Tag: Crime thriller

Advance #BookReview A Justified Bitch by H G McKinnis #Tuesdaybookblog #thriller #Netgalley

April 18, 2017April 18, 2017 ajoobacatsLeave a comment

When her neighbour, Bebe, is murdered Helen finds herself and her eccentric lifestyle under scrutiny. can hear and see Bobby her deceased husband, refuses to bathe and groom herself and lives with a number of cats in squalor. After being taken into custody by the police her sister, Pat turns up and although they have been estranged for years feels a sense of responsibility and guilt for not being around. With help from the detective on the case can Bebe’s killer be caught before becomes a target?

Easy to read and get into I found this crime thriller interesting as it gave an account of what it’s like to be a native of Las Vegas. Helen’s eccentricities were a quirky hook in this story and the complexities in her family add another dimension to the thriller. This is quite an even paced read and the characters really grew on me.

The supernatural question of whether Bobby is really seen by Helen makes me want to read more in this series.

This book will be available to buy from 8th August 2017.

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#BookReview Eyes Like Mine by Sheena Kamal #thriller #Netgalley

March 22, 2017March 22, 2017 ajoobacatsLeave a comment

When the adoptive parents of a daughter she gave up contact her, Nora, is stunned to find out that she’s missing. With very little being done to find Bonnie, Nora steps into the breach to track down the teenager herself, but it will require visiting the past and opening wounds that she never truly laid to rest.

Nora is an unusual character and makes questionable judgments but that only seems to make her more intriguing as we piece together her past and present. Living on the fringes of society this flawed protagonist with very little trust to spare cares more than she lets on and is a survivor in the true sense of the word.

An impressive debut and a memorable crime thriller protagonist I look forward to reading again.

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#BookReview By Any Means Necessary by Stephen Sayers #Fridayreads #thriller

March 17, 2017March 17, 2017 ajoobacatsLeave a comment

A dark, gritty crime thriller set in Newcastle, which sees Tommy Myers, a promising young boxer, make a decision that changes his life forever after his sister is attacked. The New path Tommy finds himself on will put him in direct odds with a local crime lord and have tragic consequences.

This book starts on the ground running and then we are taken back in time to understand Tommy’s character and his relationship with his family. As dark and gritty as this novel is, it was easy to immerse myself in Tommy’s story and despite some violent and difficult instances, I kept turning the page to find out what happened to Tommy and his loved ones.

My first read from this author and hopefully not my last a very gripping crime thriller.

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#BookReview Dominoes by Grace Jelsnik #thriller #Tuesdaybookblog

March 14, 2017March 14, 2017 ajoobacatsLeave a comment

Detective Stephen Corcoran turns to his sister, Reggie to catch a particularly brutal killer but Reggie’s connection to the killer works both ways and he knows she is watching. Stephen’s cynical partner, Zack is a seasoned detective and both find themselves in a race against time to catch the killer as they protect Reggie.

I loved this crime thriller for its supernatural angle and the banter between the two detectives. Reggie was a compelling character to read and her complicated and strained relationship with her large family also made this read more interesting.

I got so caught up in this book, I couldn’t stop reading it until I had reached the end. The romance between Zack and Reggie was well paced and not at all cringeworthy. A definite hit for me from an author I have not read before.

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#BookReview Good Me, Bad Me by Ali Land #Fridayreads #thriller

March 10, 2017March 10, 2017 ajoobacats4 Comments

An original and interesting take on the serial killer psychological thriller genre this novel is written from the point of view of Milly, who has been fostered by a psychologist and his wife under a new identity whilst she waits to be a witness at trial. Milly has had a disturbing life so far and her mother stands accused of several counts of murder. Living with her new foster family is not ideal as their daughter Phoebe bullies Milly from the outset.

I found this an absolutely stunning read because not only did it tackle the rarer female serial killer but it also approached the themes from an original viewpoint. The pace was compelling without any lull or let up and Molly kept be guessing from the start. I didn’t find the plot particularly twisty as the title, Good Me, Bad Me already had me primed for a struggle within the main character, however, the lack of surprises did not detract from the macabre themes in the book as we unravelled Milly’s twisted past.

I was intrigued by the choices Milly made and how she would deal with her situation at home with her new foster family and in court at her mother’s trial. An absolute must read in the crime/psychological thriller genre.

