Murder at the Lake by Carolyn Arnold – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an e-book I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book Murder at the Lake by bestselling author Carolyn Arnold to review. To find out more about the author you may visit her website.

Here is the book blurb.

Moonlight dances across her bare skin, and a shooting star flies across the sky. And while the young woman’s eyes are open and facing upward, they no longer see anything…

Detective Madison Knight is about to get married when detectives from a neighboring city storm the wedding and arrest her fiancé, Troy Matthews. He’s being charged for the murder of his childhood friend Dylan Graham, recently shot to death in his home. But the motive dates back to a fateful night from twenty-four years ago when seventeen-year-old Emily Kane was raped and strangled at a beach party.

Police claim that Dylan had plans to expose Troy for the crime even though another friend was convicted for it and sent to prison for twenty-four years. With that friend recently released, Madison suspects that he may be framing Troy to take the fall, some sort of vengeance for not saving him from going to prison. But when he also turns up murdered, Troy again becomes the prime suspect.

With evidence mounting against him, Madison is determined to prove her fiancé is innocent, but what troubles her the most is that all of Troy’s friends from that time are being picked off one by one. That means Troy might be the killer’s next target, but it’s not just his life on the line when she discovers the twisted killer is stalking her.

This is book 13 in the Detective Madison Knight series but works fine as a stand-alone read. I haven’t got round to catching up with the earlier titles yet, but I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed books 8-12.

The prologue sets the scene with a flashback to a rape and murder of Emily Kane 24 years ago.

The story then fast forwards to the present with Braybury Police Department investigating the death of Dylan Graham. Is this a suicide or murder? They discover Graham has a file of news articles reporting on the Kane case, including that her attacker Ritchie Klein was released from prison yesterday. They also find Dylan’s journal, which implies that Klein was innocent and that Troy Matthews raped and killed Emily Kane.

Troy Matthews is a name that I immediately recognised from earlier titles, as being the fiancé of Detective Madison Knight. So when the next chapter sets the scene for Madison and Troy’s wedding, from the blurb, I knew that the ceremony would be interrupted with an arrest.

Evidence is stacking up. Has Troy been framed? What can Madison do to prove his innocence? Her avenues of investigation are limited with the case being in the neighbouring Braybury jurisdiction.

More twists follow in this page turner including another death. And who is the mysterious stalker?

Murder at the Lake is available on Amazon. An excellent captivating thrilling read from best-selling author Carolyn Arnold.

---

About the author

Carolyn Arnold was born in a small Canadian town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower. As an international bestselling and award-winning author, she has several continuing fiction series, including her popular Detective Madison Knight series. She offers readers nearly three dozen published books in genres ranging from crime thrillers and hard-boiled mysteries to cozy mysteries and action adventures. She currently lives north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles.

---

I’m participating in the blog review tour. Do take time to browse round some of the other posts.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Missing Before Daylight by Carolyn Arnold – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an ebook I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book Missing Before Daylight by bestselling author Carolyn Arnold to review. To find out more about the author you may visit her website.

Here is the book blurb.

She wakes surrounded by an inky black darkness and can barely breathe. A sack is covering her head, and her hands are tied behind her back. She desperately tries to struggle free as she hears footsteps walking toward her. She silently starts to cry as a chilling voice whispers “It’s time to pay for what you did…”

When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the murder scene of a young gas station clerk just before dawn, she assumes it must be a robbery gone tragically wrong. But when she discovers nothing has been stolen, she knows the motive must be far more personal.

Watching the security footage, Amanda is shocked to witness the cold-blooded killer not only shoot the clerk dead but abduct a customer. And her heart stops when she recognizes the customer as her former colleague, Katherine Graves. As Amanda breaks the news to Katherine’s heartbroken Aunt May, she vows to do whatever it takes to bring her niece home alive.

Desperate for a lead, Amanda and her partner, Trent, search Katherine’s home. Soon, they discover that despite no longer being with the police department, Katherine has a long list of very dangerous enemies. Enemies who have been sending her anonymous letters promising revenge.

