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The Hangman's Hold by Michael Woods* - #4 DCI Matilda Darke
- Book 1 - Book 2 - Book 3 -
The Killer hides in the darkness of their homes and then hangs his victims to make them pay for crimes they have tried to leave in the past. As the vigilante racks up more deaths, Matilda struggles to find any answers. With zero forensics and information being leaked to the press, the pressure is on. When she is personally targeted, everyone she knows, including her well-trusted colleagues, fall under suspicion.
The Hangman’s hold sucked me in from the very first chapter and kept me hooked until the very last one. It’s a fast-paced read with all the nitty gritty gory details. Plenty of suspects are hinted at throughout the book and I was certain I knew who had done it but I was very wrong. The ending is intense, exciting and heartbreaking. I felt so many emotions in the last few chapters.
There are plenty of characters but I didn’t find it overwhelming and I managed to keep everyone straight. I loved how they all interacted and the team is great. Matilda is a great main character and I definitely want to read more about her life.
This is the first book I have read by Michael Woods and I will definitely be adding more to my collection asap. Even though The Hangman’s Hold is the fourth book in the DCI Matilda Darke series it definitely works as a standalone. I didn’t feel like I was missing any vital information but I am excited to pick up the rest.
Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager*
I devoured Final Girls last year and fell in love with Riley Sager’s writing style. This guy knows how to write a thriller and keep you hooked. I have to admit that when I started Last Time I Lied, I wasn’t that sure about the storyline. It didn’t grab me from the start. However, the deeper I got, the more hooked I became. It really does keep you guessing about what happened all those years ago.
When Emma goes to Summer Camp she ends up bunking with 3 older girls. They while away the time by playing 2 truths and a lie and soon all become quite adept at lying. Then the 3 girls go off into the woods and never come back. They just seem to disappear.
15 years later, Emma is an obsessive painter and spends her whole life thinking about the 3 girls, especially Vivian. She paints their disappearance over and over and can’t seem to shake them. When she is asked to return to Camp Nightingale as an art tutor she reluctantly agrees to go. She says she’s going for closure but in reality, she’s going to solve a crime. However, is Emma as innocent as she makes out?
The story switches between the present and 15 years ago. Instead of being confusing the style of writing is enlightening. All the questions that come up in the present are answered by going back to the past in the next chapter. As the story evolves we get a better picture of what happened all those years ago. However, it is not until the very end that all is revealed and I wasn’t quite expecting the ending. I was suspicious but I definitely didn’t have all the answers. Once it had gathered speed I was hooked until the very end.
If you love a thriller but hate gore then I highly recommend this book.
Down to the Woods by M.J Arlidge* - #8 DI Helen Grace
- Book 7 -
Tom was out camping with his Girlfriend when he wakes up in the middle of the woods, alone, confused and consumed by fear. He soon realises that he’s not really alone as he is hunted through the woods by a masked killer.
Before Helen has a chance to get the investigation fully up and running another victim is snatched from their tent. The hunt for the killer is on but the woods is a dangerous place.
I absolutely adore the Helen Grace series and M.J Arlidge is one of my favourite authors. Down to the Woods is book 8 in the series and if you haven’t read the rest I highly recommend you go and pick them up now. You will not be able to put them down. However, this does work as a standalone without any confusion. It will take some of the stress and tension out of the earlier books though.
As usual, this is a fast-paced gritty book which I could not put down. I was devastated when I only had 10 minutes left of the book when our plane landed. My love for Helen and Charlie grows with every book although I really question how the hell they stay alive. They always seem to be getting into trouble. I was kept guessing until near the end and as usual, the ending was an exciting read. I hope we get to see more of Helen in the future.
Perfect Girls By Alison James*
When the body of a young blonde English girl is found behind a department store in L.A, Rachel Prince flies out to assist in the investigation. When another young blonde girl is found murdered Rachel is convinced a serial killer is at work. With the rest of the team unconvinced, Rachel puts herself at risk to investigate alone.
Overall I did enjoy the story I just struggled with some parts being so unrealistic. Rachel takes leave from her job and uses her own money to fly all over America chasing potential leads.
I have no idea why my brain works in the way it does but as soon as we met the killer I knew who it was and how they were doing it. It was pretty genius. The way Rachel acted in the ending was a bit ridiculous but it made for a very eventful ending which kept me hooked.
I loved Rachel and Mark but I did find Marks constant silent treatments a bit immature. I also found Rob’s constant attempts at getting Rachel into bed a bit gross. Just take no for an answer and move on with your life.
However, this book was well written and I will probably go back to read the first 2. I feel like getting to know Rachel & Mark better will probably make this book more enjoyable.
What have you been reading recently? What do I need to add to my TBR pile?
Beth...x
* I was sent a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. However, it does not affect my views and the opinions expressed in this post are independent and my own
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