[REVIEW] Nine Elms

title: Nine Elms (Kate Marshall #1)

author: Robert Bryndza
genre: adult fiction, crime fiction, thriller
published: December 1st 2019 by Thomas & Mercer (first published November 1st 2019)
my copy: kindle, 392 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 4 / 5 stars
goodreads

From the breakthrough international bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice, a breathtaking, page-turning novel about a disgraced female detective’s fight for redemption. And survival... 

Kate Marshall was a promising young police detective when she caught the notorious Nine Elms serial killer. But her greatest victory suddenly turned into a nightmare. Traumatized, betrayed, and publicly vilified for the shocking circumstances surrounding the cannibal murder case, Kate could only watch as her career ended in scandal. 

Fifteen years after those catastrophic events, Kate is still haunted by the unquiet ghosts of her troubled past. Now a lecturer at a small coastal English university, she finally has a chance to face them. A copycat killer has taken up the Nine Elms mantle, continuing the ghastly work of his idol. 

Enlisting her brilliant research assistant, Tristan Harper, Kate draws on her prodigious and long-neglected skills as an investigator to catch a new monster. Success promises redemption, but there’s much more on the line: Kate was the original killer’s intended fifth victim… and his successor means to finish the job.

your usual crime fiction.

I read a couple of books from Bryndza's previous series, his Detective Erika Foster series, and I really enjoyed them. So even though I haven't read them all (this cheap-ass me is waiting for further price drop on Kindle. I need books 3 and 5. lmao), I decided to grab this one when I saw it on Kindle Deals!

[REVIEW] See How They Run

title: See How They Run
author: Tom Bale
genre: adult fiction, thriller
published: May 6th 2016 by Bookouture
my copy: kindle, 411 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 2 / 5 stars
goodreads

How far would you go to save your family? 

In the dead of night, new parents Alice and Harry French are plunged into their worst nightmare when they wake to find masked men in their bedroom. Men ruthless enough to threaten their baby daughter, Evie.

This is no burglary gone wrong. 

The intruders know who they’re looking for – a man called Edward Renshaw.

And they are prepared to kill to get to him.

When the men leave empty handed, little do Alice and Harry realise that their nightmare is just beginning. Is it a case of mistaken identity? Who is Renshaw? And what is he hiding?

One thing is clear – they already know too much.

As Alice and Harry are separated in the run for their lives, there is no time to breathe in their fight to be reunited. And with their attackers closing in, there is only one choice:

STAY ALIVE. OR DON’T.

Terrifying, unputdownable and full of twists and turns, this stunning thriller will have you on the edge of your seat right to the very last page.

wild thrilling chase with lots of should I trust this?

I got this one during my Bookouture addiction time. I was at the height of loving thrillers  by Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza. Then they promoted Tom Bale and the premise of novel is just too intriguing.

[REVIEW] Confessions

title: Confessions (告白 / Kokuhaku)
author: Kanae Minato, Stephen Snyder (Translator)
genre: adult, thriller
published: August 19th 2014 by Mulholland Books (first published August 5th 2008)
my copy: Paperback, First English language edition, 235 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 5 / 5 stars
goodreads

HER PUPILS KILLED HER DAUGHTER.
NOW, SHE WILL HAVE HER REVENGE. 

After calling off her engagement in wake of a tragic revelation, Yuko Moriguchi had nothing to live for except her only child, four-year-old Manami. Now, following an accident on the grounds of the middle school where she teaches, Yuko has given up and tendered her resignation. 

But first she has one last lecture to deliver. She tells a story that upends everything her students ever thought they knew about two of their peers, and sets in motion a maniacal plot for revenge. 

Narrated in alternating voices, with twists you'll never see coming, Confessions explores the limits of punishment, despair, and tragic love, culminating in a harrowing confrontation between teacher and student that will place the occupants of an entire school in danger. You'll never look at a classroom the same way again. 

highly intriguing and horrifying.

I've been hoping to read this and last year's #Burtontober pushed me to finally pick it up.

Confessions is about the revenge of middle school teacher and single mother, Yuko Moriguchi, for the death of her child. During her last day as a teacher, she tells the class the full story of the death of her child and explained her revenge. The novel covers the results of the said revenge and it is not pretty.

