A serial killer is on the loose, attacking people at a lakeside retreat. DCI Alice Rossi is called in to investigate when it becomes clear that the perpetrator is the Mad Hatter killer who has been her nemesis for a number of murders. Now the Mad Hatter openly declares that Alice will be among the next victims…
The Ash Lake Murders is the first book in a new series featuring DCI Alice Rossi. There seems to be an established history with the Mad Hatter killer but we are caught up on enough detail to make this completely gripping.
The book begins with Callum being held by a mystery woman. She kills hims and disposes of his body with a mind to revealing a previous murder. I was instantly engaged with the plot and interested by the female serial killer. We then meet Alice who seems like a nice person so I wanted to know why the Mad Hatter has a vendetta agains her.
The plot kept me guessing and the pace is quite fast. Tension is maintained and our dread that something might happen to Alice is cleverly created and sustained. The author shows us the emotion of the murder victims’ families as they wait for news but also Alice as she struggles to cope with reminders of her abusive ex.
The Ash Lake Murders was a gripping detective murder mystery and a great start to a new series. I can’t wait for the next book!
The Ash Lake Murders
MEET DETECTIVE ALICE ROSSI IN THIS BRILLIANT NEW CRIME SERIES.
A brand-new mystery from #1 bestselling author Helen H. Durrant that will have you gripped from start to explosive finish.
A female serial killer with a deadly agenda. The detective who must stop her. Luxury holiday lodges in the stunning Peak District. The game begins . . .
Callum is lured to an isolated boathouse by an attractive older woman. When she gets him alone, she knocks him out with a single blow. As he wakes up, her voice comes out of the darkness, “You’re a sprat to catch a mackerel.”
Surrounded by hills and lakes, Still Waters is home to a close-knit community of wealthy retirees. It’s an unlikely setting for violence. The police don’t take Callum’s disappearance seriously: he’s 24-years-old, after all. But Callum’s mother, a Still Waters resident, knows that something is very wrong.
Then a body is discovered floating in the lake. Head bashed in. But it’s not Callum.
And someone tweets:Come out to play one last time, Alice. Still Waters run deep. #MadHatter.
That’s when DCI Alice Rossi is called in. She’s back.
IT’S A CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME BETWEEN AN OBSESSED KILLER AND A DETERMINED DETECTIVE IN THIS GRIPPING MYSTERY FULL OF STUNNING TWISTS.
Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel McLean, Joy Ellis, J.D. Kirk, Rachel Abbott, Elly Griffiths, J.M. Dalgliesh, Steph Broadribb or Patricia Gibney.
READERS LOVE HELEN H. DURRANT:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Another first-class read from Helen H. Durrant.” Iain
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A satisfying and enjoyable read.” Carol S.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Wow . . . this will keep you on the edge of your seat. Brilliant story from this author.” Booklover Bev
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Loved it. Read it in one sitting.” Aileen G.
THE DETECTIVE
DCI Alice Rossi of Greater Manchester’s Serious Crime Squad has served with the police for the past twenty-nine years. Since the death of her husband, Paul, six years ago, she has lived alone in a large, three-storey Edwardian terrace on the outskirts of Manchester. Her grown-up son lives in Edinburgh with his family. Alice is about to retire — but she’s not looking forward to it. Since her husband died, work has been her mainstay, not because she misses Paul — he was a bad man — but because it keeps her dark thoughts at bay.
