Book Review: SEE HOW THEY RUN by Tom Bale

Title: See How They Run
Author: Tom Bale
Publisher: Bookouture
Read: June 2016


Synopsis (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. 

My thoughts:

In the dead of the night, Alice and Harry are woken by masked intruders who break into their home, holding their 8-week old daughter hostage and demanding that the couple hand over a package addressed to a Mr Renshaw, which had allegedly been sent to their address. After suffering hours of pain and humiliation at the hands of their attackers, Harry finally manages to convince the men that they have not received such a package, nor did they know the identity of the mysterious recipient. Finally the men leave, but not before threatening that harm will befall Harry, Alice or their daughter Evie, should they find out that the couple have lied to them, or have gone to the police to report the home invasion. What Alice has not told anyone is that she had indeed received a package in the mail a few days ago, and may know where to find this mysterious Mr Renshaw ....

I was excited to receive a copy of See How They Run through Netgalley, as the premise of an innocent young family caught up in some criminal activity was intriguing and scary. People react differently under stress and threats to their lives, and there was the potential of a thrilling roller coaster ride as the young couple try to evade their attackers. However, though it started off strongly, unfortunately the novel ultimately did not work for me on many levels. Whilst I expected the characters to make some strange decisions whilst feeling pressured and threatened, the whole storyline was based on some very questionable decisions by the main protagonists, to the point of not being able to suspend disbelief enough to make the book credible. I found Harry and Alice somewhat two dimensional and difficult to connect with, which made their thoughts and actions hard to understand. I also found the constant baby trivia in the book somewhat irritating – whilst to a parent a newborn baby may mean the world, the continuous references to burping, nappy changing and breast feeding soon became repetitive and added nothing to the content of the novel for me.

“Suspecting a bowel movement was due, Alice picked up a nappy and pack of wipes, and put them in a nappy sack.”

Whilst I understand that this is the reality of having a newborn, this type of day-to-day trivia only served as a distraction to the main storyline and it was easy to lose interest – a bit of careful editing could have done wonders here. I soon felt I was skipping through the chapters, trying to get to the actual meaty parts. All in all, the novel fell flat for me and I without really caring for any of the characters it soon lost my interest.

However, seeing that there are many high praises for See How They Run out there, I certainly recommend judging for yourself. For me, only a “Meh!” read – readable but not particularly enjoyable and certainly not a memorable book on my reading list this year.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: IN THE CLEARING by Robert Dugoni

Title: In the Clearing
Author: Robert Dugoni
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Read: May 2016


Synopsis (Goodreads):

Detective Tracy Crosswhite has a skill, and a soft spot, for tackling unsolved crimes. Having lost her own sister to murder at a young age, Tracy has dedicated her career to bringing justice and closure to the families and friends of victims of crime.

So when Jenny, a former police academy classmate and protégé, asks Tracy to help solve a cold case that involves the suspicious suicide of a Native American high school girl forty years earlier, Tracy agrees. Following up on evidence Jenny’s detective father collected when he was the investigating deputy, Tracy probes one small town’s memory and finds dark, well-concealed secrets hidden within the community’s fabric. Can Tracy uphold the promise she’s made to the dead girl’s family and deliver the truth of what happened to their daughter? Or will she become the next victim?

My thoughts:

In the Clearing is the third book in the Tracy Crosswhite series, but the first book in the series I have picked up. I found I was able to read it as a stand-alone novel but would have liked to know more background information of the main character, Tracy, as her past is referred to as a main motivator for her passion for solving cold cases and bringing closure to the families involved. I will clearly need to look up Dugoni’s other books and start the series from the beginning.

In this novel, Tracy receives a call from a friend to help her solve an old case her father was investigating when he first started his career as young deputy 40 years ago. It concerned the death of a young Native American girl, which was ultimately ruled a suicide despite the detective’s misgivings about discrepancies in the evidence he found. After his recent death, his daughter came across an old case file he has held on to all these years, and she wants Tracy to follow up the mystery which had clearly haunted him all his life.

As a parallel case, this time in the present, Tracy tries to solve the shooting of a father accused of beating his wife and son – was it murder or self-defence? Or is the mother trying to protect her son by taking the blame?

Both stories run parallel with no connection apart from Tracy, but Dugoni managed to keep my interest in both, although I found the cold case much more compelling and was glad that most of the story was devoted to it. I especially enjoyed the details about the forensic evidence and science available to solve the crimes 40 years ago, without the technology we have today. All in all an enjoyable read with a good solid lead character – I will make sure to look up the earlier books in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: THE NIGHT STALKER by Robert Bryndza

Title: The Night Stalker
Author: Robert Bryndza
Publisher: Bookouture
Read: June 2016



Synopsis (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. 

My thoughts:

It’s great when you discover a brand new crime series which promises lots of pleasures yet to come – and the DCI Erika Foster series guarantees just that. I absolutely loved “The Girl in the Ice” and was quick to grab a copy of “The Night Stalker” as soon as it was available. And it did not disappoint! Erika continues to keep me intrigued – with exactly the right mix of personal tragedy in her past and a strong personality which keeps her determined to solve difficult murder cases, this is one protagonist who can really drive a storyline. I also love Erika’s different cultural background, which gives her even more depth and explains some of her difficulties to accept the restraints placed on her by workplace politics and often see her go out on a limb and defy the rules for the sake of finding justice.

