Trust In Me by Sophie Mckenzie

Julia has always been the friend that Livy turns to when life is difficult. United fifteen years ago by grief at the brutal murder of Livy's sister, Kara, they've always told each other everything. Or so Livy thought. So when Julia is found dead in her home, Livy cannot come to terms with the news that she chose to end her own life. The Julia that Livy knew was vibrant and vivacious, a far cry from the selfish neurotic that her family seem determined to paint her as. Troubled by doubt but alone in her suspicions, Livy sets out to prove that Julia was in fact murdered. But little does she realise that digging into her best friend's private life will cause her to question everything she thought she knew about Julia. And the truth that Livy discovers will tear the very fabric of her own life apart.

Star Rating

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review.

It is not often I verbally rave about books and force them upon other people but I have already given my copy of 'Trust In Me' by Sophie Mckenzie to my mum, who like myself, loves a good old crime thriller.  

In the past I have read some of Sophie Mckenzie's Young Adult material and was interested to see how her writing style would change in this psychological thriller for adults. In short, the writing was pacy, exciting and kept me hooked from beginning to end. This is one of those books that will have you grappling with yourself as you try not to flick to the last page to discover the whos, whens, wheres and whys. 

'Trust In Me' tells the story of our protagonist, Lily, who arrives at her best friend Julia's home to discover her dead, on the sofa, after what initially appears to be a suicide. Rocked with guilt, having ignored an earlier text from Julia, Lily sets off to investigate what really happened that night in Julia's flat. Along the way, Julia discovers a number of clues that, as stated in the blurb, 'tear the very fabric of her own life apart.' As Lily starts to realise that she never truly knew the real Julia, the reader is catapulted into a series of shocking revelations. 

The author cleverly drops red herrings and subtle clues throughout the story introducing us to some interesting characters that may or may not have something to do with Julia's death. Sophie Mckenzie also uses a sequence of diary entries written by an unnamed man which are sadistic and bestial in nature. It becomes clear to the reader that these entries must have something to do with Julia's killer and I found myself growing more and more desperate to discover the true identity of Julia's killer.  Who was the real Julia and why was she killed?

This psychological thriller has plenty of twists and turns with enough potential suspects to keep you guessing until the very end! Trust in me and read this book!

The Headmaster's Wife by Thomas Christopher Greene

Arthur Winthrop is a middle-aged headmaster at an elite prep school in Vermont. When he is arrested for an act that is incredibly out of character - walking naked through Central Park in the snow - the strait-laced, married headmaster confesses to a much more serious crime. 

Arthur reveals that he has had a passionate affair with a scholarship student called Betsy Pappas. Betsy is a fickle and precocious teenager. When she switches her attentions to a classmate, Arthur's passion for Betsy turns, by degrees, into something far darker. Now Arthur must tell the truth about what happened to Betsy. But can Arthur's version of events be trusted - or is the reality much more complex and unnerving.

Star Rating

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review. 

This novel is split into three parts: Acrimony, Expectations and After. The first part of the story is told from Headmaster Arthur's point of view as we find out about his illicit affair with a teenage student Betsy Pappas. This section of the book was fast paced, exciting and believable full of dark, obsessive undertones which hold the reader's interest The two other parts are narrated in the third person and tell the story from a completely different angle with a shocking change of plot direction. 

At the end of the first half Thomas Christopher Greene hits the reader smack in the face with a shocking, and unexpected revelation. It is impossible to give even a brief description of this turn of events without ruining the surprise for the next reader. All I will say is that it left me gasping in shock and consequently the story became a very different one. This shock revelation was reminiscent of one of my favorite movies of all time 'A Beautiful Mind'. If you haven't seen this film I highly recommend it and will attach trailer below. 

The second part of this novel tells the story from the wife's point of view and leaves the reader wondering which one is true. Unfortunately my interest seemed to dwindle towards the end and it felt as if the author was losing focus too with it's very abrupt ending. 

Where this story works well is in it's exploration of the effects of psychological damage. It was interesting to read about grief from different perspectives and the havoc it can cause on people's emotional states of mind. 

                 

The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen

 Four friends,caught in a terrible job market, joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it's no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise works like a charm - until they kidnap the wrong man. 
Now two groups are after them - the law, in the form of veteran state investigator Kirk Stevens and hotshot young FBI agent Caria Windermere, and an organized crime outfit looking for payback. As they criss-cross the country in a series of increasingly explosive confrontations, each of them is ultimately forced to recognize the truth: the real professionals, cop or criminal, are those who are willing to sacrifice everything...

