Imperfection by Ray Clark

About Imperfection

Imperfection is a new crime series featuring D.I. Stewart Gardener and D. S. Sean Reilly, and set in the West Yorkshire city of Leeds. A haunting message scrawled on the dressing room wall of a theatre: the scene of a murder. It had been written using the blood from the victim, previously drained in a separate location. At the autopsy, D.I. Gardener and D.S. Reilly are shown a riddle carved into the chest of the corpse, informing them there would be more. Their efforts to find out why are continually blocked by a wall of contradiction, with little in the way of evidence to support their cause. Steered back to the scene of the crime and a disused prop room, Gardener and his trusted sergeant find another puzzle. The murderer, it seems, is playing games. It soon becomes clear to Gardener and Reilly that to find the killer they need to solve the clues, and to do that, they must tunnel their way into the past, where the streets were paved with gold, and to a man who had terrified people before either of them had even been born...

My review of Imperfection

Imperfection is a crime novel, but like no other I have ever read before. This book fuses together the genre of crime writing with that of superstitious tales and the unnatural. There was an almost Sherlock Holmes feel to this book, as I worked alongside the police to find out what was behind the killer's motives.  It is a very unique novel, and I loved it. I did have to stretch the boundaries of reality a little while reading, and accept that the author had used much artistic licence in the descriptions of police procedures, but once I did, and fully embraced this new type of genre, I found it a highly engaging read.

Imperfection is set in Leeds and I guessed around the early 2000s, with the clues that we were given with regards to the timeframe. This helped to give a slightly nostalgic feel to the novel. The book opens when an aging actor, Leonard White, is found murdered at the Grand Theatre. His body has been drained of all blood and a cryptic clue/message has been painted using his blood onto his dressing room wall. From this moment on, the police are out to find out who the murderer is. The real joy of this book is that from very early on we are in on who the murderer is, and we are able to read passages were he describes his life. So we get the viewpoints of both the police and the killer. Therefore, I wanted to find out why he was killing, just as much as the police did.

This book is very well written, it has a natural flow to the writing and we follow the story with ease. Coupled with this are descriptive and interesting characters. The two police officers who are following the case are D.I. Stewart Gardener and D. S. Sean Reilly. They work well as a team and I found them hugely likeable. Gardener lives with his father and son, and we learn that he has lived in Leeds all of his life, as everyone seems to know him from being a little boy. Reilly on the other hand is an Irishman, an outsider, and it took me a little longer to get to know him, but by the end of the book, I had a lot of respect for him. This novel also has some interesting supporting characters. For instance, I loved the character of Fittle, who had worked at the Theatre for the past thirty years and practically lived in a small cupboard drinking tea and eating biscuits. He added a much needed sense of humour to proceedings in what was quite a dark and disturbing book.

Imperfection is the story of a serial killer. A killer who is sadistic and caries out grotesque murders, of which the aftermath is described in some detail. But the brutality and amount of planning that the murderer does is pivotal to the plot. We need to despise him and everything that he stands for, without question, and I did.

As I mentioned earlier, this is not your run of the mill crime drama and serial killer book. The police procedures seem to be from a time long ago and their way of solving crimes is most definitely 'off beat'. This is shown by the fact that the police do not think about using the internet to check the quotes that are from the killer. Instead they go to experts and find the answers in books. Although I did find this a little strange, and did shout at one point that they should simply Google the answer, at the same time I found this quality endearing. It very much felt like good old fashioned detective work, but with a likeable twist.

Imperfection is a very ambitious book that blurs genres and somehow withstands the boundaries of time. It is a hugely refreshing read and I now need to go back and read the first book in the series. If you want to read a crime novel with a twist, and one that is highly unique, then I thoroughly recommend Imperfection. I really enjoyed it.

With thanks to Urbane Publications and NetGalley for a review copy.

Imperfection, published on Match 30 by Urbane Publications, can be found on Amazon here.