[MINI REVIEWS] Crime Fiction Edition #1

title: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot #1)
author: Agatha Christie
genre: crime fiction
published: October 30, 2012 by William Morrow
format: paperback, 247 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Fully Booked
rating: 3 / 5 stars
goodreads

Hercule Poirot solves his first case in the Agatha Christie novel that started it all, now in a fully restored edition that features a “missing chapter” along with commentary from Christie expert John Curran. 

Who poisoned the wealthy Emily Inglethorp and how did the murderer penetrate and escape from her locked bedroom? Suspects abound in the quaint village of Styles St. Mary—from the heiress's fawning new husband to her two stepsons, her volatile housekeeper, and a pretty nurse who works in a hospital dispensary. 

With impeccable timing, and making his unforgettable debut, the brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is on the case.

[TOUR] All Signs Point to Murder

title: All Signs Point to Murder (Zodiac Mystery #2)
author: Connie di Marco
genre: adult fiction, cozy mystery
publish: August 8, 2017 by Midnight Ink
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 3.5 / 5 stars
goodreads

Julia Bonatti is alarmed by the astrological signs looming over Geneva Leary’s wedding day, but nobody asked Julia’s opinion and being a bridesmaid means supporting the bride no matter what. Even with the foreboding Moon-Mars-Pluto lineup in the heavens, no one’s prepared for the catastrophes that strike: a no-show sister, a passed-out wedding planner, and a lethal shooting in the dead of night. 

With anger and grief threatening to tear the Leary family part, Julia is determined to understand how such a terrible tragedy could occur. As she digs deeper into the family’s secrets, her astrological insights will lead her to the truth about a criminal enterprise that stretches far beyond the California coast. 

would keep you guessing, wondering, questioning

If you've been following me since my the Blacksheep Project days, you'll know that I LOVE cozy mysteries just for the heck of it. Okay, generally because they are always such a fun read and at the same time thrilling. All Signs Point to Murder deals with astrology and I've never read anything like this! I've read cozy mysteries that involves a baker and cafe owner, lingerie store owner, and even historical mysteries which were totally enjoyable reads. An astrologer is obviously an amazing addition to this short list.

[REVIEW] Secrets of the Dead

title: Secrets of the Dead (DI Robyn Carter #2)
author: Carol Wyer
genre: adult fiction, crime fiction, mystery, thriller
publish: May 30, 2017 by Bookouture
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 3.5 / 5 stars
goodreads

Three murders. Three innocent victims. What secrets did they share with their killer? 

A bottle of bubble bath and colourful, plastic boats were scattered in small puddles on the floor. In the bathtub lay Linda Upton, fully-clothed, her lips a shade of blue, and her bloodshot eyes wide open. 

When a young mother is found drowned in the bath, clutching a receipt saying ‘all debts paid’, Detective Robyn Carter knows it’s just the beginning of a harrowing case. She recognises the signs of a serial killer, and when a second victim with a receipt is found, her worst fears are confirmed. 

With the local press whipping the public into a frenzy, Robyn is under pressure to solve the crime yesterday. But her team can’t find a link between the two bodies, and the cracks are starting to show. 

Just when her leads have dried up, Robyn discovers an unsettling clue she thinks could unlock the case. But as she chases across the plush carpets and manicured lawns of the wealthy elite, honing in on the killer’s shocking motive, one of her own is put in terrible danger. 

The press call him The Leopard for his stealth, speed and brutality. Can Robyn stop the most twisted killer of her career before it’s too late? 

A heart-pounding, toe-curling, one-sitting serial killer thriller that will hook you from the first page till the last. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.

Highly similar to Robert Bryndza's Detective Erika Foster series. If you like one, you might enjoy the other.

If you've read my review on Little Girl Lost, you'll know that I liked it -- its pace, its detective, its writing. I found it highly similar to other Bookouture thriller titles but when it easily reminds me of other specific characters from other books, I feel a bit of disappointment. Secrets of the Dead (or DI Robyn Carter series) is just that for me -- it feels like a shadow of Detective Erika Foster with a more positive take.

[REVIEW] Little Girl Lost

title: Little Girl Lost (DI Robyn Carter #1)
author: Carol Wyer
genre: adult fiction, crime fiction, mystery, thriller
publish: January 19, 2017 by Bookouture
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 4 / 5 stars
goodreads

A perfect family hiding disturbing secrets. A killer who wants the truth to be told.  

