Where There is Smoke

 Where There is Smoke

Taylor's Bend #2

Elisabeth Rose

Reviewed by Helen

Book two in this series and I am really enjoying being back in Taylor’s Bend, we get to know the Vet Oliver Johnson, he arrived in Taylor’s Bend about five years ago looking for a quiet and friendly place to be and he is sure he has found it, that is until he arrives at the site of a car accident involving a beautiful horse, here he meets beautiful Krista Laatonen and life is going to change.

Krista is the step-daughter of the billionaire who owns The Grange a race horse stud that is run by her step-brother, Krista lives happily in Melbourne but has come to The Grange for her mother and Step-father’s wedding anniversary party, she doesn’t expect to get caught up in a world of deception and revenge.

Oliver’s first impression of Krista is not a good one she comes across as a spoilt rich girl but he soon sees her in a different light with the help that she gives when needed and his feelings are certainly growing for, but she seems to run hot and cold, honestly what has she been through. And now they are being threatened for something someone else has done.

This is an action packed story filled with danger, bush fires and a terrible abduction that leaves Krista badly scared both physically and emotionally will Oliver and the wonderful residents of Taylor’s Bend be able to get through to Krista and will Oliver and Krista find the love and happiness they deserve?

I did very much enjoy this one and recommend it to any romantic suspense readers.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

4 Stars

August 1, 2019 by Escape Publishing

The Secrets That Lie Within

 The Secrets That Lie Within

Taylor's Bend #1

Elisabeth Rose

Reviewed by Helen

Are you looking for a romantic suspense story and one that is in a series, then I found this one to be a very good one, strong characters a great setting and danger abounds.

Abbie Forrest is an artist born and bred a city girl but after her husband is charged and then acquitted of terrible crimes, she is now estranged from her young daughter and sister, she packs up and moves to the country, she chooses a house that is isolated and quiet so as she can concentrate on her painting, she has settled in well and has made many friends with the locals.

Rupert Perry is the town policeman he moved here after losing his wife and is very happy with his hours and the feeling of belonging to the community, it is nice and quiet her, until it isn’t and he is also very attracted to Abbie, not only is she good looking she is very easy to talk to.

But when Rupe is called out to Abbie’s place to investigate some strange goings on he is worried about her living alone and when a couple of young people who know Abbie’s daughter Georgia arrive and then her daughter arrives unexpectedly, thinks start to get even more strange and the danger builds, will Abbie and Georgia be safe, if Rupe has anything to do with it they will.

This is one filled with lots of suspense and danger and a romance that has a few ups and downs, there are some things from both their pasts that need to be spoken about before they can look to the future, I did very much enjoy this one and I do highly recommend it, now to read book two.

4 stars

April 1, 2019 by Escape Publishing

The School Run

 The School Run

Ali Lowe

Reviewed by Helen

This is one of the most twisty books I think I have ever read, with every chapter there is so much more to learn about the three main characters in this story and I tell you I was guessing all the way through and the end really had me wondering about some people, how far would you go to get your child into the school you wanted them to go to?

There is a school in the coastal town of Pacific Pines, St Ignatius Boys School and they have a gala day each year to choose the students who will be accepted for the coming year, it is a very sporty school as well as academic and everyone who is anyone wants their son to attend and there are three mothers who will go to any lengths to get their son accepted.

Estella, is the mother a teenage daughter and of identical twin boys Jonty and Archie and Estella is determined to get them both in to Iggy’s she has a plan she goes full steam ahead with it.

Bec has a two daughters and a son Cooper, who is trying out as well, Bec is a fantastic baker of cakes, everyone one loves cakes surely so a nice donation is sure to help Coper’s chance.

Kaya’s son’s name is Ollie who is an only child and they has just moved to Pacific Pines as a dying wish to her husband that Ollie will attend Iggy’s like he did, cleaning duty, baptism and a healthy donation are sure to work, you would think.

All of these mothers have secrets will they be uncovered?

Gala day arrives and at the end of the day when a young boy is knocked down and left to die, lives start to unravel, secrets are uncovered, connections are made between these three women that could start major scandals. But mothers being mothers will do anything in their power to protect the ones they love most and their own reputations.

I did very much enjoy this one and honestly the ending left me speechless, it is one that I would highly recommend to any reader of a good twisty mystery.

4 stars

February 29, 2024 by Hodder & Stoughton

Shock Waves

 Shock Waves

Fleur McDonald

Reviewed by Helen

I love Dave Burrows and am always excited to know there is another one coming, whether it be a young Dave or the older Dave both are awesome characters and in my opinion must reads, I still have a few to catch up on, which is good. This one is set in Dave’s younger years and it was a fabulous read, lots of emotions in this one.

Detective Dave Burrows is acting boss of the rural crime squad at the moment as his partner and friend, Bob Holden is going through Chemotherapy for melanoma, but as we all know Bob well he wants to be back on the road and he has a couple of weeks between treatments and convinces Dave that a trip to the bush will help in his recovery and Dave is eager to help even if he is worried, but when Dave’s partner Betty gives her approval with conditions they are in the troopy and off, thinking it will be an easy trip checking a few abattoirs along the way but things change quickly when the small town of Kallygarn is rocked by a couple of explosions.

