Nicki's book blog

  The Flytrap by Stewart Giles- Crime When two explosions go off simultaneously in the front room of two separate houses, DS Smith thinks this is no coincidence. He has been told to work on a dog fighting case but when a young girl is found shot and she had filmed the whole thing, Smith finds a large bell ringing in his head- one he would rather not listen to as it can only mean one thing: a certain person could be back on the scene, one he came across in the Viaduct case. Oh heck this is going to get messy, very messy indeed. As ever I start one of Stewarts books and before I know it I'm halfway through and more than committed. These are those sorts of reads that you desperately want to find out more but in a way don’t want it to end as it's such a fantastic read and the pages slip away ever faster (in theory- hopefully you know what I mean!). I won't give anything away other than to say expect the unexpected- its clever, very clever. To me the skill of a truly talented au

  The Lost Daughter- By Jane Adams- Crime A woman has gone missing after she started to pick up her life following the death of her husband. The family turn to Ex-DI Ray Flowers which is odd as he really doesn't do this sort of thing anymore, as they have overheard his name in relation to missing persons. One oddity leads to another and from a message he receives deduces the person this centres around is an old adversary who has jumped open prison a few months ago who has now taken the name of a close friend of his to lure the now missing woman. What is this man after and why target Ray after all these years? I love Jane’s books- there is always a cracking plot and at least one likeable character that you would want on your side in a similar situation. There’s a tension between the pages which keeps them turning into the small hours wanting to find out more. This is a cleverly thought out plot, one with twists and turns keeping the reader ever engaged, even though we know who the

  Blood Red by Anita Waller- Crime I’ve been meaning to read this series for ages having read, I think, all the rest of Anita’s books and thoroughly enjoyed them. This one is superb. The first of a series (The Connection Trilogy-Blood Red, Code Blue, Mortal Green) where the Connection Investigation Agency (yes -the CIA!) has undergone a change (from the Kat & Mouse series). Luke who was the receptionist is now an investigator having gone through exams and found his feet and talents, Tessa is a retired DI, and Fred is also ex police backed up by Beth who does recruitment but steers the agency from behind the scenes. As the offices are refurbished, the old outhouse would make a good storage area. When the door is forced, never having been opened for donkey's years, a body is found and a missing person case becomes a murder. Oh boy! I loved and loved and loved this. There are several cases the agency takes on, the murder being the main one. There’s a wonderful warmth of characters

  One Christmas Eve By Shari Low This may have a seasonal title but for me this is a book that can be read any time of year ( I'm reading this in August). Three generations and three different timelines, all easy to follow, each one with the person's name and the date on each alternating chapter. One in current time with Eve’s grandmother about to move house. The next in the middle generation is Eve's Mother Helena, one who is rather distant emotionally from the others if not physically, and the last is the grandmother Cathy and her sister back in the 1960’s. This is my first Shari Low book (where have I been?) and most certainly won’t be my last- I most certainly have some catching up to do. From the outset there’s a warmth of character, especially Eve the granddaughter and Cathy the grandmother. They have a special relationship which I feel many will relate to and empathise with. This is such a clever plot and premise- one that blew me away and left me with a smile as I&

  Monster Max: This Time it’s Sirius by Robin Bennett- Childrens (6-8 years) Max has a special skill- he can turn himself into a monster just by burping. Where he comes from, this isn't unusual however he sometimes does this by mistake which can land him in hot water and adventures. When he and his best friend find a pack of wolves from Max’s home country are moving towards them, they want to keep them out. However Max has found an orphaned cub that he wants to keep. I would recommend a hard copy as the version I received of this was in e-format and unfortunately not the easiest to read as the pictures were segregated- however-looking at what the others in the series are like and from images- this looks like a colourful read with a good story which will stretch both the imaginations and the vocabulary of most 6-8 year olds. There are colourful illustrations which will help keep the flow and for younger ones what is happening in the plot.  It’s an easy writing style, one to fire the