ALSO BY HELEN H. DURRANT DETECTIVE ALICE ROSSI
Book 1: THE ASH LAKE MURDERS
THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERY SERIES
Book 1: DEAD WRONG
Book 2: DEAD SILENT
Book 3: DEAD LIST
Book 4: DEAD LOST
Book 5: DEAD & BURIED
Book 6: DEAD NASTY
Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS
Book 8: DEAD BAD
Book 9: DEAD GUILTY
Book 10: DEAD WICKED
Book 11: DEAD SORRY
THE DCI GRECO BOOKS
Book 1: DARK MURDER
Book 2: DARK HOUSES
Book 3: DARK TRADE
Book 4: DARK ANGEL
MATT BRINDLE
Book 1: HIS THIRD VICTIM
Book 2: THE OTHER VICTIM
DETECTIVES LENNOX & WILDE
Book 1: THE GUILTY MAN
Book 2: THE FACELESS MAN
Two feuding families on the island of Guernsey where the malice escalates. Property damage, violence and murder, leaving DI Liam O’Reilly with a complicated case with 200 years of animosity to unravel…
Malice on the Island is the fourth book in Stewart Giles’ DI O’Reilly series and the second that I have read. There are references to events in the previous book (which was BRILLIANT!) but no spoilers that would detract if you want to go back and read them from the beginning.
Liam is a great lead character and detective. He has begun a new relationship so is tentative in that in a way that contrasts wonderfully with his confidence and bravado as a police officer. He is also feeling awkward as his daughter continues a relationship with his least liked colleague. Plus there is the antagonistic relationship with his cat which adds a delightful touch of humour!
Dialogue between the characters feels natural and realistic, bringing both police and suspects to life. The style of writing overall in engaging which makes this book a real page turner.
The crimes in this book didn’t quite have the shock factor of those in the previous book. However, they were more grisly so I felt affected in a more emotional way. Bodies are covered in black paint and I guessed completely wrongly as to its significance. The plot held my interest throughout and I had a suspicion about the motive and culprit which were partially right.
Malice on the Island was a hugely enjoyable police procedural novel and I look forward to the next book in the seires.
Malice on the Island (Detective Liam O’Reilly book 4)
A FEUDING FAMILY AND A DEADLY SECRET.
Nobody knows when it first started.
The tranquil island of Guernsey is suddenly besieged by a wave of malice. Shops are getting set alight, houses are being sprayed with paint and friends are no longer sure if their neighbours are who they thought they were.
When a woman is found dead, covered head to toe in paint outside a house covered in identical paint Detective Liam O’Reilly is brought into the midst. O’Reilly soon realises this is much more than a simple case of murder. And when more bodies are found O’Reilly starts to wonder if he made the right decision in coming to the Island.
This is a crime mystery you won’t want to miss.
Perfect for fans of Joy Ellis and LJ Ross.
BOOKS BY STEWART GILES
DS JASON SMITH SERIES
Book 0.5 – Phobia
1 – Smith
2 – Boomerang
3 – Ladybird
4 – Occam’s Razor
5 – Harlequin
6 – Selene
7 – Horsemen
8 – Unworthy
9 – Venom
10 – Severed
11 – Demons
12 – Deadeye
13 – Motive
14 – Australia
DI O’REILLY MYSTERIES
Book 1 – Blood on the Island
2 – Lies on the Island
DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Beekeeper
2-The Perfect Murder
3-The Backpacker
Trotterdown a box set of DC Harriet Taylor books 1-3
DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1 – The Enigma
2 – Dropzone
3 – The Raven Girl
Trilogy: The DS Smith & Harriet Taylor box set
THE MIRANDA TRILOGY (psychological thrillers)
Miranda
Mistress
Medusa
STANDALONE HORROR
The Divide
Stewart Giles – Author Bio
After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor: Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brings together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
Miranda is something totally different. A stand-alone psychological thriller, it is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before. This was followed by the sequel Mistress in 2019. Medusa is coming soon
The Detective Jason Smith series continues to grow and there are now 13 books including the introduction: Phobia. Book 12: Deadeye was published in February 2020.
Trainee nurse Emily Burdon is working in a London hospital at the end of World War One. She dreams of peace and the safe return of her fiance Lewis who is fighting in France. But then the globe faces a new threat as the war ends but the far more deadly Spanish Flu is unleashed. Will Emily get her happy ending…?
