The Promise by Casey Kelleher.

This novel is set in south London and deals with drugs and prostitution. Follow a good range of characters as they get on with their daily lives trying to do their level best to improve the quality of life.

I found The Promise to be a brilliant read. It puts the reader into a different world of how some people live. I loved the way Casey told her story, in particular how she detailed the private thoughts of her characters. Most novels have dialogue between characters and you have to take their words at face value. But in The Promise after the dialogue you are given the private thoughts of a character as to what they really think of the other person. This knowledge adds so much more to the story.

I have NEVER used drugs or prostitutes but The Promise gives you a thrilling ride that includes drug use and sex. Yet for all the thrill of the drug use and sex, Casey managed to give the thrill without making the reader feel uncomfortable. You could pass this book onto your grandmother and she would not be offended. Casey has a great skill at describing things you have never experienced or wanted to do but still get a great buzz from your favourite seat without any of the danger or making you feel uncomfortable. Casey has that measured skill of just revealing enough to give a thrill to the reader without causing any distaste.

I liked Casey’s balance of characters, there were prostitutes, punters, a drug dealer, a pimp, a pub landlord, vulnerable children and social workers. I liked the tension woven into the story where you were guessing what would happen next. Many characters were making promises but sadly these were not upheld. There were many twists and turns in this novel and a big surprise at the end. I liked how creepy Casey made Javine’s treatment by Delray and Lenny, you can imagine what fun they had with her but Casey did not disclose the details to the reader but left them to their imagination. So the tension builds and I started to worry about the safety of Javine’s two pet dogs called Dolce & Gabbana.

I found The Promise a pleasure to read, it was thrilling and very engaging, allowing me to enter into another world. This type of escapism with all it’s urban reality is such a joy to read. I got such a buzz from this book that I have no doubt in voting it the top score of 5 stars. This is quality writing that would also make a great television drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Bookouture for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.

Little Girl Lost by Carol Wyer.

Follow DI Robyn Carter in this British crime thriller as she tries to get to the bottom of family secrets and a number of suspicious deaths.

I found this novel a frustrating read. It is not a regular crime thriller told only from the Police’s point of view but from all the characters involved. Family secrets are hinted at but you are kept in the dark for a very long time. All this hinting from the characters becomes very tedious. To add further frustration, the characters change their names and identity through this novel. There is a lot of misdirection throughout this story but this does not come across as clever, just annoying.

I did not find Little Girl Lost to be an enjoyable read but quite a drag. It did not give me a buzz and did not entertain or enlighten me. I did not develop an empathy for any of the characters. I thought the writing was soap opera quality and it started to grate on me very early on. One character’s chapters were always written in Italics which was both annoying and distracting plus the time frame jumped back and forth between present time normal text characters and the Italic text character explaining what they had done earlier. Sadly Little Girl Lost brings nothing new to the crowded crime thriller genre and this POOR read gets just 2 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Bookouture for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.

Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran.

Caitlin Moran is a columnist with The Times newspaper and this book explains her view of the world. Moranifesto is her political and social analysis of how things could change, if bit by bit everyone altered one little bit.

I enjoyed reading Moranifesto in the same way I enjoy watching a stand up comedian on television. Catlin starts off each chapter in italics, to denote the new content which then leads into a previously published newspaper column she had written. The next chapter continues at a tangent with another introduction in italics and a republished newspaper column. I loved the flow throughout her book and it felt more like a concert than a book. Caitlin discusses many topical issues with a left wing bias that I agree with. I like her writing style which makes for easy reading. She uses a very extensive vocabulary and is not dumbing down our language. Her newspaper columns are very polished and top quality. Caitlin also has a nice humour which makes her writing witty, for example when she explains the joys of having a boyfriend who has access to a car…

I can remember the drunken conversation I had with my friend Sian. Opening a bottle of Baileys, exclaiming, ‘Oh, my God - he took me up the Big Sainsbury’s!’ Then explaining that wasn’t a euphemism, and pointing at all the heavy, jumbo-sized tins I’d been able to buy - because I didn’t have to drag them back on the bus.

... Caitlin writes about many popular topics and I agree with most of her opinions. It was refreshing to read about a woman who likes to wear sensible shoes and outdoor gear. It was nice she highlighted those feminist issues men are ignorant of - me included.

I liked the way that Moranifesto developed, it was almost like having a series of dates with Caitlin because through her newspaper columns, her personality shined and you began to understand the woman behind those opinions. The ending of Moranifesto was very good indeed and would warm the most cynical of hearts. Books and newspaper columns are very different markets but Moranifesto is a good bridge between the two media. I think this is a GOOD read that will entertain the reader and was a refreshing change from my usual diet of crime thrillers, so it gets 4 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Random House UK and Ebury Press for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.

A Deadly Thaw by Sarah Ward.

This mystery is set in a fictional Derbyshire small town called Bampton and has people asking the question why? Follow both the police and the residents as they try to solve the mystery over a number of deaths.

This book does thaw, like the title suggests but rather than deadly it is more like a sliced loaf that has been left to thaw overnight on your kitchen counter. It has lots of short chapters which make it reader friendly, in the same way as sliced bread is toast friendly. But that is a problem as these short chapters usually end with a cliff hanger and the next chapter involves another character, leaving you at a loss. Also the format of this novel is not linear and it drops back in time repeatedly before returning to the present day. Then we have a small amount of adultery between the police officers, which is another of my pet hates. Although there are sexual issues involved in this novel, there is no gritty sex to reward the reader.

There is no specialist police work is solving these mysteries around Bampton, making A Deadly Thaw a character led novel. The chapters flit from character to character and this uneven flow made me unable to develop an empathy for any character.

