Today I am very pleased to share with you my review of this wonderful story about magical goings on. Although this is not my usual genre I really enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to an reader who is looking for something a little different.
In pre-historic times, all the evil in the world was imprisoned in a Casket and buried deep underground. Two families promised to provide Keepers for the Casket through the ages, to ensure that the evil didn’t escape to wreak havoc in the world. In our time, those Keepers are Charlie and Rosie and the Evil Ones are escaping! What do Charlie and Rosie have to do to prevent evil taking over the world? They are helped and occasionally hindered by a huge dragon and a beautiful Elf but someone will have to pay the price for keeping our world safe.
My Review
Well this was a big
step outside my comfort zone but it has to be done. Every now and then I like to read something
from a different genre to see if I am missing out on good books. This one was really different and it is not
something I would have read usually BUT…. I was totally hooked by the time I was 20% into it. Even more surprising is that this book is the
first fantasy book that Joanna Larum has written so a first for us both really.
Charlie has recently
lost his beloved grandparents in a car accident and his family have moved to
live in their house which is next door to Rosie. Charlie and Rosie soon become friends and
life carries on until one day Charlie oversleeps and on his way to school he
comes accross an old lady who needs his help.
Help is what he does and she gives him a small cube. From then on Charlie’s life becomes very
surreal as he finds himself involved in a world of magic, mystery and evilness.
I love Charlie and
Rosie their innocence comes accross perfectly in the book and I think their
reactions and actions are perfect for their age while allowing for something a
little extra to make them even more realistic.
I found the book
very interesting and engrossing and I was soon turning the pages and willing
the pair on to fulfill their quest. I
like how they used their imaginations and how their different personalities
balanced each other out perfectly to make for an interesting read which was an
adventure through mystery and fantasy.
A really enjoyable read that will be perfect for young adults, children or anybody who likes fantasy and mysterious goings on.
Author Bio
I only went to school to learn to read. At age 6, I decided I COULD read and promptly left, by the school gate, the same gate which my mother marched me back through 10 minutes later. So I had to spend the next 12 years at school, learning lots of different things, none of which lived up to the excitement of reading. Wanting to be a writer was a natural progression, because there is nothing as exciting as inventing the story yourself. But it’s taken over 50 years before I dared to present my stories for other people to read. So, here they are! I’ll just creep behind the sofa.
It’s been five years since Mackenzie Darroch was abducted and held captive in a derelict house.
She thought she’d found her way out of the darkness. She was wrong.
When she witnesses a car crash and saves the driver’s life, it sets in motion a chain of events that will alter both their futures. The two women get involved in a high profile police case and draw the attention of a ruthless reporter.
Gina Calvi is convinced Mackenzie is not what she appears and is prepared to do anything to prove it.Meanwhile, across the city, Kirsty McBride, a young single mother, is persuaded to leave a violent relationship. Her partner, Malkie Boyle a Glasgow hardman, is due to be released from prison. Once back on the street and bent on revenge, Boyle is determined to find the people responsible for stealing his family from him.
Can Mackenzie save them or will Boyle get his revenge?
‘An electrifying read from beginning to end’
‘A tense, taut thriller’
My Review
Mackenzie is a
victim of domestic abuse who has managed to turn her experience into something
positive and now runs a refuge for women, like herself, who are escaping the
violence in their lives.
Life is ticking
along nicely the refuge has been extended so she can help more women and she
has no money worries so apart from the nightmares life is good. She is driving home one rainy night when she
is overtaken by a powerful car that is going far too fast for the road and
conditions. A little later she sees the
car has crashed and goes to help dragging Caitlin from the wrecked car minutes
before it explodes.
This even sets in
motion a chain of events that effects all the women on some level. Secrets are kept and revenge is taken. As Mackenzie finds love she also knows how
fragile this new love is if Andrew discovers her secrets.
I have read all
Owen’s books and I had to smile when Charlie and Andrew popped up in this
story. It brings something to the story
if you know of the history behind the characters but having said that if you
haven’t read the other books it wont affect your enjoyment of this one as the
author has ensured this works perfectly as stand-alone.