About the author

 The British Fantasy Society published the Ray Clark's first work in 1995, a 3000 word essay on fellow writer, Graham Masterton. In 1996, a chance meeting in a London docklands hotel at a BFS Convention with Matt Williams (and Graham Masterton - himself later in the same evening) eventually led to Ray's first big break: the 1998 publication of Manitou Man: The World of Graham Masterton, nominated for both the World and British Fantasy Awards. Success followed with a number of short stories in various magazines between 1998 and 2003. 2007 saw the author's first collection of short stories under the title of The Lord of Misrule and Other Stories, released by an American publisher. The following year, the self-publication of a stand-alone horror novel, Calix, a terrifying psychological, rollercoaster ride into the unknown using the Salem Witch Trials as its backdrop. In 2009: Ray's short story, Promises To Keep made the final shortlist for the best short story award from The Tom Howard Foundation. The publication of Misrule 2: The Next Generation soon followed. In 2010: the short story, Purple Rain was published in the American quarterly publication, Carpe Articulum: A Twist in the Taste was also published in a collection by The English Heritage, entitled, Whitby Abbey: Pure Inspiration (available at Amazon and most leading retailers). 2012: The Priest's Hole, a horror novel published by Damnation Books in the U.S. Available as a paperback and a variety of electronic versions. In 2012: Canadian publisher, Double Dragon Press, re-released Calix with new artwork, both electronically and in paperback. In 2013: Canadian Publisher, Double Dragon published A Devil's Dozen, a collection of short horror stories. 2014: a new crossover novel entitled Seven Secrets from U.S. Publisher, Damnation Books. 2015: a second short story collection entitled, A Detective's Dozen, from Canadian publisher, Double Dragon. 2016: the first in the author's IMP crime series set in Leeds featuring Detectives Gardener and Reilly, entitled Impurity, from U.S. Publisher, Caliburn Press. 2017: The second in the IMP series, Imperfection, will be published by Urbane Publications in the spring of 2017

Little Girl Lost by Carol Wyer

About Little Girl Lost

Her breath rose and fell in fearful gasps but it was too late. She could already see what she dreaded most. The back seat was empty.Her little girl was gone.

Abigail lives the perfect life with her doting husband and adorable baby Izzy. But someone knows a secret about Abigail and they want the truth to be told.

When Izzy is snatched from a carpark, it becomes a case for Detective Robyn Carter. Someone has been sending threatening messages to Abigail from an anonymous number. What is Abigail hiding?

Robyn’s instincts tell her there’s a connection between Izzy’s abduction and two murders she is investigating. But the last time she acted on impulse her fiancé was killed. To break this case and earn her place back on the force, she must learn to trust herself again – and fast. Robyn is on the hunt for a ruthless serial killer. And unless she gets to the twisted individual in time a little girl will die …

Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this serial killer thriller will chill you to the bone. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.

My Review of Little Girl Lost

     

Little Girl Lost is a detective story/fast paced thriller. We begin by reading about Alice, a little girl, who is only eight-years-old,  who lives in a big house with her mother, step dad Paul, and step siblings, Natasha and Lucas. We learn that her mother is engaged to Paul, a big movie actor and that Alice feels rejected and shunned due to this new relationship, as her mother seems to have no time to spend with her.  Her only true friend would seem to be that of her toy rabbit, Mr Big Ears. The prologue deals with a life changing event for Alice, that sets the tone and pace for the entire story. It deals with a sexual assault, upon Alice, and I did find this upsetting to read, as it was fairly graphic in its depiction. I will admit that I nearly gave up reading, but I wanted to give the book a chance, and I am so very glad that I did. This is by far the most graphic and disturbing part of the book, in my opinion at least.

I do feel that the subject matter of the book may not be to everyone's taste, as the novel is centred around child sexual abuse, and is greatly disturbing. But, I do feel that the author tackles this subject with great empathy, sensitivity and knowledge upon the subject. The events that take place are given context, they are not simply there as a 'shock factor', as they are integral to the plot.

So, Little Girl Lost is the first book in the Detective Inspector Robyn Carter series, and I found this character hugely compelling and likeable. Having suffered her own losses in life, she busies herself in her work and is dedicated and passionate.

We are also introduced to Abigail Thorne, and her husband Jackson, who have a little girl, Izzy. It is later on in the novel that they are then introduced to Robyn, as Izzy goes missing. At this point Robyn is investigating the disappearance of Lucas and is convinced that his case is linked to that of several murders that have taken place.

This novel took me a while to get into because of the varying points of view. We read Robyn's thoughts, as well as those of Abigail's and then of Alice, both past and present. However, once I was around a quarter of the way through, I quickly settled into the pace and way of storytelling and found the plot completely captivating. I was gripped until the very end, not knowing who was telling the truth and how all of these separate events were connected. It really is a very clever story.

