I managed to get another 4 books onto my read list in March taking me up to a total of 13 books this year. I need to get my shit together and read a few more if I'm going to hit my Goodreads goal of 60. I was planning on reading tonight but I can barely keep my eyes open so I'll probably have to pass. March was a pretty good month for books though. Not a single dud which is great.
This post contains books gifted via NetGalley as well as affiliate links
Her Pretty Bones by Carla Kovach* - #3 DI Gina Harte - 4/5
A badly beaten woman falls from the back of a speeding van and whispers “Help her” before she passes out. When the body of a similar looking girl is found in a shallow grave the race is on to catch the killer before another girl is killed.
This is book 3 in the DI Gina Harte series and I will definitely be going back to read the first 2. There are a few spoilers from the previous books in this one and I feel like I will understand the characters more when I read the other 2. However, it can definitely be read as a stand-alone without feeling lost or left behind.
Her Pretty Bones is consistently paced and kept me thoroughly engaged. It’s told from multiple POVs but it’s easy to keep straight and it added to the story and the emotions felt. It is definitely an emotional read at times covering topics from homelessness, caregiving and slavery.
I didn’t guess who it was and I was sucked in until the very last page. I really enjoyed Gina Harte's character and I can’t wait to go back and get to know her better.
The Bone Keeper by Luca Veste* - 4/5
What if the bogeyman that haunted you as a child was real?
20 years ago 4 kids go into the woods to hunt for The Bone Keeper. Only 3 return.
When a bleeding woman is found in the streets claiming to have escaped The Bone Keeper the police are sceptical. DC Louise Henderson isn’t so sure it’s just a myth though.
I have mixed emotions about this book. It is dark, creepy and twisted. It starts with a bang and sucks you in.
I found the middle a bit lacklustre though and the various POVs and time periods made it a bit confusing to keep up with. It was, however, all tied up in the end and made a bit more sense. Although, I still have some questions about why Lousie was so terrified of The Bone Keeper.
I found all of the characters a bit flat and I was not a fan of Louise. I did enjoy how the scenes were set though and you could really feel the fear and how eerie the woods were
That being said, I did really enjoy the creepy childhood bogeyman element of the story. It did make it a chilling read. I also was desperate to know who or what The Bone Keeper was and I thought the ending was pretty good. It wasn’t rushed and explained some of the previous chapters. All in all, it’s not my all time favourite book but I did enjoy it and would recommend giving it a read if you love a creepy plot.
The Secret Child by Caroline Mitchell* - #2 DI Amy Winter - 5/5
When Nicole’s 4-year-old daughter is kidnapped she receives 4 phials instead of a ransom. One is poisoned, three are safe. If she drinks one her daughter's location will be revealed. To add more mystery the kidnapper is supposed to be dead. DI Amy Winter is desperate to save the kidnapped child, especially as she failed to save the children her serial killer parents murdered when she was just a child herself.
I fell in love with Caroline Mitchell’s work last year and she is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. The first book in the Amy Winter series was incredible and I highly recommend picking that up first to really learn about Amy and her horrendous childhood.
As for this book, it did not disappoint. It’s well written and I could not put it down. It makes you switch between rage and true sadness for how a group of children were treated. Caroline makes you empathise with the bad guy and my heart honestly hurt for him. I did guess the supposed twist but it didn’t ruin the story.
I love that we get to learn about Amy's personal life as well as her work and the balance is perfect. The characters are all very human and Amy’s team are extremely likeable. I cannot wait to see what lies in store for Amy’s personal life.
A Room Full of Killers by Michael Wood - #3 DCI Matilda Darke - 5/5
Book 1 - Book 2 - Book 4
Starling house is a prison for some of Britain’s deadliest teenage boys. When the newest arrival is found stabbed 12 times there is no shortage of suspects. Not only are there 8 convicted killers but it seems none of the staff can be trusted.
This is another series I fell in love with last year. Unfortunately, I read book 4 first but I have now caught up. I’ve now fallen in love with all the characters and now book 4 is even more devastating. Makes me kind of glad I read that one out of order because I would have been a mess.
I absolutely adore Michael Woods style of writing and he really knows how to keep you guessing and put your hear in your mouth. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of is the way Matilda takes her antidepressants as and when she feels anxious as if they will magically work. I’m also a little bit over the lead female detectives having such messed up lives that they’re all damaged in some way.
However, I would highly recommend this series and don’t let my small gripes put you off. I loved this book and I was hooked from the start. The chapters that are written from the boys points of view when they committed their murders were just chilling. I also didn’t guess who the murderer was which is always a plus. Matilda’s team is also my absolute favourite fictional team ever. There are just so many amazing characters. Especially Sian and Adele.
I really hope there is more to come from Michael and DCI Matilda Darke.
What have you been reading?
Beth...x
* This book was gifted via NetGalley by the publisher 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
** This post contains affiliate links. These do not cost you anything but if you buy something from the link I will get a few pennies.
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