (I’m sure there is scope for a sequel).
Love and relationships form a major theme throughout the book relating to both the main and the peripheral characters. The romance is gentle whilst the characters stay true to themselves rather than compromising. Friendships and community are also central to the plot and the lives of the characters, allowing us to see other sides to their personalities.
What Happens in Greece will get you in the mood for summer sun.
Buying a rundown cottage in Greece. A crazy, wine-fuelled idea, or the best decision she’s ever made?
Charlotte takes in the scene. To the left, her (ex?) fiancé’s retreating back as he runs back to civilisation; in front, the crumbling Greek island farmhouse she thought was their shared dream; and just below, a goat munching merrily on her sunhat…
At first, Jamie had leapt at Charlotte’s idea to permanently swap drizzly Chester for sun-drenched Crete. Now it looks like she’ll be living this dream alone. Devastated but determined, she rolls up her sleeves and gets to work turning the ramshackle house into her forever home. At least the local community welcomes her with open arms, including sexy restaurant-owner-slash-handyman, Darius.
Taking a sledgehammer to her old life, and snacking on homemade honey cake on her breaks, Charlotte begins to see the promise of a future without Jamie. But on a trip back home, he suddenly appears, wanting her back. Faced with a choice between the first love who broke her heart and the gorgeous Greek man who has been putting it back together, how will Charlotte choose where she truly belongs?
A totally laugh-out-loud and feel-good summer read about taking a chance on life and love! Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and My Mamma Mia Summer.
Author Bio:
Sue Roberts lives in Lancashire with her long term partner Derek and has had a lifelong love of writing, encouraged by winning a school writing competition at the age of 11.
She always assumed that ‘one day’ she would write a book, always having a busy household and a job, the idea remained firmly on the back burner but never forgotten.
The inspiration for her first novel came to her on a holiday to a Greek village. Her daughters had left home and suddenly the time had come to write that book!
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Kay has reached the end of her tether. Her ex husband is vying for their children’s affections and flaunting his new lover. Her colleagues are sexist and she is passed over for promotion. Then a smug idiot cuts her up in traffic and she snaps. Kay damages his car and starts a bitter and dangerous feud…
The Feud is a psychological thriller with a big dose of domestic drama.
I felt immediately allied with Kay as she battles against men who patronise her and reject her in both her personal and professional life. The book is written from Kay’s first person perspective so we can understand her emotions and actions. Whilst I would never condone criminal activity, I could easily see how she has been pushed to her limit and acted on impulse.
There is plenty of danger and suspense as we wonder what lengths Simon will go to and Kay fears for the safety of her family. Simon is like a villain from a melodrama, without a single redeeming feature. He is overtly and insidiously threatening in his behaviour which ramps up the tension. I found that I had to suspend my disbelief a little and just enjoy the dark plot twists.
On the drama side of the plot, Kay is dealing with issues concerning her ex and her job. Both are having a detrimental effect on her life and she needs to confront both in order to move on. These elements to the plot felt much more realistic to me and could easily have been the premise for the whole book.
The Feud is an enjoyable mix of dangerous thrills and personal battles with a really strong lead character.
The Feud book blurb
From the stranger in the car, to the madman at her door…
The day my path crossed with Simon Fox I thought I’d already lost everything but then he ran me off the road with his flash car and belittling jibes.
The men in my life had undermined me for too long.
Enough was enough.
Fuelled by alcohol and the desire to get even, I decided a spot of petty vandalism would make me feel a whole lot better.
Wrong. Very wrong…
I hadn’t realised that Simon Fox was not a man to be messed with.
He showed me just how much I still had left to lose.
Soon I was battling for my home, family and life.
Author Bio –
Gemma Rogers was inspired to write gritty thrillers by a traumatic event in her own life nearly twenty years ago. Her debut novel Stalker was published in September 2019 and marked the beginning of a new writing career. Gemma lives in West Sussex with her husband, two daughters and bulldog Buster.
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Crime writer Anthony Lovell hosts an exclusive book launch and has some big surprises in store for his guests. But he is shockingly murdered by pufferfish poison and his widow ends upon trial for murder. Ursula Smart is convinced of her innocence…
A Book of Murder is the fourth book in the Smart series but the first that I have read. The women have a clearly established relationship. There are repeated references to a deceased character Mirabelle but I have no idea how she relates to the characters so I would advise reading the books in order.
It took me a little while to get used to the style of writing but then I was hooked. At first I thought it was quirky but then began to enjoy the personal and unique nature of the narrative. The book is written from Ursula’s first person perspective as she describes the events leading up to the murder as well as the present day trial. There is plenty of humour in the book, often at the expense of Ursula’s family members.
