DI Natalie Ward is distressed when a recent case reminds her of the murder of the Blossom Twins - a case from the past that took a toll on her. It soon becomes clear that either a copy cat killer is in action or they convicted the wrong man last time. In addition to the investigation, we learn more about her disintegrating marriage and her new boss and annoying co-worker. In italics throughout the story we get the viewpoint of the killer which is quite chilling in its arrogance. The story rushes towards the ending which is pretty hard to stomach. This one may have been a little too brutal for me.

I said this last time, but hear I am saying it again – this is the best book yet. And I don’t know how Carol managed to top the last one! Book 5 is just WOW!
Fast paced from the very beginning, this book took me on a ride a won’t forget. It was intense, creepy and heart-breaking all at once – I was unable to put it down, read it all in one sitting neglecting my family for the day! I loved the twisty/shocking ending! What another fantastic and addictive read from one of my favourite authors! My three favourite words to sum up one of Carol’s books: Spine Tingling, gripping and exhilarating.
Review going up thursday as part of the blog tour!

SERIOUSLY! Part of this story I've been waiting for and part of me can almost come to terms with other because hate can make people do horrendous things. I'm so thankful to have been granted early access to every book in this series and cannot wait for the next one. I love that each book spans a case and that there are multiple POVs from the team members. I didn't see the ending coming at all and Carol always knows how to keep readers on the edge of the seat and on their toes.

Another five star read from this author and her Natalie Ward series just keeps getting better and better. I devoured this book in one sitting and finally turned the last page in the wee hours. The tension and suspense had me sat on the edge of my seat. I had my list of suspects which I was slowly whittling down and as for the climax definitely not what I was expecting and I must admit I was shocked. This read got my heart racing and tapping my kindle faster and faster and has definitely left me wanting more. Another MUST READ from this author and so highly recommended.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Absorbing, thrilling and absolutely nerve-racking! I like the author's style and even fast paced it was enjoyable and engaging. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Phew! This was one of the best books in the series. The Blossom Twins follows Detective Natalie Ward's crime-fighting adventures, and this was a highly tense police procedural. I've had some problems with Natalie's choices in the past, but that aside she's proven to be a gritty and tough officer of the law. She might have her flaws, but that's also what makes her more human and so much believable. The book was highly gripping and unputdownable!

When the body of a young teenager is discovered on a ground that hosted a concert the police are immediately called to action. Isabella lies on her side under an arbor of roses with her hands outstretched. Natalie is immediately reminded of a case where the bodies of two pairs of twins were discovered in an almost similar position. What is missing is the second body. The Blossom Twins case was one of the first cases in Natalie's career and one which had the most impact on her, so much that she had to seek professional help. Soon the Westmore twins go missing and Natalie is scared the killer has returned. When the twins’ bodies are discovered on nearby marshland, covered with deep pink petals, an icy shiver travels down Natalie’s spine. The next day, that feeling is heightened when she receives a chilling note saying ‘I’m back’. Is this killer a copycat or did Natalie put the wrong person in prison all those years ago? In a small town, where no stranger goes unnoticed, what is Natalie missing? Consumed by the case, determined to prevent more deaths, Natalie misses the fact that it is her attention the killer wants. And to get it, he has his sights set firmly on her precious daughter Leigh...

Both the story and the characters were amazing! The ending was a shock; I was not expecting that at all!!
I would like the see what the fate of the killer is in the next book. This was a police procedural in its truest form, every lead investigated systematically and leading to the next discovery was what I found so good about this book. I loved watching Natalie work the case with the little she had to go on and see it to its conclusion like a professional. Although I've said that I admire Natalie I also noticed that for someone being so sensitive about being lied to, she lies too. Considering that she's a cop, I thought she'd have been more tolerant of small lies, especially her being a mom to two teenagers and all that. But that's her battle and no one can fight it better than she herself. Hopefully, we'll see more of how she resolves her personal life in the next book and am eagerly looking forward to that.
Thank You, NetGalley, Bookouture and Carol Wyer for an arc!

I love this author writing style it is fast paced and just good thriller. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

the body of a young teenager is found at a concert, covered in flowers and it brings to mind the case of the blossom twins...found exactly the same way, but it cant be the same person as he was jailed and later committed suicide, but why are the cases so similar....

then another two girls go missing, twins...when they are found in similar circumstances to the blossom twins, then the race is on to find the killer or copycat killer

what a thrill of a ride this book is...and that ending...oh my word...didnt see that coming at all...

this author takes it to the edge and then jumps...she isnt afraid to mix it up..and thats why this author is going places...

Book 5 in the fantastic Natalie Ward series.

I don't know how Carol does it but this series just gets better and better.

This one is a tense, thrilling page turner that had me on the edge of my seat.

I was hooked from the first until the very last page.

I don't want to give any spoilers but I will say I was shocked.

Cannot wait for book 6!

Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series reached book 5 with the arrival of The Blossom Twins.

