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Sara Fletcher is camping alone when she is abducted and a frantic search for her ensues. The investigation is led by DC Morgan Brookes and her team quickly find a body. But it is a skeleton not Sara. Has the kidnapper acted before with murderous consequences, and can the police find Sara before she becomes the next victim?

Find The Girl is the fifth book to feature DC Morgan Brookes. I have reviewed all of the earlier books in the series: One Left Alive, The Killer’s Girl, The Hiding Place, and First Girl To Die.

Morgan and her immediate boss Ben are straight on the case as the action begins immediately. They are determined to catch the killer before he can kill Sara but they find another body instead and fear they are dealing with a serial killer.

The pace is relentless and there are some parts from the perspective of the killer which shows the danger his victims are in. Morgan and Ben continue to have a spark of attraction that means that they don’t always behave in an objective way towards in each other.

There are lots of twists and I was convinced I had guessed the killer but was wrong! The ending is dramatic to the point of jaw dropping…

Find The Girl was just as gripping as the previous books in the series and again I am on tenterhooks waiting for the next instalment.

MEDIA PACK

Book: FIND THE GIRL 

Author: Helen Phifer 

Pub Day: Jan 19th 2022 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09JZTZHDDsocial 

Apple: http://ow.ly/QFCT50Gz4rt 

Kobo: http://ow.ly/prZA50Gz4pc 

Google: http://ow.ly/UZjK50Gz4sw

Audible: 

US: zpr.io/LdEEpPkPFDBa

UK: zpr.io/a8nQVKZVnuim

https://soundcloud.com/bookouture/find-the-girl-by-helen-phifer-narrated-by-alison-campbell

About the Book:

The tent door flutters in the warm breeze, opening towards the silent woods beyond. A silk eye mask lies on top of the empty sleeping bag, blood-red spots ruining the cream fabric…

When a woman disappears from Forest Pines campsite, Detective Morgan Brookes scrambles a search party. Sara Fletcher has never missed a lunch date with her best friend and when Morgan finds a large rip in Sara’s tent, she knows that something terrible must have happened. About to lose hope after hours combing through the acres of dense forest, the excited bark of a tracker dog leads Morgan to female remains, partially covered by leaves and dirt – but the bones don’t belong to Sara.

Morgan trawls through missing persons files until she finds three cold cases with chilling similarities – three other victims dating back twenty years who were taken from campsites while they slept, by a killer the police called the Travelling Man. The post-mortems indicate he kept them alive for 72 hours, meaning every second is crucial to find Sara alive.

Morgan’s team is terrified that this twisted murderer has returned. But Morgan also can’t ignore the fact that a merciless killer from her own past has recently escaped from prison… Could they be chasing the wrong man? If she’s correct, how deep will she have to dig to save Sara and other innocent women like her before time runs out for them all?

A completely unputdownable, heart-in-your-mouth crime thriller. Fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan and Rachel Abbott will be glued to the page!

Author Bio

Social Media

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Helenphifer1/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/helenphifer1

Website: https://www.helenphifer.com/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/helenphifer/

Sam and Maggie are taking part in an archaeological dig when a body is discovered. But it is much more recent than expected, and the killer may still be alive…

At Death’s Door is quite a quirky crime mystery novel. It is the second book in the series and I have not read the first. However, there are no spoilers about events from the previous book.

Maggie is a wonderful character and I liked how she is presented via the first person. She is psychic and can see spirits which has significant impact on her in terms of the murder investigation as well as her personal life as tragedy strikes. I really liked this element to the book although one vision was particularly heartwrenching.

The discovery of the body takes a back seat after the initial discovery as Maggie’s personal life and family relationships takes centre stage. This adds a great deal of emotion to the book which is softened by Maggie’s eccentric personality and humorous escapades.

The book is written from third person perspectives, mainly focussed on Sam and Andrea, but also Maggie in the first person. I found it a little tricky to get into the book due to the style of writing and how it jumps between characters and in time to relevant flashbacks in the past. However, by a third of the way through I had settled in and coped better with the changes.

At Death’s Door has a strong plot and lead character and I’m glad I persevered to get to grips with the style.

At Death’s Door

When Maggie Kaye and Sam Dee join the Bishops Well archaeological dig, they are as surprised as everyone else to unearth a body that was buried there less than fifty years ago. It can’t possibly be the remains of an ancient Celt.