When The World Stood Still is an historical drama and romance. The relationships between staff and patients as well as the medical detail is reminiscent to me of Holby City set 100 years ago. Highly dramatic and thoroughly enjoyable. My only criticism is that it was over too quickly and I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I want more! I’d love this to be continued in a sequel…
Emily is a determined young woman, passionate about her career but ready to give it up for love. She is dedicated to her career but also prepared to throw it away for family and love. She makes friends easily and is popular in her nursing team as well as amongst the patients.
Ooh I got angry with Lewis when he arrives back on the scene! We see chapters of him in France and he seemed a likeable chap but when he gets back to London there are secrets which I won’t spoil as well as the changes due to his experiences in the trenches.
The juxtaposition between the Spanish Flu and the current Coronavirus was hugely enjoyable. The protective measures and horrendous experiences in the wards is highly emotional and authentic, even more so given the current global situation. I thought the medical cases and WW1 experiences were handled sensitively but author Kate Eastham doesn’t pull any punches.
When The World Stood Still was hugely enjoyable, rich in history and drama.
When The World Stood Still book description:
The nurses were putting in twelve-hour shifts now, day and night. Emily felt broken inside, dried out, not even capable of tears. They were short-staffed after a softly spoken Irish nurse, who’d only been with them for four days, had died from the deadly flu and two more had fallen ill. And more patients were coming in every hour, though the hospital beds were already full…
1918. Twenty-year-old Emily Burdon has been training as a nurse in London, learning on the job as she tends to patients from the crowded poorhouses that ring the hospital as well as wounded soldiers returning from the war. She pours her heart into her nursing while she waits for happier times – peace in Europe and the return of her childhood sweetheart Lewis from the Western Front.
But when the deadly Spanish Flu arrives in London on the heels of the war, Emily’s faith and courage are put to the test. All around her men and women in the prime of their lives are wasting away, and until a cure is found there is nothing for Emily and her colleagues to do except make them comfortable, treat them as best they can… and, eventually, ease the pain of their passing.
But then Lewis catches the deadly flu himself on his way back home, just as a new doctor is transferred to head up Emily’s ward. From the distant land of Prince Edward Island in Canada, Dr James Cantor is the first of a generations-old farming family to have left the island, and wartime London feels a long way away from the rugged beauty of his homeland. But despite their differences, he and Emily find common ground in their passion for helping patients and stopping the spread of the disease. But with life forever changed around her and Lewis’ future hanging by a thread, can Emily survive the most terrible epidemic in the history with her life – and heart – intact?
A heartbreaking historical novel based on true history – emotional and unforgettable. Perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, The Beantown Girls and Diney Costeloe.
Author Bio:
A change in circumstance meant Kate Eastham made the shift from a career in nursing to being a carer for her partner. Determined to make the most of this new role ‘working from home’ and inspired by an in-depth study of the origins of nursing, she wrote her first novel at the kitchen table. Miss Nightingale’s Nurses was published by Penguin in 2018, closely followed by three more in the series. With her passion for history, Kate aims to make visible the lives of ordinary yet extraordinary women from the past. Her current historical fiction is set during the World Wars and will be published by Bookouture.
Goodbye to July, the end of the school term (such as it was!) and the beginning of the summer holidays.
Family: more lockdown easing has allowed us inside my parents’ home and the children have also slept over. Matthew is fully into trainsets again (inspired by my dad) and we have spent time together making buildings and painting people for his layout.
Anya and Zach are obsessed with the Wii plus Anya and I had a pamper afternoon at home. Finally we were able to all get hair cuts this week!
Work: the last weeks of term were a little frantic with finalising re-opening plans for September
Days out: we spent the morning at Grays Farm near Wokingham. Plenty of sunshine and fresh air, and our first experience of PYO.
Reviews: At the start of July I had no idea what wax melts were! But thanks to Teddy Eva Scents, I am now a convert! And you can get 10% off a subscription box with code LOOPY10.
This is book number 6 in the Tom Mariner series but the first one that I have read. It works well as a stand alone novel but I now want to read the first 5!