The author is very prolific but still manages to produce page turning books and this one is no different as the reader is taken on a rollercoaster of a journey that continues until the very end.

A couple of very minor niggles aside regarding character behaviour this is a very enjoyable book and one which is recommended

Oh my goodness, this can be nothing but a 5 star review. I have read some excellent books this year but The Blossom Twins has hurtled into my top two with absolutely no problem at all and I doubt anything else will have the ability to surprise, shock or devastate in the way this story has for a very long time. I didn't see the ending coming and can't imagine anyone else will either.

Detective Natalie Ward, still reeling from her husband's latest betrayal, is shocked when a body is found with all the hallmarks of a case from earlier in her career in Manchester. The only problem is the killer died behind bars after she put him there knowing the effects of what he did would never leave her. Before her team can get to grips with the most recent death teenage twin girls disappear and they know they are working against the clock to prevent anyone else from dying.

Adding to her stressful work environment is the arrival of a member of her team in Manchester and the previous investigation while continued tension at home has, she knows, only one realistic solution, which she can't put off for much longer. All of this pales into insignificance however, as the case takes a totally different and unexpected turn meaning nothing Natalie thought she knew is as it seems any longer. This book will stay with me for a long time and I fully expect everything to be different for everyone in the next instalment which is a very exciting prospect.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it unreservedly to anyone who has read any of the Natalie Ward series or enjoys exceptional crime writing as this is a must read book which is almost in a class of its own.

Bloody hell! I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book but this far exceeded expectations, and that ending! I definitely didn’t see that coming. I need to go and buy the rest of this series now.

can't believe we have already reached Book 5! The Blossom Twins is, as I expected, just as brilliant as its predecessors and I was excited to be back with Natalie and her team. Wyer has pulled a master stroke by shaking the team up a bit  The absence of Murray changes the dynamic of the team and I really enjoyed reading as they learnt to work with each other.

It was interesting to look back at Natalie's time in Manchester as this gives the reader insight into what makes her tick as a detective and we learn even more about her than we knew before.

The investigation is quite slow to get going as the killer sends the team in several different directions. However, as the team close in on the killer, the tension really builds and I was on tenterhooks wondering what they would find.

At the end of The Blossom Twins, Wyer throws us a massive curveball and I am looking forward to seeing how this has an impact on the characters that now feel like family in future.

Wow, this series gets better and better with each publication, this, the fifth novel in the Detective Natalie Ward police procedural novels, reaching the pinnacle of them all.
When the thirteen-year-old twins Erin and Ivy Westmore are found to be missing from their tent in their secure back garden first thing in the morning, their parents think at first that they are messing around and hiding as a joke. But when they notice the garden gate they had locked the night before was swinging open, they are both frightened and devastated. Their happy, loving daughters have been taken. They report the facts to the local police and the case is given to Detective Natalie Ward and her team.
Natalie has handled a case involving missing twins before when she worked in Manchester. She had moved away from the city to a small country town a few years ago and now it appears it is happening again. The twins are soon found in plain sight, posed to face each other and Natalie immediately feels chilled to the bone. It is the carbon copy of the Manchester crime, right down to having blossoms sprinkled both over and around them. Her worst fears are realised when she receives an anonymous letter taunting her “I’m back”. The Manchester killings had seen the murderer imprisoned. The details of his crime had never been revealed – How could it possibly be happening again?
Natalie cannot get the current murders out of her mind and she is determined to apprehend the perpetrator before he kills again. There are no newcomers in the town – it is totally baffling. There are no leads and the killer appears to be forensically aware. This is definitely the most complex case she has ever worked on, and to make matters worse one of her team members is away in Australia. New help is drafted in but Natalie has a past history of working with the new detective and she is not at all keen on him. She knows she must rebuild their working relationship and she can see why he has been seconded onto this particular investigation. So the investigation carries on, frustratingly yielding no other clues. Time is running out and her team work tirelessly and even through the night to solve the puzzle.
This is an absolute cracker of a story. The storytelling is urgent and precise, just as I like it. It gripped me from the very beginning and continued to be a real page-turner until the last word. The storytelling is pacey and incisive. As the crimes themselves escalate they become more daring and hateful. The tension is continually ramped up little by little. I felt as though I couldn’t read quickly enough. The scenario is intriguing and addictive. I loved meeting Natalie and her depleted team again, expanding on their personal stories. I didn’t like John, the seconded detective, right from the very first time he bounced into the office, full of himself. He was arrogant, a lone wolf, not a team worker, and did not accept Natalie’s leadership without arguing. He was conceited and horrible. He was chasing promotion and wanted to take all the glory for himself. There is always one like that – the Alpha Male/Female. When the final chapter came to an end I was shocked and breathless – my heart was racing.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Bookouture through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you very much for my copy, sent in return for an honest and unbiased review. This book was like dynamite – explosive action and wonderfully planned to maximise the reader’s enjoyment. It is very highly recommended by me.

