BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: House of Bricks - Marc Scott

Dark clouds roll back over Meadonwood, shrouding the once charming town in a growing sense of dread. The peace its residents cherished is slipping away, replaced by a fear they hoped never to face again. After the brutal killing of a small child, panic spreads and all trust is fractured. And now, the corpses of strangers begin appearing in deserted cars, like grim calling cards.

Only one figure – a former local hero – has the authority and the courage to hunt down the monster responsible and restore sanity to the place she grew up in. But someone else may hold the key to the madness consuming the town – a broken woman hiding from her own reality. A tormented soul sheltered in total obscurity, battling the ghosts of a past she can’t outrun.

Maybe the end isn’t just an escape; maybe it’s the only way to be free.

 

What did I think?

House of Bricks is Marc Scott's third 'House of' novel but I think you can read and enjoy it as a standalone.  I did find it a little difficult to get into at first and I wondered if that was simply because I hadn't read the earlier books.  I will certainly be reading the earlier books to find out!

It shouldn't be a surprise as it says so on the cover but it is a very dark crime novel.  The writing is a bit too vivid as I almost had nightmares about one of the early scenes, but that just goes to show the quality of Marc Scott's writing.

Once I got a handle on who all the characters were, I found it to be a very gripping psychological thriller but I was just missing that connection you get from having read the series in order.  So this is one I plan to re-read when I have read House of Straw and House of Sticks.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: Shotley Bridge Revenge (Shotley Bridge Thrillers Book 2) - Bobby Cussens

Justice is slow. Revenge won't wait.

Built on ironstone and hemmed in by the swollen Derwent River, Shotley Bridge wears calm like a disguise. When Reya's body is discovered on Front Street, DC Heather Hudson is called to investigate a case that carves up the village and puts her children in the killer's path. She isn't just hunting someone determined to settle every score. She's also the prey. Through brutal retribution beneath the relentless rain, the closer Heather gets to the truth, the harder it becomes to know who deserves justice. Or revenge.

Get ready for a gritty British crime thriller with a complex female detective fighting for respect in a male-dominated force. Set in the atmospheric North East England, this book is perfect for fans of Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves. With multiple twists and a chilling epilogue that changes everything, this is a must-read for those who crave atmospheric detective fiction.

If you enjoyed books like LJ Ross's "Holy Island," you'll love this second instalment in the Shotley Bridge Thriller Series.

SHOTLEY BRIDGE REVENGE is Book 2 in the Shotley Bridge Thriller Series—continuing with a sleuth you'll want to follow through every dark twist.

 

What did I think?

Having absolutely LOVED Shotley Bridge Murders, I couldn't wait for the series to continue and not only was I not disappointed, it has somehow got even better!  I think you could read this second book as a standalone but it is sheer perfection when read as part of the series.

The village of Shotley Bridge is once again left reeling after a murder in their midst.  There's still a killer on the loose from the first book and it certainly looks like he's struck again.  It's another case for DC Heather Hudson to solve, if only that misogynist DS Roberts would leave her alone.

Whilst the murder is the main plotline, the ongoing battle between Hudson and Roberts adds another level to the story.  To say I was furious at Roberts is an understatement, if he would only get on with his job instead of trying to get Heather sacked they might catch the killer a lot quicker.  Roberts would be a great pantomime villain and Bobby Cussens has certainly created a character that all readers will love to hate.

Talk about fast-paced!  I had to check my hands for papercuts as I was turning the pages so quickly.  I would have read it in one sitting if I didn't have to sleep and that ending...now that's what I call a doof doof moment; Eastenders has got nothing on Bobby Cussens!  I hope Bobby is a fast writer as I'm on tenterhooks for book three!

Shotley Bridge Revenge is an outstanding sequel that has really raised the crime writing bar.  I think I'm safe to say that it's lining up to be one of my favourite crime/police procedural series of all time and it's only at book two.  WOW!  Don't miss this one, crime fans!

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Corpse Bell - Ian McFadyen

 

The last thing Penny Carmichael expected when she joined the local bellringing group was for her debut to be thwarted by the discovery of a body just yards from the belfry door. As her husband and his loyal team painstakingly sift through the evidence and delve deep into the dead man's past, it's clear that solving Peter Mackenzie's murder may prove a challenge, even for someone with DCI Carmichael's renowned detective prowess.