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#BookReview The Book of Mirrors by E.O. Chirovici

February 20, 2017February 19, 2017 ajoobacats2 Comments

I absolutely loved this literary thriller which starts with an unsolved murder from 1987 of eminent professor or psychology, Joseph Wieder, who was found murdered in his home on the outskirts of Princeton. When one of the suspect’s questioned, Richard Flynn, sends the first part of a manuscript recalling what he remembers of events leading up to the murder, literary agent, Peter Katz, he is enthralled and wants to get on board with the rest of the manuscript, however before he can do so tragedy strikes leading to him engaging investigative journalist, John Keller. Keller’s investigation leads him to a previous detective, who worked on the case and others who knew the professor. As he tries to unravel the story of this murder, he also ruffles a few feathers.

The story is told in three parts, the first from the point of view of Peter Katz who receives part of the manuscript written by Richard Flynn, the second is from the point of view of journalist, John Keller and the third from retired police detective, Roy Freeman point of view as he is informed of a breakthrough years after the murder and soon after John Keller’s investigation. I loved the way the story unravelled as a series of recollections from the various characters involved.

At every turn when you think the answers will never be forthcoming the story progresses despite the flawed memories of witnesses and the reluctance to divulge by those who were there. The pages turned very quickly for me in this thriller and I was sorry when I’d finished it.

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#BookReview Money For Love (Tales from the Robbery Homicide Division Book 3) by Peter S Berman #thriller

February 15, 2017February 15, 2017 ajoobacatsLeave a comment

This US crime thriller set in California sees homicide detectives Donahue and Thompson, long time work partners and best friends, thrown into the mix when Donahue receives a call for help from a Russian woman, Nika, who had previously been trafficked into the US. Unfortunately, before Donahue could meet her, Nika is killed, her body found by Donahue. Shaken by the loss of someone she had previously helped out of a life of vice and despite warnings to stay out of the investigation, Donahue and Thompson cannot help initially pursue leads, but a car bombing in the carpark of a Hollywood night club allows them to investigate legitimately whether both killings are linked.

I found the plot and technicality of this police procedural compelling and got drawn easily into the story. I found it refreshing to have female lead detectives and support investigators, but I found this read somewhat spoiled by stilted dialogue, which didn’t do the characterisation justice. The book was definitely in need of an editor who could sharpen up the narrative and enforce the compelling pace the story demanded.

I have not read any of the previous books in the series and did not find that a draw back in picking this book up, but there is much potential waiting to be realised in this thriller and I will be interested in seeing if the next book in the series evolves to give the reader the promising thriller waiting to emerge from this author’s work.

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#BookReview The Girl Before by JP Delaney #psychological #thriller

January 27, 2017January 27, 2017 ajoobacatsLeave a comment

1 Folgarth Street is a minimalist technology ridden monument that the residents of the street hate and the very discerning architect and landlord, rarely leases out to, whom he considers worthy tenants. This psychological thriller tells the story of two women, Emma, a previous tenant and Jane, a prospective tenant of 1 Folgarth Street. As both women pursue their applications to live in the property after major life events and are approved the lease, which comes with a list of 200 rules, affects them in ways that seem to mirror each other, but in a game of many potential pitfalls, who will be the one standing.

This highly publicised psychological thriller is apparently going to have the Hollywood treatment by Ron Howard and although I could see it coming to the screens as more than a passable thriller as a thriller book it didn’t impact on me as strongly as I hoped it would. This may have been due to the two protagonists Emma and Jane not being convincingly the damsel in distress you would feel sorry for and the complex nature of all the characters in the book diluting the surprises of the twists and turns that the plot took.

I didn’t dislike the book, it was a reasonably gripping thriller but it wasn’t the breathtaking affair I hoped it would be.

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#BookReview The Passenger by Lisa Lutz #thriller #Tuesdaybookblog

January 24, 2017January 24, 2017 ajoobacats4 Comments

Tanya has been on the run from her real past for years, but an unfortunate accident could bring her under unwelcome police scrutiny, so she decides to leave and find another identity. In her plight to get away and disappear she meets the intriguing Blue, a woman who also understands the rules and reasons for disappearing, but this time the past refuses to stay buried.

An intriguingly told story, which waits until the very end to reveal itself. I was easily swept away with Jo’s narrative and her lifestyle and skills acquired to survive. Although, not entirely unpredictable, I still found this book stayed with me long after I’d finished it.

A highly recommended psychological thriller.

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