Today I would like to share my review as part of the Blog Tour for THE LIAR by Jane Adams. This is book 4 in the brilliant Mike Croft series and this book is a brilliant addition to a gripping series.
The Liar
Mike Croft book 4
Available from Amazon
a stunning psychological thriller full of breathtaking twists
DISCOVER A BRILLIANTLY GRIPPING CRIME THRILLER FROM A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
“A corker of a book.” Aileen G.
“A riveting read I found hard to put down.” Hannelore C.
“Nothing is what it seems in this book. I spent most of this read sat on the edge of my seat, holding my breath and tapping my Kindle faster and faster.” Peggy B.
DETECTIVE INSPECTOR MIKE CROFT RETURNS TO THE GREENWAY TO FACE HIS MOST PERSONAL CASE YET
A WOMAN IS FOUND STABBED THROUGH THE HEART.
A dry, hot summer on the Norfolk coast. Former police detective John Tynan falls in love for the first time since his wife died. Then the woman, Martha Toolin, is murdered. But everything he thought he knew about Martha was a lie.
Detective Mike Croft is called in to investigate. John is one of Mike’s oldest friends. The murder brings back memories of their most traumatic case.
THE HUNT IS ON.
Martha was a stranger to the area and was seen arguing that day with a teenage boy. He becomes the number one suspect. But it turns out she was a con artist who exploited the vulnerable and elderly. Even her name is false.
SHE IS A LIAR.
The number of people who might have wanted her dead multiplies. Who was she and what did she want with John Tynan?
A MURDER MYSTERY AND SO MUCH MORE.
And then another body is found on the beach . . .
THE LIAR is a stunning psychological crime thriller which you won’t want to put down.
Perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Damien Boyd, Rachel Abbott, Patricia Gibney or Mark Billingham.
Praise for JANE ADAMS, author of the sensational best seller THE GREENWAY.
“Few debut novels achieve this level of suspense. The Greenway lingered in my mind for days. It takes the psychological suspense novel into new realms of mystery.” Val McDermid, Manchester Evening News
“A haunting debut.” Minette Walters
“Compellingly told and rich with psychological insight.” Independent
“Nail-biting stuff.” Ms London
“An assured first novel, with a strong cast and a plot which twists and turns without a glitch.” Yorkshire Evening Post
DETECTIVE MIKE CROFT SERIES
Book 1: THE GREENWAY
Book 2: THE SECRETS
Book 3: THEIR FINAL MOMENTS
Book 4: THE LIAR
My Review
This is book 4 in the Mike Croft series but they do work well as stand alone.
I have read all the books in this series so I feel I have got to know Mike quite well. He comes accross as being a little insecure he lost his 10 year old son and his marriage fell apart. He is now happily married to Maria but they were never blessed with children. In this story Mike is plagued by dreams that included his son. What do they mean? Do they have a bearing on the current case? These are questions he is looking for the answer to.
His partner of choice is Jude she has a knack of knowing the right way to approach people which Mike is lacking so they make a very effective team.
John, a retired detective takes a major part in this book as his past comes back to haunt him.
The story is intriguing it is not the fast paced adrenaline pumping type of thriller but a solid gripping detective story full of twists and turns. There are many secrets to uncover and the ending is quite a shock.
There were many stories all interlinked to make up the main story with betrayal, blackmail, fraud and the issues that affected unmarried mothers way back in time that all feed in to the main story. I kept turning page after page wanting to know what other secrets were to be revealed before Mike and his team were able to join the dots.
I didn’t really work out what the big black dog brought to the story but it didn’t affect my enjoyment so very happy to award the full 5 stars.
Jane Adams author bio
Why do I write?
Like most writers, it’s a kind of compulsion. The stories are there and I have to try and grab hold of them and pin them onto the page. Most of the time, I enjoy the process; sometimes, I’d rather be doing just about anything else, up to and including the ironing – and I hate ironing.
I started writing when my youngest child went to school. I was incredibly lucky and my first novel, The Greenway, was picked up by Macmillan in 1994 and published in 1995.
I currently write two series; Naomi Blake and Rina Martin. Rina was a character I’d had in mind for years before committing her to paper. An elderly, ex thespian who had played the part of a popular TV detective, she had retired to the seaside and bought a boarding house for other ex performers. Rina’s feisty, no nonsense character is, I suppose, based on the rather powerful and opinionated ladies I grew up surrounded by – mother, teachers in the all girls school I attended, aunts and pseudo aunts, all of whom had opinions about everything and made sure these were unstintingly shared.
Naomi Blake, on the other hand, was the brainchild of my late agent, Bob Tanner at International Scripts. ‘You should write a blind detective,’ he said ‘ and she needs a big, black guidedog, called Napoleon’.
I thought it was a daft idea, and told him so. I just couldn’t see how to do it. But, like a lot of seemingly daft ideas, this one wormed its was into my brain and I realised he was right. It could work and so, the Naomi Blake series came into being.
I have always written in other genres too, short stories in the SF, Fantasy and Gothic Horror genre, and am working on longer projects when time allows. I also teach Creative Writing and have had the great priviligde of being a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at three different universities.
Links
Twitter: @JaneAdamsAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jane.adams.16547
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5158042.Jane_A_Adams
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