What was a man who'd lived for decades in North London doing in Moulton Bank?  Was his chequered past a factor?

And what about the other members of Penny's bellringing group. Did any of them have a reason to do Peter harm? 

As the case unfolds, DCI Carmichael and his trusty team seek answers to a complex puzzle which leads them along various paths and, at times, way outside the comfort zone of their rural Lancashire surroundings. 

This fast-paced, cleverly crafted whodunit is the eleventh murder mystery in the gripping Carmichael series from the pen of Ian McFadyen.

What did I think?

The Corpse Bell is the eleventh book in the DCI Carmichael series but it's my first and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so it can definitely be read as a standalone.

The village of Moulton Bank is a dangerous place to live when there's a killer on the loose.  As it's the first book I have read in the series, I was suspicious of everyone but I wasn't even close to guessing who it actually was.

There's a bit of a powerplay among the bellringers as only one person is allowed to ring the corpse bell at funerals.  This puts all of the bellringers under suspicion as they all have motive, although DCI Carmichael should be able to rule out Penny, the newest addition to the bellringing team, as he is married to her.

I loved the inclusion of the police lists which made me feel like I was part of the investigative team.  It was great to see things being crossed off the lists and new items being added and I thought it would have felt a bit repetitive but it gave me the chance to run through the clues again.  Not that I was even remotely pointing in the right direction of course!  Well played, Mr McFadyen!

Entertaining, intriguing and immersive, The Corpse Bell is a brilliant murder mystery that makes the reader feel like they are part of the police team.  I will definitely be looking to read the earlier books in the series as I loved this one.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

Ian McFadyen was born in Liverpool and enjoyed a successful career in marketing before becoming a writer. Ian’s titles are available in Italian and Czech and, although the author isn’t totally convinced it’s true, he’s been favourably compared with Wilkie Collins and Colin Dexter. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife but spends a great deal of his time writing in his bolthole retreat on the Norfolk / Suffolk border. The Corpse Bell is the eleventh in his series featuring DCI Carmichael.

Social Media Links – 

Facebook:  Facebook.com/ianmcfadyenauthor

Twitter / X :  @ianMcFadyen1

Instagram : @ianwmcfadyen

Website: https://www.ianmcfadyenauthor.com/ 

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BLOG TOUR: Tangled Splinters (The Motivated Antics Series Book 1) - T. L. Hill

 

A cryptic killer. A deadly game. A truth buried so deep, it could destroy everything.

For decades, the Wood Riddle Killer has left a trail of bodies—each one a puzzle, each crime scene a taunt. Rosa Ryker, a newly appointed detective, is thrust into the case that has haunted seasoned FBI Special Agent Simon Pikes for years.

Simon is relentless, haunted by his past failures. Rosa is determined to prove herself. But as the riddles grow darker and the body count rises, the investigation turns into a twisted game—one where every misstep has fatal consequences.

With betrayals lurking in the shadows and secrets buried deep, trusting the wrong person could be deadly.

Tangled Splinters—the first book in The Motivated Antics Series—is a gripping psychological crime thriller packed with shocking twists, dark secrets, and an investigation that will push its detectives to the edge.

What did I think?

Tangled Splinters is the first book in The Motivated Antics series and I am on tenterhooks for the next book after that jaw-dropping ending that made me want MORE!  My mind is still whirring, wondering if I have interpreted it right or wrong so the next book can't come quick enough.

I loved Rosa Ryker from the start whose promotion to detective didn't go down too well with her colleagues.  Rosa is an asset to a case the FBI are involved in as she sees connections and interprets clues that others can't see.  Special Agent Simon Pikes is well-named as S.Pikes as he is very spiky and prickly but for good reason; the Wood Riddle Killer case isn't just his job to solve, it's personal.

Both Rosa and Simon both carry a lot of baggage and heartbreaking back stories so it's natural that they would be drawn to each other and their attraction is only a small part of the plot because this case serial killer case is BIG.  As grisly as some of the scenes are, I loved the lighthearted moments mainly due to Rosa being so clumsy and ending up sprawled on the floor.  T. L. Hill has found the perfect balance between light and dark to produce a memorable psychological thriller book.

