Tag: Crime Fiction

Blog Tour – WRONG VICTIM (Detective Rachel King #3) by H. H. Durrant #crimefiction #policeprocedural #detective #netgalley #WrongVictim #bookreview #newrelease @joffebooks @hhdurrant

Today I am thrilled to be kicking off the Blog Tour for WRONG VICTIM with my #bookreview of this awesome addition to the Detective Rachel King series by one of my favourite authors: Helen H Durrant. Fast paced, full of twists and turns this is an absolutely gripping page-turner that is a must read for any crime fiction fans.

Wrong Victim

Author: Helen H Durrant

Published by Joffe Books

Publication Date: 5th December 2019

Genre: Crime Fiction

Available from: AMAZON

A man is found dead in his bed, suffocated, covered in confetti and with his ring finger missing. Detective Rachel King informs his daughter and takes her to identify the body. But she’s never seen the man before in her life.

WHAT IF YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO THE KILLER REALLY WANTED TO MURDER?

Then a second murder. This time a woman, Alison, also suffocated and with her finger severed and confetti strewn over her body.

The team desperately search for a link before anyone else dies.

Meanwhile, someone has been running a property scam, selling dream houses that will never be built.

And the love of Rachel’s life has disappeared. Is he really the mastermind of a people-trafficking gang? Or does Rachel have enemies on her own team?

A MYSTERY FULL OF STUNNING TWISTS AND WITH NO ONE RACHEL CAN TRUST.

My Review

This is book 3 in the brilliant Detective Rachel King series by Helen Durrant.

A sick old man in a nursing home is found murdered with confetti sprinkled over him and his wedding finger missing.  Who would want to kill a man who is dying and what is the confetti all about?  These are just a few of the questions that Rachel King and her team need to find answers to but as they delve into the victim’s life they open Pandora’s box and are faced with shocks and more secrets than they ever expected.

Rachel King is a character who grows on you.  She is in love with Jed but he lives on the wrong side of the law (or does he) so her feelings have to be kept locked inside.  She relies heavily on her partner Elwyn and as everyone seems to have secrets he is the only colleague she is able to trust.  In the previous book we saw her at loggerheads with Kenton, a detective from a nearby station.  This very rocky relationship is carried through to this book as Rachel is forced to work with him.  But can she trust him?  Who can she trust?

Elwyn comes accross as the dependable type the voice of reason.  He is not easily ruffled and is a perfect character to offset Rachel’s lack of patience.

Jonny takes a bigger role in the story as he develops his detective skills we see more of his gut instinct come to the fore as he gains the confidence to act on his hunches.

The story is fast paced as I expect from Helen Durrant.  There are many twists and turns as we are taken on a journey through mistaken identity, corruption, drugs and revenge.  But knowing the why doesn’t mean the who will be revealed it is all a very tangled web that Rachel and her team have to untangle to find the right path to cracking the case.

What readers are saying about HELEN H. DURRANT

“I couldn’t put it down.” Barbara

“This new series by Helen H. Durrant certainly has got off to a thrilling start.” Viv

“If you want a book to get your teeth into, this is the one. A massive 5*” Greta

“Another fast-paced murder mystery” Aileen

“The writing wastop notch and the characters were very real.” Kat

THE DETECTIVE
DCI Rachel King. Thirty-nine year-old mother of two teenage daughters. Divorced from Alan. She lives in the Cheshire village of Poynton – about ten miles from central Manchester. She is good at her job, gets results but does make mistakes. One of them was getting involved with a budding villain in her teens. No one, family, friends or colleagues know anything about this.

