This is the fifth and final instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who have crossed her pThis is the fifth and final instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who have crossed her paying the price with their lives. She is determined to rid the world of those who hurt her and those she loved. Nothing will stop her.
Logan is an FBI agent whose current focus is the seemingly unrelated murders plaguing the city. How are the individuals related and who wants them dead? Clues are minimal but he will get to the truth. Nothing will stop him.
Considering every instalment in this series received either a 3 or 3.5 star rating from me, I really was giggling and kicking my feet at the ending! This wrapped up in a way I predicted but was still glad to see, regardless. As this series progressed, side characters were allowed more page time and I was glad to see them all receive their happy-ever-afters, as this series closed.
I think the reason these books didn't receive higher ratings is that I liked the fast-pace of the storylines mixed with the darker topics this broached upon, as well as how this darkness was alleviated by the spice and the romance. They aren't books that will stay with me forever but were the perfect escapist reads that required little time or brainpower. I really enjoyed them for what they were and how they encouraged me to read more outside of my usual tastes....more
Actual rating 3.5/5 stars. This is the fourth instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who Actual rating 3.5/5 stars. This is the fourth instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who have crossed her paying the price with their lives. She is determined to rid the world of those who hurt her and those she loved. Nothing will stop her.
Logan is an FBI agent whose current focus is the seemingly unrelated murders plaguing the city. How are the individuals related and who wants them dead? Clues are minimal but he will get to the truth. Nothing will stop him.
Reveals have been made and this instalment saw the characters grapple with how their actions would affect their personal relationships. I really do root for them both but root just as much for the wrongdoings that could cause them to break apart.
This isn't a favourite series of mine but I do like how the short and sweet instalments ensure a rapid pace but the emotions are never sacrificed for this. I think the author really excels at combining all of the drama with all of the feels....more
Actual rating 3.5/5 stars. This is the third instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who hActual rating 3.5/5 stars. This is the third instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who have crossed her paying the price with their lives. She is determined to rid the world of those who hurt her and those she loved. Nothing will stop her.
Logan is an FBI agent whose current focus is the seemingly unrelated murders plaguing the city. How are the individuals related and who wants them dead? Clues are minimal but he will get to the truth. Nothing will stop him.
I think this may have been my favourite series instalment as we really got to see Lana grapple with the demons of her past and how her quest for revenge was carving a lonely future for herself. This focused quite heavily on the relationship between herself and Logan and despite this not being what I had come to the series for, remained my favourite aspect about this book....more
This is the second instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who have crossed her paying theThis is the second instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who have crossed her paying the price with their lives. She is determined to rid the world of those who hurt her and those she loved. Nothing will stop her.
Logan is an FBI agent whose current focus is the seemingly unrelated murders plaguing the city. How are the individuals related and who wants them dead? Clues are minimal but he will get to the truth. Nothing will stop him.
This series as a whole is romance heavy but that took a back seat here for the traumatic details of the plot to take centre-stage. I think this was a wise decision on the author's part, as the storyline was darker than the first and potentially triggering to many so please read the trigger warnings before diving into this one!
This decision also allowed for the reader to garner a better understanding for who these characters are and what truly drives them. We are aware of Lana's past from book one but her emotions feel more raw and more real here and she became more of a person and less of a character.
This series as a whole isn't my favourite but I appreciate what they do and the short length of them lead the storylines to be sharp and punchy....more
This is the fourth instalment in The Naturals series. My edition also contained the novella 'Twelve', which followed the Naturals after the arc of theThis is the fourth instalment in The Naturals series. My edition also contained the novella 'Twelve', which followed the Naturals after the arc of the central storyline came to a close.
Cassie is a pro at reading people. She has spent her entire life playing games by guessing people's stories, intentions, and emotions and rarely, if ever, has she been wrong. She never knew it was a highly sought after skill that could see her aiding the FBI to catch serial killers!
Cassie joins the Naturals programme and finds other individuals her age with their own skills and their own tragic pasts that led them there. Each has as much to give as they have to gain from this programme, Cassie included. But as cases are revealed so too are their dark and deadly histories.