With a blisteringly fast pace and an incredibly intriguing plot, Tangled Splinters is impossible to put down and even more impossible to predict.  I was hooked from the start and can't wait for more of the series to be published.  It's definitely worth adding this one to your TBR, thriller fans.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Love Books Tours Virtual Book Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Peter Miles Has To Die - Katie Collom

“What happens when three women decide to avenge the murder of their best friend? In her riveting debut, Katie Collum explores what we owe the ones we love, and how ordinary life can change in an instant. I couldn’t put this thriller down.”—Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters

Peter Miles has to die. And Dylan Darcy, Priya Shah, and Isabel Guerrero—a bartender, a nurse, and a student—have to be the ones to kill him. As they see it, this local cop deserves death for murdering their best friend and getting away with it. All they need to do to pull off the perfect crime is stick to their carefully prepared plan.

So that’s exactly what they do. Murder, it turns out, is surprisingly easy when you’re fueled by revenge. What comes after is the hard part.

As the dry Texas heat gives way to cooler weather, their blazing rage is replaced by a chill fear. Because there’s a fallout that comes from settling the score against someone like Peter, and it could cost them more than they’ve bargained for. When the lead investigator on the case starts sniffing around for a cop killer, the three friends are not feeling as confident as they did on that fateful night. And when they start receiving death threats, it weakens their resolve even further . . . but it’s too little too late.

What they don’t realize is that this detective has her own reasons for wanting to get to the bottom of Peter’s murder. Reasons that don’t involve them at all. The investigation ramps up, and so does the pressure, leaving Dylan, Priya, and Isabel to wonder if ending his life may end up costing them theirs.

As the guilt of what they’ve done settles in their bones, they realize there’s no going back. Someone is going to have to take the fall.

 

What did I think?

Wow!  I raced through this book and read it in two sittings as I simply couldn't put it down.  It's a page-turning thriller without a whodunnit as we know why Peter Miles has to die and we also know who killed him but what we don't know is who is in prison for his murder.

The story is told from various points of views over different timelines but it never gets confusing and it's very easy to follow.  Dylan, Priya and Isabel plan the murder of Peter Miles, who got away with murdering their friend Beck.  Peter Miles got away with it because he's a cop and cops stick together, even when one of them is rotten.

Bree is the detective who is investigating Peter's murder and it's not a straightforward case as there are so many people who would have wanted to kill him.  It obviously looks like Beck's three friends avenged her death but there is no evidence and that's when the intimidation tactics begin as some cops take the law into their own hands.  Bree's case just got a lot more complicated as the spotlight turns on her colleagues.

I couldn't read this book fast enough and although I wanted them all to get away with murder, I knew that one of them went to prison for it.  The abuse of power is infuriating as the cops think they can do what they want to the suspects (who are innocent until proven guilty) and unfortunately, this does sometimes happen in real life.

Blisteringly fast-paced and impossible to put down, Peter Miles Has To Die is an outstanding debut novel (I actually had to double check that this was Katie Collom's debut).  Take note, thriller fans: Katie Collom is definitely one to watch and I am excited to see what she writes next.

 

I received a gifted hardback for The Love Books Tours blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: You Are Fatally Invited - Ande Pliego

Six thriller authors. One writing retreat.

You’d die to be on the guest list . . .

The Host

Legendary mystery author J. R. Alastor’s books are sold all over the world, but no one knows his real name. After years hiding in the shadows, he has sent out six invitations to an exclusive murder mystery retreat on his private island.

The Assistant

Mila del Angél has been hired to ensure the week runs smoothly. She has yearned for revenge on a ghost from her past for years – and this could be her chance to get it.

The Players

The six bestselling thriller writers accept their invitations without question – it’s an opportunity any author would kill for.

The Game

What should have been a week of trope-filled games takes a sinister turn when one guest is found dead, and the others find themselves in the midst of a nightmare drawn from Alastor’s dark imagination. They may have written thrillers – but now they and Mila must survive one...

 

What did I think?

This book is SO good; I absolutely LOVED it and I had to double check that it is actually a debut novel.  Wow!  Just wow!  Ande Pliego is certainly one to watch after leaving me stunned with her wonderful debut novel, You Are Fatally Invited.

With a mystery host, a group of authors and a handful of staff on a private island, it should be pretty easy to work out who the murder is when the body count starts rising...shouldn't it?  Nope!  I was completely blindsided and totally shocked so I have to say "well played, Ande Pliego!" 