Maggie, with her usual flair – and psychic intuition – is convinced that there is more to this discovery than meets the eye. And some Bishops residents seem to know a lot more about the case than they are willing to let on.

But nobody is as shocked as Maggie when a face from the past – a face she thought she’d never see again – appears in the village, and long-hidden secrets begin to surface.

With danger at her door, and Sam by her side, can Maggie uncover the truth before it’s too late?

Purchase Links

1 At Death’s Door: The Shires Mysteries 2: A twisty and gripping cosy mystery eBook : Legat, Anna: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

2 At Death’s Door: The Shires Mysteries 2 by Anna Legat | Waterstones

3 At Death’s Door: The Shires Mysteries 2 eBook by Anna Legat – 9781786159915 | Rakuten Kobo United Kingdom

4 At Death’s Door: The Shires Mysteries 2 : A twisty and gripping cosy mystery: Anna Legat: 9781786159946: hive.co.uk

Author Bio –

Anna Legat is a Wiltshire-based author, best known for her DI Gillian Marsh murder mystery series. Murder isn’t the only thing on her mind. She dabbles in a wide variety of genres, ranging from dark humorous comedy, through magic realism to dystopian. A globe-trotter and Jack-of-all-trades, Anna has been an attorney, legal adviser, a silver-service waitress, a school teacher and a librarian. She has lived in far-flung places all over the world where she delighted in people-watching and collecting precious life experiences for her stories. Anna writes, reads, lives and breathes books and can no longer tell the difference between fact and fiction.

Subscribe to Anna’s News, Rumours and Scandalous Revelations at https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/j6b7k1

Social Media Links –

To find out more: https://annalegat.com/

Follow Anna on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LegatWriter

Join Anna on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnnaLegatAuthor/

1840, Annie and her husband Jake go on the run after she make a rash decision. They find work but tragedy ensues. 1846, James Earlham, a railway engineer, meets widow Bella Farrow as he tries to persuade her to sell some of her land for the railways. Both are harbouring secrets: can their romance survive?

The Widow’s Last Secret is an historical novel set in England during the 1840s. It centres around the building of the first railways.

Annie and Jake are a love match, happy but poor. A foolish and split second choice leads them both to abandon their peaceful life. They endure even more hardship but still have each other. Moving forward 6 years and Annie has reinvented herself as Bella, a respectable widow but mistrusted by the local community. Railway engineer James needs to save his career by getting his company a great deal on land purchases for the railway, but his heart is captured by Widow Farrow.

I was utterly absorbed by this book. The characters are written in such a way that they are portrayed sympathetically even if we don’t agree with their choices and actions. Annie/Bella and James are both easy to like even though they behave impulsively with devastating consequences. The unfairness of external actions by others, societal norms such as class, and social rejection all serve to make us readers want them to succeed and find happiness despite the odds.

I think the events are described in a personal way which allows us to be swept up in the story. There is plenty of emotion as the plot unfolds. The final few chapters were wonderfully dramatic and I had no idea how the plot strands would resolve (but they did and I was completely satisfied by the ending!)

The Widow’s Last Secret was an absolutely captivating novel and I loved it!

I have previously reviewed Daughter of the Shipwreck by Lora Davies.

The Widow’s Last Secret: Totally gripping and emotional historical fiction by Lora Davies

Victorian England, 1846: A gripping and powerful story about one woman’s incredible courage in the face of heartbreak, and a secret that – if revealed – could destroy everything.

Six years ago, Bella Farrow lost everything. Desperate and starving, she made a terrible mistake that forced her to abandon her home, her livelihood and her family. And when the only person she trusted – her beloved, steadfast husband – was killed in a tragic accident, Bella was left alone. She had to make her own way, while keeping her past hidden upon risk of imprisonment, or worse…

Now Bella is living a quiet life under a secret identity and making a good, honest living. But then a young, handsome man named James Earlham comes to town, and everything changes. Their instant connection disturbs her heart, her peace and her safety. Because Bella knows that for their love to flourish, she will have to reveal the secret that has remained hidden all these years – and put her trust in James.

Bella’s heart tells her to confess everything. But can she be sure James is really who he says he is? Can Bella truly be herself with him? Or is she putting her life in the hands of the one person who could betray her?

A page-turning novel about secrets, mistaken trust and the impossibility of hiding from your past, The Widow’s Last Secret is a must-read for fans of Kerry Barrett, Kate Morton and Tracy Rees.

