Saturday 9 April 2016

Circle: The Diary of Stella Moore - Peter Dudgeon



['Circle - The Diary of Stella Moore' is the sequel to Chance and is not intended to be read as a stand alone novel] 

“Is he sharing more than your bed?"

It's 2021. A sadistic criminal web has spread across powerful institutions, filling a void created by society's apathy towards sexual violence.

Cassie Janus has grown up away from London, shielded from this malevolent force until Detective Sergeant Frank Simmons visits her in desperate need of her help.

What starts out as a missing persons case quickly morphs into a battle against evil in which Cassie will need to employ more than just her precognitive powers. It will demand all her courage and wisdom if she's to survive a war waged against the Circle. 

‘Circle' is the sequel to ‘Chance’, picking up the story of Cassie Janus, seven years later. 

What did I think?

It is testament to an author's writing when I pick up a sequel to a book that I read 6 months ago and find that the characters are as familiar today as if I'd read about them yesterday.   Anyone who has read it, would not forget Chance in a hurry.  We were introduced to Cassie Janus who has astonishingly accurate premonitions and finds herself becoming a target as she helps the police with a string of murders.

Without refreshing my memory of Chance, I launched straight into Circle: The Diary of Stella Moore and agree that it should not be read as a stand alone novel.  It is the absolutely perfect sequel to Chance with twists and turns that keep the pages turning as fast as your eyes can read each riveting page.

When we meet up with Cassie several years after Chance, we are also introduced to excerpts from the diary of Stella Moore.  I kept wondering to myself, 'who is Stella Moore?' and just what does she have to do with the story?  Stella has a huge part to play in the story and I found myself looking forward to more excerpts from her diary as I tried to find more clues as to who she was and what would happen to her.  I found myself holding my breath in anticipation as Cassie's old friend, DS Frank Simmons, draws closer to unearthing the sadistic circle that Stella has unwittingly become involved in.

As events unfolded, I wondered whether Cassie's gift is a blessing or a curse.  She experiences every thought, feeling and emotion of the person she is tuned into.  It's quite a burden to bear and little wonder that she has few close friends.  I would imagine (and hope) that we will be reading more about Cassie Janus in the future.  I also think this pair of books would make a fantastic TV series as there are lots of cliffhangers and shocks in store to keep viewers as riveted to their TV as I was to the books.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Chance, the addition of Circle has made this quite an exceptional series.  It is pacey, gritty and thrilling; it is such a riveting story that I'm sure many readers will find it incredibly difficult to put down, I know I certainly couldn't.  Peter Dudgeon has created such unusual, memorable characters ensuring that Chance and Circle are completely unforgettable novels.  Read them both, you won't regret it!

I received this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:





Buy Circle from Amazon
Buy Chance from Amazon

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