The plot is pinsharp and the writing is so vividly descriptive it's lke watching a Netflix series and while I'm on the subject, I really wouldn't be surprised to see this one snapped up for TV, if it hasn't already.

It's grisly at times but constantly gripping and my eyes were on stalks as they raced down the page, devouring every single perfectly crafted word.  If I was a thriller author, THIS is the book I would wish I had written.  An easy five stars from me for this unmissable debut and the must-read thriller of the year.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

ANDE PLIEGO began writing stories when she discovered she could actually wield her overactive imagination for good. 

A lover of stories with teeth, she writes books involving mind games, dark humour, general murder and mayhem, characters pushed to the edge of themselves, and most importantly, finding the hope in the dark. 

When not reading or writing, she can usually be found dabbling in art, scheming up her next trip, or making constant expeditions to the library. 

Born in Florida, raised in France, and having left footprints all over the globe, Ande is settled in the Pacific Northwest, USA, with her craftsman husband and little son.

Ande’s Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/andepliegowrite

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

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BLOG TOUR: How to Get Away with Murder - Tam Barnett

A delightfully twisty and darkly comic crime thriller, for fans of My Sister, the Serial Killer and How to Kill Your Family

I'm obsessed with true crime. All the podcasts, the documentaries... I can't get enough.

And now there's a murderer on the loose where I live. What a rush!

Of course, some people might wonder if it's me. Am I an innocent soul with an unhealthy fascination, or a deadly psychopath?

It's the killer question. After all, I would love to know how to get away with murder…

Tam Barnett's debut novel is perfect for readers of Katy Brent, CJ Skuse or Bella Mackie.

 

What did I think?

I really enjoyed Tam Barnett's debut, How to Get Away with Murder.  The unreliable narrator makes it virtually impossible to work out what is going on so there are plenty of shocks and surprises in store for the reader.

Journalist Kelli Amari doesn't just have a fascination with true crime, she was involved in identifying and capturing a serial killer.  A killer she regularly visits in prison and as much as she is trying to see inside his mind, he is planting little seeds inside her mind.  When a new killer starts terrorising the area around Kelli's home and clues start pointing in her direction, Kelli wonders if her sleeping pills have subconsciously resulted in her trying to get away with murder.

This is a dark and twisty thriller that kept me entertained throughout.  I didn't particularly like any of the characters so I pointed my virtual finger at pretty much all of them at one point or another, however, I still didn't guess 'whodunnit'.  It's well worth a read and I'm looking forward to reading more from Tam Barnett.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Purchase link: https://mybook.to/HowToGetAway

About the author:

Tam Barnett is a journalist, living in London. His debut with Boldwood is How To Get Away With Murder, a darkly comic thriller set in the Wirral.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @TamBarnettBooks

Twitter: @TamBarnettBooks

Instagram: @TamBarnettBooks

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/TamBarnettNews

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BLOG TOUR: Profile K - Helen Fields

He’s going to kill you. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Midnight Jones is an analyst trained to understand the human mind. But everything changes when, in the course of her work, she discovers Profile K’s file – because K stands for killer, and she knows that someone more dangerous than she could have ever imagined walks among them.

Midnight knows what Profile K is capable of before he even commits his first crime. But as the news rolls with the brutal murder of a local woman, no one believes what she tells them: that he is capable of so much worse.

Profile K will kill again – and, terrifyingly, Midnight realises that the moment she found his file was the moment she became his next target. Because Profile K is coming for Midnight – and the only way to escape with her life is to find him before he finds her…

The million-copy bestseller is back with a dark, terrifying journey into the mind of a psychopath that will keep you riveted until the very last page.

 

What did I think?

OMG!!! Helen Fields has done it again - her new novel has completely blown me away. Profile K really has the wow factor and I couldn’t put it down.  It's just fantastic from start to finish and deliciously dark and disturbing, as you would expect from a Helen Fields book.

Midnight Jones has a moral dilemma when the test results she’s reviewing reveal a Profile K.  The 'k for killer' profile was set up as a joke as nobody expected anyone to actually be a Profile K. It must be a mistake in the system, surely?  Midnight doesn’t think so but her bosses tell her to forget about it but then the bodies start mounting up.

I absolutely loved Midnight Jones.  Not only does she have a great name, she also has a heartbreaking backstory which sees her being the main carer for her twin, Dawn.  Midnight can't risk losing her job as she needs to work to pay for Dawn's care and it's so expensive that she has no money left over for a life of her own.