ALSO BY HELEN H. DURRANT
RACHEL KING
Book 1: Next Victim
Book 2: Two Victims
Book 3: Wrong Victim

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
Book 8: DEAD BAD
Book 9: DEAD GUILTY

THE DCI GRECO BOOKS
Book 1: DARK MURDER
Book 2: DARK HOUSES
Book 3: DARK TRADE
Book 4: DARK ANGEL

MATT BRINDLE
Book 1: HIS THIRD VICTIM
Book 2: THE OTHER VICTIM

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

LINKS

Twitter – @hhdurrant

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pg/helenhdurrant/about/?ref=page_internal

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Blog Tour Wrap Up – VENOM (DS Smith #9) by Stewart Giles #newrelease #crimefiction #detective @stewartgiles

Thank you to all the absolutely wonderful Bloggers, readers and supporters who helped with the launch of VENOM your help is very much appreciated — THANK YOU Stewart and Jill xx

What the readers and bloggers thought:

Black Books Blog

The tension towards the end of the book is immense and, unlike most books, the drama doesn’t finish until the very last page with people being in danger all the way through the last couple of chapters. As with all of Stewart’s other books this one will keep you hooked and the action never lets up. The ending was shocking and Stewart has put Jason Smith through more things in this book than ever before.  Read more here

Sassy Redhead Book Reviews

I loved this story and the characters are always so great to read. I enjoy the way that the characters work together to get the results needed to solve the case. The depth the detectives will go to get results is always interesting to me. I enjoy a good sleuth story and this one did not disappoint. I thought I had the criminal sorted out but then I second guessed myself only to find out that I was spot on. Read more here

Linda Strong Book Reviews

Kudos to the author who came up with a unique killer with a distinctive way to kill. Once started, I couldn’t put it down for long. There are surprising twists and turns, lots of action and plenty of suspense. Read more here

Joanna Larum’s Reviews

I always enjoy Stewart’s books but this one has scaled heights which he has never reached before. It was page-turningly brilliant and left me so dreadfully disappointed when I had finished it. I wanted more! Immediately! Read more here

The Word is Out

As with previous stories from this author this book is a joy to read and once started I just did not want to put it down. There is heart-warming humour and banter between the main characters which just makes the story even more human and enjoyable, and we get some insight from the killer’s point of view which is also interesting knowing things that Smith does not.   Read more here

Sarah’s Thoughts

So Stewart has nailed it once more. This is the latest Jason Smith book and it is gripping, the only complaint i have is that Jason is the target again (sorry Stewart). But if you want an easy read on an emotional thrilling rollercoaster this is it.

Turn The Page Blog

DS Smith is back…. Absolutely fantastic read, but I advise you not to buy this is you housework as it won’t get done ! I was unable to leave this alone. The blurb says it all… Read more here

On The Shelf Reviews

If you’re not familiar with Stewart Giles’ work, they’re fast paced police procedurals, with a sprinkling of dark humour, plenty of action. Smith is a stubborn Australian, who even though he’s matured a little is still his usual rule bending, stubborn self.  Read more here

Akamatra

This is a fast paced book as Stewart usually writes them. I was gripping my phone (I read it on my kindle app) and trying to refrain from bitting my nails! I loved it!  Read more here

Debbie Hipster

The cases were interesting and highly inventive and pulled on my intrigue the whole way through. And seeing Smith get emotional with this case tugs on heart strings for sure. Read more here

Donna’s Book Blog

I honestly think that this author’s stories are going from strength to strength, he has an additive writing style and I love reading about the characters he has created and can’t wait to see what he releases next – no hesitation with this one – it is 5 stars from me!! Read more here

Mystery Thriller Week

Ginger Book Geek

Sharon Rimmelzwaan

VENOM, Detective Jason Smith book 9

Available from Amazon

From #1 best-selling author: Stewart Giles comes a new addition to the popular Detective Jason Smith series. 

Still recovering from an accident, DS Jason Smith receives a strange phone call: ‘I want to live.’  The number is unknown, and Jason puts it down to a hoax call.  While doing a favour for DCI Chalmers the phone call suddenly begins to make sense and Jason is once again on the trail of a psychopath.

Can Smith stop this maniac before more people die?  Who is it and why does he have Smith’s number?  As the team struggle to find some kind of a lead Jason realises that it may not be his own life in danger this time but he is in danger of losing someone else he cares about.

This is a unique story that has a steadily increasing pace that continues to deliver all the way to the very last page.