Star Rating

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review. 

This debut from Owen Laukkanen was first  published in the US in 2012 receiving rave reviews from critics and readers alike. When the lovely Alison from Atlantic Books sent me this novel to review she promised me I was in for a thrilling read and this is definitely the word I would use to sum up Laukkanen's writing which will leave you gripped from start to finish. 

The story starts in the thick of action with the kidnapping of Martin Warner of 15 Linden Park. 

' "Whoever you're looking for, I'm not the guy."

Warner felt like he was going to be sick.

"Your kids are fine, Martin. Sit back and relax." '  

We soon discover the group behind the kidnappings - four friends struggling to find work in the depths of the recession. What started as a joke soon becomes real life for the friends when they begin kidnapping rich business men and holding them to ransom. This plan seems to be working for the group until the day they choose the wrong guy - Beneteau.

'He turned his face in Sawyer's direction and flashed a bloody grin. You just made the biggest mistake of your lives.'

Without realizing their mistake, the group kidnap the husband of Patricia Benetau who is connected to the mob. Very quickly the strategy that has worked for two years goes horribly wrong and the friends are forced to go on the run, not only from the organized crime outfit but also from Stevens and Windermere two likeable FBI agents assigned to the case. 

What ensues is a fast paced thrill ride of car chases and shoot outs as the friends try to escape their ill fate. The story keeps you gripped as characters are caught and injured and new characters are introduced. Laukken develops the action quickly through the use of short chapters which will keep you captivated throughout. As the story develops, more and more problems arise for the group of friends leaving the reader wondering if they will ever make it out alive. 

'Stay calm, he told himself. Be professional. Get through this.'

The FBI agents Stevens and Windermere grow closer as the investigation deepens. He is happily married and she has a boyfriend, however this does not stop them from sharing some moments of cringe worthy flirting amidst the chaos around them. Unfortunately it is this unnecessary subplot that knocked off the 5th star when rating this novel. I can see why Laukkanen decided to include it as I predict the adventures of these two FBI agents will become a crime series however this small part of the story did not work for me. 

This novel has one of the most thrilling endings I have read in a long time and was almost like watching the final scenes of a blockbuster movie. This is an excellent debut novel that all crime fiction lovers will not want to miss!

'They were now in the middle of something huge, something disastrous.

What a rotten world we have created.'

In The Blood by Lisa Unger

Lana Granger is a liar. She has told so many lies about where she comes from and who she is, that even she can't remember the truth. 

Eleven-year-old Luke likes to play games. He is used to controlling the people in his life. But now that Lana has taken a a part-time job looking after him, he may have met his match.

Then Lana's closest friend Beck goes missing and Lana finds herself lying again - to friends, to the police, to herself. 

But someone knows all about Lana's lies. And they are dying to tell.

StarRating

I received this copy from the publisher for an open and honest review.

Being an avid fan of horror and crime novels, I was thrilled to receive this copy of 'In The Blood' from Simon & Schuster. Like all book worms, I love discovering new authors to add to my reading list and Lisa Unger has become the latest author I will be seeking out and recommending to all my friends and family. 

'In The Blood' is an extremely clever crime thriller full of twists and turns that will have you gasping for breath! As with many other books I love, this novel throws you thick and fast into action from the very start. The reader is immediately informed that something terrible has happened but the whos, whats, whens and wheres are unanswered until the end of the novel. 

'My palms feel hot and sticky. I lift them up and look to see they are covered in blood. The lines on my hands in stark white relief against the red black. I am overcome by panicked confusion. What happened?'

The protagonist, Lana Granger, is a girl full of guarded secrets who would rather die than let the world uncover her true self. Taking a part-time job alongside her college course, Lana meets eleven-year-old Luke, an extremely troubled young boy who likes to play controlling games. Believing she can help him, Lana takes a job as Luke's babysitter and this is ultimately where the trouble begins. 

'What was there between us in that very first moment that would have told, if observed, everything that would follow? Nothing. I am sure of it. He was that good.'