Everything the reader and the Naturals had thought to be true has been proven false and the forces of evil opposing them have amassed together to make this a truly tense and unsettling grand finale. I enjoyed my time with all four books but it took reading this final one to see how cleverly twisted the storyline that Barnes has created, truly was!
Cassie has been dogged throughout all four books about the tragic events of her mother's disappearance and the truth is set to be revealed here, but it is so far from what I, or Cassie, previously thought had occurred! I could never have guessed that the series would end like this and each chapter detonated a new explosion that made this as fast-paced as it was thrilling and had my heart racing from start until finish.
The following novella added little new insights but was a nice conclusion to a great series and a beloved set of characters....more
This is the third instalment in The Naturals series.
Cassie is a pro at reading people. She has spent her entire life playing games by guessing people'This is the third instalment in The Naturals series.
Cassie is a pro at reading people. She has spent her entire life playing games by guessing people's stories, intentions, and emotions and rarely, if ever, has she been wrong. She never knew it was a highly sought after skill that could see her aiding the FBI to catch serial killers!
Cassie joins the Naturals programme and finds other individuals her age with their own skills and their own tragic pasts that led them there. Each has as much to give as they have to gain from this programme, Cassie included. But as cases are revealed so too are their dark and deadly histories.
This instalment felt the most full and the most lacking at the same time. There were twists on every page but I felt overwhelmed whilst reading it and also like shock after shock led nowhere until the very end. The new reveals were minor and the characters left to scurry in circles finding out minor clues until the grand finale. Perhaps this was due to my consuming too many thrillers in a short period, leaving my brain a little fried, as I struggled to deeply connect here, like I had with the previous two instalments, nd also did not initially have a clear layout of the characters and their links to all the others, like I had previously either.
This was still a brilliant read and I still adored the characters who centred in it but it became my least favourite of the four. Probaly a personal timing issue, however, as I'm a big fan of Barnes and all her thrilling creations....more
This is the second instalment in The Naturals series.
Cassie is a pro at reading people. She has spent her entire life playing games by guessing peopleThis is the second instalment in The Naturals series.
Cassie is a pro at reading people. She has spent her entire life playing games by guessing people's stories, intentions, and emotions and rarely, if ever, has she been wrong. She never knew it was a highly sought after skill that could see her aiding the FBI to catch serial killers!
Cassie joins the Naturals programme and finds other individuals her age with their own skills and their own tragic pasts that led them there. Each has as much to give as they have to gain from this programme, Cassie included. But as cases are revealed so too are their dark and deadly histories.
The darkness that started to emerge in book one was only enhanced here and it made for a truly harrowing storyline that was as twisted as it was dark and with an unguessable trajectory. The brief chapters that were inside the killer's head made my skin crawl and I thought the author did an incredible job here of driving home the seriousness of the subject matters this broaches.
The interpersonal dynamics of the Naturals was at the forefront of this novel and I really liked how their skills as well as all the reveals made them adjust their alignments and grow, overall, into a tighter unit. They had to fall apart to be able to rebuild tighter than ever, however, meaning this was a tense and sorrowful read throughout....more
This is the first instalment in The Naturals series.
Cassie is a pro at reading people. She has spent her entire life playing games by guessing people'This is the first instalment in The Naturals series.
Cassie is a pro at reading people. She has spent her entire life playing games by guessing people's stories, intentions, and emotions and rarely, if ever, has she been wrong. She never knew it was a highly sought after skill that could see her aiding the FBI to catch serial killers!
Cassie joins the Naturals programme and finds other individuals her age with their own skills and their own tragic pasts that led them there. Each has as much to give as they have to gain from this programme, Cassie included. But as cases are revealed so too are their dark and deadly histories.
I found this initially a little slow to get into and wasn't sure if the contents were going to be for me, but the juvenile tone alleviated almost instantly once Cassie began her new schooling, at the FBI. Prior to this moment, I thought this was going to be a light-hearted 'Spy Kids' type story about superhuman kids but this was far more emotional than fun and light-hearted and I appreciated what this book became.