The more Amanda digs into Katherine’s past, the longer her list of suspects becomes. But when May is sent a ransom demand and a picture of Katherine close to death, Amanda knows time is running out. With only hours left to find Katherine alive, Amanda is prepared to risk everything to keep her promise to May, even her own life…

This is the tenth title in the Detective Amanda Steele series and here are the links to my reviews of the previous titles.
The Little Grave
Stolen Daughters
The Silent Witness
Black Orchid Girls
Her Frozen Cry
Last Seen Alive
Her Final Breath
Taken Girls
Her Last Words

I was pulled into this story immediately in the prologue, when a young girl, Leah working the night shift at the petrol station is shot dead. But it isn’t until Detective Amanda Steele watches the security video footage, that she realises what else we discovered in the prologue. That there was another customer there at the time, who the killer has abducted. And not just any customer, but  Amanda’s former superior officer, Katherine Graves, now retired from the force. This makes it very personal to Amanda. How will she break the news to Katherine’s aunt May, whom she knows well?

Too late for Leah, but can Amanda and partner Trent locate Katherine in time to rescue her before the killer acts again? Where are they both? What motivated the killer’s crimes? How have both the killer’s van and Katherine’s car vanished from the petrol station? Is there an accomplice? Can they track either Katherine’s car or phone?

As they search for clues in her personal and former professional live, it appears Katherine has multiple anonymous dangerous enemies? Why? What is in her past? What are the relevance of the mysterious items they find locked in Katherine’s desk at home?

And then whilst they are interviewing one suspect, May receives a ransom call!

Meanwhile Amanda is juggling her own personal life as the job takes priority right now. But the author cleverly intertwines titbits of that into the tale too.

Missing Before Daylight is available on Amazon. A thrilling compelling read indeed, with plenty of unanticipated twists and turns.

About the Detective Amanda Steele Series
Gritty. Raw. Unapologetic.

Immersive crime fiction for fans who love their mysteries set in a small town and hard-boiled to perfection. From the murder scene to the morgue, interrogation of suspects and following down leads, you’ll feel like you’re part of the investigation. Realistic and complex characters, accurate police procedures and forensics paired with tight, serious writing make these books read more like true crime than fiction. Meet Homicide Detective Amanda Steele with the Prince William County Police Department in Woodbridge, Virginia. She’s smart, motivated, and real. Her tragic past has her claiming to be no one’s mentor, but she’s more hero than she thinks.

---

About the author

To keep current on author news, sign up for Carolyn Arnold’s newsletter here.
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy mysteries, police procedurals, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

---

I’m participating in the blog book tour. Do take time to browse round some of the other posts.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

The Sisters by Ruth O’Neill – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an ebook I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book The Sisters by Ruth O’Neill to review. You may find out more about the author on her website.

Here is the book blurb.

In a web of deceit, escape is just the beginning.

Ava Cressman’s life takes a twisted turn after her divorce from Spencer. Seeking comfort, she falls into the arms of a mysterious man named Joel Carney, a former college acquaintance. However, when Joel meets Ava’s sister, Tanya, an unsettling connection sparks between them.
Tanya, seemingly innocent, invites Ava and her twin sister, Belle, on a secluded trip to a remote lodge. From the moment they arrive, an ominous atmosphere hangs in the air, hinting at a hidden darkness beneath the surface.
As shocking truths emerge, will Ava find a way to expose the tangled labyrinth of secrets before it’s too late?
The Sisters is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the depths of manipulation, betrayal, and the darkest corners of the human mind. As Ava fights for her freedom and tries to untangle the lies, she also must face her own demons and find the strength to outsmart those who want to control her life.

The story starts with chapter 25, so we know we are going to revisit that scene in due course, which is a brief flashback 23 years to 2000 when Ava, the main character is scared alone in a forest.

In chapter 1 we are introduced to Ava and her older sister Tanya. Ava has another sister, Belle, her twin, but even though they are very close twins, Belle has a much smaller role in the story, whereas the interactions between Ava and Tanya are much more central. They all live in Bath, where Ava works as an estate agent.

So right at the beginning of the tale, Tanya announces that she has organised a 2 week holiday for the three of them in a remote lodge in Cumbria. Ava is reluctant but agrees. She is trying to move forward having just divorced Spencer, her ex-husband of 14 years, although they remain friends. But she does wish that Tanya wouldn’t interfere so much, like setting up a Facebook account for Ava. However Ava soon gets into the swing of Facebook and hooks up with an old college friend Joel via there.