The underlying
storyline is domestic abuse but it isn’t graphic the violence is hinted at but
left to the reader to envisage. However,
the author has very realistically portrayed how far the abuser will go to keep
their victim under their control even bringing friends and family into their
abuse.
The characters are
all unique individuals that we got to know in the book and I especially liked
Caitlin and her devotion to Mackenzie.
The other women of the refuge were all different and brought their own
personalities to the book to contribute to the story.
The suspense runs
all the way through the book and the ending – well WOW I didn’t see that
coming.
A fast paced,
adrenaline pumping read that is well worth the 5 stars.
A big thank you to Owen Mullen for the advance copy. This is my unbiased review.
Owen Mullen
Author bio
Owen Mullen is a McIlvanney Crime Book Of The Year and best selling author.
Owen graduated from Strathclyde University, moved to London and worked as a rock musician, session singer and songwriter, and had a hit record in Japan with a band he refuses to name; he still loves to perform on occasion.
His passion for travel has taken him on many adventures from the Amazon and Africa to the colourful continent of India and Nepal. A gregarious recluse, he and his wife, Christine, split their time between Glasgow, and their home in the Greek Islands where Owen writes.
Today is the final of my Calladine and Bayliss series as we have reached the end of all the books published so far with Book 9: DEAD GUILTY. However, I am sure there are more to come. I hope you have enjoyed reading.
Looking for a brilliant best-selling crime mystery with great detectives?
Detective Calladine and Bayliss hunt for a missing child in a mystery with a shocking ending.
Sophie Alder is the three-year-old daughter of local factory owner, Richard Alder. Richard and his wife Annie are locals from the rough housing estate who’ve made it big.
Plus, there’s a crime wave in Leesworth and the police can’t cope. One thief even dares to break into Calladine’s house.
A number of local men have formed a vigilante group. On one of their patrols they catch the burglar and he ends up dead.
The investigation is complicated and the detectives keep hearing about a shadowy figure called “Street,” the mastermind behind the increase in drugs and theft.
With two more murders and Calladine’s personal life in turmoil, the detectives face against time to find “Street” and the missing child.
In an ending with a huge twist, the detectives find everything they believed is turned upside down.
If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Mel Sherratt, Ruth Rendell, or Mark Billingham you will enjoy this exciting new crime fiction writer. DEAD GUILTY is book nine of a new series of detective thrillers featuring D.S. Ruth Bayliss and D.I. Tom Calladine.
THE DETECTIVES Tom Calladine is a detective inspector who is devoted to his job. His personal life, however, is not so successful. Having been married and divorced before the age of twenty-one has set a pattern that he finds difficult to escape.
Ruth Bayliss is in her mid-thirties, plain-speaking but loyal. She is balancing her professional life with looking after a small child.
THE SETTING The fictional village of Leesdon on the outskirts of an industrial northern English city. There is little work and a lot of crime. The bane of Calladine’s life is the Hobfield housing estate, breeding ground to all that is wrong with the area that he calls home.
My Review
This is book 9 in the Calladine & Bayliss series but it does work well as stand alone.
A missing 3 year old child, Drugs, vigilantes, burglaries and murder. Calladine and his team are really up against it. When a fellow Detective has a heart attack Calladine finds the whole lot is for his team to investigate.
There is a lot going on in this book as the team buckle down to start following leads. They are getting nowhere fast. Who is the elusive Street and why are the criminals they have arrested being released? It smacks of corruption and when Calladine is ordered to back off investigating Street his worst fears are realised.
Reading this series is a bit like coming home. Familiar characters but you always learn something new and the advantage of these books is Helen is such a brilliant author she manages to write the books so you can step in at any point in the series and quickly catch up. No repetitive text to bore the readers who are following the series but enough to fill in blanks for new readers.
This is a twisty turny book that I simply couldn’t put down there are real shockers all the way through and it is packed with suspense to keep the adrenaline pumping. WOW what an awesome read and when it gets towards the end and the clues start to link the different threads you think you have worked out what the ending is going to be….. Wrong! The ending is a total unexpected mind blowing shock.
An absolutely brilliant read that had me turning page after page. 5 golden stars from me.