I found this book a frustrating read, the cliff hangers, the time shifting and poor characterisation. Why could Sarah have not featured a real town in Derbyshire to add some realism or local interest to her sorry tale? She featured Whitby and that is very real. I found the pace slow and the whole mystery dragged on and on through the years. One character really enjoyed dragging this story out and was proud to claim "You of all people should know that everything can't be told." and "Then it's all been for nothing."

I think A Deadly Thaw is a tiresome tale with no humour to brighten it up, the best in the whole story possibly being...

He parked in one of the small gravelled areas used by walkers to leave their vehicles. One couple, returning from a hike, gave a condescending look towards Kat's trainer-clad feet. She felt like shouting that she was a local and could wear what the hell she wanted, but what was the point of adding to the prickle of tension she already felt.

...So sorry Sarah, but I found your novel a POOR 2 star read as it did NOT rock my boat.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Faber & Faber for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.

The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

Cass Anderson passes at car in a lay-by on a stormy night. Has the driver broken down or is this the start of a sinister psychological tale?

The Breakdown is a first person narrative, psychological thriller set in Britain. This story works well being told in the first person and I found it very easy to identify with Cass. I liked how creepy this story was and how well it played on our own fears as we get older and our brains are not as sharp as they used to be. Those niggling doubts are fully explored as Cass tries to keep her life on track. I thought the tension was good and realistic. This novel made me think of other people who are forgetful and what was nice is that Cass is such an ordinary woman. I liked how nothing was flash about this story, it was just an everyday tale of coping with busy lives. Then the horror starts to creep in, this could so easily happen to you, the reader!

Okay, the plot was NOT the most original. From the very start you have your doubts. As the story unfolds there are no big surprises but it was still an enjoyable read. This is not just a story for women because men can drive past cars in lay-bys and wonder. Married men also wonder if their wife has told them something earlier or if they are playing mind games? There are so many things to remember in our busy lives, are we becoming forgetful or is something darker coming into play?

The Breakdown is a good novel, there is nothing offensive or shocking about it but it does play on the mind. That is it's biggest strength, how it plays on the reader's mind and for that I give it 4 stars. For such an intense psychological thriller, there was one part that made me chuckle, the multi-storey car park. I can imagine a lot of women in the same situation and it being no surprise to the attendant.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Harlequin UK/St. Martin’s Press for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.

Undertow (B.C. Blues Crime #2) by R.M. Greenaway.

Follow Constables Cal Dion and Dave Leith as they solve murders in North Vancouver, Canada. Although this novel is the second in the B.C. Blues Crime series, it can certainly be read as a stand-alone.

I really liked this book and found it a lovely mix of strong characterisation and a very involved plot. Both constables have their failings but are very good second division players. They both try their level best to bring justice to the victims. They are not glamourous all action heroes but ordinary hard working people. Rather than get a brilliant lead to their enquires, Undertow has the other side to police work, how can we make anything out of this mess? Greenaway really engaged me as a reader, as she strongly got across the feeling of being lost within a police investigation, with nothing adding up.

For readers like me who read books in 45 minute sessions, Undertow is just great because when you are away from the story, thoughts about the novel pop into your head, time and time again. What about this character or that character? Were those details relevant? I wonder if someone is behind all this? What the devil is going on?

I liked the chemistry between all the police officers, in and out of work. Greenaway used their different personalities so well, they drew me in and I thought I was part of the team! I found Undertow a very good read because there was so much to consider. It was not one of those books that you just rolled along with as it quietly entertains. Undertow got my cogs turning as my suspicions changed from one character to the next. I loved the way Greenaway pointed her guilty finger at everyone. I got a lot of pleasure from reading Undertow and can find nothing wrong with this novel. At the end of the story I thought WOW! And slowly from memory all the little bits added up together, all those little details were important and what a brilliant plot. I loved getting things wrong in my head along the way, Greenaway has a great skill of leading the reader up the garden path. Undertow is a very good read and it gets the top score of 5 stars from me.

I have read Greenaway’s first novel Cold Girl, which I also voted 5 stars. It is great to find that her writing quality has not slipped and I have now become a fan of her writing. Looking forward to her next novel and I don’t mind which location she uses as the joy is in the characterisation and the plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Dundurn for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.

The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths.

This is the ninth Dr. Ruth Galloway story and like all of Elly’s novels, can be read as a standalone. In The Chalk Pit the reader explores some underground tunnels in Norfolk, a couple of murders, some missing people and the plight of the homeless.

Ruth Galloway works closely with the Police in their investigations and also mixes with them socially. This is not a crime thriller in the usual sense, it is not a gritty novel with a heavy plot. What we have is a gorgeous character driven novel. Elly builds her characters up with style and you can identify with each and every one of them as though they were your workmates, friends and family. Through your reading sessions, you feel as though you are living your life alongside them. You get so strongly drawn into their lives and relationships that you wish them all well. Elly has this magic to draw her readers into the story. The fact there is a crime and criminal elements involved, just adds depth to her story. My wife loves watching a lot of television but I am not bothered. One of her favourite programmes is the popular hospital drama on BBC1 television called Holby City. But whenever it is on and I am reading my Kindle or using my Chromebook, the strong characterisation written into the script of Holby City just draws me in and I end up watching part of it! The Chalk Pit is told in a similar style to Holby City were the day job of the characters is not the main pull but the relationships between them are the focal points.

I really enjoyed reading The Chalk Pit and it gave me a lot of pleasure with a nice cosy feeling. It is a lovely soft read that does not have a WOW! factor or shocking bits but is very engaging and I liked how you got the whole picture with it’s comments on social trends. I look forward to the next Ruth Galloway story and vote The Chalk Pit 4 stars for being such a good read. Oh and I loved the use of urban legends that make you wonder where those homeless people you see in doorways etc sneak away to at night.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Quercus for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.