Tag Archives: thriller

Book Review: The Boy From The Woods by Harlan Coben

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Summary

“Thirty years ago, Wilde was found as a boy, after having lived alone in the woods, for many years, with no memory of his past. Now an adult, he still doesn’t know where he comes from, and another child has gone missing.

No one seems to take Naomi Pine’s disappearance seriously, not even her father-with one exception. Hester Crimstein, a television criminal attorney, knows through her grandson that Naomi was relentlessly bullied at school. Hester asks Wilde-with whom she shares a tragic connection-to use his unique skills to help find Naomi.

Wilde can’t ignore an outcast in trouble, but in order to find Naomi he must venture back into the community where he has never fit in, a place where the powerful are protected even when they harbor secrets that could destroy the lives of millions . . . secrets that Wilde must uncover before it’s too late”. – Goodreads

Published in March 2020, 371 Pages

My Thoughts

I’ve only recently come to Harlan Coben, having read a few of his books in the past few months and falling in love with his writing style and characters. From reading about Harlan Coben, I found out that Hester Crimstein is a character that turns up in a small way in a few of his stories. In this book she has a major part, and I can understand why readers have fallen in love with her. Hester is a sassy, bright, strong willed lawyer who has a major role in this story. I really can’t wait to read more about her in his other books.

The Boy From The Woods has a plot that gripped me immediately, and characters who had a very strong base and who kept my interest. For that matter, each of the Harlan Coben books that I’ve read, have been based on a strong storyline with great characters.

Reading this book felt like I was on a roller coaster. There was so much happening, and so much that was unexpected. Along with the story of a boy who was found in the woods years earlier, there was political scandal and intrigue, along with a teenager who had disappeared, and much, much more. I’m looking forward to reading more Harlan Coben books.

About The Author

Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-five languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries with seventy-five million books in print worldwide.- Goodreads

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unputdownable. Would read it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic read. Not to be missed

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Enjoyable. Would recommend it.

⭐️⭐️ Wouldn’t read it again.

⭐️ Don’t recommend this book at all.

The books mentioned in this post are of my own choice and have not been sent to me to review. My opinions are my own and I receive no renumeration at all for them.

Have you read this book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I promise to always reply to comments made in the section below.

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V: Verity by Colleen Hoover #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

Verity
by
Colleen Hoover

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

Lowen is a struggling writer who is not earning enough money for her everyday needs, when she is offered a job, that any writer would think was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Best selling author Verity, is very ill and unable to finish the remaining books of her best selling series. Her husband offers Lowen the job of completing these books.

Lowen moves into the house with Verity and her husband so that she can read Verity’s work, and study her research papers. She very quickly finds, Verity’s autobiography with very surprising and shocking information about Verity’s life. Lowen is very distracted from the research and, as she gets deeper into the autobiography, has a feeling that all isn’t as it seems.

My Thoughts

Before reading Verity, I had read a book by this author that seemed to be very popular, but it was a book that I didn’t really enjoy. I had Verity on my list to read next, and wasn’t really expecting much from it, however, I did enjoy most of it. The story line is very unusual, which I really liked. I found characters hard to work out, and couldn’t make up my mind if they were ‘good or bad’. However, even that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book. The suspense was at times stomach churning and anxiety producing which, really, is what you want in a thriller

I was completely mystified by what was happening, and at times confused about what was going on, but I was ok with that too. I was waiting until all would be revealed, but when it was, it was unexpected. I found the ending very annoying and disappointing which is why I have given Verity a low star rating. In fact, I felt ripped off, that I had invested so many hours reading for such an ending.

I realise that somebody else might read this book and love the ending. I noticed on Goodreads that Verity received stars from 1 to 5, so obviously the ending was loved by some. It wasn’t for me.

I’d be interested to hear what you thought, if you have read this book.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book. For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

U: Unsolved by James Patterson and David Ellis #atozchallenge #audiobook

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

Unsolved
Invisible $2
by
James Patterson and David Ellis

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

“For Dr. David Beck, the loss was shattering. And every day for the past eight years, he has relived the horror of what happened. The gleaming lake. The pale moonlight. The piercing screams. The night his wife was taken. The last night he saw her alive.

Everyone tells him it’s time to move on, to forget the past once and for all. But for David Beck, there can be no closure. A message has appeared on his computer, a phrase only he and his dead wife know. Suddenly Beck is taunted with the impossible- that somewhere, somehow, Elizabeth is alive.

