Don't Lie to Me by Willow Rose

Eva Rae Thomas has moved back to her hometown with her three children. She has left the FBI to focus on the kids, seeing as her husband decided to leave her. But even her good intentions of staying away from cases don’t help when she is caught up in a murder straight away.

 

Sophie Williams, a rising surfing star, has gone missing from a scout camp. When her body is discovered, it leads to a string of abducted and murdered children that leaves the police confounded. Eva is asked for assistance and when videos surface of the killer blaming divorce and the consequences on children for the reason behind the abductions, Eva knows time is of the essence. But with memories of her abducted sister coming to mind, Eva knows this one will feel close to home. She just doesn’t realise how much...

 

I’ve read a number of books by this author but each series I start I feel disappointed. There are always too many ideas and things thrown into the plot and some lead nowhere while others are meant to hint at the ending but majority never do. There are just too many “huh?” moments in this to allow you to read the book and escape into it.

 

So firstly you have a killer who is doing this to show their deep hatred of divorce and the consequences it has on the children. The killer is killing innocent children to prove this? Um, why? Then you have an ex-FBI agent who has no jurisdiction but constantly goes into crime scenes, gets involved, and the police are so befuddled that she has to join them? But does not actually use her profiling skills. She has promised to be more of a mother now that she has all this time with her children but cannot keep up with groceries, laundry, or school events because she is too busy helping her old flame in the police and even leaves her hyperactive child in the car while she checks out a crime scene?

 

I found the writing stilted to read and the chapters that were in the child’s POV were written in an adult voice. Then there were so many kids either left alone overnight or not contacted in months and the number of times people said Sophie would be the next Kelly Slater was crazy. There are other surfers from Cocoa Beach! And the mother turning a blind eye to their child being molested so that they could be coached by the best? I don’t think so! And the abuse of one of Eva’s friends? What did that have to do with the whole story? A subplot that didn’t add anything.

 

Then when the killer is outed (which was a very unrealistic time grudge to hold) the families carry on as though “Oh well, these things happen” when for it not to be noticed was highly suspect.

 

It started out with a hook but landed up going in tangents and not a series I would continue as I didn’t connect with any of the characters.

 

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the book.

 

All the Good Girls by Willow Rose

All the Good Girls is a thriller and the first in the Harry Hunter series.

 

Lucy just wanted to stay out at the beach party a little later than usual. Then her dad gets a call that she has been sexually assaulted and now Lucy is missing. Four girls from Lucy’s class have been murdered on a boat they took out to have a good time on and another girl’s body has been found in a dumpster.

 

Harry Hunter is a homicide detective who is tasked with babysitting William, the next potential victim, but also the one accused of raping Lucy and found not guilty. Harry is given a lot of leeway due to his wife, Camille, being in a coma from a drug overdose but pushes this leeway as far as he can. William seems to have a hold on many people in the community and Harry knows there is a deeper story there.

 

When Harry takes his eye off the ball to check on something while meant to be babysitting, another person dies. Now in trouble with the boss even more, Harry needs to redeem himself. But the killer could be coming after Harry or his family next...

 

This is a really quick read and starts off well but falls in the middle and continues downhill to the end. First off, Harry gives out Jack Reacher vibes. Big guy, soft spot for the underdog, prepared to go vigilante, and knows people off the grid who are experts in certain things. So it was hard to see him as a character in his own right. I did appreciate his back story with Camille and his sister as well as his love for his daughter, Josie.

 

What I struggled with were implausible scenarios like the control William had over others and the ability someone had to kidnap an ICU nurse in the manner they did. Plus the ending is pieced together by clues the reader is not privy to, so when the killer is revealed it is confusing.

 

The writer tends to use long-winded sentences that sometimes detract and can be confusing by the time you get to the end of the sentence. It was an average read for me and one that does not make me want to continue the series.

 

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the book.