It doesn’t take long for Dave and Bob to arrive in Kallygarn and find Bob’s first partner Johnny Campbell in charge of Kallygarn Police station and then to be in the thick of things and investigating the explosions. Dave and Bob soon have a few leads to follow up but will they lead to the instigators of the bombs and will they every find out why these bombs were activated?

Yes this is another fabulous book in the Dave Burrows series, so well written there is a lot going on in this one and I did find it hard to discover who the culprit or culprits were and of course knowing Dave and Bob as well as any reader of this series does then there are of course a few emotional themes in this one, it is of course a book I highly recommend and as always look forward to another Dave Burros story soon.

Truly this is a must read series don’t miss it, many thanks again MS McDonald for another fabulous story.

My thanks to Allen & Unwin for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

April 3, 2024 by Allen & Unwin

The Killer's Daughter

 The Killer's Daughter

Kate Wiley

Reviewed by Helen

This is such a good, well written story, it tells the story of notorious serial killer Ed Finch known as the classified killer who killed seventy six young woman around the bay area of San Francisco during the 1980’s and 1990’s, it has been twenty two years since he was sent to jail and now his daughter is a homicide detective in San Francisco, she has worked hard to put her past behind her but her father is doing his best to change that.

Megan Finch is now Detective Margot Phalen, it has been twenty two years since the FBI arrived to arrest her father at the family home charged and him with the murder, her family moved changed their names and did their best to get on with life.

Now her father has been transferred to death row at San Quentin, close to Margot and he is determined to see his daughter, Margot has been doing her best to ignore his requests, she is busy investigating the murder of a family and two woman in a national park but when he is willing to open up about more of his secrets if she visits, she must go, there are families out there that need closure, he knows Margot cannot refuse to see him.

I did very much enjoy this story, yes it is gruesome at times as the story is told from both Margot and Ed’s POV back and forward from the 1980’s and now, Margot understandably has a lot of issues about her past but still does her job well and Ed he a killer who shows no remorse. I do highly recommend this one to any reader who loves a good thriller it is dark at times but compelling reading. I do look forward to book two in the series.

My thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.

4 stars

March 25, 2024 by Storm Publishing

Risky Attraction

 Risky Attraction

Wolf Security #1

Kendall Talbot

Reviewed by Helen

Book one in a new series this series is an off-shoot from the Alpha Tactical Ops series which I loved and this one hits the spot if you are looking for a romantic, thriller suspense, it is fast paced and the characters are just what the story needed all different but good.

Piper Harrison is on a trip around Australia on their yacht the Dreamcatcher with her fourteen year old daughter Scout, after losing her husband, Scout is not the easiest going teenager but when they are caught in a storm and hit a container and the yacht sinks things are just going to get worse, or will they? The handsome officer who saves them is soon worming his way into her heart, could this be a new start for them all?

Border Force Captain Ryder Westwood and his team are alerted to a boat around a sunken off limits yacht but when they get there they are attacked badly and need to get away before they lose their lives and then another call comes in that a yacht has gone down and there are people that need rescuing, but when they rescue a widow an her daughter they also make a grim discovery.

Ryder gives refuge to Piper and Scout and starts the investigation into their terrible discovery with the help of Wolf Security headed up by Aria and with the help of The Alpha Tactical Ops team are the shooting the and what they discover linked to the terrible things that were associated with the evil Mr. Chiu? The investigation leads to danger for Piper and Scout and Ryder is determined to ensure that they remain safe because the walls around his heart seem to be breaking down, could he find a new life with Piper and her daughter.

This is an action packed and fast paced story with a sizzling romance heating up through flying bullets and danger around every corner, I loved seeing Ryder and Piper come together, through everything that is going on and catching up with the Tactical Ops team was so good.

I do highly recommend this one and I am really looking forward to book two with Indiana and seeing how much further we get in discovering what is really going on and who is running the evil show.

My thanks to the author and Booksprout for my digital copy to read and review.

4 stars

March 15, 2024

Body of Lies

 Body of Lies

Gemma Woodhouse #4

Sarah Bailey

Reviewed by Helen

This is the first book I have read in this series and I did enjoy it very much, I am not sure whether I really like Gemma that much, she tended to rub me the wrong way at times but she does her job and well, Gemma is on maternity leave visiting her father in hospital, when the lights go out and the fire alarm sounds, Gemma jumps in, baby in tow and starts asking questions and DS Everett sent to investigate is not happy with her jumping in, when they discover that the body of a woman killed in a suspicious car accident is missing and Gemma is determined to find answers, little does she know how things are going to turn out.

Gemma’s partner Mac, is working on a cold case at the moment and Gemma is eager to get back to work and this case seems the right time especially when a new born baby is found by the lake, are they linked? Then the hospital CEO is found murdered the pressure is on the police to find answers and Gemma is in boots and all, even though she and DS Everett are not getting on at all, the tension grows as they all do their best to find answers.

With Gemma’s journalist friend Candy pushing for something she can write about, Gemma soon finds herself in danger, when she is attacked, Mac seems to be keeping secrets from her as is her boss DI Jones, who can she trust and what’s more are all of these cases linked and who is behind it all, will she and the police find the answers before there are more bodies turning up.

This is a twisty story with shocking revelations for Gemma and a very busy story with lots happening all at once, there are fabulous characters who have personal issues at the same time they are working and getting to know them added to the story. This is one that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller, it did have me turning the pages to find out what happened. Well worth the read.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

February 27, 2024 by Allen & Unwin