I underestimated how dark this book was going to get, nor was I prepared for the harrowing stories revealed. I soon found I bonded with the Naturals and was eager to learn more about their traumas, their gifts, and who they were as people beyond that. These insights was given alongside the cases they were working on, meaning there was never a lull in the text and consistent new reveals were being made. This was fast-paced and intriguing and with a hint of romance thrown in too, meaning I was itching for book two the moment I set this one down....more
I have read one Alice Feeney book before but it was a while ago and I don't recall too many of the details. It's 4 star rating means it must have imprI have read one Alice Feeney book before but it was a while ago and I don't recall too many of the details. It's 4 star rating means it must have impressed me at the time but I know it pales in comparison to the mystery and majesty of this brilliant thriller, which I know I won't be forgetting any time soon!
This story saw a news reader and a police detective return to their own pasts and confront their personal traumas as new tragedies, some relating and some seeming not to relate to them, were simultaneously occurring.
I was enjoying this thriller but, initially, thought it was doing nothing ground-breaking. This did not deter me from continuing on however as the plot was moving along nicely and the characters were interesting. I, foolishly, thought I knew exactly where this was going, however. I was so very wrong!
So many twists featured here that I honestly get chills just writing this and thinking back on how cleverly this author had played her readers. Just when one bomb was detonated she turned around and directed us to another that had long been burning in the background. This is up there with one of my favourite thrillers and I am so excited to see what else this author has to deliver!...more
Zhang Dongsheng has crafted the perfect scene for a murder. His in-laws tumble to their deaths from a long fall and their ilActual rating 2.5/5 stars.
Zhang Dongsheng has crafted the perfect scene for a murder. His in-laws tumble to their deaths from a long fall and their ill-health and the long climb is cited as the reason, not his hands that had pushed them. He didn't factor in the three children who had spotted him enact this terrible deed, or the proof they now own on their camera.
The synopsis lured me in and promised a dark and chilling read, which is what was delivered. I, however, also found events to move too fast and for too much drama to unfold along the way. There was constantly scheming, undermining and revenage being enacted in each chapter, which, when continuously being thrust at the reader, quickly removed any shock and fear that I had at first felt. Also, and each character had a dark and convoluted backstory but the dialogue between them all read a little drily, meaning I never got a feel for who they were beyond the sinister occurrences. I was intrigued throughout the course of this but also, sadly, found it did not impact me quite like I was hoping it to.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Zijin Chen, the translator, Michelle Deeter, and the publisher, , for this opportunity....more
This is the thirty-second instalment in the Hercule Poirot series.
A Halloween party for the children of the village is underway when one of its memberThis is the thirty-second instalment in the Hercule Poirot series.
A Halloween party for the children of the village is underway when one of its members, thirteen-year-old Joyce, declares that she has witnessed a murder. She is much disliked by her peers and elders and so most ridicule her claims, leading her to storm home alone. Her body is discovered hours later.
In this, and every other Christie publication, I remain impressed with the narrative twists and the journey to apprehending the criminal. This was full of all the dropped clues and missing puzzle pieces that I failed to locate but that Poirot seemed to do so with ease. I had fun attempting to stay on his magnificent wave-length, even when I failed completely, and thought this a tragic and eerie mystery perfect for the autumnal season....more
This is the eleventh instalment in the Spilling CID series.
Six couples are seated for dinner at six different tables an equal distance away from the oThis is the eleventh instalment in the Spilling CID series.
Six couples are seated for dinner at six different tables an equal distance away from the others. One of the couples receives a note stating that they should beware of the couple seated the nearest to them. Who could they mean? When a death follows the note's arrival it seems that its contents were truthful and the race in discovering who the sender is and who they were referring to is on.
Sophie Hannah is a renowned thriller author who I have only sampled one or two books from before. Her name, my previous enjoyment of her work, and this title's intriguing synopsis prompted me to loan this book from the library, despite not ordinarily bonding well with police detective series.
I initially found this an absorbing read and enjoyed finding out the backgrounds for all of the couples as well as the twisted roots that bound them all. I soon discovered that the shared more than just their present surroundings.
My interest in solving the case remained but, for me, the focus on these interpersonal relationships started to dominate and, with so many characters involved in it, I sometimes lost focus and felt my enjoyment dwindling. This remained a solid read, which I flew through over the course of one day, but not my favourite thriller to have read as I desired more twists involved in it. This author still remains one I will return to in the future, however....more
Actual rating 3.5/5 stars. This is the first instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who hActual rating 3.5/5 stars. This is the first instalment in the Mindf*ck series.