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 readers are saying about Venom

‘This author’s style of writing is phenomenal to the end.  He never fails me.  All of his books that I have read have pushed all my buttons.  The only thing I can say I didn’t like was THE END!  NO! I want more of DS Jason Smith.  So looking forward to the next one.’ – Booklover Bev

‘What an amazing book, I read it in one sitting as I couldn’t wait to see what Stewart put Jason Smith through next.’ – Simon @ Black Books Blog

‘WOW! Just when I think that Stewart Giles cannot get any better, he goes ahead and proves me wrong. I absolutely LOVED Venom. The action is tight and fast paced. The tension keeps mounting until you feel that you physically can’t sit still any more. The plot is well thought out, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the very end.’ – Heather Opperman

BOOKS BY STEWART GILES

DS JASON SMITH SERIES
Book 0.5-Phobia read more here
Book 1-Smith  read more here
Book 2-Boomerang  read more here
Book 3-Ladybird  read more here
Book 4-Occam’s Razor  read more here
Book 5-Harlequin  read more here
Book 6-Selene  read more here
Book 7-Horsemen  read more here
Book 8-Unworthy  read more here
Book 9 – Venom

DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Beekeeper  read more here
Book 2-The Perfect Murder  read more here
Book 3-The Backpacker  read more here

Trotterdown a box set of DC Harriet Taylor books 1-3 read more here

DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1 – The Enigma  read more here
Book 2 – Dropzone

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS
Miranda  read more here
Miranda sequel 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.

Dropzone, book 2 in the Smith/Harriet series is now available and Venom, book 9 in the Smith series will be released in July 2019. I have plenty more books planned to include, by popular request, a sequel to Miranda.

Links

Website: www.stewartgiles.com

Twitter: @stewartgiles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

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Blog Tour: SEVERED (Detective Jason Smith #10) by Stewart Giles #Detective #CrimeFiction #BookReview #NewRelease #DSSmith #Severed @StewartGiles @Books_n_All

Today is my birthday and I am honoured and thrilled to be sharing it with Stewart Giles’ book birthday for SEVERED. If that isnt exciting enough I am also kicking off the Blog Tour (yippeee). SEVERED is book 10 in the brilliant Detective Smith series and it is another stunning read. Stewart gets better and better book by book and this is one heart-stopping, adrenaline pumping page-turner.

SEVERED (Detective Jason Smith #10)

Available from Amazon for 99p/99c
Read more on Goodreads

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.

Links

Website: www.stewartgiles.com

Twitter: @stewartgiles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

You can join the Stewart Giles reader club by completing this form  https://mailchi.mp/a64f6de4c541/sgreadersclub

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Blog Tour Wrap Up: SEVERED (Detective Jason Smith #10) by Stewart Giles #Detective #CrimeFiction #BookReview #NewRelease #DSSmith #Severed @StewartGiles @Books_n_All

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

Joanna Larum’s Reviews

Susan Angela Wallace

SEVERED (Detective Jason Smith #10)

Available from Amazon for 99p/99c
Read more on Goodreads

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.

Links

Website: www.stewartgiles.com

Twitter: @stewartgiles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stewart.giles.33

You can join the Stewart Giles reader club by completing this form  https://mailchi.mp/a64f6de4c541/sgreadersclub

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THE NIKKI GALENA BOX SET (Books 1,2,3) by Joy Ellis #crimefiction #detective #TeamJoffeBooks @joffebooks

I am very excited to let you know that books 1-3 in the brilliant NIKKI GALENA series by the brilliant Joy Ellis are now available as a box set.

DETECTIVE NIKKI GALENA BOOKS 1-3 three absolutely gripping crime thrillersDETECTIVE NIKKI GALENA BOOKS 1-3 three absolutely gripping crime thrillers by Joy Ellis

Available from AMAZON

DO YOU LOVE GRIPPING CRIME FICTION? THEN MEET DETECTIVE NIKKI GALENA. FROM A GLOBALLY BEST-SELLING AUTHOR WHO HAS SOLD OVER 1.5 MILLION BOOKS.