Buy link

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09JTRG1PVsocial

Apple: http://ow.ly/EyON50Gv5TI

Google: http://ow.ly/JeUw50Gv89z 

Kobo: http://ow.ly/9REL50Gv5TG

About the author

For as long as I can remember, I have been happiest with a book in my hands. From hiding under the covers with a torch as a small child so that I could stay up reading, to studying English at university so that I could get my hands on even more books – I guess it was only a matter of time before I went from reading books to writing them. It wasn’t a straightforward path; my passion for gripping plots and rounded characters led me first to work as an actor and theatre director, but after a Creative Writing course at my local bookshop, I was hooked. After completing a Masters at Royal Holloway, University of London, I finished my first novel, Daughter of the Shipwreck. I live in Brighton where I get inspiration from the incredibly rich history of the city and the inspiring and beautiful natural environment.

Author social media

Twitter: @DaviesLora

Website: https://www.loradavies.com/

Seemingly random women are abducted and murdered in lakemore. Detective Mackenzie Price needs to unearth the connection between the women, determine the motive and catch the killer. Can she find him before the next kidnapped woman is killed…?

The Dying Game is the fourth book to feature Mad Mack, a sparky detective with a traumatic past. I have reviewed the previous books in the series: Hidden Lake, Their Frozen Graves, and Little Boy Lost.

Mack’s personal life takes a back seat in this latest book, although she is suffering from flashbacks. The focus is therefore very much on the case which has so many twists and turns as multiple women are abducted and then found dead. The murders and body disposal are not straight forward and the evidence is confusing for the police team.

Power and money appear at the centre of the case and this leads to frustration and politics from both the police and suspects. I did manage to guess the culprit towards the end but this did not spoil my enjoyment of the book and I enjoyed watching the conclusion unnfold.

The banter and frisson between Mack and Nick continues to entertain. This adds a lightness amidst the grisly forensic detail and determined investigation. There is humour from Mack’s response to being in the media especially as she is teased by her colleagues. However, there is also some emotion as Mack realises her personal life is on hold and she is lonely.

The Dying Game is an entertaining police thriller with plenty of character development for the lead detective.

MEDIA PACK

Book: The Dying Game 

Author: Ruhi Choudhary  

Pub Day: Jan 17th 2022 

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09G71K3X4social

Apple: http://ow.ly/Jzfd50GaVJl 

Kobo: http://ow.ly/QEkl50GaVHF 

Google: http://ow.ly/L5sP50GaVKq 

About the Book: 

As the doors of the elevator were forced open, Mack’s worst fears were confirmed. A delicate hand dangled at the top, peeking out from above the elevator. From the shape and size and the green color on the nails, the hand belonged to a woman. Had they found Mia?

Lakemore, Washington. When Mia Gallagher is reported missing after an apparent abduction, Detective Mackenzie Price is immediately called in to investigate. But as she begins to scour CCTV footage of her last known movements, Mia’s body is discovered in an elevator shaft.

DNA evidence points to a troubled local man from the wrong side of town. But before he can be questioned, his body is found alongside a suicide note with the words: I killed her. I didn’t want to. But I had no choice.

The case appears closed until another woman goes missing and 48 hours later is found dead. The only link between the victims is a connection to Baron Wildman, one of the most powerful men in Lakemore but there is no hard evidence connecting him to their deaths.

When a local man confesses to the second killing, his M.O. is eerily similar to the first: kill or be killed. Then a third woman disappears and Mack knows she has just forty-eight hours to discover who lies at the heart of the blackmailing ring and find her victim alive.

Soon it becomes clear that this twisted killer will go to any lengths to protect a decades-old secret and wreak their revenge, even if that means hurting those closest to Mack. Can she unravel who lies at the heart of this deadly game before she loses another person she loves?

A pulse-pounding thriller packed with twists, The Dying Game will have you reading late into the night. Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Karin Slaughter and Robert Dugoni.

Author Bio

Ruhi Choudhary discovered her passion for writing when she was seven years old and wrote her first Star Trek episode. Being a fan of the dark and twisted, she found her calling in crime thriller.

She likes to write stories that make you a little uncomfortable and characters that you struggle to make up your mind about but stay with you.

She lives in Toronto and spends her days training to be a scientist and wishing it rained more often!

Ruhi’s social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuhiSChoudhary

Cassie Gynne heads to Florida in 1883 following the death of her father. She meets her aunt in jail after an eventful arrival but this is just the beginning for the unconventional pair! Her aunt’s enemy is dicsovered dead at the bottom of a tower and Cassie is sure it is murder but regrets pressing for an investigation when her aunt becomes the prime suspect…

A Deception Most Deadly is an historical cosy murder mystery set in America in the 1880s.

