Okay, so I know I had promised to clear my archived NetGalley list before reading any other kindle books, but this is Mick Williams.
Mick Williams.
When Mick Williams writes a new book, I must read it as soon as I possibly can.
I love this series.
For a start the main characters are women. Awesome women who you would definitely want on your good side, especially if you need someone to disappear.
Their job in this book seems like it should be quite straight forward but, of course, where would the fun be in that!?
This book hits the ground running and the action just doesn’t stop.
It’s full of suspense and danger but also peppered with humour. I just love it!
And, I know I’ve said it before about Mick’s books, but this series needs to be optioned by Netflix or something because it would make an excellent television series.
I’m so looking forward to book 3!
** Many thanks to Mick Williams for my digital review copy **
The double-cross was just the beginning.
Katy King and Ambra Bardhi know how to find people – and how to make them disappear.
Their latest client, Hassan El Idrissi, wants an elusive Colombian drug dealer gone, and he’s willing to pay Disappearing Inc. whatever it takes. But when the hit goes wrong, Katy and Ambra discover their client has an agenda of his own that puts them in the crosshairs of ruthless killers.
Meanwhile, Katy’s sister Marsha is following a trail of fake UPS trucks to a discreet warehouse. What she finds is enough to put her life in danger, and she’ll need the help of the mysterious Corbin, a man whose reputation is as dangerous as his looks, if she’s going to survive.
The King sisters, Ambra, and Corbin, are drawn into a violent game involving El Idrissi, a ruthless counterfeiting operation, and enemies who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets and find that one wrong move could make them the ones to disappear.
For good.
Double Cross is the second book in the Disappearing Inc. series.
I was so excited to finally be catching back up with Ryan and Phillips (and the team). It had been far too long!
I thoroughly enjoyed the story behind Lady’s Well. An interesting tale historically as well as being a suspenseful murder mystery.
It was great to be back in the northeast again. It seemed like only yesterday since I’d read Bamburgh and that was 2022! (I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get back on track with this series. I feel quite ashamed! Sorry, Louise!)
Returning to these characters feels a lot like catching up with old friends. Once again, they have made me smile, laugh, and admire their professionalism and friendships.
I was thrilled to be able to jump straight into book 21, Death Rocks….
THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE WATER…
When the ancient waters of Lady’s Well in the rural village of Holystone begin to run red, it seems to be a nasty Hallowe’en prank and nothing more. But things take a sinister turn when the entire village suffers severe poisoning, and one old man turns up dead.
Accusations abound in the small, close-knit community, and ‘old’ religions spar against ‘new’ while fear runs like wildfire through the streets. With so many potential motives and countless opportunities, there’s only one man who can help solve this particular mystery…
Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit, set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.
Death Rocks: A DCI Ryan Mystery (The DCI Ryan Mysteries Book 21)
Death Rocks treats us an extremely complex and fascinating case. I had absolutely no idea how these seemingly random murders could possibly be linked. This is possibly one of the cleverest plot lines to date. I raced through this book as I couldn’t wait to see what the team would uncover next. I was absolutely not prepared for what they eventually discover. Traumatic would be an understatement!
Again, I was thankful to be able to jump straight into book 22, Poison Garden….
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A COINCIDENCE…
When the body of a talented photographer is found on the rocks beneath the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, DCI Ryan and his team of detectives immediately suspect the worst. But, since none of their potential suspects seems to have a motive, the case runs cold.
Then, when another body is found dead on a lonely stretch of road near Hadrian’s Wall and their only suspect has an airtight alibi, the team are faced with another crime without a perpetrator.
With the number of unexplained deaths in the area increasing rapidly and only a series of coincidences to work from, Ryan and his team must find the invisible link between them to crack the case—before it’s too late.
Can Ryan solve his most dangerous case yet?
Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit, set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.
Poison Garden: A DCI Ryan Mystery (The DCI Ryan Mysteries Book 22)
Poison Garden carries on where Death Rocks left off and I’m so glad I had it ready to read straight away as I don’t think I could have rested again until I did. I think this might be the tensest book of this series so far and my heart went out to Frank in particular. I do love Frank. He’s my favourite character of the series. I’ve even named my highland cow (soft toy) after him. Lol!