Helen H Durrant
Author Bio
Helen sets her books in the area she has lived in for many years. The towns and villages that sit in the shelter of the Pennine hills. This is an area between two counties, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and between the city and the hills. It offers a rich mix of the industrial and the countryside and all the character therein.
Helen always planned to write crime novels. But until she retired from full-time work in a local further education college, it had to go on the back burner. Once she did retire – there was no excuse. She now writes full-time. Retirement proper will have to wait!
Currently there are nine books in the ‘Calladine & Bayliss’ series available – Dead Wrong, Dead Silent, Dead List, Dead Lost, Dead & Buried, Dead Nasty, Dead Jealous, Dead Bad, and the latest – Dead Guilty. There is also a box set of the first three books.
Also available are four books in the ‘DI Greco’ series – Dark Murder, Dark Houses, Dark Trade, and the latest – Dark Angel.
There are two books in the DI Matt Brindle series – His Third Victim and The Other Victim.
The DCI Rachel King series has two books – Next Victim and Two Victims
Looking for a brilliant best-selling crime mystery with great detectives?
Detective Calladine and Bayliss face a vicious serial killer in a mystery with a shocking ending.
A woman’s body is found in a disused church, a homemade stuffed toy by her side. The victim had been dumped there months ago. The crime has the hallmarks of twenty-year-old case whose alleged perpetrator is in prison.
Detective Ruth Bayliss must work out whether a serial killer has returned, or whether a new killer is just taunting the police.
Her partner DI Tom Calladine faces the fight of his life to clear his name of corruption accusations. And then things go from bad to worse for Calladine . . .
With the team under massive pressure and drugs flooding the streets, another gruesomely presented body is found.
In an ending with a huge twist, the detectives must unpick decades’ old lies before anyone else dies.
THE DETECTIVES Tom Calladine is a detective inspector who is devoted to his job. His personal life, however, is not so successful. Having been married and divorced before the age of twenty-one has set a pattern that he finds difficult to escape.
Ruth Bayliss is in her mid-thirties, plain-speaking but loyal. She is balancing her professional life with looking after a small child.
THE SETTING The fictional village of Leesdon on the outskirts of an industrial northern English city. There is little work and a lot of crime. The bane of Calladine’s life is the Hobfield housing estate, breeding ground to all that is wrong with the area that he calls home.
My Review
Helen is one of my favourite authors and I love all 3 of her series’ so was very excited to read this new addition to the Calladine & Bayliss series. What can I say? FANTASTIC I was gripped from the very first page, fast paced, plenty going on and adrenaline pumping suspense. What more could I ask it ticked every single box.
The story starts with the abduction of a child that reveals the corpse of a murdered woman this victim has been tortured in a horrific way and affects the team badly. Close on the heels of this Calladine goes missing and the discovery of a dangerous batch of drugs that are flooding the area Ruth and the remainder of the team are chasing their tails trying to keep up with everything.
We learn more about Ruth in this book as she struggles with a difficult decision that could affect everyone. The rest of the team’s character’s continue to grow and develop into well rounded, realistic but complex characters.
There are many twists and turns as the team juggle the two cases and several mind blowing shockers ensure that the reader keeps turning the pages all the way to the jaw dropping conclusion.
Brilliant read well worth the 5 stars.
Helen H Durrant
Author Bio
Helen sets her books in the area she has lived in for many years. The towns and villages that sit in the shelter of the Pennine hills. This is an area between two counties, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and between the city and the hills. It offers a rich mix of the industrial and the countryside and all the character therein.
Helen always planned to write crime novels. But until she retired from full-time work in a local further education college, it had to go on the back burner. Once she did retire – there was no excuse. She now writes full-time. Retirement proper will have to wait!
Currently there are nine books in the ‘Calladine & Bayliss’ series available – Dead Wrong, Dead Silent, Dead List, Dead Lost, Dead & Buried, Dead Nasty, Dead Jealous, Dead Bad, and the latest – Dead Guilty. There is also a box set of the first three books.
Also available are four books in the ‘DI Greco’ series – Dark Murder, Dark Houses, Dark Trade, and the latest – Dark Angel.
There are two books in the DI Matt Brindle series – His Third Victim and The Other Victim.