YOU GET THREE ENTHRALLING MYSTERIES IN THIS BOX SET

BOOK 1: CRIME ON THE FENS

The town is being terrorised by gangs of violent thugs, all wearing identical hideous masks. 

Then a talented young female student goes missing on the marsh and Nikki and Joseph find themselves joining forces with a master criminal in their efforts to save her. They need to look behind the masks, but when they do, they find something more sinister and deadly than they ever expected . . .

BOOK 2: SHADOW OVER THE FENS

A man is found executed on a piece of wasteland in Greenborough town.

The cold-blooded murder triggers terrible memories for Detective Joseph Easter. Just when things seemed to be going well for DS Easter, he realises that the nightmare is coming back, threatening his career, his sanity, and maybe his life.

In a breath-taking conclusion even Nikki begins to doubt DS Easter as he faces a race against time to save someone very close to him.

BOOK 3: HUNTED ON THE FENS

A vicious criminal is targeting Detective Nikki Galena and her team. One by one he will hunt them down and destroy their lives, unless she can stop him first.

DI Nikki Galena faces her toughest challenge yet. Can she save her team and herself from a cruel and determined adversary who will stop at nothing to harm Nikki and her colleagues? First she must work out who wants revenge against her or one of her detectives. Full of twists and turns, this is a crime novel that will have you turning the pages until the stunning ending.

Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell.

DISCOVER ONE OF THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE DETECTIVES

THE DETECTIVE DI Nikki Galena: A police detective with nothing left to lose, she’s seen a girl die in her arms, and her daughter will never leave the hospital again. She’s got tough on the criminals she believes did this to her.

HER PARTNER DS Joseph Easter is the squeaky-clean new member of the team. But his nickname “Holy Joe” belies his former life as a soldier. He has an estranged daughter who blames him for everything that went wrong with their family.

THE SETTING The Lincolnshire Fens: great open skies brood over marshes, farmland, and nature reserves. It is not easy terrain for the Fenland Constabulary to police, due to the distances between some of the remote Fen villages, the dangerous and often misty lanes, and the poor telephone coverage. There are still villages where the oldest residents have never set foot outside their own farmland and a visit to the nearest town is a major event. But it has a strange airy beauty to it, and above it all are the biggest skies you’ve ever seen.

My Review

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

CRIME ON THE FENS
I began reading this series with Buried on the Fens so I can confirm it work well as stand alone. It has always been in my plans to go back to the beginning and I am thrilled that I have finally found a gap in my reading commitments to do this.

Nikki Galena is star of the show. A feisty woman who has a lot of pain in her life which has caused her to hate drugs with a passion. At the beginning she is very much a one woman band and has had several partners running for the hills. She is forced to work with Joseph Easter a man who is good where she is bad. Is it a match made in heaven or hell? I couldn’t wait to find out.

2 young women disappear one is a dedicated student and the other the daughter of a criminal. Not just any criminal though, one that is ‘friends’ with Nikki Galena. The Police are working with the underworld to find these women in a story that has humour, tears and lots of edge-of-your-seat thrills and spills.

This is an excellent book in which we watch characters grow and develop as the team works together to untangle the web of lies.

I expect nothing less from Joy Ellis than a story that takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions which keeps the pages turning all the way to the end. Brilliant read!

SHADOW OVER THE FENS
This is book 2 of the Nikki Galena series.

Nikki is finally coming to terms with the trauma of what happened to Hannah and is in the process of moving back to Cloud Fen when her neighbour commits suicide in front of a group of children. What could have caused him to act in a way that was so uncharacteristic of him? This is a question that Nikki must find the answer to.

Joseph is recovering from his injuries and has just returned to work when a nemesis from his past appears. Men who look like this man turn up dead and suspicion is pointed at Joseph.

What is going on and are there any links between the 2 cases. As Nikki tries to find clues to the motive for the murders she finds herself up against secrets from many years ago.