The first half of the story  continues slowly mainly detailing Ava and Joel’s relationship, plus scenes with Tanya. Can she trust Tanya around Joel? And as we build up to the point 6 months or so later, when the sisters are about to head off the holiday, Joel asks Ava if he can come too. What should she say?

After a fun day travelling, the book takes on a different twist as the sisters arrive in Cumbria. After the slow lovey-dovey start to the tale, things get much darker as the psychological thriller takes centre stage. We are introduced to more characters. Who can be trusted? Who is brain-washed? Who is manipulating who?

At this point, I couldn’t put the book down. From a slow start, the pace was now intense. What would happen next? I certainly didn’t see the ending coming.

The Sisters is available on Amazon in paperback and kindle formats. A chilling dark must-read.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author. You may see my review of her earlier title Circle of Betrayal here.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Her Last Words by Carolyn Arnold – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an ebook I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book Her Last Words by bestselling author Carolyn Arnold to review. To find out more about the author you may visit her website.

Here is the book blurb.

The glow from the fireplace throws an eerie light over the woman’s carefully arranged body, her lifeless eyes reflecting the flames that slowly burn the evidence of who did this to her…

When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the brutal murder scene of successful local author Felicity Kelley, her blood runs cold. Because Amanda not only knew the victim, but was the last person Felicity called moments before she was murdered. Plagued with guilt that she never answered, Amanda is left wondering whether she could have prevented the murder, and vows to catch the killer, no matter what.

Desperately searching the crime scene for clues, Amanda is shocked when she discovers a Queen of Hearts playing card, suggesting the murder could be an imitation of a scene from Felicity’s bestselling crime novel. Terrified that she is dealing with a crazed fan who could strike again, Amanda’s worst fears are confirmed when another innocent woman is viciously murdered, with the same chilling calling card left behind.

But when Amanda connects the murders with a cold case from fifteen years ago, a case that Felicity appears to have been researching for her next novel, she is forced to question if the killer’s motive is even more sinister than she first suspected. But the closer Amanda gets to unearthing this motive, the closer she gets to becoming the next victim…

This is the ninth title in the Detective Amanda Steele series and here are the links to my reviews of the previous titles.
The Little Grave
Stolen Daughters
The Silent Witness
Black Orchid Girls
Her Frozen Cry
Last Seen Alive
Her Final Breath
Taken Girls

The prologue draws you in with Felicity feeling in danger and convinced that she has let a killer into her home.

Detective Amanda Steele is shocked when returning Felicity’s missed call from the previous day to be answered by one of her own colleagues. Felicity has been murdered and Amanda feels that she needs to be the one to investigate this case, as she had interviewed Felicity previously.

Felicity was a mystery writer who had been enjoying a lot of success lately, including signing her first movie deal, so potenially lots of suspects. Amanda hasn’t read Felicity’s books, but it turns out that Felicity has been posed like a victim in one of her own novels. Could the murderer be a crazy fan?

And why is there no paperwork in the house of an author?

Or what about a serial killer, when another body is discovered similarly posed?

So which lead to follow first? Who to speak to?

For once I did make a correct guess as to the murderer before all was revealed.

However I hadn’t remembered that we had previously met Felicity in an earlier title, Her Frozen Cry.

Her Last Words is available on Amazon. A gripping thriller indeed.

Includes some continuity references to earlier stories for those who enjoy reading the whole series but works excellently as a stand-alone read too.

About the Detective Amanda Steele Series
Gritty. Raw. Unapologetic.

Immersive crime fiction for fans who love their mysteries set in a small town and hard-boiled to perfection. From the murder scene to the morgue, interrogation of suspects and following down leads, you’ll feel like you’re part of the investigation. Realistic and complex characters, accurate police procedures and forensics paired with tight, serious writing make these books read more like true crime than fiction. Meet Homicide Detective Amanda Steele with the Prince William County Police Department in Woodbridge, Virginia. She’s smart, motivated, and real. Her tragic past has her claiming to be no one’s mentor, but she’s more hero than she thinks.