The DCI Rachel King series has two books – Next Victim and Two Victims
One of the best books I have read this year! — Amazon Reviewer.
DCI Brân Reece has PTSD: everyone at the Cardiff Bay station knows, except him. Put on leave only hours before the gruesome discovery of the first victim, he’s forced to watch events unfold from the sidelines.
But with the body count rising quickly – and the case in the hands of an inexperienced officer – Reece is compelled to take matters into his own hands.
It isn’t long before he suspects that he and the killer have crossed paths in the past. If he’s right then the identity of the ultimate target is obvious. As a serving police officer he knows he must intervene, but to do so means saving the life of the man he’s spent a career trying to take down.
Fighting authority and battling illness, can Reece rise above such a moral dilemma and do what’s right?
If you love fast-paced crime thrillers, gritty protagonists, and cold and calculating villains, then get your copy of ‘Lies People Tell,’ today.
This is a debut Police Procedural/ Thriller by Liam Hanson.
Fishy and Onion are tasked with hiding a gun by a big time criminal Billy Creed. What should have been a simple task sets in motion a string of events that will affect many people. Fishy is mentally challenged and when he runs into a bloody corpse he finds himself suspected of murder along with Onion. DCI Reece would have realised the luckless pair were incapable of planning and carrying out a brutal murder but he has been put on gardening leave. With Adams in charge of the case the team are running around and getting nowhere.
Reece is not the most patient of men and he recently witnessed the murder of his wife. However, he is a brilliant detective albeit with his own unorthodox methods. Jenkins is his sidekick and has her own personal problems including domestic abuse. The other characters are all realistic and develop over the course of the story.
The story itself is intriguing with skeletons escaping their closets, corruption and personality clashes all playing their part.
This is a good thriller that moves along at a steadily increasing pace that I really enjoyed reading. I look forward to more from this author.
Thank you to all the wonderful Bloggers who helped with the launch of THE FLOWER SHOW MURDER your help is very much appreciated,
What the bloggers thought:
Loopy Laura
We are provided with plenty of suspects and led to make assumptions about them: a clever misdirection by the author to keep us on our toes whilst reading! Read more here
The Word is Out
DCI Jason Drury is soon on the case, sifting through countless suspects and motives. I like the fact that he plays the main part in running the investigation and that much of the action centres on him and his sergeant. Read more here
Nicki’s book blog
There is always a good plot to keep the grey matter active. A little humour along the way and characters so well described that you can see them in your minds eye. A wonderful page turner and a clever entertaining plot. Read more here
Linda Strong Book Reviews
Another well crafted mystery from this author! The main characters are finely drawn, secondary characters are unique, some quirky, lending an air of credibility to the story. Read more here
Joanna Larum’s Reviews
The whole thing is an easy read and very enjoyable and one wonders, yet again, at the range of humanity which is displayed in a village. The evil, the sweet, the egotistical and the ambitious etc are all on parade for our enjoyment. Another triumph for Ms Martin! Read more here
Ginger Book Geek
Reading ‘The Flower Show Murder’ was like being on an unpredictable and slightly scary rollercoaster ride with more twists and turns that you would find on a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board. Some of the twists I guessed and some of them I didn’t. Read more here
Robin Loves Reading
There are no shortage of suspects and this story is a busy, yet quick read that kept me guessing until the end. I was very surprised as to who the killer was. Read more here
Discover a new series of murder mysteries set in an idyllic English village. From million-selling author Faith Martin.
Meet Monica Noble: the vicar’s wife with a taste for solving crimes.
Please note this book was first published as “UNHOLY WHIFF OF DEATH” under Faith Martin’s pen name JOYCE CATO.
SMELL THE ROSES AND DIE!
Monica Noble is thrilled to be asked to judge a neighbouring village’s flower show, even if she can’t tell a begonia from an azalea!
Her fellow judge Vicar James Davies inhales deeply from a large bloom and drops dead in the tent. At first everyone thinks he’s had a heart attack, but the doctor on hand is suspicious and calls in the police.
A second murder quickly follows, this time of one of the main suspects. Monica must help the Chief Inspector Jason Dury to solve the two murders and find the killer —fast, before anyone else pays the ultimate price.