Running alongside the plot, Lisa Unger exposes the reader to a series of diary entries written by a depressed mother whose young son won't stop crying. Throughout these entries we see the child grow up into a disturbed and dangerous young man. Lisa Unger intelligently weaves subtle clues into these diary entries that will eventually leave the reader reeling in shock. I loved that the twists and turns slowly dawned on me rather than being thrown slap bang in my face!

This novel has such a clever plot that I don't want to say too much in fear of giving anything away. Along with it's subtle twists and turns this novel is all about human behaviour - the good and the bad. Do we have the ability to make our own choices? Or are we wired to behave in a certain way from the moment we are born?

This is an exceptional psychological thriller that will captivate you from beginning to end.  A five star read that I highly recommend! 

'I am a person with secrets. And I guard them carefully, keep them locked in a box inside myself. I rarely open the lid of my psyche to look inside. Shame was a thick cloak that I wrapped around myself and hid beneath. It was dark and lonely, but at least it was safe.'

 

The Amber Fury by Natalie Haynes

When Alex Morris loses her fiance in dreadful circumstances, she moves from London to Edinburgh to make a break with the past. Alex takes a job at a Pupil Referral Unit, which accepts the students excluded from other schools. These are troubled, difficult kids and Alex is terrified of what she's taken on.                                             

There is one class - a group of five teenagers - who intimidate Alex and every other teacher on The Unit. But with the help of the Greek tragedies she teaches, Alex develops a rapport with them. Finding them enthralled by tales of cruel fate and bloody revenge, Alex even begins to worry that they are taking her lessons to heart, and that a whole new tragedy is being performed, right in front of her...

Star Rating

I received this book from the publishers for an open and honest review.

Having recently finished a long run of Young Adult novels I was pleased to receive something different and fresh in the form of 'The Amber Fury' by the talented, new author Natalie Haynes. Being a teacher myself, the setting of a Pupil Referral Unit definitely appealed to me and having taken Classical Civilisation as an A-Level I was thrilled to discover the theme of Greek tragedies underlying this exciting plot.

This story is written in the 1st person from the view of the protagonist, Alex. Having suddenly lost her fiance and feeling overwhelmed by grief, Alex moves to Edinburgh to start a new life working at The Pupil Referral Unit. Here she meets one particularly difficult class of 4th years whose first lesson with Alex descends into a barrage of abuse, swearing and chaos. 'You don't want to be here with us. So why would we want to be here with you?'

The author, Natalie Haynes, has been very clever with her use of time, switching effortlessly between the past and the present. The novel starts in the present at a meeting between Alex and her lawyer and it is this knowledge that immediately grips the reader. It is clear, from the start, that something terrible has happened involving Alex's 4th year students but the who, whats and hows are left unanswered until the very end of the novel. 

'I'm just going to answer as simply as I can: I met them on the 6th January 2011, in the basement room at 58 Rankeillor Street. And I wouldn't have believed any of them could do something so monstrous.'

Alongside it's exciting plot, Natalie Haynes seamlessly weaves tales of popular Greek tragedies to both her 4th year students and the reader. I remember reading some of these plays in school and it has certainly inspired me to re-read some of these excellent stories of murder, revenge and fate. With it's interesting Greek history this novel succeeds on every level. I found myself unable to put the book down, desperate to know how the events from these murderous plays would begin to come true.  

'Everyone has to live the life they have, don't they? It doesn't matter if it's fated to be that way or if it just happens. You can't say you have no responsibility for doing what you do. Even if you have no control over your life, you should live like you have a choice.'

Another clever element to this novel, was the idea of chapters being split into Acts, just like a Greek play. The story was very well written, easy to read and will certainly hold your interest from beginning to end. As stated in the blurb, 'The Amber Fury is a dark mystery of a novel about loss, obsession and the deep, abiding human need to connect.' A brilliant read that I highly recommend! 

 

What She Saw by Mark Roberts

When a nine-year-old boy is left to die inside a burning car on a sink estate in Peckham, DCI David Rosen is drafted in to investigate. The young boy has been severely burned, and is now fighting for his life. As Rosen and his team begin to scour the crime scene for forensic evidence, they discover something chilling; a graffiti image of a sinister eye, drawn in exquisite detail above the site of the wreckage - and behind it, a series of mysterious markings, etched into the wall. Could the markings represent a secret code left by the killer - a code that will hold the key to the investigation?

I received this copy from the publishers for an open and honest review.