This is a very intriguing and complex story that keeps the reader engrossed in the story through a roller coaster ride of twist and turns all the way to the shocking conclusion.

We learn a lot more about the characters in this book as the story unfolds. I love the characters that make up Nikki’s team they are complex and realistic.

I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

An excellent read and well worth the 5 stars.

HUNTED ON THE FENS
This is book 3 in the ‘Fens’ series by Joy Ellis. The suspense starts at the beginning and continues right to the end.

Joseph is on high alert when he smells smoke and springs into action in time to warn Nikki her garage is on fire. That is only the beginning of a chain of events that has the whole of her team watching each other’s backs.

Nikki is still reeling from the death of her daughter and now she feels responsible for a young officer losing his life and another badly injured. Someone is after revenge but who and why is the question everyone is asking.

In addition they are trying to solve a murder where a woman is found dead in a locked room with state of the art security. The assassin is killed in a road accident leaving no clues and certainly no answers just more questions.

We learn more about the characters and their pasts in this book as well as following a complex case with multiple events that create an adrenaline pumping read that had me turning page after page.

Another gripping addition to a brilliant series with a totally unexpected ending – 5 golden stars from me

View all my reviews

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10 of 10 Dead Guilty -CALLADINE and BAYLISS series by Helen H Durrant #bookreview #detective #crimefiction @hhdurrant @joffebooks

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.


Dead Guilty (Book 9)

Available from AMAZON

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

LINKS

Twitter – @hhdurrant

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pg/helenhdurrant/about/?ref=page_internal

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Kate Hamblin Series: Book 6 – Death on the Levels #Bookreview #crimefiction #detective #detectiveseries @joffebooks

Day 6 and the final day of my Detective Kate Hamblin blogs and today it is Book 6: DEATH ON THE LEVELS

DISCOVER A BREATH-TAKING SERIES OF MYSTERIES THAT YOU WON’T WANT TO PUT DOWN

Death on the Levels (Kate Hamblin #5)

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A PSYCHOTIC SERIAL KILLER TARGETING OLDER WOMEN: THE AUNTIE KILLER.

An eccentric letter arrives at the police station from a man threatening to kill his aunts. Detective Kate and her colleagues don’t take it seriously.

But an elderly woman is found strangled in her home. “RIP Auntie” is written on the floor in red lipstick.
Then another older woman is murdered.

With a major police manhunt underway, it becomes clear that they are up against a very dangerous serial killer, who is engaged in some kind of personal vendetta. An adversary who will not stop until he has achieved what he set out to do. 

But as she tries to get into the mind of the perpetrator, she finds he’s something of a chameleon and always seems to be one step ahead of the police — and this is not the only problem she has to deal with. She finds herself at odds with her boss over what she perceives as a crucial link between their man and a now derelict orphanage.

And another victim will die if Kate can’t track down the killer. 

Whose aunt will pay the ultimate price next?

My Review

A letter is received from George explaining that he is going to murder his Aunts.  Is it a hoax or intention to murder?  Kate thinks the former whereas her DI thinks not.  Roscoe is soon to be proven wrong which won’t help his mood and having another woman DCI to report to, one that he had issues with in a previous case, is unlikely to help his bad mood.
 
It soon becomes clear that the letter is definitely not a hoax as a woman’s body is found.  Now there is the problem of finding out who George is before he finds his next victim.
 
This is a very gripping story filled with danger and twists and turns.  Kate has sympathy for George and I agreed with her.  This is an horrific story of the abuse of a young child who dared to be different.  Religion and closed minds result in a very damaged individual who has been shunted from one institution to another all his life all these institutions having one thing in common:  he suffered abuse while under their ‘care’.
 
Kate has personal problems and this is distracting her to the extent that she puts herself in danger more than once.  Can she keep her mind on the job and solve the case or will her problems put her in a situation that she can’t escape?
 
Another brilliant addition to this series.  Twists, turns and curve balls intertwine to make this an adrenaline pumping read I found impossible to put down.
 
5 stars from me.

