Sixth Grave on the Edge
By Darynda Jones 4 stars. Darynda Jones new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people, and it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Most girls might think twice before getting engaged to someone like Reyes Farrow—but Charley Davidson is not most girls. She's a paranormal private eye and grim reaper-in-training who's known to be a bit of a hell-raiser, especially after a few shots of caffeine. Her beloved Reyes may be the only begotten son of evil, but he's dark and sultry and deeply sexy and everything Charley could hope for. Really. But when the FBI file on Reyes' childhood happens to land into her lap, she can't help herself: She opens it...and then the real fun begins. First, Charley finds a naked corpse riding shotgun in her car. Then, a man loses his soul in a card game. Throw in a Deaf boy who sees dead people, a woman running from mobsters, and a very suspicious Reyes, and things can't get any worse for Charley. Unless, of course, the Twelve Beasts of Hell are unleashed… While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com
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Fifth Grave past the Light
By Darynda Jones 4 stars. Darynda Jones new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people, and it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com . Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
By Darynda Jones 4 stars. Darynda Jones new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people, and it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. In Darynda Jones's Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet, sometimes being the grim reaper really is that. Grim. And since Charley’s last case went so awry, she has taken a couple months off to wallow in the wonders of self-pity. But when a woman shows up on her doorstep convinced someone is trying to kill her, Charley has to force herself to rise above. Or at least get dressed. She quickly realizes something is amiss when everyone the woman knows swears she’s insane. The more they refute the woman’s story, the more Charley believes it. In the meantime, the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, has been cleared of all charges. He is out of prison and out of Charley’s life, as per her wishes and several perfectly timed death threats. But his absence has put a serious crimp in her sex life. While there are other things to consider, like the fact that the city of Albuquerque has been taken hostage by an arsonist, Charley is having a difficult time staying away. Especially when it looks like Reyes may be involved. Just when life was returning to normal, Charley is thrust back into the world of crime, punishment, and the devil in blue jeans. While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Third Grave Dead Ahead
By Darynda Jones 4 stars. Darynda Jones new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people, and it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #NetGalley #ThirdGraveDeadAhead Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Second Grave on the Left
By Darynda Jones 5 stars. Darynda Jones new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people, and it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. The second book sees Charley and Cookie, having to track down a missing woman, while Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally.) has left his corporeal body because he's being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heaven…well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #NetGalley #SecondGraveOnTheLeft Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com First Grave on the Right
By Darynda Jones 5 stars. Darynda Jones introduces a new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people, and it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about a mysterious entity Reyes Alexander Farrow who has been following her all her life. Along for the ride is her best friend Cookie, a team of police officers, and spirits that allow her to solve crimes, bring justice to the dead. While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com The New Girl
By Ingrid Alexandra 4 stars The New Girl sucks you in with a slow burn of building tension, that sets off alarm bells, before revealing itself as a psychological thriller. Rachel is the New Girl, moving into the spare room in Mary’s flat in Sydney, but everyone, except for Mary, thinks there is something strange about her. Mary however feels a connection, a bond that expands throughout the story. Both plot and characters are well developed and believable. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #TheNewGirl #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Charley Davidson Series -By Darynda Jones
5 stars. Darynda Jones introduces a new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley sees dead people, and it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about a mysterious entity Reyes Alexander Farrow who has been following her all her life. Along for the ride is her best friend Cookie, a team of police officers, and spirits that allow her to solve crimes, bring justice to the dead. While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title. Currently there are 12 books in the series, with a thirteenth due in January 2019: First Grave on the Right Second Grave on the Left Third Grave Dead Ahead Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet Fifth Grave Past the Light Sixth Grave on the Edge Seventh Grave and No Body Eighth Grave After Dark The Dirt on Ninth Grave The Curse of Tenth Grave Eleventh Grave in the Moonlight The Trouble with Twelfth Grave Summoned to Thirteenth Grave Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com The Wall