The pacing is fast and furious and I simply couldn't read fast enough.  I felt like my eyes were on stalks as I opened them as wide as I could to devour the words as quickly as possible.  It was great to see Connie Woolwine make an appearance, although Profile K is a complete standalone novel so you don't need to have read any other Helen Fields books to enjoy it.

Intense, gripping and enthralling Profile K is an edge of your seat nail-biting rollercoaster of a book and it’s one not to be missed.  Very highly recommended.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Her Deadly Friend (The Gloucestershire Crime Series Book 1) - Rachel Sargeant

A random sequence of murders rocks West Gloucestershire. First one, then another. From calculated and clinical, to opportunist and frenzied. As the body count tops five, Detective Inspector Steph Lewis’s investigations point to Amy Ashby as chief suspect for the rampage.

Steph and Amy were arch enemies at school.

Amy, still seething with fury about what Steph did back then, refuses to let the detective stand in the way of her current hunt for a new man and a fresh start. This time, it is for keeps.

As the evidence mounts, Steph is convinced of Amy’s guilt. But is Steph obsessed with a schoolgirl vendetta that could wreck her career and destroy her family? Or is she closing in on a deadly killer?

Her Deadly Friend is the first book in the Gloucestershire Crime Series, featuring DI Steph Lewis, a spirited, no-nonsense detective with secrets of her own.

What did I think?

Wow!  This book is absolutely fantastic!  Even better, it's the start of an exciting new crime series and I'm already chomping at the bit to visit the fictional town of Gleveham again.

The story begins with a bullying incident at school.  Steph and her friend appear to be bullying Amy, but you get the feeling that you're not quite seeing the whole picture...and indeed you're not.  Rachel Sargeant cleverly puts an element of doubt in your mind, making you wonder what really happened and who is telling the truth.  Almost 30 years later Steph and Amy are about to cross paths again and sparks are sure to fly.

There is so much going on in this book; it has more hooks than a fisherman's tackle box and I was hooked from page one.  There's more to the bullying story from the past than meets the eye, both Steph and Amy are unknowingly being stalked and Steph is investigating a series of murders.  Murders that lead Steph to Amy's door and old wounds are reopened.  Is Steph targeting Amy once again?

I just couldn't read Her Deadly Friend fast enough.  I tore through it at a rate of knots and enjoyed every minute of it.  The writing is flawless and the plot is so twisty and original that I didn't see any of it coming.

Unpredictable and unputdownable, Her Deadly Friend is a fantastic police procedural and an outstanding start to an exciting new series.  Very highly recommended.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Edge of the Land (The Merseyside Crime Series Book 3) - Malcolm Hollingdrake

Edge of the Land is the thrilling third novel in the Merseyside crime series from Malcolm Hollingdrake, author of the best-selling Harrogate crime series.

The waterways of the Liverpool docks contain many ghosts and shadows. It’s a place to disappear… a place to die.

Detective Inspector April Decent and Detective Sergeant Skeeter Warlock are fearful for the welfare of a vulnerable young man injured in an attack ordered by drug dealers. Originally questioned at the scene, the young man denies the attack and refuses to co-operate with the police. He soon disappears. Clues to his whereabouts are sown, a cry for help maybe, but he remains elusive.

At the same time, the team are dealing with a spate of deaths in the city. The one thing the deaths have in common: the victims are all homeless and seemingly ravaged by addiction. Initially, the deaths are not considered to be suspicious as there is no obvious connection. Soon the hallmarks of murder are discovered and a hunt for a potential serial killer is on.

Is there a link between the missing man and the deaths? Could he be the vital piece of the puzzle which will solve the mystery behind the brutal murders?

 

What did I think?

Edge of the Land is the third book in The Merseyside Crime Series and it can most definitely be read as a standalone as I haven't read the first two books in the series and I absolutely loved it.

As soon as I turned the first page of Edge of the Land I knew I was in for a literary treat.  Malcolm Hollingdrake's exquisite writing sets such a vivid scene that I felt as if I'd dived head first into the book and found myself in Liverpool.  I've been a fan of Malcolm Hollingdrake's writing for many years now and just when I think he's at the top of his game, he goes and raises the bar again.