Star Rating

This story opens with the eye witness account of Stevie Jensen, a young boy who discovers, and pulls out, Thomas Glass from a burning car. The reader is also introduced to Macy Conner who is another witness of this terrifying attack that leaves poor Thomas Glass in a critical condition,

"Sodium streetlight picked out his charred face. He had no eyelids, just red raw whites, one blackened at the centre."

It quickly becomes clear that eleven-year-old Macy Conner is a very troubled, young girl who lives in squalor with a mother who wishes she had never been born. The title 'What She Saw' indicates that Macy's eye witness account of this fateful attack will influence the course of events for the rest of the novel. 

As the story progresses, another teenager is murdered in a brutal fire attack and it becomes evident that whoever is responsible for these attacks is leaving behind a mysterious code. DCI Rosen (the main officer working on the case) finds himself a target in a horrifying game of cat and mouse. As children continue to disappear and characters' secrets begin to unfurl, DCI Rosen finds himself growing ever closer to uncovering the monster behind the murders. 

Unfortunately, before starting this crime novel I read the blurb on the back of the book which was incredibly long and detailed. I have decided not to add the second paragraph of this blurb to my blog as it gave away the entire plot line! In one fateful sentence, Mark Roberts gave away the character behind all the murders and therefore any red herrings along the way were unnecessary. This was a real shame and therefore tarnished my enjoyment of the book. 

I also feel that this novel was let down in it's development of the characters. I didn't really feel any true connections with the victims and, therefore, lacked empathy and emotion. Although Mark Roberts managed to tie up loose ends and link the characters together at the end of the novel this was not done seamlessly and at times left me slightly confused. 

Mark Roberts is clearly an imaginative crime writer and without having read the blurb I am sure I would have enjoyed this novel. So... if you fancy giving it a go take my advice and don't turn it over!

Cold As Ice by Lee Weeks

THERE'S A TIME TO LOVE, A TIME TO HATE, A TIME TO HEAL... AND A TIME TO KILL.

On a freezing cold winter's day, the body of a young woman is pulled from an icy canal in London. To D.I. Dan Carter it looks like a tragic accident rather than the work of a murderer. But D.C. Ebony Willis is not so sure. Why has the woman's face been painted with garish make-up and wrapped in a plastic bag?

Meanwhile, cosmetics saleswoman Tracy Collins receives a phonecall. It's been twenty years since she gave up her daughter for adoption, so when Danielle gets in touch, she hesitantly begins to kindle a relationship with her and her grandson Jackson. But when Danielle suddenly disappears, Tracy is plunged into the middle of a living nightmare. 

Star Rating

I received this copy from the publishers for an open and honest review. 

Having recently completed a long run of Young Adult novels I was looking forward to reading another crime thriller, one of my favourite genres thanks to the likes of Linwood Barclay and Sophie Hannah. 

This was my first taste of Lee Weeks' writing and I was certainly not let down. 'Cold As Ice' is a page turning thriller that had me gripped from start to finish.

Cold As Ice starts with a bang with the discovery of a young woman's body. As her remains are pulled from the icy canal it becomes clear that this was not an ordinary murder. Wrapped in a plastic bag, the woman's face had been meticulously painted with garish make-up. "Her face looked like something from a waxworks horror museum; bloated and blackened by the water." Lee Weeks includes quite a gruesome postmortem scene which in hindsight was probably not best for me to read on a packed London Tube train (with an unsuspecting member of the public reading over my shoulder.) However, this scene served it's purpose -  to make the reader empathise emphatically with the murderer's victims. 

Running alongside this, the reader is introduced to Tracy Collins who gave up her daughter Danielle for adoption twenty years ago. As they try to rekindle their relationship, Danielle mysteriously disappears leaving behind Jackson her young, disabled son. Again, Lee Weeks succeeds in making the reader empathise with the victims, this time through a heart wrenching moment with young Jackson. As Jeanie, a police office working on the case, questions Jackson on what happened the night his mummy disappeared information is slowly drip fed to the reader and suspects begin to form. We are introduced to a mysterious, psychotic character who fantasies about killing, torturing and killing young women. It becomes clear that this is the guy - but who he is? 

"That's the sound of your daughter trying to get out of her coffin. 

It's my game and my rules and I will prepare for the arrival of another player." 

Lee Weeks provides ample red herrings throughout making this a highly successful crime novel. I was suitably shocked when I discovered the identity of the killer and the ending was in a word horrifying!