This is the second of a series of enjoyable murder mysteries with great characters and baffling crimes which will keep you gripped till the final page.
MONICA NOBLE was widowed young, leaving her to raise her feisty daughter on her own. That is, until she met and fell in love with Graham Noble, a country vicar (pastor), who enticed her to leave her high-flying job in advertising in the city and move to the Cotswold countryside. There she found bucolic life very pleasant indeed — until murder started to rear its ugly head. And she discovered, to everyone’s surprise, that she had a flair for solving the most unholy of crimes.
FAITH MARTIN is the million-selling author of the DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE and JENNY STARLING mysteries, which have topped the global best-seller charts.
More MONICA NOBLE mysteries coming soon. Join the Joffe Books mailing list to be the first to hear about the next in the series.
MONICA NOBLE MYSTERIES Book 1: THE VICARAGE MURDER Book 2: THE FLOWER SHOW MURDER
My Review
This is the first
Monica Noble book I have read so I can confirm they work perfectly as stand
alone.
Monica is a vicar’s
wife with a teenage daughter from a previous relationship.
Carol Ann is
studying for exams that will pave the way to university but she also aspires to
be a model. She wants to hate her
stepfather, Graham, but really likes him although she will never admit it. She brings a little humour to the book as we
read of Monica’s struggles to keep her under control.
Monica wants a quiet
life and is happy just being a Vicar’s wife but she usually finds herself
tangled up in murder cases much to the annoyance of DI Drury.
It is the annual
Flower Show in the quiet Cotswold village and the competition is fierce not
only among the entrants but also among the judges with each wanting the most
prestigious category to judge.
When Vicar James
Davies drops dead after smelling a rose the village is deeply shocked. Among them is a murderer but who is it? As DI Drury sets about the task of
interviewing all the attendees he is not too happy to find Monica Noble among
them. Can he unravel the clues to the
murder before Monica?
This is a very
interesting story full of interesting, unique characters with many twists,
turns and shocks all the way to the very unexpected ending. This is a book that readers of Cozy Mysteries
will absolutely love.
Thank you to
Netgalley and the publishers: Joffe Books for the advance copy. This is my unbiased review.
Faith Martin author bio
Faith Martin was born in Oxford, and has spent all her life within twenty miles of the university city, even working at Somerville College for five years before turning to writing full-time. The author of the popular DI Hillary Greene novels, she also writes more classic-style ‘whodunits’ under the pen name Joyce Cato, but began her writing career as Maxine Barry, winning an award for penning romance novels! A popular writer for over 25 years, she has had nearly 50 novels published so far. Her hobbies include walking her now ageing dog, wildlife-watching, reading and (reluctantly) gardening.
Once again the absolutely wonderful Bloggers, Reviewers and Readers have made time to help promote Jason Smith book 10: SEVERED. You guys are awesome we cant thank you enough xx
What the bloggers and reviewers thought:
Donna’s Book Blog
I did guess the ending in part but there were plenty of twists and turns on the way to get there and for me this is definitely up there with my favourite books of the series so far and I am already eagerly awaiting the release of the next book in the series! Read more here
Nicki’s book blog
A clever plot and a very unusual premise- something I wasn’t previously aware of. I won’t give anything away other than to say ugh! A highly entertaining, most enjoyable interesting read. Read more here
The Word is Out
As the story reaches its dramatic conclusion there are a couple of heart-stopping moments from which no one will emerge unscathed. Without doubt this book will be another huge hit! Read more here
Sharon Rimmelzwaan
There is humour running throughout too, the banter and chemistry you sense they are that well wrote. A crime thriller that leads you up many a garden path before it shows you the right way! Read more here
Loopy Laura
We see glimpses of the murderer’s viewpoint which ramps up the anticipation as we know another victim is being sought. The murderer is using blood as paint and there is plenty of clever misdirection from author Stewart Giles as he presents us with a range of potential suspects. Read more here
Akamatra
Severed was another amazing book of Smith’s adventures into finding the “bad guys” and working along his significant other! A very nice plot and quick too! Not at all “draining” Read more here
Ginger Book Geek
For me, ‘Severed’ is brilliantly written but then I wouldn’t expect anything else from Stewart Giles. He draws you into the story from the first word on the first page and once he has your attention, he refuses to let it go. Read more here
Shalini’s Books & Reviews
The tension was slowly built adding its pitch with the turn of a page. I wanted to enjoy the feelings the book evoked, the adrenaline rush. Hence I switched off my analytical brain and just enjoyed the ride. The story took me to the highest zenith and threw me down, a complete free fall… What a rush!! Read more here
Linda Strong Book Reviews
As all the books in this series, it is well-written with skillfully created characters. The crimes are filled with red herrings and high stakes. I highly recommend starting at the very beginning … you’ll find a fascinating journey. Read more here
On The Shelf Reviews
Severed is a fast paced police procedural that sucked me in from the very beginning with, I have to say, one of the most gobsmacking endings in this series. Read more here
Black Books Blog
There is a lot going on in this book, which kept me hooked anf wanting to read more all the way through it. The ending was extremely shocking and not quite what i was expectimg, but Stewart built the suspense up perfectly. Read more here
From #1 best-selling author: Stewart Giles comes a new addition to the popular Detective Jason Smith series.