I find the whole Poison Garden thing fascinating too. I’m not sure if I’d like to actually visit or not. Knowing my luck I’d do Lowerson. Lol! (I.Y.K.Y.K). It’s quite scary how easily it is for people to find out, a – how to poison someone and b – where to find what you need to do so.
Another gripping story with the most fabulous cast of characters. If you haven’t started this series yet, you really should. You won’t be disappointed!
I can’t wait to continue with book 23, Belsay….
Watch this space!
The clock is ticking…
For Detective Chief Inspector Ryan, the stakes have never been higher. Most of the world thinks he’s dead, killed by an assasin’s rifle in his own home. But another man took the bullet intended for him, and now Ryan’s living on borrowed time. As long as he stays ‘dead’, in the sanctuary of his parents’ home in Devon, there’s a chance to find the people behind the deadly killing network. It’s only a matter of time before his secret’s uncovered, and nowhere will be safe.
Back in Northumberland, Ryan’s team are called in to investigate the mysterious death of a man in Alnwick, who collapsed yards from the walls of its Mediaeval castle. When a second person is rushed to hospital with the same symptoms, her life hangs in the balance unless they can discover the toxic substance that’s killing her. For DCs Lowerson and Reed, there’s only one place to look for inspiration—the Poison Garden…
Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit, set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.
I finally had a chance to read Winterkill, and I am so glad I did as I have loved this series. Ari Thór is a brilliant character who I feel we have gotten to know quite well over the last six books.
I feel sad for him that his relationship with the mother of his child didn’t work out. It sounds like it can be a lonely life in Siglufjörður. Ari Thor has much to occupy his time though with another tragic death on his doorstep to figure out. The very sad loss of such a young life. A case not as straight forward as it first seems to be.
I love the police procedural aspects of this series, and I love the insights we get into the character’s personal lives. The descriptions of the location and weather conditions always add to the tension surrounding these cases, and the desperate need to find out the truth as quickly as humanly possible.
Another excellent addition to a brilliant series.
A blizzard is approaching Siglufjörður, and that can only mean one thing…
When the body of a nineteen-year-old girl is found on the main street of Siglufjörður, Police Inspector Ari Thór battles a violent Icelandic storm in an increasingly dangerous hunt for her killer … The chilling, claustrophobic finale to the international bestselling Dark Iceland series.
Easter weekend is approaching, and snow is gently falling in Siglufjörður, the northernmost town in Iceland, as crowds of tourists arrive to visit the majestic ski slopes.
Ari Thór Arason is now a police inspector, but he’s separated from his girlfriend, who lives in Sweden with their three-year-old son. A family reunion is planned for the holiday, but a violent blizzard is threatening and there is an unsettling chill in the air.
Three days before Easter, a nineteen-year-old local girl falls to her death from the balcony of a house on the main street. A perplexing entry in her diary suggests that this may not be an accident, and when an old man in a local nursing home writes `She was murdered´ again and again on the wall of his room, there is every suggestion that something more sinister lies at the heart of her death…
As the extreme weather closes in, cutting the power and access to Siglufjörður, Ari Thór must piece together the puzzle to reveal a horrible truth … one that will leave no one unscathed.
Chilling, claustrophobic and disturbing,Winterkillis a startling addition to the multi-million-copy bestselling Dark Iceland series and cements Ragnar Jónasson as one of the most exciting and acclaimed authors in crime fiction.
I couldn’t resist bumping this to the top of my TBR as so many of my friends rave about Robert Bryndza books and I am SO late to the party! The start of a brand-new series was too enticing, and I am so glad I gave in as I absolutely loved it.
Detective Jamie Day is immediately likeable. He’s somewhat thrown in at the deep end as soon he arrives in London from his seaside hometown. Talk about hitting the ground running. Finding a dismembered body on his first day in plain clothes before he’s even had a chance to unpack in his new home. No time to settle in, straight at it. And it isn’t long before they realise they might have a serial killer targeting a specific type of victim.