The Blossom Twins is the fifth book in the Detective Natalie Ward series by Carol Wyer.

"Natalie and her team are called to the murder scene of a teenage girl. It reminds her of a previous case - The Blossom Twins murder. One where she was unable to stop the killer. Was he back?"

Wyer puts Natalie under so much pressure in this story. Her marriage is failing - part of her team is on holiday - she is forced to work with a detective she had problems with before - she has a new boss that doesn't believe in her. How does a person deal with all that without blowing up? But Natalie keeps working the case to find the killer. Wyer keeps the tension high in this book. The killer will surprise you a little. I began to wonder about this person, but Wyer keeps the clues subtle. And the ending is a shocker - How could you do that Carol? I'm still reeling a bit.

If you're a fan of crime fiction, you should definitely read this book and this series. Another great story from Wyer!

But Carol - did you have to do that?!?

Book releases on December 12

Oh my goodness. What a book. Carol Wyer just gets better with each book. I’m now desperate for the next instalment of the Natalie Ward series..
Wyer is a fantastic story teller. I guessed who did it early on but I never saw the ending coming. Brilliant

Loved it, but also hated it (didn't really hate it, just what happens). That ending!!!!! Was not expecting that to happen. Why???!!!!!!! Most books have happy endings, everything gets tied up in a nice little bow. The bad guy goes away for a very long time and everyone lives happily ever after. This is not one of those books. I despise David even more than I did from the previous books, which is really hard because I never liked him. The way he blamed Natalie for everything was outrageous and cruel. He acted like he was a perfect husband that made a few mistakes but was finally following a straight and narrow path. I hope she gets the house. I guessed the identity of the killer pretty early on. That person is one crazy psycho!! All the planning that went into the murders was insane. Why not use that energy for good instead of evil? There were so many twists and turns. I couldn't wait until the ending when everything would finally be revealed, until I acted got to the end. So sad!!! I love Detective Natalie Ward. She is so strong, I can't imagine what's going to happen in the next book. She has such a great rapport with the other officers. I partly blame Dan Tasker, the new superintendent, for what happened.

Definitely recommend the book, but you should read the previous four books. I love the Detective Natalie Ward series, it's one my favorites. Can't wait to find out what happens in the next book!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I’ve read the first book in this series and want to read books 2,3 and 4 now I’ve finished this book. I found this a thrilling read. It started off with the murder of a teenage girl and DI Natalie Ward felt there were links to murders she investigated some years before. More murders follow and I felt the book had a great plot line, it was full of suspense and there were so many twists and turns in it that really held my attention. Mostly likeable, believable characters and the further I got into the book the better it became. Wasn’t too surprised with the reveal of the murderer. The ending though was a big shock, and I would definitely read the next book. From start to finish this was a fantastic and gripping read.

Book 5 in the Detective Natalie Ward series and definitely the best so far! I loved the character development and I would recommend starting at the beginning with book 1. A young girl goes missing at a pop concert and Natalie is called to investigate with her team. When a body is found, Natalie notices similarities to previous murders. As well as all of this going on, she is trying to fine the right time to tell her teenage children, that she is leaving their father. This is a fast paced crime thriller with an excellent plot and a shocker of a twist at the end. It's an easy 5* from me for one of the best crime writers around. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This is book five in this series and, as always, to get the very best from it, it's best to start from book one and read in order. The main story however is complete and so, at a push, can be read as a stand alone.
We start with the disappearance of two young girls who go missing from a tent in their garden where they are sleeping out. Natalie Ward gets the case and, when the bodies turn up and she sees them, she is horrified to notice similarities to a case she worked back in the day. A man was convicted for that heinous crime but, to date, he has always protested his innocence. Her fears are reinforced when she starts getting messages from the killer. Does she have a copycat on her hands or did she make a mistake all those years ago and put the wrong guy away? With her personal life still in tatters, can she cut through the noise to concentrate on the case. As the body count rises she faces a race against time to solve the crimes. And then it all gets personal...
Oh my days, this was a bit gripping! Although there is a fair bit of personal stuff creeping in, the author just manages to keep it on the right side and so the book remains balanced. Just. Until towards the end where I was just starting to think that things were on the up, and then the author did that! No spoilers but...
We follow the action in the present, interspersed with chapters where we hear from the killer themself. These are injected in just the right places to add colour and, to a certain extent, clarity to what is happening in the case. Natalie is torn (again) between her family and her work, something she has struggled with throughout the series and, if I'm honest, it does get a tad tedious at times but, taken as a whole, when the final page is reached, what has gone before is totally justified and, with how it ended, it only makes me hanker for the next in series all the more.
It's written in a no nonsense way without any superfluous waffle or padding so the story gets on with itself very well. There is a good level of banter and interaction between the characters which fleshes them all out and makes them feel more real.
The plot itself contains all the things you'd expect from a book of this genre with twists and turns aplenty, ramping up all the way to a rather, well, explosive end.
All in all a great addition to an already impressive series. Roll on next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.