A
student, who hasn’t been seen for a while is found dead in her room. Her throat has been cut but it turns out that
is not the cause of death! The post-mortem
reveals that she had been drained of all her blood.
The killer has left behind no evidence and there are no clues. Is there a vampire loose in York? When another body is found Smith and the team are struggling to find a link or a motive. Will this be the case that defeats the brilliant DS Smith? How much more heartache can Jason Smith bear? Severed will take him to hell and back.
My Review
I am loving all the
books Stewart Giles is writing this year so I was thrilled to be reading this
one. Book 10 and I have read them all
but I did start with book 8 and then went back to read his back list so I can confirm
they do work perfectly as stand alone.
A student’s
housemates report a noxious smell coming from her room and as the team
investigate they find her with her throat cut.
How could nobody miss her for 2 weeks?
The mystery deepens when a post mortem reveals she has been drained of
blood. Is there a vampire on the loose
in York. There are no clues and Smith is
unsure where to look.
This is a very
intriguing story and as I expect from Stewart a very unusual one. It is fast paced and the reader gets drawn in
to the story in the early pages and then is hooked into a fast paced journey
full of dead ends and shocking curve balls all the way to the totally
unexpected ending.
Smith is pulled
apart by this case at a time when he is still reeling from events in a previous
case. Will this be one case too far and
push Smith over the edge? It certainly puts
his emotions under extreme duress but whether he survives physically and
mentally – well you will have to read the book to find out.
Another brilliant
addition to the series. 10 books in you
would imagine the characters are fully developed but there is still much to
learn and I am hoping that this series will continue giving for many more books
to come.
5 golden stars from me
THE SETTING
At the confluence of the River Ouse and Foss,
York is the traditional county town of the historic county of Yorkshire. York
Minster and a variety of cultural and sporting activities make it a popular
tourist destination.
THE DETECTIVE
DS Jason Smith is an Australian who was sent to York to live with his Grandmother when
his sister disappeared from a beach. He has suffered many losses in his short
life and is now a dedicated detective. He is a bit of a loose cannon he has his
own way of doing things that doesn’t always mean following orders and
procedures. However, he does get
results.
What the readers are saying about SEVERED:
‘It’s worth picking up I really enjoyed it like I do with all
these authors books. He delivers something different in his stories every time’ – Booklover Bev
‘As with all the books in this series, it is well-written
with skilfully created characters. The crimes are filled with red herrings and
high stakes.’ – Linda Strong
‘A little humour here and there and a plot to keep the grey
matter active.’ – Misfits Farm
‘Will this be one case too far and push Smith over the
edge? It certainly puts his emotions
under extreme duress but whether he survives physically and mentally – well you
will have to read the book to find out.’Amazon Reviewer
Books by Stewart Giles
DS JASON SMITH SERIES Book 0.5 -Phobia Book 1 -Smith Book 2-Boomerang Book 3-Ladybird Book 4-Occam’s Razor Book 5-Harlequin Book 6-Selene Book 7-Horsemen Book 8-Unworthy Book 9-Venom Book 10-Severed
DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES Book 1-The Beekeeper Book 2-The Perfect Murder Book 3-The Backpacker Trotterdown a box set of DC Harriet Taylor books 1-3
DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES Book 1 -The Enigma Book 2 – Dropzone
PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS Miranda Mistress – coming soon
Stewart Giles Author Bio
After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.
