The Longest Goodbye by Mari Hannah- ( DCI Kate Daniels Book#9)- Book review

Here is my review as part of the DCI Kate Daniels readalong of the ninth book, The Longest Goodbye, in this amazing crime thriller series.

Three years ago police officer Georgina Ioannau was murdered, her killers never brought to justice.Now the prime suspects have been shot dead within hours of their return to the UK.Has someone finally taken the law into their own hands?Seeking out the truth will force Kate Daniels to confront her own past mistakes, and put her career, and her team’s lives, on the line.

Thank you at Compulsive Readers and Orion books for my copy of this book,

Review

Here is my review as part of the DCI Kate Daniels read-along of the ninth book, The Longest Goodbye, in this amazing crime thriller series set in the Northeast of England.

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

The story starts with a typical boy’s night out in Newcastle but ends in violence with three men shot dead and an armed officer fighting for his life. This case is related to the death of a police officer and Kate’s best friend three years ago. A case that remains unsolved possibly due to the handling of the case by the SIO at the time leaving the family distraught. Kate has to solve the cold while dealing with her own emotions, her team struggling with own of their own in the firing line as well as acting up in a superior role.

This book can be read as standalone with reading the other books in the serious, but I would recommend the other books to understand Kate and her team.

The plot moves quickly and once I started the book, I had to keep reading to find out who the murderers were, and it did come as a complete surprise. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns, some of which were a little heartbreaking.

As always, the Northeast of England forms the perfect background – Newcastle for the grittier elements and the rural parts for the rest of the story.

Jo’s and Kate’s relationship remains complicated, but Kate is as always, the dedicated Detective, friend, and boss- a woman I love reading about.

Content warning

References to child abuse

Killing for Keeps by Mari Hannah (DCI Kate Daniels # 5)- Book review and Readalong.

THEY KNOW HE’S COMING. Two brothers from the same criminal family die within hours of each other, five miles apart, one on the edge of a Newcastle industrial estate, the other in a busy A & E department of a local hospital, unseen by the triage team. Both victims have suffered horrific injuries. Who wanted them dead? Will they kill again? Investigating these brutal and bloody killings leads DCI Kate Daniels to break some rules, putting her career as well as her life on the line.
As the body count rises in the worst torture case Northumbria Police has ever seen, the focus of the enquiry switches, first to Glasgow and then to Europe ending in a confrontation with a dangerous offender hell-bent on revenge.

Thank you orion books and Compulsive Readers for my ecopy

Review

Here is my review of  Killing for Keeps by Mari Hannah as part of  the DCI Kate Daniels read along- the goriest book yet.

I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinion.

Read more: Killing for Keeps by Mari Hannah (DCI Kate Daniels # 5)- Book review and Readalong.

Killing for Keeps is the fifth book in the DCI Daniels series and this could possibly be read as standalone- although reading the previous books will give you flavour of Kate’s and Hank’s close relationship as we well her loyalty to her team.

Killing for Keeps sees Kate, the hard-working, dedicated detective who would do anything to achieve justice for her murder victims,  stretched beyond capacity and on the verge of burnout. This leads her to make some doubtful choices as well as be perhaps more abrasive than she usually is.

This book describes the underworld of Scotland and Newcastle and feels like like the usual Kate Daniels crime mystery and more of a cat and mouse chase to find the gangsters responsible and to prevent any further death. This eventually leads to Kate and Hank going undercover as a married couple.

The action is fast paced with some genuinely scary scenes when Kate’s  team members life is in danger!

Content Warning

References to torture

Settled Blood by Mari Hannah- book review

Here is my review of Settled Blood by Mari Hannah, part of the #DCIKateDaniels Compulsive readers readalong

When a young girl is found dead at the base of Hadrian’s Wall, it’s not long before Detective Chief Inspector Kate Daniels realises her death was no ordinary homicide. She was thrown from a great height and was probably alive before she hit the ground. Then a local businessmen reports his daughter missing, has Daniels found the identity of her victim, or is a killer playing a sickening game? As the murder investigation team delve deeper into the case, half truths are told, secrets exposed, and while Daniels makes her way through a mountain of obstacles time is running out for one terrified girl.

Review

I  enjoyed Settled Blood by Mari Hannah -book 2 of my DCI Kate Daniels readalong.

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

The ( Charlie) Parker Series by John Connolly- Series Review

Genre – Crime ,magical realism

First Book Every Dead thing

Number of Books to Date (2023) 20

The Charlie Parker books by John Connolly blend crime with strong supernatural making this a unique and riveting series for both crime ,urban fantasy buffs or anyone looking for a different twist to their crime thrillers.

Review

I first picked up the first Charlie Parker book, Every Dead Thing, in an airport 15 year ago and have enjoyed every harrowing book since then. This series is an indescribable blend of crime, thriller and the supernatural with one of my  favourite fictional characters.

 Charlie Parker is a grizzly, grumpy, loner detective who starts off as a young New York detective mourning the gruesome murders of his wife and daughter. We see him become a wiser( but still grumpy)private detective with a group of loyal friends and allies  as well as father to a gifted daughter.

 Each book can be read as a standalone but there are so many recurring themes and characters and you would lose out on the big picture if these books aren’t read in order. Parker is a fascinating character and there is a specialness about him, his past and his family that each book slowly reveals particularly when his second daughter is born. His tenaciousness and unwillingness to give up fighting evil ,no matter the cost, is the core of good and hope that runs through these books. The vast number of secondary characters that recur through the book are interesting in their own rights, especially Louis and Angel ( who get a book of their own too).