This killer is unique to any I’ve read before. He’s clever, he’s manipulative, he’s living a double life right under his wife’s nose, his victims come to him willingly without realising the danger they’re putting themselves in. He truly made my skin crawl. I was willing Jamie and the team to find him before he took any more lives, and I thoroughly enjoyed following them as they figure out who he is and where to find him.
I love that this is set in 1987. It was like a breath of fresh air, a murder mystery without the aid of a lot of today’s modern technology. Old fashioned policing and prejudices, some of which are quite scary considering it’s not really that long ago.
I really enjoyed the team dynamic and look forward to where book two might take them.
** Many thanks to the author and publisher for my advance digital copy of The Quiet Kill via NetGalley **
Winter, 1987. Detective Jamie Day arrives in London determined to prove himself. After years policing a quiet seaside town, his promotion to the Metropolitan Police feels like the opportunity he has been waiting for.
But the capital is a very different world.
On his first day in plain clothes, Jamie makes a grim discovery: the dismembered body of a young man, left in a dark corner of the city. What should have been a routine first shift quickly becomes the beginning of a major murder investigation.
Then another victim is found.
As winter deepens, young men are being killed late at night across London, their bodies discovered in eerily similar circumstances. The detectives soon realise they may be hunting a serial killer.
Working alongside a tough and experienced team, Jamie must prove he belongs while navigating the pressures of a high-profile investigation. But as the case grows darker, the killer’s pattern begins to emerge. And if they don’t stop him soon, another body will be waiting in the shadows.
I had missed Harry Cane. I hadn’t realised quite how much until now.
I can’t tell you how excited I was to learn that Patrick Gale was releasing Love Lane! I was absolutely blown away by A Place Called Winter when I read it back in February 2021. I could not resist requesting an advance copy via NetGalley. I was SO happy when the publisher approved my request and I can confirm that I have absolutely loved this book!
It was so lovely to catch up with Harry, and Paul, again at the beginning of this story. My heart did break for Harry when their relationship ends abruptly. Reasons being understandable for the time though. It’s awful to think how many people were unable to live their lives as their absolute true selves back then.
This is far from the end of the heartbreak for Harry too, and I found myself really disliking certain characters when Harry has no choice but to give in to blackmail which results in him sacrificing everything he’s built for himself.
It does however leave him free to finally make the journey back to England to see his long-lost daughter who had been in touch more recently, and other family he had yet to meet. Their reunion is awkward, as expected, at first. They are essentially strangers and are very much used to their lives as they are. They’re not quite sure how to integrate this old man into their daily lives.
You can’t help but be drawn to these characters. I felt for them all for different reasons. Set in a time when there was less tolerance, certain expectations of women and of men to take a wife. To have families and lead ‘normal’ lives. No mobile phones and/or video calling to help with staying in touch wherever one is in the world. It must have made things impossible to maintain relationships with anyone not living in the same town as yourself.
The fact that this story is based on real people makes it even more moving. It’s such a captivating story, beautifully written as I’ve come to expect from Patrick Gale. His books are so difficult to review because I always feel like nothing I can say will ever do it the justice it deserves. He’s just so eloquent.
The ending is devastatingly inevitable.
An unforgettable tale.
Harry Cane will always have a special place in my heart.
** Many thanks to the publisher for my ARC via NetGalley **
Love Lane will be released on the 26th of March 2026.
‘Miraculous, mischievous and quietly devastating‘ Rachel Joyce
‘A tender, delicately devastating novel’ Sarah Waters
‘ An engulfing, deeply humane novel about the triumphs and failures of human connection’ Marina Kemp A journey. A reunion. A longing for a place called home… When veteran Canadian wheat farmer, Harry Cane sails home to an England transformed by two world wars, his arrival triggers unwelcome self-examination for the family he abandoned.
His daughter feels duty bound to take him in but is ambushed by a long buried anger she has never before expressed. Harry’s effect on the next generation is less predictable, and enables his granddaughter to deal with an unspeakable trauma, while her gentle husband feels seen for who he truly is.
Can Harry stay and make a new life before it’s too late, or will he find himself cast out again, punished for having witnessed and understood too much?