For Lana, revenge is best-served drenched in blood and with those who have crossed her paying the price with their lives. She is determined to rid the world of those who hurt her and those she loved. Nothing will stop her.
Logan is an FBI agent whose current focus is the seemingly unrelated murders plaguing the city. How are the individuals related and who wants them dead? Clues are minimal but he will get to the truth. Nothing will stop him.
This is a book not in my usual genre, with its mix of sex of mystery, and if not for rave reviews from others who state the same, then nothing about the cover, title, or synopsis would have enticed me to pick it up. However, I am sold! I found it solidly enjoyable and very absorbing. I can see myself easily becoming a fan of the characters, the brooding sexual tension present, and the mysteries that surround them. It was a little slow to gain my full interest but I remained eager for book two at the novel's close....more
A body has been found. Ben, the missing school-boy from a decades-old unsolved missing child case, is finally being taken to his final resting place aA body has been found. Ben, the missing school-boy from a decades-old unsolved missing child case, is finally being taken to his final resting place and his case reopened. What dark secrets will be unleashed and what connections to the present-day village inhabitants still remain?
I had high expectations diving into this book, after enjoying other of Lelic's creations. They might have been placed too highly, however, as this remained solidly enjoyable and deliciously twisted but failed to capture my attention in quite the same way as he previously has proven able to do.
Perhaps the increased focus on the crime elements could explain my middling rating, as this is not my usual go-to, preferring my thrillers without a police presence, or perhaps this storyline was less suited for me personally due to the split chronological focus, which I have read in abundance recently. Either way I was absorbed throughout but, sadly, this is not a storyline that will stay for me for a long time, I fear.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Simon Lelic, and the publisher, Penguin, for this opportunity....more
Rebecca Bray has few fond memories of her childhood or teenage years and swore she would never return to the town where she grew up. Now, as an adult Rebecca Bray has few fond memories of her childhood or teenage years and swore she would never return to the town where she grew up. Now, as an adult and with a family of her own, she finds herself doing just that. The house left in to her in a will is too good an opportunity to pass up on residing in, despite the bleak setting surrounding it and the even bleaker memories that encroach upon her return.
But the past soon proves to be more than distant memories when her stepdaughter disappears and she is forced to confront the secrets and lies she hid both from herself and others for the many years she has been absent.
This quickly proved itself to be SO much more than a thriller, with all I was expecting paling in comparison to everything that was actually delivered. The sinister abode and familial secrets were present at the beginning, just as they are in many other similarly set-up thriller novels, but the direction this one took was definitely different to any I have read previously.
Heartache and heartbreak, tears and tantrums marked my journey through these pages as I suffered each horrifying reveal and harrowing ordeal, trauma and tragedy, along with these quickly beloved characters. The concluding reveals had me genuinely open-mouthed and their continual arrival ensured this a read as unforgettable to my memory as it was matchless to experience.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Vikki Patis, and the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for this opportunity....more
Men are dying and the only link between them is their name. Jack Tate is the detective sergeant leading the investigation into these brutal killings aMen are dying and the only link between them is their name. Jack Tate is the detective sergeant leading the investigation into these brutal killings and is convinced that a man is behind them all. He has been paired with Mae, a doctor, an intellectual, and a wannabe-detective, who is just as convinced that he is wrong.
I had a great time with this book. The cover led me to believe these murders were to take place in a historical time period, but this was not the case. This did not deter my enjoyment of the tale, however. I loved all three perspectives - Jack, Mae, and the serial killer they are hunting for - and thought the shared focus between the murders, the investigation, and the characters outside of their jobs, was well proportioned.
However, despite my enjoyment throughout, I was left disappointed by the conclusion. Or, should I say the lack of one. This was a novella-length story but I wish it had been made marginally longer to contain at least a partial conclusion for some of the mysteries it contained. It was quite frustrating to have read the whole thing and to be provided with no closure. This book does have excited for the sequel but I do also feel it is let down by the entirely open-ended last few pages....more
Actual rating 4.5/5 stars. This is the first instalment in the Persons Non Grata series.
PI John Persons' latest client is a ten-year-old boy and the cActual rating 4.5/5 stars. This is the first instalment in the Persons Non Grata series.