Beck has been warned to tell no one. And he doesn’t. Instead, he runs from the people he trusts the most, plunging headlong into a search for the shadowy figure whose messages hold out a desperate hope.

But already Beck is being hunted down. He’s headed straight into the heart of a dark and deadly secret- and someone intends to stop him before he gets there”. – Goodreads

Published in 2019. Audiobook from Borrowbox

My Thoughts

I didn’t read Invisible #1, but Unsolved works well as a stand alone novel. In fact, I didn’t realise this was a second book in a series, until after I’d finished reading it. I have enjoyed the James Patterson collaborations that I’ve read so far, and this novel was no different. A fast paced, detective mystery with a great story line and a few unexpected twists along the way. There were also a few chills and shivers as I was reading.

Of course, as with most James Patterson books, it’s obviously written to a formula which is quite cliche – the FBI agent who goes against protocol, but because she has great results, she gets away with it.

 I enjoyed this novel very much. It was a quick read with an interesting plot and unexpected twists and turns. However, there is one thing that I didn’t like about this story, and that was the ending. It just didn’t feel right to me, and left me disappointed. Another reader could very well have a different opinion. The three and a half star rating was due to the ending. Without that ending, I probably would have given it four stars.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

T: Tell No One by Harlan Coben #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

TELL NO ONE
BY
HARLAN COBEN

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Summary

“For Dr. David Beck, the loss was shattering. And every day for the past eight years, he has relived the horror of what happened. The gleaming lake. The pale moonlight. The piercing screams. The night his wife was taken. The last night he saw her alive.

Everyone tells him it’s time to move on, to forget the past once and for all. But for David Beck, there can be no closure. A message has appeared on his computer, a phrase only he and his dead wife know. Suddenly Beck is taunted with the impossible- that somewhere, somehow, Elizabeth is alive.

Beck has been warned to tell no one. And he doesn’t. Instead, he runs from the people he trusts the most, plunging headlong into a search for the shadowy figure whose messages hold out a desperate hope.

But already Beck is being hunted down. He’s headed straight into the heart of a dark and deadly secret- and someone intends to stop him before he gets there”. – Goodreads

Published in 2009. Paperback 70 pages.

My Thoughts

I’ve become a Coben fan over the last couple of years. Each of his books that I read, leave me wanting to read more. This very fast paced thriller had me interested until the last page. There twists and turns and then more twists and turns. The main characters, though flawed, were likeable and believable, even the more unusual characters.

Other than being a mystery/thriller, Tell No One is the love story of two children, who have been best friends since their childhood. The author has created a beautiful relationship and love between the two characters.

Quote

“There should have been a dark whisper in the wind. Or maybe a deep chill in the bone. Something. An ethereal song only Elizabeth or I could hear. A tightness in the air. Some textbook premonition. There are misfortunes we almost expect in life—what happened to my parents, for example—and then there are other dark moments, moments of sudden violence that alter everything. There was my life before the tragedy. There is my life now. The two have very little in common.”

About the Author

Harlan Coben is a #1 bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-five languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries with seventy-five million books in print worldwide.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

N: Nightwork by Nora Roberts #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

NIGHTWORK
BY
NORA ROBERTS

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

At nine years old, Harry Booth started sneaking out at night to steal from houses, in order to provide for the family, as his mother was gravely ill, and wasn’t able to work. After her death, he continued with the stealing, and became an expert, continually taking on new identities, to evade capture. Harry became friends with Miranda at school, and as they become older, she had no idea of Harry’s nocturnal activities. As Harry enters a dangerous world, he splits with Amanda, to protect her safety. Harry then takes on a very complicated job, which has been commissioned by a notorious, dangerous person. This is when Harry’s world becomes a dangerous place to be.

Published in 2022. 437 pages.

My Thoughts

This is the first of Norah Robert’s books that I’ve read, and I surprised myself by really enjoying it. I loved Harry. Even though his is definitely a criminal, he is a very likeable character and otherwise, has very strong morals. Other than stealing, of course. Even though this story line is a mystery, and could even be classed as a thriller, it is very much character based. The other characters around Harry are very strong, believable and entertaining. I found myself laughing many times. I definitely recommend this book, and will be reading more of this author.

Star Rating 

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

M: Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted. My theme for 2023 is Book Reviews.