There are 2 strands to this book and twe are left wondering until right at the end the degree to which they are linked. We start with Glenn who has been released from prison and has murder on his mind. Within a few hours, 5 people are dead and he has laid a false trail to avoid capture and is hiding in Wales.
Meanwhile, police detective Tom Mariner has also escaped to Wales following the violent death of the woman he loves. Yet soon bodies are being discovered and Tom is involved in the investigation, both to clear his own name and to protect himself from the killer.
I love that the book kept me guessing until the end, even though we know that Glenn is a killer from the start. I felt that the explanation at the end could have been elaborated slightly more and all the loose ends tied up but that it my only criticism.
The character of Tom is one that the reader can identify with. Although he is a police officer, he is personally involved in the case and trying to use his professional skills to save himself but cannot help digging deeper into the Welsh community and putting himself in danger.
Tom is having a tough time dealing with the break down of his relationship and then the death of Anna so this instantly makes him someone to feel an emotional connection with.
I did enjoy the glossary at the end: many UK phrases and words that I take for granted but that international readers may struggle with. I hadn’t noticed the words’ usage in the book because they seemed natural but it is thoughtful of the author and publisher to include an explanation.
I will definitely be on the lookout for the earlier books and sequels as I enjoyed the narrative structure, language, plot and characters.
Book blurb:
Do you love gripping mysteries with great characters?
Discover Detective Tom Mariner in this critically acclaimed series.
‘Collett is a wonderful writer, subtle, clever, strong on atmosphere and character.’ Yorkshire Post
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner goes to the beautiful Welsh countryside to recover. But he finds himself caught up in a murder investigation . . . with him as the prime suspect.
Grieving the death of his former lover, all Mariner wants is some peace and quiet. But his walking holiday is ruined by the discovery of a body in the woods.
The remote stone farmhouses of this beautiful valley hide many buried secrets.
As more bodies are discovered, can Mariner clear his name and avoid becoming the next victim?
Discover an absorbing crime mystery with an action-packed conclusion.
Perfect for fans of Peter James, Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson. This is the sixth book in the DI MARINER SERIES, more books coming soon!
THE SETTING
Birmingham is a city of stark contrasts with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Playing a key role in the industrial revolution, it helped shape the nation’s manufacturing industry
But with its many green spaces, Birmingham also borders on the beautiful countryside of Worcestershire and Warwickshire, is just a few miles from Stratford on Avon and a short drive from the wild country of mid-Wales.
Birmingham’s population is large and ethnically diverse, and while urban regeneration has forged a modern and culturally vibrant city, the decaying remnants of the industrial past and 1960s concrete jungle give it a unique and gritty character; the dark underbelly policed by DI Tom Mariner and his team.
THE DETECTIVE
Detective Inspector Tom Mariner is, on the surface, an average dedicated policeman, but his experiences as a younger man have given him an insight into life on the dark side, and a clear sense of right and wrong. Mariner has little interest in material things. He lives in a modest canal-side cottage, enjoys the occasional (real) beer and game of dominoes and drives an old car. He is most at home in the outdoors, with an OS map and a compass, and in times of crisis, will take off and walk for miles in any weather.
THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “BLOOD AND STONE.”
DI MARINER SERIES
Book 1: Deadly Lies
Book 2: Innocent Lies
Book 3: Killer Lies
Book 4: Baby Lies
Book 5: Married Lies
Book 6: Buried Lies
Book 7 coming soon
Author Bio:
Chris Collett grew up in a Norfolk seaside town where she worked in a boarding house (now defunct) a local bakery (closed down) and a crisp factory (razed to the ground). Graduating in Liverpool, Chris has since taught children and adults with varying degrees of learning disability, including autism. She is now a university lecturer, with two grown up children, and lives in Birmingham; DI Tom Mariner’s ‘patch’. She has published short stories, teaches creative and crime writing and is a manuscript assessor for the Crime Writers Association.
The first five DI Tom Mariner books will be released in revised editions by Joffe Books in 2017/2018.
