When darkness calls by Mark Griffin

Holly Wakefield has a routine life - splitting her time between teaching students at King's College about forensic psychology and treating patients at Wetherington Hospital.  Her knowledge about forensic psychology, especially in regards to serial killers, makes her a walking encyclopedia of twisted minds - and that knowledge will soon be put to the test.  When she receives a phone call from Detective Inspector Bishop, she is confused at first, until he reminds her that she volunteered to be on the crime scene call out list if they ever needed a forensic psychologist.  When she arrives at the crime scene she isn't sure what to expect, in five years she has never been called upon before - but the gruesome crime scene is a shock even to Holly.  

As she starts working on the case it is clear that her experience and knowledge of serial killers is an advantage, as she is quickly able to build a profile of the killer.  It's not perfect, she can't give them a name or a face, but she is able to provide enough information for the Police to begin their search.  When the murder is linked to another case, DI Bishop and Holly have to face the fact that they have their own serial killer.  Balancing her work as a teacher, profiler and forensic psychologist is not easy - especially with an important date looming on the horizon for one of her favourite patients at Wetherington.  

The longer Holly works on the case the more connections she see's, but not everyone agrees with her - and because forensic psychology is an art as much as a science it is not easy to convince everyone about her conclusions.  They don't know it, but DI Bishop and Holly are in a race against time to stop another murder - one that will bring Holly's past into the present.  Everyone has secrets, but the secrets Holly keeps are darker than most.

When darkness calls is the first book in the Holly Wakefiled thriller series.  It is a perfect balance between Police procedural and forensic psychology - told from the point of view of the psychologist rather than the Police.  It is a fresh take, bringing all the drama and forensic detail you expect from a crime thriller, but it brings a more human perspective and approach - especially as this is Holly's first case working with the Police.  The book is well written and has a good pace, and there are little breadcrumbs throughout that hint at what is to come - a chance to test your observational skills and see if you can reach the right conclusion before the end.

There is great character development, over the course of this first book in the series we get to meet Holly and Bishop - and we get to start peeling back the layers of who they are.  Holly is particularly interesting as a character because of her knowledge of serial killers and the macabre - and Bishop is interesting because of his background and limitations (no spoilers here).  I look forward to reading the next book in the series - though I may have to pace myself as book four in the series isn't due to be released until next year!

If you like this book then try:

• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The puppet show by M.W. Craven
• The edge of normal by Carla Norton
• Every last fear by Alex Finlay
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• Good me bad me by Ali Land
• The coast to coast murders by James Patterson and J.D.Barker

Reviewed by Brilla

The witch haven by Sasha Peyton Smith

The year is 1911, and seventeen year old Frances Hallowell works as a seamstress in New York City.  It is not an easy life, she works long hours, but at least she has a place to sleep and food to eat.  Her days blend together under the repetitive work, but also under the black cloud of the double loss of her mother and brother.  Her brother was murdered a few months before, his body dumped in the river like garbage.  Their mother was already fragile, with Frances doing most of the household work, but when William died she lost her last grip on reality and is now in an asylum.  

Frances knows she is lucky to have the position she does, she could be working in one of the factories where people work long hours in dangerous conditions - but that luck runs out the night the owner Mr. Hues catches her in the shop alone and assaults her.  When a pair of scissors embed themselves in his neck Frances is saved, but she also becomes the prime suspect in his death - even though she never touched the scissors.  Whisked out from under the nose of the Police Frances finds herself at Haxahaven Academy - and her eyes are opened to a world she never knew existed.

Haxahaven Academy is a haven for witches - girls and women of all ages who have had their magic awaken.  There are clases at Haxahaven where they learn to harness their magic for simple household tasks and where they learn to control their emotions.  It quickly begins to feel dull to Frances, and when a boy appears first in her dreams and then in her life, it brings a sense of excitement.  Finn is like no boy she has ever met, he knows about magic and power, and he is willing to help her learn magic that is forbidden at Haxahaven.  The more time Frances spends with Finn the more she learns, and the less she seems to know - and the more danger she is in.  Power attracts power, and someone has plans for Frances and the power growing inside her.

The witch haven is the first book in a series and it was a whirlwind introduction to a world hidden right under our noses in historical New York.  We get a gentle introduction to this new world through the eyes of Frances, and then have to quikcly tighten our seatbelts for the fast-paced thrill ride it becomes.  I am all about mythology and 'logic' when it comes to magic, especially if it sits within the context of 'our' world (past, present or future) and Sasha Peyton Smith delivers.  Frances and her world are easy to relate to, and everything makes sense which means it was easy to loose yourself in the story.  

There are some historical facts that may be confronting - woman's suffrage and the forced removal of American Indian children from their families - but it adds to the authenticity of the story.  There are other historical facts that make it more authentic, including the horrific conditions of factory workers at the time, and the way the wealthy treated the poor and the working poor.  There are traces of romance in the story, the power of deep friendships, and coming of age while finding your own power - all the elements that bring a story to life and help you connect with the characters.  This was a fabulous find and The witch haven is definitely going to go on my go-to list of recommendations for 2022.

If you like this book then try:

• Kingdom of the blazing phoenix by Julie C. Dao
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Girls of paper and fire by Natasha Ngan
• The glass spare by Lauren DeStefano
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Not even bones by Rebecca Schaeffer
• Court of fives by Kate Elliott
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Warrior of the wild by Tricia Levenseller

Reviewed by Brilla

Swipe right for murder by Derek Milman

Aidan Jamison is staying at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City, waiting for his family to arrive so they can jet off together to see his aunt who has some seriously bad luck.  He has had time to catch up with some of his friends from boarding school, and should be happy just hanging out on his own - but he can't resist jumping on the DirtyPaws app to see if he can find a hook up nearby.  Despite his first hit being a miss, unsurprisingly Aidan finds someone in the hotel who meets his needs - a hot, older guy, named Benoit.  It is a little awkward, because Benoit seems to be expecting something from Aidan beyond a quick hook up, but it turns into an enjoyable encounter - until Aidan wakes up and discovers that Benoit is dead.

Finding a dead body should be the worst thing that happens, but it looks like some of his aunts bad luck may have rubbed off on Aidan because his day quickly goes from bad to worse.  He receives a mysterious phone call that threatens his family if he doesn't cooperate, that he has something they want - and for some reason they keep calling him Mr. Preston.  Determined not to put his family at risk Aidan goes on the run, trying to solve the puzzle while also staying alive.  His quiet trip to New York to meet up with his family is soon a distant memory, and Aidan has stumbled across something that he was never meant to see, and now might never escape.

I picked up Swipe right for murder for what must be one of the weirdest reasons - because I saw a review of the book that absolutely slammed it purely because Aidan is gay.  That was it, the person didn't even read the whole book because they read a few chapters and discovered that Aidan was gay, and that was the end of the book for them.  Knowing that just made me determined to read it and see what it was like - and I am very glad I did.  One of the hallmarks of a great character is that they grow and change as their story develops, that they are changed by the people and experiences they encounter, and are able to evolve.  Aidan's story is one of the better ones for showing this evolution of a person - he starts off rather shallow and self-centred, but the more time you spend with him the more you get to know him and why he is the way he is, and see what he starts developing into.  

This is not a simple story, there are different elements that make it difficult to categorise - crime, romance, thriller, coming of age, they are all here.

Thank you to the random hateful person who dismissed Swipe right for murder just because it was a 'gay' novel - you encouraged me to read what turned out to be a very good book.  

The house of killers by Samantha Lee Howe

Neva is walking death, a highly trained assassin who picks off her targets with calculated precision.  She doesn't let emotion get in the way, and her skills have not gone unnoticed.  Since childhood Neva has been trained and conditioned to follow her orders, to obey her handler and those above her without question and without emotion - and with her knack for disguising herself she could be right in front of you and you would never know.  She is a ghost, one that has hidden in plain sight for years with no one the wiser.  Michael Kensington is an MI5 operative working outside the mainstream in the Archive team.  His job is to help solve puzzles, to profile suspects - and not always on the cold cases that Archive supposedly works on.  One of those cold cases leads Michael to Neva, an assassin who doesn't seem to quite fit the mould.

When one of Neva's targets turns out to be another assassin who needs to be 'retired' it offers a glimpse into the future, and small cracks start appearing in Neva's carefully cultivated façade.  Following the rules and looking obedient will keep herself, but after so many years of being a tool she is starting to awaken to other possibilities.  When she breaks protocol and leaves her past behind, it is the beginning of the end for Neva.  Breaking away from the Network paints a target on her back, and she has no idea how deep the conspiracy goes.  When Michael stumbles across Neva and discovers who she is he discovers that she is more than just a cold blooded killer, she is also a victim of a conspiracy that has its fingers in lots of different pies.  Neva just wants to break away from the Network, but they can't afford to let her go.  When the team at Archive uncovers some startling connections between a cold case they are investigating and Neva, the walls start closing in for both Michael and Neva - who can they trust in a world where for some people, keeping secrets is like breathing.

I stumbled across The house of killers in a new books list for my local public library and the blurb seemed really intriguing - especially the line about it being Killing Eve meets Jason Bourne.  I tend to like my reads more at the thriller end of the crime genre, but every now and then a great blurb will tempt me to read books from the action genre and this was one of those times when I didn't regret it one bit.  Samantha Lee Howe has a spare writing style, she doesn't bury you with mindless details, and keeps the action moving along at a decent pace.  You get to see the world of Neva and Michael without drowning in minute details that don't really add anything - which means she is able to cover a lot of ground, and a lot of action in a 410 pages!  

Howe has created a believable world for her characters, one that should appeal to readers of the genre - as well as ring true to conspiracy theorists who would no doubt state emphatically that the Network is real!  The shifting perspectives between Neva and Michael are well handled and offer you a glimpse of both their lives and what they are going through, without resorting to using the 'voice of god' third person view that can get very annoying very quickly.  The chapters are fast moving, and it is easy to keep up with what is happening.  This was a great find, and hopefully I don't have to wait too long to get my hands on the sequels Kill or die and Kill a spy.

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The runner by Stephen Leather
• The nowhere child by Christian White
• Nine Elms by Robert Bryndza
• Safe by S.K. Barnett
• Kill a stranger by Simon Kernick
• Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
• Breaking Creed by Alex Kava
• The Postcard killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
• Spare me the truth by C.J. Carver
• The killing kind by Chris Holm

Reviewed by Brilla

When you are mine by Michael Robotham

Philomena "Phil" McCarthy has worked hard to become a police officer with the Metropolitan Police - no easy feat for the daughter of a notorious criminal.  Phil fought hard to become a police officer, pushing past all the rejections and working harder than anyone else in her class to make it - and she has also cut all ties with her father, and her father's side of the family.  Life isn't easy, but she has found happiness with her fiancée and his son, and she is looking forward to her wedding.  That peaceful normalcy is rocked when she attends a domestic violence complaint with her partner and has to defend herself in an unorthodox fashion.  Blindsided with the identity of her assailant, Phil finds herself on the outside once again, fighting for her place.  Phil soon discovers that she has a connection to the victim, Tempe Brown, and an unexpected friendship develops between them.

As the friendship grows, Phil finds herself in the unusual position of needing a favour from her father - the only person who can help her keep Tempe safe.  Contact with her father comes with a price though, her career with the Metropolitan Police is on shaky ground, and reconnecting with her family is not a good look.  Phil has been told she is obsessed, that she needs to stop investigating Tempe's case, that she is done - but she is determined to stop the harassment that Tempe is facing.  Something isn't quite right with Tempe though, she seems nervous and edgy, and she tells Phil's friends the wildest stories.  Phil tries to shrug it off, Tempe is helping plan her wedding after all, but things aren't adding up.  When her friends and fiancée raise questions about Tempe and her story she tries to brush it off, but she soon finds herself chasing Tempe's story down a rabbit hole that could destroy everything she has worked for.

When you are mine is a standalone novel that is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, conspiracies, betrayals and family that stands out from other books in the crime genre because of the weight of the characters and the situations they find themselves in.  Phil is an interesting character to build the story around, her links to the criminal world and the her work as a police officer making her a pariah in both worlds.  She is also impulsive, stubborn, and loyal - which makes her chasing the story to the end a foregone conclusion.  The people in her world are also complete people with their strengths, flaws, and weaknesses and they make her world completely believable and absorbing.  The theme of a young police officer standing up to a corrupt system is not a new one, but Robotham puts a very good spin on it and keeps you hooked on the story from start to finish. 

If you like this book then try:

• Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The puppet show by M.W. Craven
• The edge of normal by Carla Norton
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• Good me bad me by Ali Land
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• The tattoo thief by Alison Belsham
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Two wrongs by Rebecca Reid
• The coast to coast murders by James Patterson and J.D.Barker

Reviewed by Brilla

Choose me by Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver

When Taryn Moore is found dead in the street outside her apartment after a fall from her balcony it is easy to conclude that she killed herself, a sad case of a young woman who took her own life.  Detective Frances "Frankie" Loomis is not convinced, and not just because her cellphone is nowhere to be found.  As she investigates the case with her partner, Frankie learns more about Taryn and her life, and the events that lead up to her death.  

Taryn left her home town in Maine to study at Commonwealth University in Boston, and she has impressed a few professors in the English Department with her brilliant mind and interesting analysis of English texts.  She is not as popular with some of her classmates, but she has a bright future in academia - as long as she can convince her mother to keep supporting her studies.  The class where she shines the most is Professor Jack Dorian's Star-Crossed Lovers seminar.  Taryn brings a spark to the class, intelligent and thoughtful debate, and Jack is more than a little taken with his star pupil - not in a romantic sense, but he is drawn to her.

As Frankie digs deeper into Taryn's life she discovers that Taryn was a complex young woman - and that there was a lot going on in her life.  Liam, the boyfriend that Taryn followed to Boston had started a new relationship while on a 'break' from his relationship with her, something that Taryn doesn't take well.  Her relationship with Professor Jack Dorian also proves to be more complicated than that of teacher and student - and some of her fellow students are not afraid to try and use that relationship to their own advantage.  As Frankie untangles the story of Taryn's death she makes some startling discoveries that prove you never really know people - not completely.

Choose me is one of those difficult books to review because talking it up requires spoiling some of the best elements of the book.  It is relatively safe to say that this is an outstanding work of psychological fiction, as no one is what they seem, and victims aren't always the victims they seem.  Taryn is a complex and very real person, not only in her death, but also in her life.  She has depth, history, emotion, and it is all too easy to see her actions played out in real life with real people.  Gerritsen and Braver have done an amazing job of creating people who fully come to life with their aspirations, histories, secrets, lies, and desires - no one is under or over done, and the conclusion is thoroughly satisfying.  A great find.

If you like this book then try:

• Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The other woman by Sandie Jones
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
• All of us by A.F. Carter
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Good me bad me by Ali Land

Reviewed by Brilla

The puppet show by M.W. Craven

The Serious Crime Analysis Section (SCAS), lead by Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn, uses a range of data sources and information to identify the emergence of serial rapists and serial killers - as well as providing Police forces with analytical support for their trickier cases.  It's not typical Police work, and involves some rather unusual skill sets, and personalities.  Tilly Bradshaw is one of the more unusual members of the team, she can see mathematical patterns that others miss, and if she needs a programme to do a job and can't find one she writes the programmes herself.  While she may be a genius and something of a prodigy when it comes to seeing patterns, she lacks many of the common social skills that are important when working in a team.  When Tilly sees a pattern with the third victim of  killer the press has dubbed The Immolation Man, because he likes to burn his victims, she makes a phone call that leads to a startling discovery.

Washington Poe is minding his own business in Cumbria, waiting for the day when the hammer finally drops on his career.  Suspended in disgrace more than a year ago after a careless act that leads to the death of a suspect, Poe has been quietly working on his new home Herdwick Croft.  When DI Flynn appears with the news his suspension has been lifted he has mixed feelings, especially when she gives him the choice of coming back to work or resigning, but the details of the case are too tempting to ignore.  The Immolation Man is not only leaving his victims in the stone circles of Cumbria, he has also linked Poe to the latest victim.  Poe is a brilliant profiler, even if he is unorthodox and prone to break the rules - and one of the first rules he breaks is taking Tilly Bradshaw into the field.  It's a partnership that shouldn't work, but it somehow does - even if Poe seems to spend a lot of time helping Tilly navigate the real world rather than working on the case.  It is a race against time for Tilly and Poe to find The Immolation Man before he finds his next victim - or before the rich and powerful stop their investigation in it's tracks.  Poe has never been afraid to fight the hard fights and pursue a case to the end, but this time he has Tilly to think about too.

The puppet show was an engrossing read which fits the old cliché of 'the pages almost seemed to turn themselves' - which doesn't do the story or the characters justice.  I wasn't sure what to think about Tilly when she was first introduced, you would expect the main character to be the introduction, but starting with Tilly was the perfect place to start.  I could see a lot of people in Tilly, and while some might dismiss her as a cliché (brilliant but socially awkward), she is an engaging character in her own way and allows you to find a different view from the traditional Police perspective in crime novels.  Poe in his own way is also both a walking cliché and refreshingly different - he is the Police officer on the edges, loathed by some of this colleagues, but also brilliant at what he does and with a good heart.  The combination of Poe and Tilly leads to some heart warming moments as well as some laugh out loud moments - and the story they are investigating is complex enough to keep you guessing but still challenges you to solve the case before they do.  

The puppet show is the first book in a series and I have already ordered the next book in the series so I can read it.  A highly recommended read.

If you like this book then try:

• Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
• Every last fear by Alex Finlay
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• The nowhere child by Christian White
• My best friend's murder by Polly Phillips
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Two wrongs by Rebecca Reid
• The coast to coast murders by James Patterson and J.D.Barker

Reviewed by Brilla

Invisible girl by Lisa Jewell

The Fours family has been living in a rented apartment while work is done on their house and living in the 'posh' neighbourhood is not what they expected.  The area is quiet, with most of the residents keeping to themselves, not so different from the Fours family themselves.  Dad Roan is out of the home most of the day, as are the children Georgia and Josh - it is mum Cate who is home most of the day, or running errands in Hampstead Heath.  The strangest thing about their neighbourhood is the man who lives across the road, a man that Georgia said was following her home and giving her the creeps.  Roan isn't bothered by the incident, and Georgia isn't particularly bothered either, but Cate is worried - especially when there are increasing reports of sexual assault in their local area.  

When a young girl goes missing in their area it doesn't appear to involve them - but then it comes to light that missing girl Saffyre Maddox was Roan's patient for three years, and that she was seen in the area around the time of her disappearance by the man who lives across the road from the Fours.  Owen Pick, the witness, is a teacher from a local college who has resigned from his job after students came forward with complaints of inappropriate behaviour.  Owen is angry and frustrated about the whole thing and finds himself drawn into a strange new world - incels, people who are involuntarily celibate.  But falling down the rabbit hole of the incel community will only bring him more trouble.

Invisible girl was an interesting, if slightly laborious, read that took a little more effort to engage with than I would normally like - but that I was glad I read all the way through.  The story itself is solid, and where Jewell takes the characters is both engaging and satisfying - but it was the constantly moving around timeline that was frustrating, sometimes it was hard to tell what point of the story you were in.  There is great character development and growth across the novel, and you do form a connection with the characters, but the lack of a clear timeframe and moving backwards and forwards through time is a little frustrating.

If you like the crime genre, and like challenging yourself to unravel what is happening before the big reveal at the end, then Invisible girl is the book for you.  If you like books that are seamless and smooth, with a clear chronology and easy readability then Invisible girl is not for you.  Best summed up as a solid crime novel, but not one of my favourites.

If you like this book then try:

• Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• My best friend's murder by Polly Phillips
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan

Reviewed by Brilla

Every last fear by Alex Finlay

After a tragic accident in Mexico the Pine family is dead - except for the two oldest sons Matt and Danny.  Matt is studying at NYU, and Danny is in prison for the murder of his girlfriend Charlotte.  When Matt hears the news it is only the start of the nightmare - he is the one who has to break the news to his brother Danny, a brother he hasn't seen since he was convicted and locked up seven years earlier, and he has to travel to Mexico to have the bodies of his family released.  Special Agent Keller sets up everything for Matt so he can travel to Mexico, but when things go wrong Matt finds himself on his own and in danger.  Once he has his family he still has to face the return to their home town, a place where they are not particularly welcome - and where Matt has to face the fallout from the Netflix documentary that he refused to take part in, the documentary that made his father look unhinged and fueled an obsession for both his father and his sister Maggie.

For the past seven years Evan Pine has been down the rabbit hole of chasing the truth about what happened on the night Charlotte died.  Danny is no help, the memories buried in a drunken stupor with huge gaps, but Evan and his daughter Maggie have uncovered clues over the years that give them hope.  They are convinced that Danny is innocent, that he was manipulated into the confession by the police investigating the murder.  The documentary about Danny's case, A Violent Nature, made Evan look crazy, and his obsession with finding the real killer hasn't helped.  When a new piece of evidence appears he books a family trip to Mexico, something he can't afford after losing his job, a last ditched effort to prove his sons innocence.  His dedication to the case hasn't gone unnoticed, and some secrets are meant to stay buried.

Every last fear was an interesting and thoroughly engaging read, several storylines blended together to form a single story - switching points of view keeping you in the story and in each characters head space, along with excerpts from a documentary about the case that has affected the family so badly.  This was a unique take on the crime thriller, and partnered with the rapidly cycling chapters made it an addictive read.  Alex Finlay's debut novel is deftly written, giving you enough information to suck you and into the story, without drowning you in detail or pointing out the obvious.   There are bread crumbs throughout the story, little hints that test if you are paying attention, that ultimately will either lead you to the truth before it is revealed or leave you doubting what you know (or think you know).  

Finding a unique voice in the increasingly crowded crime/thriller market is no easy task - but Finlay has managed to pull it off with ease.  Looking forward to seeing what comes next.

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• The nowhere child by Christian White
• Nine Elms by Robert Bryndza
• The half sister by Sandie Jones
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
• My best friend's murder by Polly Phillips
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Two wrongs by Rebecca Reid
• Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell

Reviewed by Brilla

The Passengers by John Marrs

The days of getting into your car and not knowing if you will make it to your destination in one piece are nearly a thing of the past.  With developments in technology we have moved rapidly from artificial intelligence assisting us with driving, to fully automated cars that do everything for you.  You don't have to worry about avoiding other cars, and your car will react to potential hazards so all you need to do is sit back and relax.  The new cars are safe, easy to use, and impossible to hack - or at least that is what everyone has been told.  People are no longer drivers, they are Passengers.  There is a dark little secret hidden within the industry though, one that has to involve a member of the public, but is so secret that they are essentially gagged to prevent them talking about - a jury that investigates crashes involving driverless cars and assigns blame.  

Libby Dixon is the latest civilian drafted into the five person Vehicle Inquest Jury, and things have not been going well.  Every time she voices an opinion she is ignored, talked over, or treated like an idiot.  Any hopes she had of making a difference are quickly evaporating - and then the unthinkable happens.  Eight driverless cars have been hacked and are under the control of a hacker who has exposed Libby and the rest of the jury to the world - and who has set them the task of choosing which of the Passengers should live, with the rest set to die in a fatal collision in a few hours time.  It's not just up to the jury though, public opinion matters too and various hashtags are trending on social media almost too quickly to follow.  At a glance the Passengers represent all aspects of society, and people are quick to make snap decisions about their value - but noone is truly what they appear on the surface.  When the first Passenger dies it becomes clear that the Hacker means business, and that they know more about the jury than they are supposed to.  Who will the jury and public choose to save - and what connection does Libby have to the Passengers and the work of the jury?

John Marrs was a surprise find for me with The one and I was a little tentative to pick up The passengers as I was worried it wouldn't be as good - I shouldn't have worried at all because it was just as good if not better.  The speculative fiction end of science fiction is challenging to write because it is so close to our current world/time that you really need to get people to shake off now quickly and commit to the story and John Marrs is very good at doing that.  Like many other authors Marrs also uses the switching character viewpoint, and he does it very very well indeed.  It is easy to connect to his characters because you spend time in their shoes, and it is a very effective way to drag you through the story in the passenger seat (so to speak) because you feel more involved with the action.  The way Marrs reveals his characters and their secrets is a masterclass in making you feel connected to the characters while also testing how observant you are (and often how empathetic and observant you are).  These are characters you care about, and care about quickly.

After thoroughly enjoying reading The one, I picked up The Passengers in the hopes of finding another great read and was not disappointed.  Writing speculative fiction is challenging and it can be just as challenging to read - but I had no problems getting into the storyline.  John Marrs has a knack for writing his story in short sharp bursts that somehow manages to hook you into the story, connects you with the characters, and rapidly builds the tension.  One of the taglines I have seen quite often is that he is writing five minutes in the future, and you get that sense - we are currently hearing all about self driving vehicles and how they are trialing them.  It's not hard to think about the next step, with AI driving the vehicles and drivers becoming a thing of the past - we already hear stories of Tesla 'drivers' asleep at the wheel (complete with video).  

As someone who drives a lot I already see people distracted by their phones and devices and can easily see how people would embrace the idea of a completely self driving car - even with the ethical dilemmas that might arise.  As you read The Passengers it quickly becomes clear that there is more to the story than just a self driving car - in much the same way as there is more to The one than just a love match app.  I have The minders on my to be read pile so I look forward to seeing if it manages to live up to its predecessors.  Very well written and thoroughly engaging books that suck you in completely.

If you like this book then try:

• The one by John Marrs
• Next by Michael Crichton
• The dolls by James Patterson and Kecia Bal
• The runner by Stephen Leather
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The Store by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
• Spare me the truth by C.J. Carver
• Kill a stranger by Simon Kernick

Reviewed by Brilla

Song of the crimson flower by Julie C. Dao

Note: Song of the crimson flower follows on from the events in Forest of a thousand lanterns and Kingdom of the blazing phoenix but it can be read as a stand alone novel.

Lan is a young woman waiting for the day that she marries Tam, the young man she has been promised to.  Tam is her perfect match, he may not be a nobleman and the son of a minister like she is, but his father is a physician and equally wealthy.  She has known Tam her whole life, and has come to enjoy the secret visits he makes at night to play her a special song on his flute.  Tam is so much more than Bao, the orphan taken in by Tam's family - a man child who is all awkward manners and gangly limbed.  Lan tries to be patient as she waits for Tam, but when Bao professes his love for her and tells her a startling truth Lan lashes out at Bao and sends him running straight into a terrible fate.

While running from Lan's anger and her hateful words Bao runs into the mythical river witch and when he asks her to help him forget she curses him instead.  Bao is tied to his bamboo flute in the most brutal way possible and he is doomed to fade into the instrument forever - unless someone who truly loves him can save him in time.  Wracked with guilt about her hateful words towards Bao, Lan is desperate to set things right and when Bao reappears and tells her about the curse she is determined to help free him from his fate - even if it means defying her father and travelling to a far off city.  As they journey towards their destination they find new friends, uncover secrets, and discover more about themselves than they would have ever thought possible.

Finding authors with a fresh voice can be challenging, especially when you read a lot - so it was a real treat to discover Julie C. Dao and her Forest of a thousand lanterns duology.  It was a world that was well developed and had a sense of 'realness' that partly came from Dao drawing on her Asian heritage.  When I discovered Song of the crimson flower I was a little reluctant to pick it up as I was worried that a single, stand alone novel would not be able to deliver the power and strength of the original duology - but was I ever wrong.  Although the cast of characters may be smaller for Song of the crimson flower, that smallness improves the story rather than taking away from it.  All the rich background mythology is there, the relatable characters are there, and the sweeping story is there - it is just a more intimate experience rather than a sweeping epic story.  

There is a certain amount of predictability to the storyline because that is the nature and style of the story, but there are surprises along the way and it is so well written that you don't really notice.  Updated fairytales and traditional stories has been a popular genre over the past few years and it is a real treat to find a story that is both familiar and richly reimagined with a mythological/cultural background that makes everything fresh and new again.  Hopefully this is not the last we have seen of Dao and her world building.

If you like this book then try:

• Kingdom of the blazing phoenix by Julie C. Dao
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Girls of paper and fire by Natasha Ngan
• Spin the dawn by Elizabeth Lim
• Sea witch by Sarah Henning
• The glass spare by Lauren DeStefano
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Not even bones by Rebecca Schaeffer
• Court of fives by Kate Elliott
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Warrior of the wild by Tricia Levenseller

Reviewed by Brilla

The one by John Marrs

Welcome to the new world, where a simple test will connect you with your perfect match through the MatchYourDNA website.  It seems too good to be true, finding the perfect match, but that is exactly what a scientific break through has allowed us to do.  Ten years ago scientists discovered that everyone has a gene they share with just one other person - their perfect genetic match.  A simple DNA test lets you find the one person in the world for you, and reports show that people who meet their Match for the first time feel an undeniable spark and connection.  Millions of people have taken the test and paid the modest fee to find the details about their perfect match - including Mandy, Christopher, Nick, Ellie and Jade.

Taking the test is supposed to make things easier - but only if your perfect match is in the database.  Being a perfect match doesn't make the other person perfect though.  Mandy already has one failed marriage under her belt so the promise of her perfect match is too good to resist - but then she discovers she is too late, which could lead to heartache but instead leads to something else, something more.  Christopher is working on a project with single minded focus until he is matched with Amy - a match that is highly ironic considering what his special project is.  Will Amy be his perfect match or will it lead to disaster?  Nick is content with his fiancée Sally, but she wants to do the test to make sure.  Sally and Nick should have left well enough alone because you can't keep secrets forever.  Jade has always played it safe and resented it so racing off to meet her Match goes against everything she has held onto - and what she discovers will change everything.  Ellie is always guarded and controlled, so when she finally receives her Match she is surprised and treads carefully, but then her romance blossoms and she starts bringing down her walls.  What would you risk to find your one true love?

Speculative fiction is challenging to write - you have to create a world that feels like ours, but just a little bit more than ours.  John Marrs has tackled the challenge and pulled it off very well indeed.  Some people may find the constantly changing point-of-view frustrating but it is this technique that builds rapport with the characters quickly and allows you to see the world and understand it without being buried in too much information right from the start.  Reading this addictive (best read in one sitting) book it is very quickly apparent why it was adapted into a television series on Netflix.  Marrs not only creates a world where science has discovered something amazing and believable, he also creates characters that are perfectly flawed like all of us are - they seem real because everything about them could be about you, or a family member, or a friend.  

I've been saying this a lot lately, but this is a highly recommended read and I look forward to reading more books by Marrs in the future.  Even if The one doesn't sound like something you would normally read - give it a go, because it combines elements of other genre together into a very nice package indeed.

If you like this book then try:

• The dolls by James Patterson and Kecia Bal
• The runner by Stephen Leather
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The Store by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
• Eeny meeny by M.J. Arlidge
• Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
• Spare me the truth by C.J. Carver
• Kill a stranger by Simon Kernick

Reviewed by Brilla

Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell

Ten years ago Ellie Mack walked out the door on her way to the library to study and never came home - leaving her family behind, frozen in time and grief.  There was a flurry of activity when she disappeared, but over time the Police concluded that she ran away, and the case was forgotten by everyone except her family.  Her mother Laurel has never been able to move on, she has never believed that Ellie ran away, and when a special programme airs around the tenth anniversary of Ellie's disappearance she has a faint hope that she might find out what happened - but she never expected them to find Ellie's remains a few months later.  After ten years of existing rather than living, Laurel now has the concrete proof that her golden girl will never be coming home.  

With her two other adult children keeping her at a distance, it is no surprise that Laurel is swept up rather quickly by the attention from a charming and charismatic man who crosses her path at a local café.  Floyd is intelligent, interesting, and has a daughter named Poppy who has an uncanny resemblance to Ellie.  Swept off her feet in a whirlwind romance, Laurel takes chances and starts to blossom again, and the more time she spends with Floyd and Poppy the more she sees a resemblance with her missing daughter.  As she starts poking around in their lives, Laurel uncovers some startling connections to her own life and that of Ellie - and soon she will make the most startling discovery of all.

Picking up books to read based on their blurbs can be a risky gamble - most of the time the blurbs are pretty accurate but sometimes the book and the blurb seem to have nothing in common - that was definitely not the case with Then she was gone.  I was absorbed in the story quickly and read the book in one sitting because I didn't want to put it down.  The characters are the biggest part of what makes this story so good - you connect with them, empathise with them, care about them, and experience the story through their eyes.  There are parts of the story that are somewhat predictable (especially for readers who read a lot of crime/thrillers like I do), but Lisa Jewell handles those (almost) clichés well.  

Reviewing books like Then she was gone is always tricky because you want to share how great it was - while also not spoiling any of the things that make it such a good read.  I have to confess to having a tendency to like books that would make great movies or television series and this is one of those books that reads like it could be made into either easily - there's nothing challenging about the text to slow you down with complications and overly flowery descriptions, but the characters are well developed and easy to connect with.  Highly recommended read, and I can't wait to read more from the author.

If you like this book then try:

• Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
• The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
• The nowhere child by Christian White
• The half sister by Sandie Jones
• Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
• When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
• Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
• My best friend's murder by Polly Phillips
• Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
• The better sister by Alafair Burke
• Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
• Two wrongs by Rebecca Reid

Reviewed by Brilla