Little Girl Lost, is a tough read, there is no denying this, simply because of the subject matter. It did however, keep me guessing and thoroughly entertained. I  look forward to reading the second novel in the Detective Inspector Robyn Carter series.

With thanks to the publisher, Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with an Advanced Reader Copy.

Little Girl Lost is available to buy from Amazon here.

About the author

Carol E. Wyer is an award-winning author whose humorous books take a light-hearted look at getting older and encourage others to age disgracefully. More recently she has chosen to write for the "dark side" and embarked on a series of thrillers, starting with the gripping best-seller, Little Girl Lost.

Her book Grumpy Old Menopause won The People's Book Prize Award for non-fiction 2015.

Carol has been interviewed on numerous radio shows discussing 'Irritable Male Syndrome' and 'Ageing Disgracefully' and on BBC Breakfast television. She has had articles published in national magazines 'Woman's Weekly' featured in 'Take A Break', 'Choice', 'Yours' and 'Woman's Own' magazines and writes regularly for The Huffington Post.

Carol is a signed author with Bookouture and Delancey Press.

To learn more about Carol, go to www.carolewyer.co.uk or follow Carol on Twitter: @carolewyer. Carol blogs at www.facing50withhumour.com and www.grumpyoldmenopause.com

The Girls Next Door by Mel Sherratt

 

Book Description

One warm spring evening, five teenagers meet in a local park. Only four will come out alive.
Six months after the stabbing of sixteen-year-old Deanna Barker, someone is coming after the teenagers of Stockleigh, as a spate of vicious assaults rocks this small community. Revenge for Deanna? Or something more?

Detective Eden Berrisford is locked into a race against time to catch the twisted individual behind the attacks – but when her own niece, Jess Mountford, goes missing, the case gets personal.

With the kidnapper threatening Jess’s life, can Eden bring back her niece to safety? Or will the people of Stockleigh be forced to mourn another daughter…?

A terrifying, compelling, police procedural which will thrill fans of Angela Marsons, Peter James and Rachel Abbott.

 

My review of The Girls Next Door

 

I love reading crime and thrillers and was so very excited to read this first installment in the Detective Eden Berrisford series. This was also the first book I had read by author, Mel Sherratt. So, let me begin by sating that I really enjoyed this book. It is gritty, scarily realistic and is a dark tale that could happen to anyone's family. For me, this book was unputdownable, and I read it quickly, devouring the pages so that I would find out how all of the loose ends were tied up and who the killer was.

 

This book is incredibly dark and the opening chapter sets the pace and tone for the entire book. The story begins when a seventeen-year-old girl is murdered in a park. This particular scene is graphic and is traumatic in the sense that this kind of violent crime happens on a daily basis. The girl who is murdered could be your own daughter, a friend's daughter or indeed a the girl next door.

 

The story then catapults from there, and we read about various teenagers getting on with their lives and who become victims of crime. One teenager, Jess, who we learn more about during the course of the book and who finds herself in increasing trouble, I found particularly interesting, and was one of the few teenagers that I actually liked. The others, I have to admit,  I did like, mainly because that they were teenagers, acting as teenagers do.  They lied, were selfish and were generally not that nice to be around. But I did care about them, in a nurturing kind of way and wanted to steer them clear of trouble and to shout at them when they made stupid mistakes. A huge chunk of the story is about the mistakes that teenagers make and that at times they can be very cruel.

 

The one character that I did love was that of Detective Eden Berrisford, who just happens to be Jess's Auntie. This detective is sharp, witty and is mother to a teenage daughter. I loved her instantly for her job in a supposedly man's world, and because she was remarkably good a her job. Although blunt and practical, she also had a caring and warm side that shone through into her professional work. I found her immensely interesting and wondered how she would solve the mystery that was unfolding before my very eyes. What I also liked about this book was the way in which grief effects people and families in different ways. Grief can be turned inwards and become almost self destructive if allowed, and I liked the way in which grief and grieving for a child was dealt with by the author. We always imagine a wailing ad weeping mother who is weak and distraught, but this is not always the case. grief cannot be simply pigeon holed.

 

This book is dark, fast and deals with the darker side of human nature. that of self preservation, selfishness and the struggle to live in a society that is fixated on social image and 'selfies'. But this book also has heart, strong female characters and is ultimately hopeful. If you love your crime novels and police detectives who are different from the norm, then you will love this book. I most certainly did!

 

The Girls Next Door was published on October 27th by Bookouture.