I ended up really liking the mix of murder mystery and court case drama. The murder looks like an open and shut case but Ursula has her doubts. She challenges her own recollections as well as the supposed factswhich could imprison an innocent woman. The plot maintained my interest, with plenty of twists and turns, and the mystery of the culprit was sustained until revealed in the final chapters.
A Book of Murder is an enjoyable murder mystery and I hope to catch up with the previous books in the series.
A BOOK OF MURDER
THE PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE WINNER VICTORIA DOWD’S LATEST MYSTERY!
If you love Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood, Agatha Christie, Anthony Horowitz, Faith Martin and Sophie Hannah, you’ll love this brilliant whodunnit.
A lonely fort at sea.
Nineteen guests with secrets to hide.
An invitation to die for?
The Smart women wangle an invite to crime-fiction powerhouse Anthony Lovell’s latest book launch, a weekend-long bash at his private island home.
They’re ready for an evening of wining, dining and hobnobbing with the literati.
But trouble is never far behind where the Smart women are concerned.
Late that night, Ursula is awakened by blood-curdling screams.
Anthony’s been poisoned. By the same rare — and potentially deadly — fugu fillet that was the highlight of the evening feast.
One of the guests is a murderer. But who?
As the courtroom drama unfolds, and the Smart women are called in as witnesses, Ursula’s convinced there’s more to this murder than meets the eye.
But is asking questions asking for trouble?
AN IMPOSSIBLE LOCKED-ROOM MURDER MYSTERY WITH A TOUCH OF DARK HUMOUR.
ABOUT VICTORIA DOWD
Victoria Dowd is a criminal barrister-turned-crime writer. She lives with her husband and two children, splitting her time between London and Devon, where she indulges her passion for all things Agatha Christie. Her first book won the People’s Book Prize 2021.
PRAISE FOR VICTORIA DOWD:
“Murders, laughs and a malevolent wig-stealing monkey — this book is a riot!” Nicola Gill, author of We Are Family
“I absolutely LOVED this book . . . A perfect cocktail of devilish plot and ingenious characterisation, all laced with Dowd’s unmistakable wit. Superb!” Philippa East, author of Little White Lies & Safe and Sound
“Victoria Dowd is my go-to author for clever, witty crime fiction full of memorable characters . . . Dark, sharp and dangerously addictive.” Louise Mumford, bestselling author of Sleepless
“Lashings of dark humour, and an edgy twisty yet classic plot . . . A perfect autumn addition to my crime bookshelf!” D. E. White, bestselling author of Glass Dolls
“Sheer reading delight from beginning to end. Dowd masterfully mingles laugh out loud humour with suffocating grief in this confounding murder mystery. May the Smart women enchant readers for many more books to come.” Penny Batchelor, bestselling author of My Perfect Sister
“A crazy humorous murder mystery. Certainly something different. I thought it wonderfully written, very imaginative and creative . . . it’s like combining modern-day trauma with Gothic tragedy.” Carol S.
“Perfect book for a rainy day. This is a great mystery . . . I loved all the characters and I really loved the mystery element as well.” Lynn B.
“I was drawn in right away with the descriptive narrations. The author has quite a way with writing her characters so you like the ones she intends you to but also makes you dislike others! It had me interested until the very end and I couldn’t wait to read how this mystery concluded! Definitely one I’d recommend!” Kristen K.
“I really like this series and in my opinion, this is the beat book so far. We get a murder mystery with a little bit of humour thrown in. There’s plenty of twists and clues in this well-written story . . . it’s also multi-layered and atmospheric. The characters are well-developed and a mixed bunch.” Louise W.
ALSO BY VICTORIA DOWD
SMART WOMAN’S MYSTERY SERIES
1: THE SMART WOMAN’S GUIDE TO MURDER
2: BODY ON THE ISLAND
3: THE SUPPER CLUB MURDERS
4: A BOOK OF MURDER
VICTORIA DOWD
After graduating from Cambridge, Victoria was a criminal law barrister on the London circuit for many years, where many of her cases were much stranger than fiction.
Victoria is now an award winning writer, having won the Go Gothic Short Story Award for 2019. She has had short fiction published in places such as Aesthetica: A Review of Contemporary Artists and was chosen as the runner up in The New Writer’s writer of the year award. Her work was Highly Commended by The Writers’ Forum and long-listed for The Willesden Herald International Short Story Competition. She has had short stories published in the BTS Literary and Arts Annual, Dream Catcher arts journal and Gold Dust Literary Magazine.
Victoria lives with her husband and two children. She writes full time, splitting her time between London and Devon, where she can indulge her passion for all things Agatha Christie.
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