---

About the author

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

---

I’m participating in the blog book tour. Do take time to browse round some of the other posts.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

England’s Best Export by Ruth Danes – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an ebook I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book England’s Best Export by Ruth Danes to review. You may find out more about the author on her website.

Here is the book blurb.

Sapphire Carmichael’s life changes when an online argument escalates into a relentless campaign of harassment and death threats. Fearing for her safety, she flees her London home and finds refuge in a quiet West Country village, adopting a new identity as Melissa.

There, she falls for the charismatic Kai Tudor, who promises protection but hides dark secrets. As Melissa navigates a web of deception, she learns the truth about Kai, and must choose between love and safety. Amidst village life, Melissa forges bonds with her family members and new friends.

As secrets unfold and danger escalates, Melissa must choose her allies carefully and rely on her new-found strength.

This book is set in 2021 and starts by telling us what has happened to Sapphire over the last couple of months since she posted her negative opinion of Alicia on Twitter. We also revisit Sapphire’s history as to why she had a grudge against Alicia in the first place. Anyhow the tweets spiralled into an online argument which led to Sapphire being harassed and receiving death threats. Her family and friends were also harassed and since the threats are still ongoing, she has been forced to change her name and how she looks and flee from London to Godlarton village near Bristol, where her aunt and uncle live.

She is now known as Melissa (her middle name) and she can have no direct communication with her parents, brother or friends. Any messages will be via her aunt, uncle or cousin. Her aunt has sorted out a flat for her to rent, a car and a job.

Early on, we also get back history on her cousin and his wife, which lays the groundwork for them also being key to the story.

But before she even starts her new job or meets her colleagues, she gains a boyfriend, Kai Tudor, sleeping with him within 24 hours of meeting him and trusts everything he says. But who is Kai really? He hides dark secrets behind his kind facade.

And why does her new colleague Seren run off, immediately on meeting her?

I loved all the intertwined threads and coincidences in this thrilling psychological read.

England’s Best Export is available on Amazon in paperback, hardback and kindle format. A very intense tale with plenty of twists.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Taken Girls by Carolyn Arnold – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an ebook I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book Taken Girls by bestselling author Carolyn Arnold to review. To find out more about the author you may visit her website.

Here is the book blurb.

Music from the busy dancefloor echoes into the deserted room where the Prom Queen lies deadly still. A tiara rests on her soft blonde curls, but her face is frozen with fear, and her painted red lips are forever sealed shut in a silenced scream…

When Detective Amanda Steele’s niece, Ava, begs her to look for a missing schoolfriend, she immediately agrees to take on the case. Eighteen-year-old Reese left home three nights ago after fighting with her mother and hasn’t been seen since. But when the teenager’s body is discovered brutally murdered, poised dramatically at the prom venue, Amanda is devastated she didn’t save the girl in time.

Haunted by the scene, Amanda dives headfirst into the case. Chasing every lead, she is horrified when she discovers a potential key witness strangled in her own home. It soon becomes clear that the killer will stop at nothing to silence anyone who might reveal their identity. So when Ava mentions she saw someone acting strangely at the prom venue that night, Amanda’s heart stops.

And when Amanda’s worst nightmare comes true, and her beloved niece is taken, she knows that every second counts to uncover this twisted killer’s identity and bring Ava home safely. But can she crack the secrets of this killer’s deadly game before it’s too late?

This is the eighth title in the Detective Amanda Steele series and here are the links to my reviews of the previous titles.
The Little Grave
Stolen Daughters
The Silent Witness
Black Orchid Girls
Her Frozen Cry
Last Seen Alive
Her Final Breath

The prologue features the murderer and victim, but some of the details were very gruesome, so pick your time carefully for starting this read.

Detective Amanda Steele usually works in homicide but she requests to work on case of missing teenager Reese Thompson on behalf of her own niece Ava, who is friends with Reese’s younger sister Nadine. The sleuthing girls have discovered Reese’s phone in the river. Why would Reese disappear just days before her big moment as Prom Queen?

But too late, it turns into a murder case, when Reese’s body turns up, grotesquely posed at the Prom.

As the investigation continues, another victim is discovered. And then the killer takes Ava. Can Amanda find her before it is too late?

Some surprising twists in this book that I didn’t see coming. And I do like how this series always intertwines Amanda’s own life into the story.