By Joseph Hayes 4 stars. Is it really possible to make a difference in the world? Is it really true that anyone can become president of the USA? Is there really people behind the political scenes pulling all the strings? Miguel Sanchez is a talent attorney with a hidden past, on the cusp of ruling America. For his entire life he has had those behind him pulling strings. I found the book to be fast paced from start to climax, not getting stuck in the middle as some authors tend to do. The plot and characters are well developed through the pace and mini climax’s of the story. It does set up those initial questions for the thinkers to mull over. It is mostly though a novel dealing with an immigration issue, and the test of friendship. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #TheWall #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Boardwalk Trust
By Avery Duff 3 stars. The book starts well, engaging and interesting, but becomes bogged down with details setting up the plot and developing characters. This makes the middle of the book hard work to plough through. This is the second book in the Beach Lawyer series. Where some series you can pick up the second or third book and start reading, this one leaves you feeling I am missing something. Is it worth investing the time to read the first book to make this one come alive? I feel not. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #TheBoardwalkTrust #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Executive Force
By Gary Grossman Engaging from the first page to the last. In the genre of Tom Clancy, the Executive series by Grossman are action packed, imaginative thrillers that take the reader on a journey to the very last pages. Executive Force is the fourth book in the series, which features Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke on a serial assassin’s trail—one that leads to a clandestine North Korean plot and a nuclear standoff. The assassin is picking off American political figures, one by one, creating uncertainty and havoc. Meanwhile, Roarke’s fiancée, an assistant to the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, is tasked with researching the separatists. Attorney Katie Kessler goes rogue to gather evidence for the court. Roarke hunts a lone assassin across two continents. Their paths lead them both to a decades-old plot hatched at a private school in Switzerland, now leading to North Korea. The plot is tight, so that even the build up encourages the reader to keep turning pages to unravel what is coming next. While this is the fourth in the series, it can be read by itself. Although a warning, reading it will encourage you to go out and buy the first three books in the series. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #ExecutiveForce #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Without Rules
By Andrew Field 2 stars Great start, but then the book bogs down with confusing details, and becomes dry. When a professional hitman turns up at Candy’s World to hide, China Mackie discovers her plan to flee from her abusive father has tragically backfired. A gruesome bloodbath has left four people dead on the streets of a northern city centre on a cold wet Sunday morning. China knows she’s next to die. Unless she is more ruthless than everyone else. She must improvise fast. Seduce her father’s assassin. Plead her case so he helps her escape in a fight to the death where rules don’t matter but the consequences do. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #WithoutRules #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com By B P Walter
The new thriller from Walter starts well, setting a hook to drag you in. The middle, while important to raise tension is slow and almost lost me. The final chapters raised the tension but were a disappointing fizzle in the end. Subtited - There are three sides to every story. The plot follows present day Julianne as she discovers something terrible on the family home computer network, that requires her to question everything about her marriage. In a flash back scenario it follows Holly a freshman student at Oxford University, struggling to find her way with those around her from the upper echelons of society and begins to develop feelings for one in particular. He’s confident, quiet, attractive and seems to like her too. But as the year progresses, her friends’ behaviour grows steadily more disconcerting and Holly begins to realise she might just be a disposable pawn in a very sinister game. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #AversionOfTheTruth #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com By Leigh Russel
Engaging Read This is the seventh book in a series featuring Detective Geraldine Steel. The book works well as a stand alone book, although it makes you want to go back and find the others in the series, to invest in the character. An excellent read. www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Surface Tensions
By G.R. Jordan 4 Stars From the start this title sucks you in, creating interest, and reflecting human nature. As Mermaids are sighted near a Scottish Island, a town becomes divided, between those who want to wipe them out, and those who want to save the creatures. This is all compounded when first a merman, then a fisherman. Amongst it all, there new relationships are formed, and heroes emerge. The story is cleverly written, and rolled out for the audience. The characters, certainly the man character, which there are several are slowly introduced, and their character developed. What I really enjoyed about the book, was the way it reflected human nature, with many attacking the unknown and the mob mentality. It is an easy read, that is enjoyable. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. #SurfaceTensions #NetGalley Reviewed by Heath Henwood www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Deadly Recall
By T.R. Ragan Slow and Boring. This is the second book in the series featuring Jessie Cole, a private investigator. I am aware that Ragan is a popular author and have read several of her titles in the past. This though is far from her best work, with a slow-moving plot, that failed to engage the reader. The roll out of the story, describing the characters, trying to paint a picture of them is commendable, but it misses the mark on the books genre. #DeadlyRecall #NetGalley The tattoo thief