 

With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy.

 

 

 

 

*BLOG TOUR* Review - Beneath the Ashes by Jane Isaac

About Beneath the Ashes

FROM THE AMAZON TOP 5 BESTSELLING AUTHOR

'Carefully executed police procedural, that hits all the targets.' --Angela Clarke, author of Follow Me
'I thought I'd never read a book that came close to the realities of crime and policing. Then I read this.' --Ian Patrick Writer and former DS with the Metropolitan Police
'A smart, intelligent and tightly woven police procedural with real depth of human emotion at its heart.' --Rebecca Bradley, author of Shallow Waters

The floor felt hard beneath her face. Nancy opened her eyes. Blinked several times. A pain seared through her head. She could feel fluid. No. She was lying in fluid.

When a body is discovered in a burnt-out barn in the Warwickshire countryside, DI Will Jackman is called to investigate.

Nancy Faraday wakes up on the kitchen floor. The house has been broken into and her boyfriend is missing. As the case unravels, DI Jackman realises that nothing is quite as it appears and everyone, it seems, has a secret.

Can he discover the truth behind the body in the fire, and track down the killer before Nancy becomes the next victim?

A gripping thriller perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, S.J. Watson, B A Paris and Sophie Hannah

My Review of Beneath the Ashes

This is the first book that I have read by Jane Isaac, so I missed out on the first book in the DI Will Jackman series, although after reading this book, I soon will be reading it! I loved this book. I love gritty detective novels that feature plot twists and strong, well defined characters, and this book has it all.

The book opens with the prologue, in which a woman is running away from sirens, that I presumed to be the police. We have no idea who she is or what she is running away from, as she eventually reaches the solitude of the graveyard. This beginning hooked me right in and I settled down to read what would happen next.

The scene then cuts to Nancy, a woman who wakes up on the kitchen floor of a farmhouse, clearly confused with an obvious head wound and shattered glass littering the floor. She assumes that she must have fallen asleep alter an evening drinking with her boyfriend, Evan, but she soon realises that something is wrong. It is from here that the plot truly begins when a body is found in the farm's barn following a fire, and we begin to learn about what happened the night before. This book has so many twists and turns that I had no idea of who the killer was, right until the very end.

This book has a solid plot and it is very obvious that the author has done her research and knows the ins and outs of police procedures. There is meticulous attention to detail and, I found myself absorbing every single aspect of the case.  It is this attention to detail and the astute observations of the author in how individuals react and communicate with each other, that made me love this book. In essence the characters and the plot were completely believable.

There are some wonderful characters in this book, but I have to admit that my attention was captivated by DI Will Jackman. Unlike so many police detectives, he does seem to have got the work/life balance nearly right, and I was intrigued by the two sides of his character. The family man who cares deeply for his wife and daughter, and the fearless detective who strives for justice. I admit that I fell a little bit in love with him, as who wouldn't?

Isaac also has some strong  female characters in this book, one of whom is the witty and hugely likeable, Sergeant Annie Davies. I liked the fact that she was a working mum. So many police dramas focus on the negatives of family life and that many women in the policing profession do not have children. But Davies seems to have it all, and I admired her greatly. She and Jackman seemed to make a really great team and I loved the working chemistry between them.

Beneath the Ashes is a fantastic and compelling read. It is a thoroughly gripping crime thriller that will keep you guessing unit the very end.

With many thanks to Legend Press and NetGalley for a review copy. Beneath the Ashes is available to buy NOW.

 

 

About Jane Isaac

 

Jane Isaac lives with her husband, daughter and dog, Bollo, in rural Northamptonshire, UK. Her debut novel, An Unfamiliar Murder, introduces DCI Helen Lavery and was nominated as best mystery in the 'eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook awards 2013.'

The Truth Will Out, the second in the DCI Helen Lavery series, was nominated as 'Thriller of the Month - April 2014' by E-thriller.com and winner of 'Noveltunity book club selection - May 2014'.

In 2015 Jane embarked on a new series, featuring DI Will Jackman and set in Stratford upon Avon, with Before It's Too Late. The second in the series, Beneath The Ashes, will be published by Legend Press on 1st November 2016 with the 3rd, The Lies Within, to follow on 2nd May 2017.

Both DI Jackman and DCI Lavery will return again in the near future. Sign up to Jane's newsletter on her website at www.janeisaac.co.uk for details of new releases, events and giveaways