Taken Girls is available on Amazon. A thrilling page turner that I couldn’t put down.

Includes some continuity references to earlier stories for those who enjoy reading the whole series but works excellently as a stand-alone read too.

About the Detective Amanda Steele Series
Gritty. Raw. Unapologetic.

Immersive crime fiction for fans who love their mysteries set in a small town and hard-boiled to perfection. From the murder scene to the morgue, interrogation of suspects and following down leads, you’ll feel like you’re part of the investigation. Realistic and complex characters, accurate police procedures and forensics paired with tight, serious writing make these books read more like true crime than fiction. Meet Homicide Detective Amanda Steele with the Prince William County Police Department in Woodbridge, Virginia. She’s smart, motivated, and real. Her tragic past has her claiming to be no one’s mentor, but she’s more hero than she thinks.

Here are the links to my reviews of other books by Carolyn Arnold.
Remnants
Power Struggle
The Secret of the Lost Pharaoh
On the Count of Three
Shades of Justice
Exercise is Murder
Past Deeds
The Legend of Gasparilla and his Treasure
What We Bury
One More Kill
Girl on the Run

---

About the author

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

---

I’m participating in the blog book tour. Do take time to browse round some of the other posts.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

The Woman from Death Row by Peter Hogenkamp – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an ebook I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book The Woman from Death Row by Peter Hogenkamp to review. You may find out more about the author on his website.

Here is the book blurb.

Jade Collins grew up on the seedy side of Los Angeles, but her tenacious nature pushes her to strive for a better life. After attending college and earning her medical degree, she feels good about where her life is going. But, bad things happen to good people, and Jade finds herself on death row after killing a man who had been abusing one of her patients.

Just three years after his marriage, Dr. Mark Brand’s wife passes away and his life is sent into a downward spiral. Depression steals everything from him—his medical license, his livelihood and his will to go on. Only a reunion with a powerful man he once knew gives Mark the strength to pick himself up again. He has a new job and a new life, but he is paying a steep price for his second chance. Nothing in life is free and this powerful man has plans for Mark.

Mark is sent to San Quentin to meet Jade and offers to get her off death row if she agrees to team up with him in a dangerous assignment. With no other choice, Jade agrees but aims to get out of the game at the first opportunity. Mark wants out too, but he’s sold his soul to the man who rescued him, and his only option is to follow orders and get the job done.

As danger mounts, Mark is pitted against the man who saved him and he’s forced to rely on Jade, a woman he hardly knows and doesn’t fully trust. The situation is made worse by the feelings he’s developing for her.

Will the opportunist destroy Mark’s life once more?

Will this game put Jade back on death row?

Chapter 1 is set 23 years ago to give some context on Jade’s history and then chapter 2 is 5 years ago. By then, she has become a doctor, but frustrated by abusive behaviour against one of her patients for which the police do nothing, she takes the law into her own hands, but ends up on Death Row.

Her time is now running out with less than 24hrs to go before a lethal injection, when she is approached by Mark with an offer. He can rescue her, but there is a price. She has to agree to kill again.

Meanwhile Mark’s back-story is summarised in the blurb, but revealed on a more piece-meal basis through the book.

The author is a physician which is a real plus point in the way he manages to pull you into the medical fiction elements early on in this tale, which certainly got me hooked for the rest of the story.

It felt like there were many dimensions to this tale, with so many twists thrown in as the story progressed.

The Woman from Death Row is newly published on Amazon today, available in kindle format. A great page-turner and book 1 in a series, so look out for more.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Her Dark Grave by Carolyn Arnold – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an e-book I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book Her Dark Grave by bestselling author Carolyn Arnold to review. To find out more about the author you may visit her website.

Here is the book blurb.

Her eyes widen at her reflection in the steel blade as it comes closer, closer, closer…

Detective Madison Knight thought a midnight drive through the countryside would help clear her mind, but she thought wrong. Her car runs out of gas, stranding her in the middle of nowhere in pitch darkness. When she gets out to stretch her legs, the beam of her phone’s flashlight lands on a suitcase in the ditch. After she opens it, she’s sorry she did.