In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.
3 years and 8 DS Smith books
later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a
self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC
Harriet Taylor Cornwall series.
The Beekeeper was published
and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The
Perfect Murder did just as well.
I continued to self-publish
the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing
results. I therefore made the decision
to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor
series which was published in July 2018.
After The Backpacker I had an
idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith
and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brings together the broody,
enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.
Miranda is something totally
different. A stand-alone psychological thriller, it is a real departure from
anything else I’ve written before.
Severed, book 10 in the DS Jason Smith series is now available. I am currently writing Mistress, the sequel to Miranda.
‘A fresh pair of eyes and a different perspective added to advances in forensics brings to light evidence and possibilities that were overlooked 17 years ago with shocking results. There are many twists and turns along the way as the team untangles a web of lies going back many years. The conclusion is a real shocker that the reader cant see coming.’
A teenage girl’s body is found in the back of a car on the notorious Hobfield housing estate. No one had reported her missing, but she’s been dead for a week.
Meanwhile, an old jar is brought into the station. It was found carefully wrapped in a blanket, with a child’s pink hairclip. The jar contains ashes and bone fragments.
Seventeen years ago Detective Tom Calladine had been part of a team investigating the disappearance of Jessica Wilkins. Her mother had taken her to Leesdon Park one summer afternoon.
She went to get the child an ice cream and when she returned her daughter was gone. Over the years there were no sightings, no witnesses — nothing.
Will there finally be closure for this unsolved mystery? And why was the girl found in the car killed and why are her friends not telling her the whole story?
Detectives Tom Calladine and Ruth Bayliss will unravel a web of lies and pain, in this fast-moving and gripping crime mystery.
Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the stunning conclusion
If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Mel Sherratt, Ruth Rendell, or Mark Billingham you will enjoy this exciting new crime fiction writer.
DEAD JEALOUS is book seven of a new series of detective thrillers featuring D.S. Ruth Bayliss and D.I. Tom Calladine.
MY REVIEW
Helen Durrant is a fabulous author and I loved this book from the very first page. Forensic pathology is a particular interest of mine so this was an extra bonus. While it is part of a series it does work very well as stand alone. The book does refer to events from the previous book but Helen has, excellently, managed to bring a new reader up to date while at the same time ensuring readers of the previous books are not bored with recaps from previous books.
There are several cases that the team has to juggle. A teenage girl is murdered, a 17 year old cold case is reopened and a viscous moneylender has residents living in fear. Totally different cases and the team is struggling to move forward with any of them.
Team dynamics play a big part in this book as personal feelings and resentments come to the fore. The characters are very realistic and complex. We learn a little about their personal lives within the book as they develop.
A fresh pair of eyes and a different perspective added to advances in forensics brings to light evidence and possibilities that were overlooked 17 years ago with shocking results. There are many twists and turns along the way as the team untangles a web of lies going back many years. The conclusion is a real shocker that the reader cant see coming,
I absolutely loved this book I was hooked from the beginning and just kept reading ‘a little bit more’. I intend to read Helen’s backlist as soon as time allows.
A fantastic read. Thank you to Joffe Books for the advance copy,
THE DETECTIVES Tom Calladine is a detective inspector who is devoted to his job. His personal life, however, is not so successful. Having been married and divorced before the age of twenty-one has set a pattern that he finds difficult to escape.
Ruth Bayliss is in her mid-thirties, plain-speaking but loyal. She is balancing her professional life with looking after a small child.
THE SETTING The fictional village of Leesdon on the outskirts of an industrial northern English city. There is little work and a lot of crime. The bane of Calladine’s life is the Hobfield housing estate, breeding ground to all that is wrong with the area that he calls home.