You can read my reviews without worrying about spoilers. My reviews are quite brief and I give away nothing more than you would read on the back cover or on Goodreads.

THE MURDER RULE
BY
DERVLA McTIERNAN

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary

“………a mother daughter story—one running from a horrible truth, and the other fighting to reveal it, that twists and turns in shocking ways, from the internationally bestselling author of The Scholar and The Ruin.
First Rule: Make them like you.
Second Rule: Make them need you.
Third Rule: Make them pay.They think I’m a young, idealistic law student, that I’m passionate about reforming a corrupt and brutal system.
They think I’m working hard to impress them.
They think I’m here to save an innocent man on death row.
They’re wrong. I’m going to bury him”. – Goodreads

Published in 2022. 295 pages

My Thoughts

After reading this author’s first three books, I waited impatiently for her fourth, and The Murder Rule didn’t disappoint at all. The story alternates between the present time and diary entries from 1994. It usually takes me a while to get into books that jump around in time, but this book had me from the start. In Murder Rule we have a story of corruption and violence, which causes much confusion to the main characters.

I’ve said very little about the plot or the characters, as I’d like prospective readers to start reading with very little knowledge of the plot as I did. This is a thriller with a strong main female character and many twists and turns.

If you like a crime thriller with an usual storyline and many twists and turns, then I would recommend this book as a great read.

About the Author

Dervla McTiernan is the author of three award winning books, the Cormac Reilly series – The Ruin, The Scholar and The Good Turn. The Ruin was published in 2018 and is the first in the detective Cormac Reilly series. The Ruin was a top ten bestseller and an Amazon Best Book of July 2018. Dervla was a New Blood Panellist at Harrogate Festival. The Scholar was published in 2019 and was a top five bestseller. The Good Turn was published in 2020.

My Star Rating

Please note that my star rating system isn’t at all based on literary merit, but is based on my enjoyment for the book.
For me a book that gets five stars, is a book that I really enjoyed, and found difficult to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Unputdownable. Would definitely read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fantastic read. Not to be missed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Enjoyable read. Would recommend.
⭐️⭐️Wouldn’t read again
⭐️Don’t recommend this book again

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2023 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

Crazy house Series by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet #audiobook #youngadult

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Crazy House Series

 SUMMARY

Crazy House  ( Crazy House #1)

Seventeen year old Becca  disappeared from her small hometown. She found herself in maximum security prison and on death row with other kids her age. Until her execution, Becca is told to fit in and say nothing, and above all, ask no questions. But Becca has never been known to follow instructions.

Her sister Cassie was the perfect one, who would have asked no questions. Not Becca! Becca continually holds out hope that Cassie will come looking for her and find her. Until then, she must endure whatever her captors decide is her fate.

Published in May 2017 by Hachette Book Group
Audiobook published August 2018.

SUMMARY

The Fall of Crazy House Part 2 (Crazy House #2)

Becca and Cassie escape from the Crazy House with their lives, but only just. Thanks to the cruelty they endured in the Crazy House, they are now highly trained and tough fighters with a fear of nothing or nobody.

Becca is sent to Assassinate the President of the United cell. Cassie is looking for her, and not far behind. Together the sisters are the key to success but can they find each other and if they do get together, can they join their talents and overthrow the despotic government in order to free the people? 

Published in April 2019 by Little, Brown and Company
Audiobook published April 2019

My Thoughts

I chose The Crazy House as my next audiobook, with no idea that it was a young adult book.  I chose the book quickly and without reading what it was about, as I was about to head off on a walk. It wasn’t until I was two chapters in, that it dawned on me that this book was book written for young adults.

The story is a very fast paced dystopian novel, with great characters. I found myself hooked completely and invested in what would happen to the twins. The adventure story is a roller coaster, especially the second book. There were many times that I had my heart in my mouth and couldn’t listen, just in case I heard something that I didn’t want to hear. Crazy House could be described as a non-stop carnival ride.

At the end of the first book, there was a cliffhanger and nothing at all was solved, making it obvious that there would be part 2. Fortunately, I was able to listen to part 2 immediately. The story wasn’t totally resolved in book 2 which leaves me wondering if there is a third book coming. If not, then I’m slightly annoyed by the ending.

I’m not a huge fan of reading Young Adult or anything with a dystopian theme, but I have to say that I loved both of these books. I have noticed there are many negative reviews online which I don’t agree with. I put that down, to not being a regular reader of YA and not being the target audience.