Cassie and her aunt Flora are thoroughly modern women. Both are feisty and independent with a healthy splash of the eccentric as well. They find themselves embroiled in a murder investigation and Flore is quickly accused of being the prime suspect. Cassie begins her own search to clear her aunt’s name and uncovers awhole host of secrets and lies.

I found the pace of the plot varied with some patches where little happened, and others where the twists and turns occurred relentlessly fast. I was kept guessing as to the culprit and motive until the very end.

The tone of the book is gently humorous, witty rather than laugh out loud funny. However, there are some wonderful turns of phrase that the author uses that made me smile. There is an emotional side to the book as well as Cassie is dealing with her grief for her late father as well as having entanglements of the heart, but will she choose the right man…?

A Deception Most Deadly is quite a quirky book in terms of the style of writing as well as the lead characters.

A Deception Most Deadly: An utterly addictive historical cozy murder mystery (A Cassie Gwynne Mystery Book 1) by Genevieve Essig

About the book

Meet Cassie Gwynne: bookworm, cat lover, reluctant heiress… and determined detective?

Florida, 1883. Cassie Gwynne is looking for a fresh start when she steps off the steamship at Fernandina harbor for the first time. She’s trying hard to be a proper lady, for once. She’s styled her unruly hair, shined her boots, and even purchased a whole new fashionable (or at least fashionably priced) wardrobe. However, she’s certain finding a body is not very ladylike behavior…

While out exploring the beautiful island with her Aunt Flora, Cassie stumbles across the body of Peanut Runkles, town grump and her aunt’s neighbor, lying at the foot of the harbor pilots’ lookout tower. To make matters worse, because Peanut and Flora have been quarreling for years over everything from Flora’s eccentric ideas to her pet pig’s fondness for Peanut’s vegetable patch, Flora is immediately arrested for murder.

Desperate to save the only family she has left, Cassie vows to prove Flora’s innocence and untangle the mystery herself, no matter how much the surly local sheriff disapproves. Cassie’s brilliant mind and nose for a clue lead her on an investigation that takes her all around the island, and even earns her a valiant furry friend in Esy the kitten.

But how does the mysterious ledger Cassie finds hidden in a secret drawer in Peanut’s desk connect to the crime? Cassie is determined to dig up the truth, but can she catch the killer before her time on the island comes to a deadly end?

This warm and witty cozy mystery will transport you to the island city of Fernandina and introduce you to a feisty heroine far before her time! Perfect for fans of Verity Bright, T E Kinsey and Deanna Raybourn.

Buy link

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09M7LM6HSsocial

About the author: Genevieve Essig

If you think about it, it makes perfect sense I’d eventually try to be a writer. One need only examine my childhood, as any therapist will tell you, and look for the signs: On family vacations my poor mother, already on her last nerve as my father, the Botany Professor, drove us around winding mountain roads with one eye on the ground vegetation, constantly screamed at me to “stop reading and look at the scenery.” I assigned my books call numbers and insisted my friends “check them out” from my “library” (the fines for late returns were steep but, as it turned out, largely unenforceable). I wrote plays about forest fairies and figures from classical mythology and petitioned for special dispensation so I could stage them on the playground during lunch. My favorite school task was diagramming sentences.

So, when, many years later, I scaled back my other work to spend more time writing, no one really should have been surprised. Concerned for my sanity and financial well-being, maybe, but not surprised. And am I ever glad I did. I am truly blessed, and I make an effort every day to remember that.

What else… I’m half-Chinese and Florida-raised, Yale- and UVA- educated, and Chicago…buffed and polished? In any case, I now proudly call New Orleans home, and when I’m not writing or getting lost down research rabbit holes, I spend my time practicing law, shooting pool, performing operas and musicals, ogling old buildings, acting for film and television, futzing with inventions that address highly specific and possibly only-annoying-to-me problems, traveling, ranting at bartenders about the evils of straws, riding horses, and petting strange cats (though, since we’ve recently welcomed home a new kitten friend, Musette, I might need to cut back on that last).

Author social media

Instagram: @essigauthor www.instagram.com/essigauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/essigauthor

Twitter: @essigauthor https://twitter.com/essigauthor

Website: https://www.genevieveessig.com