The city of Liverpool and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal are almost characters in their own right as they seem to live and breathe throughout the book.  The main characters are so well drawn that I had to keep reminding myself that they aren't real people.  I was sad to leave them when I turned the final page but it has definitely encouraged me to revisit DI Decent and DS Warlock by reading the previous books in the series.

Perfectly plotted and exquisitely crafted, Edge of the Land is a magnificent piece of crime fiction and you'll be hard pressed to find a better one...until Malcolm writes his next book.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Assassin Eighteen (Last Man Standing book 2) - John Brownlow

'I am waiting for someone to kill me. Tonight would be a good night for it.'

Agent Seventeen, the most infamous hitman in the world, has quit. But whoever wants to become Assassin Eighteen must track him down and kill him first.

So when a bullet hits the glass inches from his face, he knows who fired it - doesn't he?

But the sniper isn't the hardened killer he was expecting. It's Mireille - a mysterious, silent child, abandoned in the woods with instructions to pull the trigger.

Reuniting with his spiky lover, Kat, Seventeen must protect Mireille, and discover who sent her to kill him, and why.

But the road he must travel is littered with bodies. And the answer, when it comes, will blow apart everything Seventeen thought he knew. 

What did I think?

Assassin Eighteen is the second book in the Last Man Standing series but it is so good that you can totally read it as a standalone.  I loved Agent Seventeen but Assassin Eighteen completely blew me away and the pair of them together are simply earth-shattering.

Seventeen is living in Sixteen's house and waiting for Eighteen to come along and kill him.  Things don't quite go to plan when the shot that Seventeen is expecting doesn't kill him but instead leads him into a complex web of danger and destruction with another target on his back.

The pacing is blisteringly fast and my eyes were zipping down the page faster than my brain could read the words.  I absolutely love John Brownlow's style of writing; the chapters are short and punchy but every single word is impactful and effective.  A couple of chapters have no more than two words but they are perhaps the most heart-stopping and tense chapters I have ever read.

There aren't enough words to describe how amazing this book is - it's an absolute must-read and easily one of my favourite books of 2023.  I'm going to be shouting about Assassin Eighteen for a long time - it's JAWDROPPINGLY BRILLIANT!  DO NOT MISS IT!

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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The Institution - Helen Fields

They’re locked up for your safety.

Now, you’re locked in with them.

Dr Connie Woolwine has five days to catch a killer.

On a locked ward in the world’s highest-security prison hospital, a scream shatters the night. The next morning, a nurse’s body is found and her daughter has been taken. A ransom must be paid, and the clock is ticking.

Forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine is renowned for her ability to get inside the mind of a murderer. Now, she must go deep undercover among the most deranged and dangerous men on earth and use her unique skills to find the girl – before it’s too late.

But as the walls close in around her, can Connie get the killer before The Institution gets her?

 

What did I think?

WOW!  Just WOW!  Do not miss this book!  I have to start my review of The Institution by saying how amazingly brilliant it is.  It's a standalone novel but I was absolutely delighted to be reacquainted with profiler Connie Woolwine and former DI Brodie Baarda who we met in The Shadow Man.  

Set on a criminally insane ward in a remote location, it's fraught with danger as Woolwine and Baarda go undercover to find a murderer after a most heinous crime is committed on site.  It's certainly no mean feat as every man held there is a killer.  Imagine Hannibal Lector being the main character in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, The Institution is sort of like that.  Are the 'guests' insane or dangerous?  Can any member of staff be trusted?

The increasing danger level had me on high alert throughout the book.  There were several scenes where I gasped out loud or held my breath and I had absolutely no idea who had committed this awful murder, how they'd done it or why.  When all is revealed, the conclusion is immensely satisfying and it left me fist pumping the air (and with a little bit of sick in my mouth - yuk!).

The storyline is very chilling, but it was the last line that gave me goosebumps and chilled me to the bone.  I'm not going to quote it and it could be quite innocent to a lot of people but it really resonated with me as I have been there and regretted it.  I hope it's not something that Connie Woolwine will come to regret and I hope it's a sign that there are more Woolwine and Baarda books to come.

With characters that gave me nightmares, The Institution is gripping, addictive and chilling.  The writing, plot, characters and chilling location are all outstanding and I was left both breathless and speechless at the end.  It's brilliant from start to finish and an easy five stars.  Very highly recommended.

I  chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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