This audiobook was read by Therese Plummer, who read all the roles. Each person was read in a very different tone, so I had no problem at all recognising who was speaking. This can sometimes be an issue in single reader audiobooks.

 Star Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

About the Authors

James Patterson

James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author and most trusted storyteller. He has created more enduring fictional characters than any other novelist writing today, with his Alex Cross, Michael Bennett, Women’s Murder Club, Private, NYPD Red, Daniel X, Maximum Ride, and Middle School series. He has sold over 380 million books worldwide and currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most #1 New York Times bestsellers. In addition to writing the thriller novels for which he is best known, among them The President Is Missing with President Bill Clinton, Patterson also writes fiction for young readers of all ages, including the Max Einstein series, produced in partnership with the Albert Einstein Estate. He is also the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on the New York Times adult and children’s bestseller lists. – Goodreads

Gabrielle Charbonnet

Gabrielle Charbonnet lives in Carolina USA. She has written many books prior to Crazy House under her pen name Cate Tiernan. This is not her first collaboration with James Patterson. Gabrielle has written about 75 books in total, under her own name, and  many varied pen names.

 

All books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library, unless otherwise stated.

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads and Wikipedia

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2020 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

Zodiac by Sam Wilson #atozchallenge #audiobook

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge  is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted.

Zodiac by Sam Wilson
Audiobook Read By John Chancer

In a corrupt and volatile society where people are divided and defined by zodiac signs, status is cast at birth and binding forever. The line between a life of luxury and an existence of poverty can be determined by the stroke of midnight.
When a series of uniquely brutal murders targets victims of totally different signs, is it a misguided revolution or the work of a serial killer?
All eyes are on Detective Jerome Burton and Profiler, Lindi Childs. They may disagree over whether the answers are written in the stars, but they are united by their belief that a grand plan is being executed  – Goodreads

A thrilling debut in a society divided along Zodiac lines, status is cast at birth – and binding for life. Who you are can be determined by a matter of days, hours, or even minutes – borrowbox, audiobook

My Thoughts

I wasn’t sure of this story, when I first started listening to the audio book, but it didn’t take me long to get into what was happening, and from then on I was hooked into the story. The premise of the story is unbelievably original. Actually I would never have thought of a storyline where people are judged by their star sign, and the date and time of their birth. Their race or colour doesn’t matter at all.

Zodiac is a debut novel for this author, and I really look forward to reading his next book. This is the most clever and original thriller that I have read. As I got further into the story, it didn’t seem at all strange that people were judged on their star sign. It felt totally normal even though at times it does challenge your thinking. And then, there is the action packed ending. But enough of that. No spoilers. I recommend you do read this book.

Recommendations

‘A brilliant, original and gripping thriller. I’m struggling to think of a reader who won’t love this’ – Sarah Lotz, author of The Three

‘A bold storyteller with an amazing mind’ – Lauren Huxley

‘Impeccable storytelling. Undoubtedly a book which works both on the level of it’s ibntriguing high concept and sheer narrative nous’ – Barry Forshaw

Published 2016 by Penguin
Audiobook: Duration 11 hours, 36 minutes – unabridged.

My Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

About the Author

Sam Wilson

Sam Wilson is a writer and TV director working in Cape Town.

To keep up with the latest book reviews, please pop your email address in the box on the sidebar. This will ensure you are notified of updates.

All books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library, unless otherwise stated.

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads .

You can find my other blogs here:
Next Phase In Fitness & Life and Tracking Down The Family

© 2020 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com

 

S: The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan #atozchallenge

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The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is for bloggers who wish to participate by publishing a blog post every day in April except for Sundays. Each blog post will focus on a letter of the alphabet. For example April 1 will be A, April 2 will be B and on it goes. By the end of April, a blog post for every letter of the alphabet will have been posted

The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan – Cormac Reilly #2

When Dr. Emma Sweeney stumbles across the victim of a hit and run, outside Galway University, late one evening, she calls her partner, Detective Cormac Reilly, bringing him to the scene of a murder that would otherwise never have been assigned to him.

A security card in the dead woman’s pocket identifies her as Carline Darcy, a gifted student and heir apparent to Irish pharmaceutical giant Darcy Therapeutics. The multi billion dollar company, founded by her grandfather, sponsors university research facilities and has funded Emma’s own ground breaking work. The inpuiry into Carline’s death promised to be high profile and high pressure.