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Kate Hamblin Series: Book 5 – Secrets on the Levels #Bookreview #crimefiction #detective #detectiveseries @joffebooks

Day 5 of my Detective Kate Hamblin blogs and today it is Book 5: SECRETS ON THE LEVELS

DISCOVER A BREATH-TAKING SERIES OF MYSTERIES THAT YOU WON’T WANT TO PUT DOWN

Secrets on the Levels (Kate Hamblin #5)

Buy from AMAZON

Detective Kate believes that her own number is up when she finds herself staring at the wrong end of a double-barrelled shotgun on a sodden stretch of Somerset marshland. 

She’s on the trail of villain Lenny Stallard who has just broken out of prison. He was serving time for the murder of the elderly wife of a colonel during a robbery at their country residence near Bridgwater. 

Kate might have been taken off the case but the surprises are not over yet. And she never gives up in her quest for the truth.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BOOK WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS DEADLY SECRETS

My Review

I am a big fan of detective series especially ones that take advantage of the area in which they are set.  I have really enjoyed this series by David Hodges.  Set on the Somerset Levels it takes advantage of the wetlands and mysteries that make up the area.
 
So here we are:  book 5 and I have loved every single book and each has gotten better and better.  Secrets on the Levels is by far the best though. 
 
Kate and Hayden continue to bring a touch of humour to the book along with the miserable, chain smoking Roscoe.  The characters have all grown in depth and complexity as the series progresses with additional characters coming and going to add interest to the stories.
 
The plot is excellent it begins as a standard plot, a murderer escapes from prison and sets out to seek revenge on the people who put him there.  But did he actually murder anyone?  At first I was of the mind that he was just another murderer protesting innocence but as the story progressed I began to question myself.  But if it wasn’t the escapee why were people connected to the case being murdered?  The truth is shocking and makes for a story full of many massive curve balls with adrenaline pumping suspense.
 
This  is a brilliant read well worth the 5 stars and I am hoping there are many more stories to come.

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Kate Hamblin Series: Book 4 – Killer on the Levels #Bookreview #crimefiction #detective #detectiveseries @joffebooks

Day 4 of my Detective Kate Hamblin blogs and today it is Book 4: KILLER ON THE LEVELS

Killer on the Levels (Kate Hamblin #4)

Buy from AMAZON

THE TOUGHEST CASE OF KATE’S CAREER

Missing journalist Ellie Landy is found in the River Parrett by a news crew covering the worst floods the Somerset Levels have suffered in living memory.

A paperback is found by the woman’s bed with a mysterious inscription mentioning “Sandman” and a time of day.

Police assume it is an accidental drowning. Kate disobeys orders from the top and probes the death, as she suspects this was no accident.

When another woman dies in suspicious circumstances, Kate finds herself drawn ever deeper into a nightmare of murder, treachery and perversion.

SHE WILL RISK EVERYTHING TO STOP A SERIAL KILLER, BEFORE THE SANDMAN PUTS ANYONE ELSE TO SLEEP.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BOOK WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS SANDMAN

My Review

This is book 4 in the Kate Hamblin series. 
 
The Somerset levels have been subject to abnormal weather, the worst for 250 years, and there is a lot of flooding with Fields and hedgerows hidden underwater it is a difficult time for everyone.  Young journalist Ellie is stranded at Lowmoor having travelled there by boat but now has no way of getting back and is being hunted down.
 
Married to Hayden Kate has her work cut out.  While she is a dedicated police officer her husband is laid back verging on lazy.  An attempt to cover for the fact that he overslept comes back to bite her when the missing person he is supposedly investigating is found floating in the River Parrett.  Kate suspects murder but her superiors always looking at the budgets order her to leave it as accidental drowning.  Kates instinct is usually spot on and she is right this time as becomes clear when the pathology reports come in.
 
What had Ellie stumbled upon that got her killed?  As Kate and Hayden continue to investigate on the quiet they soon find themselves getting tangled up in the dark grimy world of drugs.
 
This is a gripping page turner as we follow Kate into a world of lies, corruption and danger.  Another great addition to a brilliant detective series.

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