‘ There is no judgement here, only humanity. A joy and a lesson for our time‘Ann Cleeves ‘An involving story of reconciliation, secrets and compromises, rich in emotional truth and evocative historical detail’ Clare Chambers
‘It has the feel of a small-scale epic, filtered through distinct voices, about family and memory, estrangement and homecoming’ James Cahill
‘He makes you care about the characters – a deep, moving novel’ Georgina Moore
A Perfectly Good Man is another beautifully written novel by an author who is fast becoming one of my favourites. I loved A Place Called Winter and Mother’s Boy, so I was very much looking forward to getting stuck into this novel and, of course, I was not disappointed.
I can’t really put into words how absorbing Patrick Gale’s books are. This one is no exception. I soon found myself captivated by the setting, the characters, and their stories and was happily swept along to the very last satisfying page.
Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different leading character, at different points in their lives, and not in chronological order. Far from being confusing though I really enjoyed this layout and found it to be a very clever way of developing the story and maintaining intrigue.
Father Barnaby Johnson is the main character. A priest, a husband, and a father. He has his own secrets and struggles with his faith at times, as well as with his relationships. A likable, and real, character though. I felt completely compelled by his story and my heart went out to him often although I couldn’t necessarily condone some of his actions. First and foremost, he is human.
This whole story highlights the fragility of human life. Our strengths and weaknesses. Who and what shapes us into the adults we become. Some things not always for the better.
A fascinating cast of characters, with compelling tales to tell, set in beautiful Cornwall. Heart-wrenching at times but thought provoking and incredibly moving. I loved it!
** I read my own paperback copy of A Perfectly Good Man **
I am also currently enjoying Love Lane via NetGalley (on Kindle) and I’m very much looking forward to seeing Patrick Gale is Oswestry, as part of his book tour, towards the end of the month.
On a clear, crisp summer’s day in Cornwall, a young man carefully prepares to take his own life, and asks family friend, Barnaby Johnson, to pray with him.
Barnaby is a priest, a husband and father, and has always tried to do good, though life hasn’t always been either straightforward or rosy. Lenny’s request poses problems, not just for Barnaby, but for his wife and family, and the wider community, as the secrets of the past push themselves forcefully into the present for all to see.
Whatever It Takes had been on my TBR list for far too long so Mick Williams re-editing and re-releasing it was the kick up the bum I needed to bump it up my reading list!
Apologies to Mick for the late review. The Christmas chaos took over!
What a brilliant read! Not that I’m surprised as I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Mick Williams.
Cory Keller is a fabulous character. Finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time leads to him being the target of some extremely undesirable people (to put it mildly). It takes him a little while to convince the local Sheriff of what he witnessed but it isn’t long before circumstances leave him in no doubt at all of what they’re up against. Luckily for Keller, he knows how to handle himself, but there isn’t only his own life at risk.
Talk about fast-paced and full of action! A compelling plot, brilliant characters, suspense, humour, and a bit of romance. I loved it! There are also many excellently choreographed fight scenes throughout this book which would look fantastic on the big screen.
Another easy five stars for me!
** Many thanks to Mick Williams for my epub review copy **
Watkins Forge is a typical small town. But when widower Cory Keller climbs into a deer stand one autumn morning, he sees something no outsider was meant to witness: a man executed in cold blood.
The sheriff calls him crazy. And when the assassin returns to silence him, Keller realizes he isn’t just a witness—he’s now a target.
Cornered in a place he can’t escape, Keller does the one thing he knows: he fights back.
Hunted across backroads and deep woods, he turns the predator into prey. But every move reveals a deeper truth—the killer isn’t working alone.
Watkins Forge has been compromised.
His only ally is Ashley, a street-smart, feisty waitress who believes him when no one else will. But standing with Keller puts her in the crosshairs.
Outnumbered and outgunned, he’ll have to use every ounce of cunning and grit to survive.
Because in the town he’s grown to love, surrender isn’t an option.
NOTE: This is a new version of a previously released story.
I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I started reading The Winter Job, but I really enjoyed it!
Antii Tuomainen is a new-to-me author, and I like his writing style.
Ilmari Nieminen takes on a one-off job to deliver a sofa to earn enough money to buy his daughter the piano he has promised her for Christmas. What could possibly go wrong!?