  THE BEST FRIEND by Suzanna Beard- psychological thriller Wow! A book I raced through and didn't want to put down. Alice lives with her boyfriend and they both have good jobs. One day an old friend of Jason’s appears on the doorstep needing help- the sort of help Jason doesn't want to give. Carl has always been a little dodgy and when he says he wants money, Jason knows he will never pay it back, besides which they don’t have any- everything goes on the mortgage and bills. When Carl says how much it is and that Jason owes him for saving his life when they were young, Jason finds it hard to say no but has to for his and Alice’s safety as Carl is in danger from whom he owes the money to. Alternate chapters follow someone up to no good, staying in the shadows, intent on burglary. When Carl tells Jason he is now involved like it or not, as he’s told them Jason's name, they come up with a plan, one which sounds like it can't fail, but with Carl’s involvement it more than li

  The Boathouse by Keri Beevis- psychological thriller Max and Emily have taken a few days away and are staying in a converted boat house. Max nips out and Emily opens a bottle of wine that has the instructions “ drink me” on it. When Max returns she is horrified to find that this isn't the wine left either by him or as part of the welcome pack. Who has been in the house and why? She then thinks that there is someone outside- there is a mask hanging up but as it's soon Halloween Max quickly dismisses this as kids messing about. Emily has a secret from the past, something Max doesn't know about. A while back her father died and Emily made a friend in Conor, one of the volunteers at the hospice until his attitude changed. Can Emily keep her secret and protect the man she loves? Keri has a skill in writing- one that quickly puts the reader not only in the thick of things but starts with a sense of security which then changes to a sense of unease. What begins as a domestic dram

  A Family Affair by Patricia Dixon- family drama  Oh boy! Trish has done it again. A book I start and really don’t want to put down. There’s such warmth through the pages. New characters that quickly become friends and that special je ne sais quoi, that skill of a brilliant author that puts a hug in a book. One of my books of the year- 10* if I could. Honey runs a cafe, something that has been her dream. She would love to expand and also do more for the community. Her Grandad Ernie drops by with his veg and has his lunch made by Gospel (love that name). A man has dropped in whose car has broken down and so begins a friendship with Levi. In a different time Ernie's sister Beryl was told something by her mother, knowing her time was short and she had to tell Beryl a family secret. This threw Beryl into a spin as she didn't want to lose her beloved brother but keeping the secret was a weight she could do without.  Also in present Day: Clarissa lives in her family country home and

  The Trap by Michael Leese- Crime Detective Martha Munro has been sent to Dulwich with its high class houses to check out a spate of cats going missing by a sergeant who would love nothing more than to put her on a wild goose chase.  Martha isn't just any detective- last year she fought off her daughter being kidnapped and being sent to prison herself due to a criminal who wanted revenge for Martha's father who was also in the police with a clear up rate that included top brass as well as criminals.  Martha finds that the Brown family have received a text threatening their children, which ups the ante somewhat. Mr Brown is a wealthy hedge fund manager and used to getting threats but when it's his family involved he needs help which Martha provides in the shape of Julie,  and what a shape!  This is such a wonderful brilliant read that I quickly loved.  There's a steely character in Martha and some humour around Julie which is fine tuned to perfection.  It's a clev

  The Family on Smith Street  by Elisabeth Carpenter- psychological thriller Set in two timelines this tells the story of a mother who has gone missing after arranging to meet someone who had contacted her by email. The other timelines is back in the 1990's and tells of a young boy Alexander who is up to no good,  not helped by the fact that his father is in prison. Alex makes some impulsive decisions and this timeline moves on until present day. Most of the present day is told by Scarlett, the daughter of the missing woman and her own discoveries about her family.  OMG! What a belter of a premise! One perfectly executed and twists and turns I really didn’t see coming. I liked Scarlett who came across well- to me, the skill of a talented author. A fast paced conundrum of a read with a cracking ending. I can’t recommend this highly enough. Wow- just wow!  For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog _____________________ Buy Link(s): https://geni.us/ B0C5MZGBLXsocial