As Cormac investigates, evidence mounts that the death is linked to a Darcy laboratory and, increasingly to Emma herself. Cormac’s running of the case comes under scrutiny, and he is forced to question his own objectivity. Could his loyalty to Emma have led him to overlook evidence? Has it made him a liability? – blurb

My Thoughts

This is the second book in the Cormac Reilly series. I really enjoyed the first book, The Ruin, so was looking forward to reading the this book. It did not disappoint at all. There was always enough happening in this story, to keeping me turning the page. There were many unexpected twists and turns. The characters were believable, even the unlikeable ones.  In my opinion, many crime novels have one dimensional characters, but not so in this novel.

I read this book before I read the first in the series and it does stand alone. The events in the first novel are explained well so as not to lead to confusion.  There is no need to start with the first book, though I have gone back and read it. I couldn’t not after reading The Scholar. I had to know more about the main characters who had really interesting back stories.

Recommendations

“Taut, tense and darkly addictive, The Scholar is a treat for lovers of fine crime writing.” – Candice Fox

“Atmospheric and beautifully paced, with nuanced characters and a gripping plot – the Scholar has it all.” – Chris Hammer, author of Scrublands

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

About the Author

Dervla McTiernan

Dervla McTiernan is the author of The Ruin, The Scholar and The Good Turn. The Ruin was published in 2018 and is the first in the detective Cormac Reilly series. The Ruin was a top ten bestseller and an Amazon Best Book of July 2018. Dervla was a New Blood Panellist at Harrogate Festival. The Scholar was published in 2019 and was a top five bestseller. The Good Turn will be published in 2020. The Ruin has been optioned for TV by Hopscotch Features

Published in 2019 by Harper Collins Publishers
Paperbook, 377 pages.

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The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan – Cormac Reilly #1

The Ruin (Cormac Reilly, #1)

 

Summary

It’s been twenty years since Cormac Reilly discovered the body of Hilaria Blake in her crumbling Georgian home. But he’s never forgotten the two children she left behind…

When Aisling Conroy’s boyfriend Jack is found in the freezing black waters of the river Corrib, the police tell her it was suicide. A surgical resident, she throws herself into study and work, trying to forget – until Jack’s sister Maude shows up. Maude suspects foul play, and she is determined to prove it.

DI Cormac Reilly is the detective assigned with the re-investigation of an ‘accidental’ overdose twenty years ago – of Jack and Maude’s drug- and alcohol-addled mother. Cormac is under increasing pressure to charge Maude for murder when his colleague Danny uncovers a piece of evidence that will change everything…

This unsettling crime debut draws us deep into the dark heart of Ireland and asks who will protect you when the authorities can’t – or won’t. Perfect for fans of Tana French and Jane Casey. – blurb

My thoughts

Set in Ireland, this is an excellent and fast paced crime novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, the characters and the twists and turns along the way. I read this book very quickly, over just a couple of days, as I couldn’t put it down. Lovers of mystery and crime, I’m sure would enjoy this book.

This is a debut novel, which looks to become an excellent series.

Recommendations

“The Ruin is the kind of book you will inevitably find yourself recommending to every person you know, and probably also that lovely person who makes your coffee. It’s blisteringly good.” – Readings

“Dervla McTiernan gives us a gripping mystery set in Galway. It’s a complicated, page turning story, that touches on corruption, clandestine cover ups and criminal conspiracy. As moving as it is fast paced.” – Val McDermid

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

About the Author

Dervla McTiernan

Internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed writer, Dervla McTiernan is the author of The Ruin, The Scholar and The Good Turn. The Ruin was published in 2018 and is the first in the detective Cormac Reilly series. The Ruin was a top ten bestseller and an Amazon Best Book of July 2018. Dervla was a New Blood Panellist at Harrogate Festival. The Scholar was published in 2019 and was a top five bestseller. The Good Turn will be published in 2020. The Ruin has been optioned for TV by Hopscotch Features.

 

Published 2018 by Penguin Books. Paperback, 380 pages

To keep up with the latest book reviews, please pop your email address in the box on the sidebar. This will ensure you are notified of updates.

Find me here: Facebook and Instagram and Goodreads

Images and author information: Goodreads and Booktopia

© 2020 Copyright. all rights reserved: bestbookishblog.com