In The Night Stalker, Erika is confronted with a ruthless killer who murders victims by drugging them and then suffocating them by placing a plastic bag over their head. Whilst one murder can be written off as an isolated attack, it soon becomes clear that this killer will not stop at one. But what is driving this person to keep on killing? And how does he choose his victims? Erika will have to confront her own personal demons as she is trying to get into this killer’s mind, only to discover that they may have more things in common than she would like to admit. I take my hat off to Brynda’s skill as a writer that I even managed to feel a little bit of sympathy for this troubled serial killer – I often find that knowing the identity of the murderer spoils the thrill for me, but this was definitely not the case here.

After the ending of this novel (no spoilers) I am very intrigued as to what Bryndza has in store for Erika in future novels. Will she go on defying the rules or be forced to play “by the book” in order to keep her job? Will she finally be able to forgive herself for her husband’s death? Bryndza’s skill in carefully revealing little tidbits of background information one bit at a time ensures that there will be a lot more to discover about Erika in future novels – I am hoping that the next instalment is not too far away. 

Book Review: DAISY IN CHAINS by Sharon Bolton

Title: Daisy in Chains
Author: Sharon Bolton
Publisher: Transworld Digital
Read: April 2016
Expected publication: 2nd June 2016



Synopsis (Goodreads):

Famous killers have fan clubs.

Hamish Wolfe is no different. Locked up for the rest of his life for the abduction and murder of three young women, he gets countless adoring letters every day. He's handsome, charismatic and very persuasive. His admirers are convinced he's innocent, and that he's the man of their dreams.

Who would join such a club?

Maggie Rose is different. Reclusive and enigmatic; a successful lawyer and bestselling true-crime writer, she only takes on cases that she can win.

Hamish wants her as his lawyer, he wants her to change his fate. She thinks she's immune to the charms of a man like this. But maybe not this time . . .


My thoughts:

Hamish Wolfe – a convicted killer spending time in jail for the brutal murder of 3 young women who all just have one thing in common: being overweight.

Pete Weston – the detective who found the evidence to put Hamish behind bars. But did he catch the right guy?

Maggie Rose – the reclusive and somewhat eccentric young lawyer who has already freed several convicted murderers. Hamish still claims he is innocent – will she take on his case?

And who is the mysterious Daisy?

Playing out as a narrative from the perspectives of the three main characters and a series of letters and case files, Daisy in Chains takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of crime, lies and deception, where no one is to be trusted and dark secrets can raise their ugly heads at any minute.

It is impossible to say any more without giving away a piece of the puzzle, so there is only one thing left to say: this is a must read for all fans of Sharon Bolton and anyone who enjoys a solid, well-written and suspenseful crime novel. Executed with Bolton’s usual flair for words and eye for detail, Daisy in Chains will shock and surprise at every turn of the page, as will the ending. It firmly proves why Bolton is a master of her game and firmly entrenched on top of my favourite authors list. It also shows that she can turn her hand to a slightly different writing style to her previous novels, and excel at it. Gone are the dark gothic undertones which once earned her the name “Queen of Rural Gothic”, but the story’s increasingly dark and sinister undertones are initially hidden in a more formal voice fitting for a crime novel which is partly set in the prison system. It is more towards the end that the setting becomes more creepy and sinister, as only Bolton can conjure up, fitting for the shocking finale. As in previous books, Bolton uses a strong professional female lead to drive the story, but this time with a twist you may see coming as the story progresses, but will never guess the full extent of. As the story gets darker and the reader is constantly forced to question every preconception they may have held, it is impossible to put this book down for even a minute. Best read under the doona with plenty of time to spare.

All I can say is: run to the bookstore and get a copy for yourself, then bolt all the doors, put the phone on silent and enjoy! It is so worth it. Firmly on my favourite list for this year.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: FIVE ROSES by Alice Zorn

Title: Five Roses
Author: Alice Zorn
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Read: April 2016
Expected publication: 23rd July 2016



Synopsis (Goodreads):

A sister. A baby. A man who watches from the trees.

Fara and her husband buy a house with a disturbing history that reawakens memories of her own family tragedy. Maddy still lives in the house, once a hippie commune, where her daughter was kidnapped twenty-seven years ago. Rose grew up isolated with her mother in the backwoods north of Montreal. Now in the city, she questions the silence and deception that shaped her upbringing.

Fara, Maddy, and Rose meet in Montreal's historic Pointe St-Charles, a rundown neighbourhood on the cusp of gentrification. Against a backdrop of abandonment, loss, and revitalization, the women must confront troubling secrets in order to rebuild their lives. Zorn deftly interweaves the rich yet fragile lives of three very different people into a story of strength and friendship.

My thoughts:

Set in a poor multicultural suburb of Montreal and in rural Quebec, Five Roses follows the lives of 4 women: 27-year old Rose, who is trying to get used to city life after growing up in an isolated cabin in the woods with a mystery surrounding her birth and parentage. Maddy, who at 43 is still living in the same house which bore witness to a secret loss she suffered as a teenage girl. Yushi, the talented Indian pastry maker who is bullied by her boss at work and whose friendship with Maddy and Rose will change her life. And Zara, who has just moved into a house where death recently claimed a young life, which reminds her of a tragic event in her own past. As the four women are brought together by the circumstances of their work and place of residence, they connect in ways that bring out the secrets and emotions of their different pasts and will shape their lives in ways none of them could have imagined.

Five Roses is a wonderful, rich story of four women from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds who are connected by one place – the neighbourhood of Pointe St-Charles in Montreal, its landscape dominated by the luminous sign Farine Five Roses. The author does a great job creating a sense of place and a rich background history for each of her characters, which kept me reading on hungrily, thoroughly engrossed in the atmosphere of the story. A beautifully written book which will take you on a journey into a different world, with vibrant and wonderful characters who must overcome the obstacles of their pasts to shape their future. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.