THE DCI GRECO BOOKS Book 1: DARK MURDER Book 2: DARK HOUSES Book 3: DARK TRADE
THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERY SERIES Book 1: DEAD WRONG Book 2: DEAD SILENT Book 3: DEAD LIST Book 4: DEAD LOST Book 5: DEAD & BURIED Book 6: DEAD NASTY Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS
Helen H Durrant
Author Bio
Helen sets her books in the area she has lived in for many years. The towns and villages that sit in the shelter of the Pennine hills. This is an area between two counties, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and between the city and the hills. It offers a rich mix of the industrial and the countryside and all the character therein.
Helen always planned to write crime novels. But until she retired from full-time work in a local further education college, it had to go on the back burner. Once she did retire – there was no excuse. She now writes full-time. Retirement proper will have to wait!
Currently there are nine books in the ‘Calladine & Bayliss’ series available – Dead Wrong, Dead Silent, Dead List, Dead Lost, Dead & Buried, Dead Nasty, Dead Jealous, Dead Bad, and the latest – Dead Guilty. There is also a box set of the first three books.
Also available are four books in the ‘DI Greco’ series – Dark Murder, Dark Houses, Dark Trade, and the latest – Dark Angel.
There are two books in the DI Matt Brindle series – His Third Victim and The Other Victim.
The DCI Rachel King series has two books – Next Victim and Two Victims
A GIRL’S BODY IS FOUND IN A DUSTBIN. DEAD MEAT IS WRITTEN ON A NOTE FOUND WITH HER.
The girl was part of a group of bullies from the local school. But DI Calladine recognises the MO of Craig Donnelly, a killer he thought he’d put away forever. And coincidentally Donnelly has just been released from prison. But when Detective Calladine charges in, he finds out that Donnelly has a watertight alibi and is under the protection of the local vicar, who thinks Donnelly is a changed man.
When another girl goes missing from the same group of friends, Calladine must look elsewhere for the killer and comes across a sinister online predator who was in touch with all the girls.
DS Ruth Bayliss is back from maternity leave, but even her skills and common sense can’t crack the case. In a race against time, they must stop the killer, someone who may even be close to home, before he continues his vicious killing spree.
Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the stunning and surprising conclusion
My Review
This is book 6 in the Calladine and Bayliss series. The first book I read in this series was book 7 some time ago and I have found the time to go back to the beginning and catch up so I can confirm they work perfectly as stand alone although I would recommend starting at the beginning if possible.
The body of a teenager is found and the method of murder takes Calladine back to a case from his past. The murder of Annabelle affected Calladine all those years ago and although the killer was caught and imprisoned he always maintained he was innocent. However, he has been released on parole and now history is repeating itself. Was the wrong man imprisoned? Calladine thinks not but Ruth Bayliss uncovers questions from the earlier case that had no answers forcing Calladine to question is gut instinct.
This case brings both Calladine and Bayliss’ personal lives into their professional ones as they both try to uncover the clues to identify the killer.
I love the characters in this book they develop a little more with each addition to the series as we learn more about the history that has shaped the individual.
This is a fast paced, intriguing story that kept the pages turning on a roller coaster ride of adrenaline pumping suspense all the way to the totally shocking ending.
WOW 5 stars from me – absolutely brilliant
Helen H Durrant
Author Bio
Helen sets her books in the area she has lived in for many years. The towns and villages that sit in the shelter of the Pennine hills. This is an area between two counties, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and between the city and the hills. It offers a rich mix of the industrial and the countryside and all the character therein.
Helen always planned to write crime novels. But until she retired from full-time work in a local further education college, it had to go on the back burner. Once she did retire – there was no excuse. She now writes full-time. Retirement proper will have to wait!
Currently there are nine books in the ‘Calladine & Bayliss’ series available – Dead Wrong, Dead Silent, Dead List, Dead Lost, Dead & Buried, Dead Nasty, Dead Jealous, Dead Bad, and the latest – Dead Guilty. There is also a box set of the first three books.
Also available are four books in the ‘DI Greco’ series – Dark Murder, Dark Houses, Dark Trade, and the latest – Dark Angel.
There are two books in the DI Matt Brindle series – His Third Victim and The Other Victim.
The DCI Rachel King series has two books – Next Victim and Two Victims
Dead Guilty (Book 9)
Dead Jealous (book 7)
