This was another solid read from Carol Wyer in the DI Natalie Ward series, her third one already!

Natalie and her team have their work cut out for them as they try and find missing teenage girls. Are they being kidnapped or are they going missing on purpose, because of a dare? There are a lot of potential suspects in this book but I didn't know who the killer was until the author revealed it.

Whilst this case is taking up a lot of Natalie's time, her marriage is being stretched to breaking point and someone from her past is a temptation, which doesn't help matters. And then there is Natalie's daughter Leigh, who has been more secretive lately too...just part of growing up or does she know about the dare as well?

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

4 stars from me.

What a fantastic read! This was so gripping I read it in a day. The writing just flowed and the story was easy to read and follow.

Detective Natalie Ward and her team worked hard to find Savannah Hopkins when she doesn't return home from school but their worst fears are realised when a teenager's body is found in nearby shrubland. Not long after, a friend of Savannah's, Harriet goes missing as well. Just what is going on.

As Natalie delves into the lives of the girls, she finds a video on the phones of both girls daring the girls to disappear for 48 hours from their families. Has Harriet done this? What went wrong with Savannah? Natalie intends finding out.

The book is superbly written and I want to read more books by this author as I enjoyed this so much.

Fast paced action thriller that didn’t pull any punches. Great read and hard to put down highly recommended

My love for Carol Wyer knows no bounds and I was kept of the edge of my seat throughout The Dare. This book is well written and I feel as though I know DI Natalie Ward really well now. She is an incredibly hard working mum, the main breadwinner in her family and knowing her background gives her character a lot of depth and relatability. The case she is assigned to in this book is of missing teen girls. The disappearances are shocking for the community which then takes on a more sinister turn when a body is discovered and a video surfaces on social media. Whoever is harming the girls always seems to be 2 steps ahead of the police. The tension ramps up again when Natalies own daughter goes missing. This series just gets better and better with each book. Even the most die hard crime thriller fans will struggle to predict the twists and turns in this story. The Dare deserves a full 5 stars. Fantastically clever read.

Thank you netgalley for my advance copy of The Dare.

When Savannah doesn't come straight home from school as usual her mother raises the alarm straight away. Sadly she is not missing for long as her body is found near scrubland the next day. Natalie Ward & her team are straight on the case but events overtake them & within a day another girl goes missing.

The team find that the girls have been taking part in Social Media dares. The Ice Bucket Challenge was only likely to give you a cold. The latest craze of Going Missing, where you disappear for as long as you can before turning up safe & sound can be a lot more dangerous- especially if someone wants you to disappear permanently!

The team are too late to save the second girl. Natalie's daughter Leigh is the same age as the girls. A third girl is missing & Leigh hasn't come back from school; the case is suddenly far to close to home for comfort.

I have enjoyed the previous two books in this series & have got to know & like the characters & the way they are developing as time goes on. However I don't think it is necessary to have read the other books to enjoy this one. I'm already looking forward to the next. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

This whole series has been compulsive reading.
This book had me captivated from the very first page.
The writing style and the characters are brilliant.
It’s always nice when the ending of a book is a complete surprise

This is the 3rd book in the Detective Natalie series but it is the first one I have read. Natalie is a smart and empathetic detective who is involved in the case of a 13 year old girl named Savannah who went missing and was later found dead. Days later a second girl, 14, named Harriet goes missing too and is found, murdered in the same way has Savannah, is there a serial killer preying on young girls? When Detective Natalie's own child goes missing, she must figure out who the murder is before it is to late.

I enjoyed this book and the characters. It kept me guessing until the end and was an enjoyable read.

CLEVER DETECTIVE SERIES!

This is a terrific and satisfying stand-alone mystery book which is part of an ongoing series. The storyline revolves around detective Natalie Ward who is in a shaky marriage right now and her two young teenage children and is also in charge of a puzzling case of three missing teen girls where one of them has just been found and has a devastating effect on her investigative team and herself. There is a madman on the loose and the pressure is on Natalie to hurry and find this killer before he (or she) harms another girl or kidnaps another child.
The team discovers a website that has a game challenge called "The Dare" and they find it that all the missing girls have visited this webpage recently and they don't know if th girls have run away or have been kidnapped. The heat is on to find these girls before anything else happens to them. There are many suspicious characters in this story and it makes it interesting and fun to try to figure out who the bad guys (or girls) are. The story is dark and gritty and has some very good twists and turns.