With it's thrilling, pacy ending that left me on the edge of my seat this is a crime triumph not to be missed! 

Butterfly Grave by Anne Cassidy

It's almost Christmas time when Joshua's uncle, Stu, has a near fatal accident, leaving him in hospital with head injuries. Determined to help, Rose and Joshua head to Newcastle to visit. 

But even Joshua's uncle has a dark past touched by murder and it looks as though his injuries are anything but accidental. As Rose becomes increasingly preoccupied with the deaths she has witnessed, and Joshua more and more paranoid about who might be watching them, a brutal killing occurs. Somebody really does not want Rose and Joshua to find their parents.

But who? And why?

I received this book from Bloomsbury for an open and honest review. 

Star Rating

 

I didn't realise until after reading this book that it is actually a novel in a series by Anne Cassidy called 'The Murder Notebooks'. Having missed out on her other installments, I was able to follow the story easily and therefore would not say it's necessary to read them as a set. However, upon finishing 'Butterfly Grave' I am now desperate to know what has become of Rose and Joshua's parents and will definitely be reading the next in the series. 

This book tells the story of Joshua and Rose, a step brother and sister whose parents mysteriously vanished five years ago.  The relationship between the pair is strong and, as they set out to discover what happened to their parents all those years ago, unfortunate happenings bring them even closer together.

At the beginning of the story, Joshua's uncle has a serious accident and is taken to hospital in Newcastle. Traveling up to take care of Stu, Joshua and Rose embark on a new discovery as they find a stack of evidence relating to an old murder case in the uncle's flat. Enlisting the help of their friend Skeggsie, the teens start to conduct their own investigation, with surprising results. 

As the teens delve further into their investigation more and more secrets are uncovered leading to a tragic incident that provided another twist to the story. In order to gain more stars from me the book needed a few more shocking twists and turns with a few red herrings thrown in for good measure. However, Butterfly Grave is a quick, easy read and would be great for teen readers with an interest in crime fiction.

The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones

Thirteen-year-old Emily Houchens doesn't have many friends. She spends her time alone in the woods near her house - her safe place, until she finds the body of a young woman. 

Susanna Mitchell is searching for her sister, Ronnie, who vanished after leaving a late-night bar. The more she discovers about Ronnie's life, the more she realises that her sister began to disappear long before she went missing. 

Star Rating

 

I received this book from Atlantic publishers for an open and honest review. 

Being an avid fan of crime thrillers, I had high expectations of this debut novel from Holly Goddard Jones. Although it didn't completely live up to my expectations, for a first novel, I must applaud this talented new author.

'The Next Time You See Me' tells the story of Emily Houchens, a sad, troubled young teen who is mercilessly bullied at school and is lacking in friends. Very early on in the novel, on a visit to the local woods, Emily stumbles upon a body. A dead body rotting away hidden and unnoticed.

"What she thought she'd seen she didn't quite believe; she focused her eyes to the left of it, squinting and then, still uncertain, she crouched down - and yes, there it was, pale and threaded with fine lines, dimpled in the center with dark soil: a human palm."

As Emily struggles to deal with the secret she has unearthed, the reader is introduced to a number of other characters including that of Wyatt - an old, lonely man who lives a very sad existence. The reader is also introduced to Suzanna Mitchell, a school teacher and mum of one, who is desperately searching for her missing sister Ronnie. 

Very early on, it becomes clear that all the characters in the story are linked in some way and Holly Goddard Jones intertwines their story lines with great skill and ease. Everyone in the story is linked to the murder in some form or other and, as the story progresses, plots become neatly woven together.

Where this novel is let down is in it's lack of mystery and twists. Quite early on I had figured out who had committed the murder of Ronnie Mitchell and this, unfortunately, spoiled my enjoyment of the book. Crime fiction fans love a red herring or two and I was disappointed to find the novel lacking in this area. As the novel moved on, I was hoping that maybe I was wrong and that Holly Goddard Jones was going to throw a shock ending my way but unfortunately this wish didn't come true.

However, for the story line and skilled writing alone this debut novel deserves praise and I will certainly be reading Holly's next installment. 

