This is the debut crime novel for this author. This book is set in Australia.
The characters are well developed. The pace is perfect. The plot is so clever.
Can’t wait to read the sequel

I am enjoying this story which follows Judi in her the amateur detective search for information relating to her brother’s recent murder, and the disappearance of his girlfriend, who left her young child in the temporary care of a friend. Called back from here child-free life alone, to her childhood town to identify his body, Judi meets and befriends the detective working in her brother’s case, and finds she has been granted guardianship of her baby niece.
The back story of her brother's past history as a drug addict may help explain the thugs who attack her in order to get hold of his ‘goodie box. A lively story in which the main characters’ back stories are clearly revealed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Great mystery thriller full of twists and turns, I really enjoyed this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I found this book just a little slow going for me, maybe because I have just read a couple of very fast paced novels, it has affected my joy of this one. It’s not what I would call a com-lex read, more of an easy curl up and chill read. More of a contemporary thriller.

The story is narrated by Judi Westerholme the main character, she finds out her brother is dead, she believes it to be from his long term drug use, she hasn’t seen him in a few years, having escaped Melbourne, Australia, to live in the country. But when she goes back home she is shocked to find he had cleaned up his act, has been drug free for years and is now married, with a child and leading a respectable life.

But if he was clean why was he killed in a drug deal shooting? His wife is missing, where is she? Along with the fact his body is clean from drugs. Judi is determined to get to the bottom of things with the help of Police investigator Heath. But this means facing her own past, which was traumatic. I found it a little frustrating at times, when Judi missed some very obvious clues, it made it less believable. Some of the police actions just didn’t work for me either, especially when it seemed Judi is not the only person looking for answers.

Judi as a character is good, she says what she thinks, which can at times land her in trouble, other times it made me chuckle. She is a strong but also vulnerable character.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Vervebooks for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

I enjoyed this book but don’t know if I would recommend it. I am a fan of thrillers where the detectives follow the clues. This book was different because it was the protagonist who was following the clues left by her dead brother, Andy.. Maybe dark thrillers like this are not for me. However, I did appreciate how well written it was and how the characters were developed.
Thank you Sherryl Clark and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Really enjoyed this. Actually felt real despair for the protagonist as she tried to unravel the mystery of her brother's death and enjoyed the fast pace of the story. Some of the violence actually made me gasp out loud and I raced through it. Thank you Netgalley!

Judi is a great character and first person narrator in this fast moving mystery thriller. When Judi’s policeman friend, Connor, brings her the bad news that her drug addict brother, Andy, has been murdered, Judi has to leave her quiet life in the country and drive to Melbourne to identify his body.
However there are some complications as she discovers that Andy had cleaned himself up over the last three years and had a wife and young child. Why would he be killed buying drugs, particularly as there is no trace of them in his body? It soon transpires there is more to the case than it first seems and Judi along with Police investigator Heath start to look more closely into what has happened.
The plot really moved along at a pace and sucked me in from the very beginning. Judi is an ordinary person who does have a past which she is trying to forget and she certainly doesn’t want to go back to the city as it brings up bad memories. However she is desperate to find out the truth about Andy, particularly as she feels she has let him down.
She is extremely likeable and brave, not giving up easily until she finds out what happened to her brother, following the clues he has left her.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read which kept me guessing right up to the end. I would certainly read other books by his author and would even be keen to learn more about Judi and Heath if there is a sequel.
Perfect for dark thriller fans who like tough and interesting heroines. Five stars from me !

4-5 stars! If you don’t like dark thrillers, this book is not for you! I enjoyed all the chills, thrills, and shocks, but know I love dark and disturbing a lot. Thought it was well written, with amazing character development, which made it easy to buzz through quickly! Highly recommend to those who enjoy the truly dark and disturbing thrillers!
Will make sure I buzz it up on all the different platforms!

I did not get a chance to read this book. Befor it was archived very disappointed as I wanted to read this book

A well written and quite dark subject matter. An enjoyable read that held my attention throughout. Definitely recommend for fans of dark psychological mystery stories

I honestly cant remember the last time I read a book like this one! I read so many contemporary thrillers but have never fallen upon a contemporary mystery before but after reading this one I will definitely be looking out for them!

A brilliant page turner that sucked me in. Not a fantastic crime thriller which some might expect and I got frustrated with the main character missing obvious 'clues' bit all in all a thoroughly good easy read.

3*

Thanks to netgalley and Oldcastle Books for the ARC.

It was a very insightful novel, with a strong cast of characters. I enjoyed the story line very much and would definitely recommend this book.

I love thrillers, crime and mystery. I do get so utterly frustrated when the main character misses obvious 'clues'. I found that to be the case in this book, I also felt the main character moderately unbelievable with her treatment of the police and the police as unbelievable - for example with not offering protection earlier. I personally feel small improvements in the plot could have made all the difference between 3 and 5 stars.

Very fast paced book to read. Lots of mystery and twists and turns. Well written and easy to read. We all have a dysfunctional family and in. This book it’s no different. Great to read

This was really an entertaining read. I loved the book from the beginning, and the whole process of trying to find out why Andy died, and what his secret was. Nice red herring there so by the way!
Recommended.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just OK. A standard issue thriller - If you like that sort of thing you’ll like this but there’s nothing really to recommend it beyond just the conventions of the genre for its fans.