I enjoyed this book very much and I love the Detective Natalie Ward series and will keep reading them over time. Carol Wyer is a wonderful writer and she knows how to draw you into her stories with realistic problems facing her characters which leaves the reader yearning for more stories involving this interesting group of people in this series.
If any reader enjoys good detective novels, don't hesitate to try one of Carol Wyer's books.
I highly recommend "The Dare" and given a rating of 4 Gritty 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!

I want to thank the author and the publisher Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this terrific book!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and of course the author for this digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
This book is a twisted psychological thriller and was a very enjoyable read!

Thank you #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #TheDare.

I have to say unfortunately this was not a favorite of mine. I felt like the story dragged on and honestly if i wasn’t 60% through I would’ve quit reading. There just wasn’t anything in this book that shocked me or cause me to binge read, not being able to put the book down. Actually it was quite the opposite. This is probably a minor and irrelevant point but the few chapters that discussed what happened to the mystery boy aka the killer As a child, i had a hard time reading... I can read about or watch something with people dying but when you start explaining, in detail, the gruesome violent ways this kid killed animals I almost had to stop reading... not sure if I’d recommend! I guess if you don’t mind that sort of thing and are ok with a book not having that big “wow” thriller then maybe give this book a shot!

When three girls go missing without any knowing connections Natalie Ward and her colleagues have to race against the clock and find evidence, witnesses or just a clue as to what might have happened to solve the case. But nothing comes to light and time is running out. Loved this nail biting story and couldn’t stop reading.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture!

Carol Wyer has done it again. THE DARE is the third outing for DI Natalie Ward and her team set in Staffordshire, and once again we are drawn into mystery with intrigue and promise.

When Jane Hopkins is late home from work one afternoon, she is surprised to find her 13 year old daughter Savannah is not yet in. Knowing it to be unlike her, she rings around her friends but they haven't seen her since parting ways after school. DI Natalie ward is called in to assist the existing investigation into her disappearance and her team have barely begun when Savannah's body is found the following day, discarded like rubbish in what appears to be refuse behind her house.

Then before their feet can even touch the ground, another teenage girl - Harriet - goes missing. This time the girlfriend of one of the men working on the renovations to Jane Hopkins' house. Is he connected in some way? Then the next day, Harriet too is found dead beside rubbish, not far from her home.

Trawling through CCTV, Natalie's team find that both girls were last seen in the vicinity of the Aldi supermarket car park. And watching them - someone known to police. Worse still, he is a registered sex offender. Is he responsible for the missing girls and their deaths? Was that his MO as a sex offender? Or were they just looking at him BECAUSE he was a sex offender?

Investigations lead them to a phone shop in town where both girls frequented to top up the credit on their phones. There they meet "Duffy" who often chatted to the girls. CCTV, as well as Duffy's admission, revealed both girls had also been in or near the shop on the afternoons of their disappearance. Was he somehow involved? When his alibi doesn't quite check out, Duffy finds himself in the frame again.

A third girl goes missing and the team are racing against time, knowing that they have less than 24 hours to find her before she too befalls the same fate. Amidst the investigations Natalie is faced once again with the troubles in her personal life and that of her husband's gambling. With two dead girls and one missing, she doesn't need this right now.

It was during the search for Harriet that the team learn of some startling new evidence. Someone was challenging teenagers with a dare - to disappear for one, two, even three days..as long as they can. This brings a whole new light on social media and the effect it has on kids today. Harriet was known to rise to a challenge and when a friend of hers discovers a video on the website called Disappear, she is frightened for her friend. The video is simply black but the audio is of Harriet, screaming. Is the person behind "the dare" to disappear also behind the missing girls?

But the game changes for Natalie when her own teenage daughter Leigh goes missing. Has the same person taken her daughter too? The pressure is on for the team to find Leigh before the worst happens.

Tension is constant throughout the story - from the investigation to Natalie's personal life. I found myself on the edge of my seat (or rather, bed, in my case) as I swiftly turned the pages, devouring each chapter. The story is chilling, as is the killer's motivation which comes to light in alternate chapters by an unnamed person.

THE DARE is a thrilling, chilling, compelling read by Carol Wyer, ending in much the same way her previous "Last Lullaby" did. Therfore making her readers eagerly await the fourth installment of this series to see how events will unfold for Natalie in her troubled personal life.

I highly recommend this book. Brilliantly written. Compelling to the end. Get it, read it and enjoy it. I dare you!

