Review time again!

Angel by L.J. Ross
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After a turbulent time, DCI Ryan’s life is finally beginning to return to normal and he’s looking forward to spending an uneventful Easter bank holiday weekend with his fiancée.

Then, on Good Friday morning he is called out to a crime scene at one of the largest cemeteries in Newcastle. The body of a redheaded woman has been found buried in a shallow grave and the killer has given her wings, like an angel.

Soon, another woman is found at a different cemetery, followed quickly by another. Panic spreads like wildfire as a new serial killer is born, and Ryan’s band of detectives must work around the clock to unmask him before he can strike again.

Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape. 

Still enjoying this series. What's next? 

 
 Knife & Death by Jay Gill

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Detective James Hardy's life goes into a tail-spin when he learns a body discovered floating in the River Thames is that of a friend. Hardy is now in a race against time.

The victim's flat-mate is a potential witness to the crime. On-the-run for her life, Hardy must track her down before the killer does.

With his family under threat and his personal life under scrutiny, Hardy questions his ability to hold it together long enough to find the killer.

Then, as Hardy thinks the situation cannot get any worse, a new serial killer shows an unhealthy interest in him.

Has Hardy finally met his match? 

This was a book club challenge - read the first in a series new to you. It was a bit of a pot luck pick from the cheap books on Kindle as the library is still not fully open. It was ok but despite various murders taking place there wasn't much police procedure going on. It felt like James Hardy was a bit of a one man superhero taskforce at times. Yes there were supporting characters but he seemed to come and go as he pleased. It hasn't inspired me to carry on with the series but I didn't have much trouble finishing this one. 

On the Goodreads site it came with this:

CAUTIONARY NOTE: This novel is strictly for fans of fast-paced, crime thrillers. Some readers have noted considerable pulse-pounding enjoyment. Curious sensations, which include fear and breathlessness, as well as an acute inability to put this book down.

Well the author needn't have worried, I didn't suffer from any of that!   

 

Where We Belong by Anstey Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cate Morris and her son, Leo, are homeless, adrift. They’ve packed up the boxes from their London home, said goodbye to friends and colleagues, and now they are on their way to ‘Hatters Museum of the Wide Wide World – to stay just for the summer. Cate doesn’t want to be there, in Richard’s family home without Richard to guide her any more. And she knows for sure that Araminta, the retainer of the collection of dusty objects and stuffed animals, has taken against them. But they have nowhere else to go. They have to make the best of it.

But Richard hasn’t told Cate the truth about his family’s history. And something about the house starts to work its way under her skin.

Can she really walk away, once she knows the truth?

This was chosen as a book club read and it took me a while to get into the book but gradually it drew me in. And then I found myself hooked and willing Cate and Leo to succeed in their efforts to make the museum a success. Lots of ups and downs and the secrets of the family relationships are gradually revealed. I'm so glad I persevered with it - it's a lovely story, well told.

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