Ilmari is a likable character, and his journey turns out to be far more eventful than he could have possibly imagined. He doesn’t expect to bump into an old friend who ends up tagging along and he certainly doesn’t expect to find himself being followed. Turns out there’s more to this sofa than meets the eye and there are others who want it too. He is determined to deliver it to the destination he has been given though otherwise he won’t get paid and his daughter won’t get her piano. He’s a recently divorced father who wants to fulfil his promise to his daughter. Woe betide anyone who tries to get in his way.
Set in Finland in 1982 this is a brilliant story, full of suspense, and peppered with dark humour. I was rooting for Ilamari the whole way through. The ending really made me smile.
** Many thanks to Orenda Books for my digital review copy **
Sofas, secrets and a snowbound road to trouble…
Helsinki, 1982. Recently divorced postal worker Ilmari Nieminen has promised his daughter a piano for Christmas, but with six days to go – and no money – he’s desperate.
A last-minute job offers a solution: transport a valuable antique sofa to Kilpisjärvi, the northernmost town in Finland.
With the sofa secured in the back of his van, Ilmari stops at a gas station, and an old friend turns up, offering to fix his faulty wipers, on the condition that he tags along. Soon after, a persistent Saab 96 appears in the rearview mirror. And then a bright-yellow Lada.
That’s when Ilmari realises that he is transporting something truly special.
And that’s when Ilmari realises he might be in serious trouble…
A darkly funny and unexpectedly moving thriller about friendship, love and death – The Winter Job tears through the frozen landscape of northern Finland in a beat-up van with bad steering, worse timing, and everything to lose…
Safe at Home is one of Mel Sherratt’s standalone novels. I have loved every book she has published, and this one has been no exception.
Clara has had a troubled past and she battles daily with her inner demons. She just wants to be loved and accepted. To find a home where she feels safe and secure. To do some good in the world, so she can finally feel good about herself. This was never going to be easy for Clara though and my heart went out to her, especially as I got to know her better. She’s done things she’s not proud of and paid for them. I really liked her though. I was rooting for her to find peace and the life she was craving. It’s understandable that others might be wary though when they learn of her past.
Safe at Home is a highly emotional read, featuring characters you could so easily have living in your street. Struggling in ways you might never know. Mel Sherratt always manages to write flawed characters you can’t help but like, and can easily empathise with, despite what they might have done.
Character driven psychological fiction at its finest!
I was glued to my kindle, as I always am with Mel’s books.
** Many thanks to Mel Sherratt for my kindle review copy. Proud to be part of #TeamSherratt **
She just wants to belong. But some scars run too deep.
Clara’s past is never far behind—but this time, she’s determined to outrun it. Starting over as a support worker, she finds unexpected refuge in Cedric House, the home of kind-hearted widow Roberta. It feels like a second chance. Maybe even a home.
But Clara is no stranger to damage—nor to the anger simmering just beneath the surface. She’s trying: therapy, anger management, staying out of trouble.
Then everything begins to crack. A workplace confrontation. A neighbourly dispute. And the fragile peace she’s fought so hard for starts to slip through her fingers.
Safe at Home is a raw and moving portrait of a woman on the edge—craving connection, battling inner demons, and trying to prove that even the most broken people deserve a place to belong.
Will has been waiting patiently in my Audible library since December 2021 (I listen to them in order of purchase) and this is a long one (over fifteen hours), so it’s taken me a while to get through. I have thoroughly enjoyed it though!
I love Will Smith. I LOVED The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, I love his music, and I love his films. I was interested to listen to “Will” and I wasn’t disappointed. This is a very frank and honest account of his life from childhood onwards. It’s quite the eye-opener at times!
Sometimes sad, touching, emotional, but more often than not hilarious. Highly entertaining!
I recommend to any fan.
Narrated by Will Smith.
One of the most dynamic and globally recognised entertainment forces of our time opens up fully about his life, in a brave and inspiring book that traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had.
Will Smith’s transformation from a fearful child in a tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest pop stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken, is an epic tale of inner transformation and outer triumph, and Will tells it astonishingly well. But it’s only half the story.
Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn’t see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn’t signed up for. It turned out Will Smith’s education wasn’t nearly over.
This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multimillion-copy best seller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world’s biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself.