PI John Persons' latest client is a ten-year-old boy and the contract he has been assigned is the murder of the boy's stepfather. As he begins to discover who his target really is, he also begins to learn the truth about the monster that lurks inside of him - both figuratively and literally.
This short novella proved to contain a seamless blend of hard-boiled crime and Lovecraftian horror. The former isn't usually to my personal reading tastes and yet I highly enjoyed my time with this story and appreciated every element that it contained.
The concluding twist only cemented this high regard for the story and its creator, and I am eager to continue on with the second instalment and learn more about the horrors that this city, and the one who has placed himself as protector of the innocent, both contain....more
Cassandra Bowden awakens in another strange hotel room with another brutal hangover blurring her senses. She is a flight attActual rating 3.5/5 stars.
Cassandra Bowden awakens in another strange hotel room with another brutal hangover blurring her senses. She is a flight attendant, travelling across the globe to immerse herself in all the different cultures and view all the different sights of the world. More often, however, she only samples the alcohol and men that wait for her in air-conditioned bars, instead.
This morning, however, something else is waiting for her. The man she spent the night with is still lying next to her in the bed but she need not tiptoe out and make her departure as he is never rising to see her off. His throat has been brutally slashed, with his blood soaking into the bedding and covering Cassandra's torso.
With no memory of what occurred and the realisation that her blacked-out self could be the murderer, Cassandra flees. She desires the perceived safety of American soil and to say goodbye to Dubai and the horror she found there. It isn't going to be that simple, however.
The first chapter of this book introduced the reader to the start of Cassandra's nightmare, but the second revealed who the murderer really was. I was initially disappointed not to find this a whodunnit-type novel. Instead, much of the focus remained on bureaucratic systems and the politics of law. This is not usually my favourite to read about, but it Bohjalian easily engage me here.
This could easily have been an aggravating read, as the reader was privy to another perspective, aside from Cassandra's, and much information that was not available to her. It never felt like a read where I was merely waiting for the main character to discover all the reader was already aware of, however, and I remained intrigued to see how events would continue to play out, with enough mysteries still occurring, right until the novel's close....more
Cleo Ray is a successful fitness instructor and social media influencer. However, she was once Claire Griffith, the quiet daughter of a highly religioCleo Ray is a successful fitness instructor and social media influencer. However, she was once Claire Griffith, the quiet daughter of a highly religious family. She shed her past life and escaped to LA where no one knew her old name or her story. Her followers feel they know the real her but this is not the only secret she has been keeping from them.
When Cleo rents a boat with another female, Beck Alden, only one of them returns to shore alive. Was she murdered? Or was her death accidental? Were the women friends? Lovers? Fiancées? As the case begins, these questions are frequently asked online. But the ones asked most of all concern who Cleo Ray really is and just what she could be capable of.
I find any story following influencers so compelling to read about. I love exploring their lifestyle and the hard exterior they have been forced to build to survive it. I love, just as much, chipping away at it to expose all the dirty secrets stored away behind it.
This book did just that and so much more! The story unfolded through a series of transcripts from the court case, interviews with individuals involved, and newspaper clippings. The chronology was never straight-forward but it never became confusing and it only had me more and more eager to get to the truth.
This truth was revealed about half-way through the novel, with the following portion following, almost entirely, the court case and the final verdict given by the jury. These legal proceedings would not usually be of great interest to me but Dorn ensured my investment in this case and had me flying through the pages until the words 'guilty' or 'not guilty' were revealed.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, L.R. Dorn, and the publisher, Orion, for this opportunity....more
This was a brief and entirely captivating read, which chronicled some of the crimes of the world's most infamous double acts. Featured inside was a foThis was a brief and entirely captivating read, which chronicled some of the crimes of the world's most infamous double acts. Featured inside was a focus on Hindley and Brady, Bonnie and Clyde, Karl and Isla Koch, Leopold and Loeb, The Rosenbergs, Parker and Hulme, John Gotti and Sammy Gravano, and Juan and Evita Peron.
Each duo was allocated a handful of pages, in which a quick record of their crimes was recorded. All were accompanied with photographs of the individuals in questions, the crime scenes, and their victims. I believe many true crime fans would find this an intriguing read, but, due to the number of individuals it focuses on, the details are pretty brief....more