A teacher goes missing under suspicious circumstances.
A millionaire is murdered at a local reservoir.
For Detective Robyn Carter, there’s no obvious link between the men. But as she starts to delve into the cases, her investigations lead her to Abigail, perfect wife and mother to beautiful little Izzy. What was Abigail’s connection to the victims? And why is she receiving threatening messages from an anonymous number?  

But as Robyn starts to inch closer to finding the killer, Izzy is abducted.  

Unless Robyn gets to the twisted individual in time, a little girl will die …  

Gripping, fast paced and nailbitingly tense, this serial killer thriller will chill you to the bone. Perfect for fans of MJ Arlidge and Angela Marsons. Discover Carol Wyer’s new series today – at a special launch price. 

kept me thinking. kept me at the edge of my seat.

I read this basically because I'm a Bookouture thriller-trash. I'll probably read every Bookouture thriller that's out there, ya know 💁 Also, check that hook, I'm always into those perfect-family-but-not mysteries. Gotta read them all!

[REVIEW] The Night Stalker

title: The Night Stalker (Detective Erika Foster #2)
author: Robert Bryndza
genre: adult fiction, crime fiction, thriller, mystery
publish: June 2, 2016 by Bookouture
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 5 / 5 stars
goodreads

If the Night Stalker is watching, you're already dead... 

In the dead of a swelteringly hot summer's night, Detective Erika Foster is called to a murder scene. The victim, a doctor, is found suffocated in bed. His wrists are bound and his eyes bulging through a clear plastic bag tied tight over his head. 

A few days later, another victim is found dead, in exactly the same circumstances. As Erika and her team start digging deeper, they discover a calculated serial killer - stalking their victims before choosing the right moment to strike. 

The victims are all single men, with very private lives. Why are their pasts shrouded in secrecy? And what links them to the killer? 

As a heat wave descends upon London, Erika will do everything to stop the Night Stalker before the body count rises, even if it means risking her job. But the victims might not be the only ones being watched... Erika's own life could be on the line. 

The global bestselling author of "The Girl in the Ice" is back with a heart-racing, electrifying thriller. If you love Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter, you'll be hooked on Robert Bryndza.

MUST READ thriller series!

I cannot believe it took me forever to read this book! I hate myself for that! But better late than never, yeah? I read this book basically because: (1) the first book, The Girl in the Ice, was amazing and thrilling and was easily one of my fave crime thrillers!, (2) the writing of the said book was great and Erika Foster easily became one of my fave detective inspectors to read; (3) Bookouture thrillers are bloodydamn amazing!

[REVIEW] Blood Lines

title: Blood Lines (D.I. Kim Stone #5)
author: Angela Marsons
genre: adult fiction, crime fiction, mystery, thriller
publish: November 4, 2016 by Bookouture
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 4 / 5 stars
goodreads

How do you catch a killer who leaves no trace?
A victim killed with a single, precise stab to the heart appears at first glance to be a robbery gone wrong. A caring, upstanding social worker lost to a senseless act of violence. But for Detective Kim Stone, something doesn’t add up.  

When a local drug addict is found murdered with an identical wound, Kim knows instinctively that she is dealing with the same killer. But with nothing to link the two victims except the cold, calculated nature of their death, this could be her most difficult case yet.  

Desperate to catch the twisted individual, Kim’s focus on the case is threatened when she receives a chilling letter from Dr Alex Thorne, the sociopath who Kim put behind bars. And this time, Alex is determined to hit where it hurts most, bringing Kim face-to-face with the woman responsible for the death of Kim’s little brother – her own mother.  

As the body count increases, Kim and her team unravel a web of dark secrets, bringing them closer to the killer. But one of their own could be in mortal danger. Only this time, Kim might not be strong enough to save them…  

A totally gripping thriller that will have you hooked from the very first page to the final, dramatic twist. 

Angela Marsons does not disappoint.

If you've been following my previous blog, the Blacksheep Project, you're probably aware that I LOVE Angela Marsons' D.I. Kim Stone series especially the last two books: Lost Girls and Play Dead. And if you haven't read the series, you can go check my previous reviews from the Blacksheep Project OR read my quick thoughts over at Double the Books's January issue!