I would like to thank #CarolWyer, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheDare in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Best book in this series so far. Love Natalie and the way she is developing as a character..The storyline involving the internet is unusual and gripping. Finding out about Natalie’s home life and family adds to the interest. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Wow, what a fantastic series! After devouring the first two books in this series I couldn’t wait to read book number three and it certainly didn’t disappoint as I couldn’t put it down. Detective Natalie Ward and her team are given the case to solve of a teenage girl who never came home from school and was later found murdered and her body dumped near a rubbish bin. But while they are investigating this case another girl goes missing and her body is also found near rubbish. Both girls have been strangled so Natalie realises that there may be a serial killer on the loose. She has very few leads to go on and is struggling to find any other connections. A third girl disappears and is found strangled and when a fourth girl is reported missing Natalie knows that she has a race against the clock as she discovers that all the girls have been using a certain website called Disappear. As well as struggling with the case Natalie is still having problems with her marriage as her husband doesn’t seem to have got over his gambling addiction. The case is also troubling Natalie as she has a teenage daughter of her own so when she goes missing Natalie fears the worst. This is a very tense and gripping read, so many twists and turns and red herrings along the way. A fabulous read. Bring on book number four!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Available Now!
Book three in the chilling, and addictive DI Natalie Ward series!

"The large hand on the wall clock inched closer to the number six. As it did so, he struggled to control the jackhammering in his chest. Soon. He poured the oil into his hands, smoothed it over his chest and shoulders, and stared into the large mirror that allowed him to see the creature in all its glory. The tattooed snake glistened in the light from the window, seemingly alive, with scales refreshed and shining. Its head hung below his right collarbone, its jaws wide open. The scaly, black body disappeared over his shoulder to coil down the length of his back and reappeared on the left-hand side of his ribcage, where it curled around his waist, its tail disappearing under the waistband of his jeans. It had been a while since the snake had been pacified and fed.
Soon.
He dragged on his shirt to conceal the dark beast and paced the carpeted floor, halting by the music box, lovingly handcrafted and mounted on a wooden stand. It was astonishing what was sold at car boot sales. One person’s junk could be another person’s treasure. This was his.
He traced the holes and protrusions along the barrel of the music box and ran his fingers along the pieces of metal –the eighteen-note Yunsheng movement, resembling a book of thin, metal matches –that would create the tune. He lifted the music box with care, fingertips lightly grasping the delicate hand crank, and turned it unhurriedly until the drum rotated, the silver strips struck the drum, and the tinny tune –a recognisable nursery rhyme –filled the otherwise silent room. He smiled at the irony. How appropriate that he had chosen this one.
The clock hands moved again. It was now after 3.30 p.m. School was over for the day and it was finally time. He cranked the handle and hummed along as it played, his hooded eyes scanning the street for his next victim. She’d be passing by soon. Very soon.

Boys and girls come out to play,  
The moon does shine as bright as day;  
Come with a hoop, and come with a call, Come with a good will or not at all."

********
Do not miss out on this series!
The Dare by Carol Wyer is the best in the DI Natalie Ward series thus far! The concept of the storyline is unique and completely plausible, making it unputdownable from beginning to end!
I was absolutely riveted to the pages and was up into the wee hours reading this book! With each clue, twist and turn, the story gets more chilling and terrifying and the clock is ticking as Natalie and her team race to stop the killer from taking the life of another young girl! By the stunning conclusion I was wound up tighter than a live wire!
This is my favorite book in this series! To get the most out of the series, it's best to read the books in order. Book one: The Birthday, followed by Last Lullaby.
Natalie and the characters in her team are genuine and likable, making it easy to be drawn into the story even more.
I love the eye-catching covers of her books!
I can't wait to start reading her other series starring DI Robyn Carter! She's a very talented writer, a favorite of mine, and I'm hooked on her books!

With thanks and appreciation to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Carol Wyer for this advanced digital copy for me to read and review.

When I read the blurb I was so sure that this book would be something similar to the first book of this series - The Birthday. But how wrong I was!
The Dare, is another superb, fast-paced and gritty thriller by Carol Wyer in the DI Natalie Ward series.
The Dare, sees Natalie Ward and her team of officers investigate the disappearances of teenage girls. When the bodies of these girls turn up, Natalie knows that there's a psycho out there targeting young & vulnerable teenagers, but will she move fast enough to save her own daughter Leigh?
I loved the premise of this book - the threats of online media provoking young kids to take up seemingly silly dares for a few "likes". Succumbing to peer pressure and with websites/brands egging kids on to take something innocuously risky up, is something we see around us and is spreading at an alarming rate. The Dare does well to bring these issues to light and portray it a masterful thriller. The characters as usual were excellent!
Although I really loved the book, I found certain patterns in the series that made this whodunnit a bit predictable. But if I had to give my final verdict then I would highly recommend not only this book, but the previous two books of this series as well!
Thank you Bookouture, Carol Wyer & Netgalley for an arc!