Tara Jackson was only twenty-one years old with her entire life ahead of her before she was stabbed to death and stuffed into a piece of luggage. Madison is determined to find her justice and soon uncovers that Tara was keeping secrets from those closest to her and suspects they may have gotten her killed. But while she’s exploring that lead, the body of another young woman is found in a sports equipment bag.

She looks just like Tara and is the same age, and Madison starts to wonder if the killer she’s after has killed before. Desperate, she turns to cold cases and missing person reports to see if she can dig up anything to further the investigation.

Madison finds eighteen-year-old Daphne Tucker, who was reported missing from the area three years ago. She’s a doppelganger to the other victims. Is the reason Daphne hasn’t been heard from because she’s dead too? And has her killer returned, hungry for more blood?

As Madison edges closer to the truth, someone is stalking her from the shadows, and she fears it just may be the twisted, demented killer she’s hunting. But can Madison outsmart him or her before she becomes the next victim?

This is book 12 in the Detective Madison Knight series but works fine as a stand-alone read. I haven’t got round to catching up with the earlier titles yet, but I’ve read books 8-11 and am invested in Madison’s cases.

The prologue pulls the reader in by tantalising you with a flashback to the killer contemplating who will be his first victim.

The story then opens with Madison taking a night-time drive, because she can’t sleep due to ongoing nightmares of the Russian Mafia from an earlier case, but she runs out of both petrol and phone charge. The situation doesn’t help her paranoia and things get even worse when she discovers an abandoned suitcase in the ditch with gruesome contents.

One of forensics identifies the victim from recent media as Tara Jackson. But as Madison and partner Terry interview Tara’s family and friends, it soon becomes evident that Tara had been keeping a secret double life from them. But whilst they follow the leads including chasing after a running boyfriend, another mutilated corpse is discovered in a bag. This young woman looks almost the spitting image of Tara.

Is Tara’s boyfriend the killer? Or might he come up with an alibi?

And someone else is missing too? They need a lead quickly? Can cold cases provide any clues? And will they be in danger themselves?

I also love how the characters are all well developed for colleagues too, as we get fed snippets from theirs and Madison’s lives, which provide continuity between the stories in this series.

This is a real page turner with so many twists and turns.

Her Dark Grave is available on Amazon. An excellent thriller from best-selling author Carolyn Arnold.

---

About the author

Carolyn Arnold was born in a small Canadian town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower. As an international bestselling and award-winning author, she has several continuing fiction series, including her popular Detective Madison Knight series. She offers readers nearly three dozen published books in genres ranging from crime thrillers and hard-boiled mysteries to cozy mysteries and action adventures. She currently lives north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles.

---

I’m participating in the blog review tour. Do take time to browse round some of the other posts.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

If She Lives by Erik Therme – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an ebook I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book If She Lives by Erik Therme to review. You may find out more about the author on his website.

Here is the book blurb.

Tess Parker knows tragedy better than most.

After surviving the death of her daughter and kidnapping of her nephew, Tess is ready to return to normal life. But her troubled past has other plans, and when an old threat reemerges, Tess must seek the help of an unlikely ally to set things right.

No matter what the cost.

If She Lives is the final installment in the Harlow trilogy. It works fine as a stand-alone read, but even better to read them all.

Following everything that happened in the earlier titles, Tess has now separated from her husband Josh and is living with her sister-in-law Torrie and nephew, baby Levi. The prologue cleverly makes use of Tess attending her first session with a psychiatrist, to give the readers a recap.

But circumstances seem to continue to follow Tess and there is a fire at Torrie’s home. Is it arson? Then faces from the past start to show up, with crazy suggestions. What will Tess do?

Plenty of unexpected twists and turns in this gripping tale, with a very surprising ending.

If She Lives is available on Amazon in paperback, hardback, audiobook and kindle format. A compelling thrilling exciting read.

Here are my reviews of the previous two titles.
If She Dies
If She Wakes

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Her Final Breath by Carolyn Arnold – book review

Disclosure.  This post is a review of an ebook I was sent for free.  All opinions are my own.

I have received a free e-copy of the book Her Final Breath by bestselling author Carolyn Arnold to review. To find out more about the author you may visit her website.

Here is the book blurb.