By Alison Belsham 4 stars An engaging and enjoyable read. This title will twists and turns as you try to determine who the killer is and who is the mystery man pulling all the strings. With four central characters – Marni a tattooist, Francis a newly appointed Detective Investigator, Rory, a detective who desires Francis job, and the Killer. All have their own characteristics and plans. The plot will leave you guessing who is the killer, and it is cleverly rolled out throughout the story You will be left wanting more. A Broken Reality
By Rob Kaufman Confusing plot, slow start. Generally I have liked this style of writing, and It could just be me, but I was completely lost by the time I was a third of the way through the book. The concept of interwoven plots often works well, but I dare say not in this case. Hush Hush
By Mel Sherratt 4 Stars Gripping from the first page. Sherratt introduces Detective Sergeant Grace Allensdale, who is called upon to stop the murders while leading a new team. There is a twist, the clues lead to Grace’s step family, complicating all the issues. The twists in the plot keep you guessing till the last few pages, with some unexpected jumps at the end. The characters are well developed, particularly that of Grace, with the backstory filled in as we read through. An engaging mystery, that’s hard to put down, and will leave you wanting more. #HushHush #NetGalley www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Vermin
By William A. Graham Here is a very different private detective story – enjoyably so! William Graham has written an engaging and easy to read mystery story. As a reader we are not overloaded with characters, which allows Graham to develop some depth into the characters, showing a human story to them with short backfilling history asides. The Plot centres around private detective Allan Linton, who generally makes up the rules as he progresses. This time he is hired to track down a missing girl. But there is more to the story that it seems. All he's got to go on is an old photo and the help – and hindrance – of the city's biggest drug dealer and his eccentric associate Niddrie. An enjoyable story that leaves you wanting more. #Vermin #NetGalley www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Dead Girls
by Graeme Cameron Here is a book that sucks you in. Written cleverly to engage the readers attention, “Dead Girls”, follows the story of a police detective Alisha Green on her search for a serial killer. With a foggy mind after being brutally attacked, Green is unsure about most things, but is seeing more dead girls appear, as well as her colleagues being picked off one by one. While the character of Green comes to life through the pages, some of the other characters lack the depth one could expect. However, that being said, the storyline is gripping and carries the reader through. #DeadGirls #NetGalley www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Fighting Back
by Darren Darker Fighting Back is the third in a series featuring John Morgan, however is it an easy read, and there is no need to have read the other two to understand the character or the story line. Bad luck and sorry situations seem to find Morgan wherever he is. In this book he is stuck in a small picturesque town in the South West of Ireland for a few days, due to car trouble. Local Bullies have over run the town, and Morgan needs to decide to quickly leave or take a stand. to join him, and together they plan to rid the town of the gang once and for all. The story is an easy read, with predictable endings, but that’s okay. The character of John Morgan is larger than life, and there is good support of character develop of those around him. Overall I found it an easy read, to complete in a day while sitting and relaxing. #FightingBack #NetGalley www.books-reviewed.weebly.com To Die in Vienna
by Kevin Wignall An engaging mystery thriller that will have you turning to the last page. Freddie Makin is a spy for hire, with a past of pain and hurts. A year of a simple harmless job suddenly goes belly up, and the body count starts to mount. Freddie becomes a hunted man, with very few options. This is the first of Kevin Wigall’s books that I have read, but it had me looking for more. While it is an easy read, there is depth in the storyline, and most of the characters spring to life off the pages, leaving the reader wanting more and they finish the last page. An easy read mystery, that keeps the reader engaged. #ToDieInVienna #NetGalley www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Tagged for Murder
by Jack Fredrickson Full of twists, and written to keep the reader engaged to the very last page. Tagged for Murder will keep you guessing who the good guys are and who is killing who. Elstrom is a PI in Chicago who is hired to take photos of a murder site. As he digs for more, his client goes missing, and more bodies start to appear. The characters, particularly Elstrom are well developed, and the plot paints a picture for the reader. Well written and edited. An easy read mystery, that keeps the reader engaged. #TaggedForMurder #NetGalley www.books-reviewed.weebly.com Liv Bergen Mystery Series
Book 1 - In the Belly of Jonah Book 2 - Lot's Return to Sodom Book 3 - Widow's Might Book 4 - Noah's Rainy Day Book 5 – Solomon's Whisper Book 6 - Jacob's Descent Book 7 - Jeremiah's Revenge by Sandra Brannan The Liv Bergen Series by Sandra Brannan will split audiences, either loving or extremely disliking the books. On the positive the books are faced paced, with a modern female lead. The gripping story line twists and turns like a snake on a mission. On the negative, after the first, the books fall into a pattern, with the spice losing its flavour quickly. The second and third books are a much harder read. The first book in the series “In the Belly of Jonah”, introduces the characters Liv Bergen, amateur sleuth, and her love interest, FBI Agent Streeter Pierce. They investigate the gruesome murder of her summer intern Jill Brannigan. More murders are quick to follow, by a madman with an appetite for human art. #InTheBellyOfJonah #NetGalley www.books-reviewed.weebly.com |
AuthorHeath writes reviews regularly for newspapers and magazines. Archives
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