Wrongful Death by Lynda La Plante : Review

Six months after the body of Josh Reynolds, a London nightclub owner, was found and determined by police and coroner to be a suicide, DCS James Langton tasks DCI Anna Travis to review the case. Reynolds died from a single gunshot wound to the head, the gun held in his right hand. But details are emerging that suggest someone else may have fired the gun...

As soon as she wraps up the case, Langton tells Anna she can join him at the FBI Academy in Virginia for training. Meanwhile, a Senior FBI Agent, Jessie Dewar, crime scene expert, is seconded to Anna's team as part of her research and immediately the competence of the original investigation team is questioned.

                 

Star Rating

                                                 

I received this book from Simon & Schuster for an honest review.

Surprisingly, as a lover of crime fiction, this was the first novel by Lynda La Plante that I have read and it definitely won't be the last. This was an extremely detailed and exciting read that followed the investigation of Anna Travis and her team as they worked to discover what really happened to Josh Reynolds on that fateful night. Was it suicide or murder? What secrets would unfold as the closed suicide case became a homicide investigation?

Lynda La Plante has told this thrilling mystery story in enormous detail with many references to the particulars of crime investigations. Throughout the book, the reader is exposed to an array of evidence including blood splatter patterns, finger prints, interviews and CCTV footage. All this contributes to the realism of the plot and helped me to form opinions and theories in my mind. The book had many twists and turns and I kept changing my mind all the way through as to who I thought may have murdered Josh Reynolds. I would make a terrible detective!

The story was very reminiscent of recent popular series such as Dexter and Luther and the characters involved were very likeable and real. I was particularly drawn to the relationships between Detectives Travis and Dewar and later on between Travis and Bane as their relationship blossomed at the FBI training camp.

At a grand total of 500 pages I did at times find myself struggling and found the detail included quite draining. However, there was a welcomed break in plot roughly halfway through the book as Detective Anna Travis left for America to take part in the FBI training course. Here, she set upon a new case to discover what happened to a missing school girl and this subplot added an exciting twist to the story.

Lynda La Plante made good use of rhetoric and questioning in her writing to make the reader feel involved in the case and part of the discovery. I was eager to find out who killed Josh Reynolds and why and found myself with that end of 'Cluedo' feeling upon my discovery.

I am giving this book 4 stars as I feel the story could have been told in less pages and sometimes in less detail. However, for all crime lovers out there with a strong interest in police investigations this is a must read.

Vengeance edited by Lee Child : Review

                                                         Star Rating

A special thanks to Atlantic Books publishers for this copy which I received for an honest review. 

'Mystery Writers of America presents Vengeance' is an anthology of high-octane crime stories edited by the crime legend, Lee Child. This was the first anthology I have ever read, personally preferring to read full novels, and I have to say it wasn't entirely my cup of tea. Although anthologies are great to dip in and out of when you don't have the time for an entire novel, I feel that the stories chosen for this book were very hit and miss. Some were fantastic! Some were disappointing.

The content of this book was selected by Lee Child and a panel of competition judges. As stated in the introduction, "10 high quality invitees and 10 high quality competition winners" feature in this anthology. Lee Child himself described the process as "like playing fantasy baseball - who did I want on the field?" I feel that in choosing his team, Lee Child made some unfortunate errors. I was disappointed by his own offering to the book which was not consistent with his usual high standard.

However, some of the short stories hidden within this book are top class and it is certainly worth reading through to find them. The themes included are extremely dark and disturbing and, for a horror film lover such as myself, are successful in grabbing the attention of the reader. This anthology addresses themes such as rape, suicide, terminal illness, molestation and murder. The following short stories are superbly written and a must read for lovers of crime fiction:

The Mother by Alafair Burke 

(although I did feel this story ended very abruptly)

The Unremarkable Heart by Karin Slaughter

Blood and Sunshine by Adam Meyer

River Secret by Anne Swardson

A Fine Mist Of Blood by Michael Connelly

Even A Blind Man by Darrell James

My favourite short story by far was 'Blood and Sunshine' by Adam Meyer. It was very reminiscent of a fantastic British horror film I watched recently on LoveFilm called 'The Children' where a relaxing Christmas break turns into a terrifying fight for survival as the children begin to turn on their parents. If you haven't seen this film make sure you check it out!

Although I have given the book as a whole 2 stars, there are definitely some hidden gems in here worth a lot more. It is a great book for lovers of crime fiction looking for something to dip into on a lunch break or on the train. You may even discover some new crime authors to add to your reading list!