Faint sunlight dapples the two figures lying on the ground. The mother cradles her daughter close to her side, a stuffed toy elephant next to them. Leaves from the tall trees fall onto their faces, but neither moves to brush them off.

When a dog walker in a local Virginia park finds the bodies of a mother and daughter, Detective Amanda Steele is first on the scene. Her own daughter has a toy just like the girl’s elephant and seeing the child like this is her worst nightmare come true. Heartbroken, she vows to get justice.

They quickly get an ID—Jill Archer and six-year-old Charlotte were reported missing last week, but interviewing Jill’s husband, Roy, Amanda’s gut tells her he is hiding something. When the autopsy reveals a terrible pattern of bruises, she’s certain that a domestic argument escalated out of control, and tiny Charlotte got caught in the crossfire. But just as Amanda is about to arrest Roy, another grave is found, containing another mother and daughter.

Desperate for a lead, she goes to every place the women could have been targeted, and learns from a concerned ER nurse about Leanne Reilly and her young daughter, Gracie, who haven’t been heard from in a week. Amanda hopes that Leanne has simply left her deadbeat husband, but she’s gripped by the fear that they are the killer’s latest victims. Now every second counts for Amanda to find the family and stop a little girl’s nightmare before it ends in tragedy…

This is the seventh title in the Detective Amanda Steele series and here are the links to my reviews of the previous titles.
The Little Grave
Stolen Daughters
The Silent Witness
Black Orchid Girls
Her Frozen Cry
Last Seen Alive

The prologue gives us a brief introduction to Leanne and her young daughter Gracie who have been abducted and held against their will.

Meanwhile the main story begins with the discovery of a grave in the park, revealing a woman, child and stuffed toy elephant. Detective Amanda Steele and partner Trent investigate. The deceased are identified as Jill Archer and daughter Charlotte, immediately leaving the reader to draw your own conclusions between the Archers and Leanne & Gracie.

Amanda and Trent get a bad feeling when they interview Jill’s husband Roy, a fellow police officer. At best he appears guilty of abuse, but did he murder his family?

And why is Sergeant Graves being so much more helpful on this case than usual?

Interviews and warrants abound. And I love how the clues are gradually revealed to us.

As always, we follow a sub-plot of Amanda’s home life with adopted daughter Zoe, who is a similar age to the children in this case. Plus there is a focus on Trent’s reaction to the abuse, in the knowledge that he is unable to help someone close in a similar situation.

Every so often we get another chapter with Leanne and Gracie. And then another grave is discovered in the park, with striking similarities to the Archers. Is there a serial killer?

When I reached the point where Amanda and Trent hear about Leanne and Gracie going missing, I’m devouring the pages. Can they piece everything together and find them in time?

Her Final Breath is available on Amazon. A thrilling page turner indeed.

Includes some continuity references to earlier stories for those who enjoy reading the whole series but works excellently as a stand-alone read too.

About the Detective Amanda Steele Series
Gritty. Raw. Unapologetic.

Immersive crime fiction for fans who love their mysteries set in a small town and hard-boiled to perfection. From the murder scene to the morgue, interrogation of suspects and following down leads, you’ll feel like you’re part of the investigation. Realistic and complex characters, accurate police procedures and forensics paired with tight, serious writing make these books read more like true crime than fiction. Meet Homicide Detective Amanda Steele with the Prince William County Police Department in Woodbridge, Virginia. She’s smart, motivated, and real. Her tragic past has her claiming to be no one’s mentor, but she’s more hero than she thinks.

Here are the links to my reviews of other books by Carolyn Arnold.
Remnants
Power Struggle
The Secret of the Lost Pharaoh
On the Count of Three
Shades of Justice
Exercise is Murder
Past Deeds
The Legend of Gasparilla and his Treasure
What We Bury
One More Kill
Girl on the Run

---

About the author

Carolyn Arnold was born in a small Canadian town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower. As an international bestselling and award-winning author, she has several continuing fiction series, including her popular Detective Madison Knight series. She offers readers nearly three dozen published books in genres ranging from crime thrillers and hard-boiled mysteries to cozy mysteries and action adventures. She currently lives north of London, Ontario, with her husband and two beagles.

---

I’m participating in the blog book tour. Do take time to browse round some of the other posts.

Visit Yet Another Blogging Mummy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram