This was a brilliant, compulsive thriller, that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

When a young girl goes missing from an Oxford College, DI Josie Masters is on a race against time to find her. However, when more kidnappers happen, unforeseen connections begin to appear…

I loved this novel – it was a great detective mystery, and I was genuinely clueless at the beginning as to who it could be. The links between the kidnappings were so unclear at first, and there were a lot of dead ends and red herrings, which made for very suspenseful reading.

Towards the end, I started to get suspicious of one particular character, and although I guessed right (so pleased with myself), I could NOT have predicted the reason for their actions!! It was so shocking, and although it was hinted at, it was subtle enough to not be remembered and to come as a complete surprise. It was a truly great twist. I loved the connections with the past and the present, and there were real depths of cunning and true human heartbreak required to carry through with this crime.

I loved the characters in this novel – Josie Masters was brilliantly written, her battle with her past and her demons delicately interwoven into the story to make a really complex case. DS Jack Pryce was a great addition, and their relationship as both colleagues and friends was super interesting to watch.

I loved the style of writing, it was both detailed and fast paced, and it really kept me on tenterhooks to find out what happened. Truly brilliant, and I seriously can’t emphasise how much I loved the ending!

This was a fantastic book, got into it straight away. It was fast paced, gritty and full of twists and turns, kept me on the edge of my seat as I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I found it hard to put down.

DS Jo Masters was a very compelling police woman who lead a very intriguing police investigation into missing girls in Oxford. Firstly, she is assigned the case when a young girl goes missing from Jesus College, followed by two more, one from Oriel and one Somerville. Who is going to be next? Jo thinks they might be after her....'Josie'? Could this be the case?

Read the book to find out. I wasn't disappointed.

I would recommend you read the first book in the series. This book is set 6 months after the first and it gives away the plot of the first one.

Jo Masters is your typical detective who tends to ignore orders and go off on her own.

The story is fast paced and there is a brilliant twist that I didn't see coming.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Keep Her Close was a fast pace and enthralling book. I haven’t read the prequel but didn’t feel lost and felt like this book could almost be a stand alone book. It gave enough background information so I was able to follow. I was hooked from the first page to the last page. I enjoy crime series books and this one did not disappoint. It was a great story with great characters which kept me intrigued the whole time.

I thought that the writing was gripping, edgy but most of all enthralling. I just couldn't put it down.
Jo Masters is a brilliant character, down to earth and has a lot of baggage. I loved Hold My Hand and was worried that the sequal wouldn't fall short. I needed have done.
Looking forward to the next chapter in Jo's life.

Thanks to Netgalley, M. J. Ford and Avon Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A chilling police procedural with a clever and mesmerizing plot , an explosive ending I didn't see coming ! I highly recommend ! Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review ! #Netgalley #AvonBooksUK #KeepHerClose

When I reviewed M.J. Ford's first book, Hold My Hand, I said that I hoped it wasn't the last we would see of DS Josie Masters so I'm really pleased that Keep Her Close is the second in the series featuring that very character.

Having (sort of) bounced back from what happened in book one, a new case is set to keep Jo on her toes. A young student has gone missing from her college at Oxford and Jo is called on to investigate along with new recruit to the team, Jack Pryce. But soon matters escalate as two more students disappear and it appears that it's actually a series of kidnappings.

What I like about these stories is that they are police procedurals but with a bit more oomph. For instance, there's a real twist in the tale, in fact there are two. One I couldn't have seen coming at all, relating to why the kidnappings are happening. The other I only saw just before it was revealed, and after I had pinned the crimes on somebody else entirely.

Keep Her Close is so well plotted. I loved how it all came together in a complex and unexpected fashion. And I really love the characters. Josie is a bit of a loose cannon to be honest, but a good cop. The rest of the team are excellent complementary characters and it was great to see them return from book one. I liked Jack too, and thought he was a really interesting addition to the team.

Although you can read this as a standalone, I would recommend reading book one first as you then get to read about Josie's previous case and how it's impacted on her. I'm hoping she gets a third outing. I feel sure she will, especially given that fantastic ending.

Keep Her Close is a thrilling and gripping crime novel. I really enjoyed it.

This is a fast moving story in which the police officers are the main characters. Unfortunately I found the main one to be rather unbelievable. The plot line itself is pacy and there are lots of surprises along the way and I think that most people would, in fact, enjoy this book. Therefore I would recommend it.

This is a great crime thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Just as you think the investigation is going one way, it’s completely turned on it’s head.
Josie is still struggling following the incident that took place in a previous book and her boss doesn’t think she’s ready to be back.
Josie strongly disagrees and when it comes to her attention that the latest incidents could be linked to her, she does all she can to be involved.
Girls are being kidnapped and it seems the Police have no clues who has taken them - until something breathtaking is discovered by Josie.
The race is then on to find the girls and the final few chapters will have you racing through the book.
I loved this book and look forward to seeing what happens next for Josie.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

When a teenager girl is found missing on University campus, DS Josie Masters is drafted in to help catch the culprit. As more girls go missing what links them together?

I wasn’t quite sure what to think of this one although I must admit I haven’t read the first book in this series. I had assumed this would be like the usual police procedurals where the books were fairly stand-alone but with a through-line of characters and events to hold them together. However this book is very heavily reliant and based on the first book – I would very much recommend reading the first one first! That said, it is a good book, there’s a nice mystery involved with a lot of threads and red herrings, the characters are interesting and well-rounded.

My criticisms with the book were that it felt a little far fetched in places and although the book is heavily based on the first one it also seems a little similar to the first one in its plot as well (no spoilers!) The blurb and marketing campaign for the book also gives away one of the twists at the end of the book which is a shame!

Overall I enjoyed Keep Her Close, I think it was a three star read for me but if you’ve read the other book it’s probably 4 stars which is what I have chosen to give it. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Book UK for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

High octane gallop through Oxford with familiar geography and a fantastic group of characters who are well developed. It’s a rollercoaster with poor Josie being the focus of attention and yet again unlucky in love ! This book has it all and it’s highly recommended

I won’t give spoilers however if you love police based books this is for you ! It’s a cracker

A slow burner to begin with, but accelerated as you continue. Detective Jo Masters troubled past has had some adverse impact on her life. But her overall determination to bring justice continues through the story to reach a surprising climax.

Girls are going missing, Why?

Six months after DS Josie Masters saved her nephew from a killer clown, several girls go missing in Oxford, they have nothing in common except they spell our Masters' initials. Who is doing this?

Masters is partnered with a new guy, Handsome DS Pryce. Together they investigate these strange disappearances, but all is not as it seems, Masters is being targeted by someone very close.

This was the first book by this Author I have read, and I really enjoyed it! Masters is flawed which gives her a reality so often missing in books.

The book progressed nicely with little clues sprinkled from the start and with a heart-stopping finish. Although this is one of s series of DS Masters stories, you can read it as a stand-alone.

I will be reading more of these books in the future;

Ellezig

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review.

A great sequel,enjoyed it as much as the first with a good storyline and great characters ,it can be read as a stand alone but helped to have read the first
Look forward to the 3rd.....

This is the 2nd book in a series, of which I hadn't read the first and perhaps if I had I may have had more of a feel for why the main character is as she is (distrusting etc) a lot of background information is provided but there was just something that I struggled to connect with about her. This meant I didn't fully get in to the story as much as I would have liked to, and have done with previous detective series'.
There was high octane action and plenty of twists, though for me some where foreseeable. A good easy read.

My thanks to Avon Books U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of M. J. Ford’s ‘Keep Her Close’, the second in his series of police procedurals set in Oxford and featuring DS Josie Masters.

After a young woman goes missing from her rooms at Jesus College, Oxford the investigative team includes DS Josie (Josephine) Masters. However, she is frustrated when she is sidelined and instructed to look into a suspected hit-and-run. Yet she discovers connections between the cases and then two other young women are taken.

I don’t want to say more in order to avoid spoilers. Suffice to say things continue to ramp up. I did have my suspicions about a major twist though it didn’t diminish my enjoyment.

I haven’t read the first book in the series, ‘Hold My Hand’, but that didn’t prove a problem as enough information was provided for me to get a sense of the characters while retaining enough details to allow me to read it myself.

Certainly a page-turner and hopefully there will be future cases for Josie.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Keep her close by MJ Ford publication date of march 7th 2019. I give this book 3.5🌟 rounding up to a 4🌟 review.

This is the second book I've read by Ford, the first being Hold My hand,  which i highly recommend. After loving Hold My Hand I had high hopes and greatly anticipated reading Keep Her Close.

Wow Ford does it again with an amazing mystery/thriller. It starts six months after detective Jo Masters saves her nephew from a killer, which leads to paranoia and her lack of trust.  One girl missing one found dead, suddenly leading to two other girls missing and another dead. 5 girls in total, what is going on.  Masters' boss tries to take her off the case, which she ignores because of her determination to find the connection between the girls.
 Are the deaths and dissappearances connected?  Are the other three girls alive? Are they somehow connected to detective Masters making this personal.
Masters keeps searching for answers finding a connection but not the whole picture, hoping her boss believes her  theory and rushing to find if what she suspects is true.
 With a explosive ending i didn't see coming the twists and turns of this mystery definitely led to a thriller aspect of an ending. Hopefully this is not the last we see of detective Masters. I don't think her story is over yet and hopefully Ford agrees.
Thank you to @avonbooksuk @avon_books and @netgalley who i received this book from in exchange for an honest review

Will post my review on Instagram on monday march 4th 2019 www.instagram.com/teatime_with_a_book
And on goodreads www.goodreads.com/teatime_with_a_book

Enjoyed the second instalment with DS Josie Masters.
This story like the first one, is fast paced and engrossing, and will keep you reading well into the night.

I feel we will be meeting DS Masters again, hopefully not to long in the future.

Thank you netgalley, Avon and MJ Ford for allowing me to read and review this book.

Keep Her Close is the second book in the DS Josie Masters series by M J Ford and it is a very good police procedural thriller with a number of twists and turns.

I hadn't read the prequel but there was a lot of background info in the book so you could understand the story and Masters' backstory.

My one slight misgiving is the character of Masters isn't that engaging. She is jus too cavalier for my liking although overall the book was still enjoyable & is recommended

This is a really good sequel. The characters are good and the plot was really good the whole way through. Gripping read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.