Three young teenaged girls go missing and are soon found dead near rubbish heaps. DI Natalie Ward and her team are sorting leads and interviewing witnesses. A tip leads them to the notion that the girls were attempting to take part in an online dare that they found on a website called DISAPPEAR. As Natalie, DS Lucy Carmichael, DS Murray Anderson and PC Ian Jarvis, along with the Samford Police bring in potential suspects and examine all the clues, they can't seem to pin down the "Warfield Monster". Will the killer of Savannah Hopkins, Harriet Long and Katy Bywater get away with murder? And then the worst possible thing happens: Natalie's own daughter, 14-year-old Leigh, skips out of school and doesn't come home. NO SPOILERS.

Although a police procedural and solid detective mystery, this is also a character driven series with the reader learning more about the main players with each book. I like the protagonist, Natalie Ward, as she seems to be strong and mostly together without the "hot mess" back story so common in this genre. She has personal problems with her family, but good working relationships at the cop shop. The secondary characters are becoming more well known and fleshed out as well with each subsequent book. The writing is engaging and the pace is fast. Plenty of red herrings that allow the reader to experience the frustration of the police as they keep searching and finding no answers. I like the series and plan to continue reading.

The topic of social media is quite commonly tackled across all genres of reading material these days. Rightfully so as the dangers to the young and immature can't be overemphasized. As parents or as responsible adults, we need to keep a close eye on and monitor the internet activity of those for whom we care. Just as the adolescent naturally tries to gain privacy and draw away from guardians is the main time we need to increase our vigilance. Trust, but verify!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I'd urge you to read the series in order.

This was very well written series with great characters. It was a great page turner . The fact that it is Natalies daughter throws a different perspective it became personal. It talks about social media so its very relevant to todays society. I really liked this book. I look forward to reading more of her books.

How are we on book number three in this series already? It's gone so quickly!!! Do I think you should read the books in order? That's a tough one to answer because, whilst the main storyline itself can be read as a standalone, there are a lot of hidden agendas between some of the characters which would have been discussed in previous books. It all depends on whether you like to know the history of the characters.

Back to this book - I flew through it like a dog on heat! Plus, considering that there was a certain reptile mentioned once or twice, I managed to not soil my pants in fear. Proud moment? I certainly think so!!! If it was any other author, I would have been all 'nah thanks' but, seeing as this author is one of my top favourites, I tried to ignore the fact that she included one of my ultimate fears in her book. Big of me, I know ;).

#TheDare is brilliant at highlighting the pressures behind, you guessed it, peer pressure between youngsters, and the devastating repercussions which could happen as a result of a bad decision.

Natalie, once again, has her stress levels raised and her patience regarding trust, pushed to the limit. At times I thought she was going to collapse because of everything, yet she showed what a strong and highly stubborn woman she is.

This book had my pulse raising, and the uncertainty of the conclusion left me extremely nervous. I wasn't expecting the path the storyline took, and I thought the teasers and red herrings were brilliantly placed, upping the intensity several notches.

A sublime, atmospheric, twisted novel which gave me 'the fear' and left me wanting more....just without a reptile next time!

Savannah Hopkins has gone missing. She’s thirteen years old and didn’t come home from school. She’d never settled in at her new school and she doesn’t like her mum’s new boyfriend so she may have run away. The following morning her body is discovered a short distance from her home. DI Natalie Ward and her team are given the case. The following day another teenage girl goes missing - Harriet went to a different school and it doesn’t seem that Savannah knew her however there are a couple of young men who knew both girls and they become Natalie’s prime suspects. Harriet’s body is found the following day along with information about another teenage girl who’s gone missing. The team struggle to find any evidence at the crime scenes but do find a connection between the three girls - a website that encourages people to hide from family and friends - could the three girls have been lured by someone through this website. DI Natalie Ward is shocked to the core when her daughter, Leigh, goes missing - has the killer targeted the detective hunting him?

This is the third book in the DI Natalie Ward series and I couldn’t put it down. The series just keeps getting better.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Carol Wyer for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.