The Agent's Demon by LE Medlock

Agent Turner is dead and her demon Lavender is missing. This is not what Hazel Locke, her apprentice and member of Her Majesty’s Paranormal Investigative Agency, wanted, as suddenly she is thrust into the limelight.

 

Turner was investigating a string of murders in Whitechapel. Granted, it was in her own style and not the way the agency wanted, but Turner was a force unto herself and someone Locke admired. When Locke is required to take over her position, it becomes time for her to summon her own demon. But the Hound she is supposed to get is not what she expected.

 

Agent Locke is now a firecracker in an era where women are told to hold their mouths and keep their ideas to themselves. With her demon, Steel, by her side, Locke is desperate to solve the women’s murders and to find out who killed Turner. But every way she turns, she is blocked by politics or archaic rules. Time to get a little creative?

 

I admit I had to start this a number of times as the names and characters were a little confusing at first, but once I got going, I was hooked. Locke’s mix of wanting to follow the right path but also wanting solve the murders no matter what, takes the reader on a roundabout journey to find the truth. It also speaks to her loyalty to Monaghan, her boss and the man who rescued her, but her deep-seated desire to do the right thing and be truthful and help others. The places and scenes are well described and you can picture the dark of Victorian England and see the gruesome crime scenes as well as enjoy the images of the clothing and the innovation of Maia’s food.

The author has a lovely flow to her writing and it’s one of those books you can just pick up and read and the time flies by before you know it. The pacing was great and there were moments you could take a breath and enjoy the banter between Locke and Steel and then it speeds up where Rayne and Cassius insert themselves. The story is a fantastic take on a historical paranormal plot and the nuances of the agency and the hierarchy of the agents (with their own agendas) and their demons was cleverly thought out. The agents all had good stories to fit in with the overall account. It was well edited too with only a few pesky mistakes sneaking through.

 

While the book does not end on a cliffhanger, it was enough to make me get to the last sentence and say NOOOOOO! I need more!

 

Thanks to Voracious Readers Only and the author for a copy.

Metaville by Charlotte Brough

Metaville is a thriller told from various POVs.

 

The Point is a successful teen drama with some crazy twists and turns that has starred a number of twenty-somethings for years. But now, tragedy has struck. Bobby Palmer, one of the more seasoned actors on the show has gone missing. And even though no body has been found, it is presumed that he has died. With all of the actors being very close, having to shoot the scene where he dies in the show will be one of the hardest, yet almost requiring no acting, pieces to pull off.

 

First you have Mason – he who came off another successful teen drama but is plagued by addiction issues. His complete opposite twin, Shauna, is the golden girl, who works in movies and bails Mason out of the serious issues he finds himself in. Mason is in love with Callie, who plays his love interest, but theirs is a complicated relationship. Added into the mix are regulars Tim, Maya, and Will, who, together with Mason and Callie, know a little about the last night Bobby was seen alive.

 

When Bobby’s jacket is discovered, the secrets are pushed down a little deeper but as the actors all start getting threatening messages about the truth coming out, they know that someone is out to get them. And that someone seems to know a lot – could it be one of them?

 

This story is cleverly told using different POVs so that you get to learn much more about the feelings and history of each character. Behind the scenes is very often way more intriguing than the plot line! So, most of these personalities and actions seem to need to be taken with a grain of salt, as, like in Riverdale, they truly hit some bizarre times. Mason’s experiences being the most obvious. It’s like they are a bunch of youngsters playing in an adult world where bad choices are the norm and they are linked because of an incident where not everyone has all the facts (a la I Know What You Did Last Summer).

 

If you look carefully, you can make a good guess at the ending and how the secret is unveiled but not all is obvious from the beginning and the author manages to weave a great storyline keeping all the guesswork together.

 

The editing was great and the story was an easy read. The author has a lovely writing style where even when the plot goes skew sometimes, you never feel as though you are pulled out of the world. A great read where you can just switch off and read something for a good “fun” thriller.

 

Many thanks to Voracious Readers Only for the copy.