Imagine three floors of a multi million perfectly aligned modern house of glass overlooking Highgate Cemetery through which cleaner Celia Barnes is perfectly framed. Now imagine a masked watcher from the cemetery noting when her cleaning is interrupted by a horrific find and who then vanishes. Celia discovers the body of Kate Miller, brutally murdered, stabbed with a knife, her body then surrounded by objects forming a tableau. Her husband Mike is missing. DCI Tannahill Khan of NoLMS (North London murder squad) and an expert on knife crime leads the police investigation.

One of the objects at the crime scene is a book “How to process a murder“ by Laughton Rees. Laughton is the daughter of the police commissioner from whom she is estranged and also a well respected forensics professor. Tannahill seeks her advice and Laughton finds her self drawn back into the nightmares of her youth in order to prevent a psychopath from destroying her family again.

The gripping novel is told from the perspectives of Tannahill and Laughton as well as a ruthless journalist Brian Slade, interspersed with extracts from Laughtons book, media articles and a local WhatsApp group which works extremely well.

This is just a kind of mystery thriller I like, it’s well written, meaty and topical with a fast paced plot and excellent characters. Central to the storyline is rising knife crime and how this is dealt with, for example in the press and by government. This is thought-provoking and pertinent as this concerns us all. Via Tannahill, who is mixed race (a Pakistani father and an Irish mother) there is some racism and through Laughton’s daughter Grace there is serious bullying.

I really like both central characters. Tannahill is hard-working,thoughtful, clever and open-minded. Laughton is very complex and becomes a source of fascination with her multiple heavy baggages, she is a boiling pot of grief, anger and loneliness with a need to control especially so she can protect herself and her much loved daughter. The scenes between her and Grace are very authentic, well portrayed and powerful.

I love the way this is written, it’s clearly observed and engaging, the plot is well thought out and complex and utterly immersive. Each chapter has drama, many ending on a cliffhanger thus making it feel episodic. It’s a rollercoaster ride of multiple twists some of which are shocking jaw droppers, it’s crammed full of tension and breathtaking suspense as it builds to a dramatic, surprising and emotional end.

Overall, this is a terrific crime thriller which has me transfixed and enthralled throughout. I’ve never read this authors books before but won't make that mistake from now on!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins UK/HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

4.5⭐️

A best selling UK author, it’s my first excursion into his work.

A wealthy couple are murdered in their sophisticated high tech London home, they are discovered by their cleaner Celia.

The DCI in the case is Tannahill Khan, I like that he is referred to by his first name, so often in crime books it’s the surname.
Dr Laughton Rees a true crime writer who only works solved cases she is persuaded to help Tannahill after being badgered by a journalist and being thrust into the limelight. It is her worst nightmare. Her reluctance to work active crime scenes comes from a childhood trauma, which has left her with lasting issues.
We get multiple POV which adds so much interest to the storyline.

The beginning is intriguing as it appears the killer is watching over the scene.
It starts slowly as we are introduced to the characters, and begin to get to know them.
All the characters are fully fleshed so they feel like real people. My favourite was Celia Barnes, a minor character. I warmed to Laughton and Tannahill as the book progressed.

A minor nit pick, I found it a bit preachy with its various socio-political commentary.

There are chapters which reveal sections of Dr Rees book, I found these a bit dull.
Throughout the book there are some beautifully constructed descriptive phrases which work really well. I liked the gossipy nature of the neighbours just what you see on your own social media groups when something occurs.
It has lots of twists and turns.

I loved the ending, but can’t stay any more than that for fear of spoilers.
I found the book a bit different, it’s certainly not a standard police procedural, very entertaining. It looks like it might be the start of a new series, I hope so.

It’s one that I loved and would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy
This book was a good read with a well thought out plot. The characters were generally well rounded and three dimensional but I did feel we could have known more about Tannahil who was the one character I really liked. The other characters I didn't gel with at all. Laughton and her daughter Grace were exasperating and I wasn't really a fan of this storyline. Not including it would have improved the book. Of course you wouldn't have had the over the top ending but again, that would have improved things. There was padding a plenty in that we had extended descriptions going onto pages that were unnecessary, for example, several pages describing Laughton hitting a punch bag in a gym. The ending was eminently guessable and rather obvious which is not really a major problem. Although cliched it did fit with the father/daughter narrative. A tad far fetched too, it did stretch credibility somewhat.
If Tannahil is the police officer in a subsequent book I will certainly give it a go.

From the opening lines you are drawn into this crime thriller. A shadowy figure is in Highgate Cemetery watching a cleaner make her way into a modernist fortress of a house. He knows what she will find inside. The body of a young woman, gruesomely killed with objects all around her including a book by a leading criminologist, Laughton Rees. Laughton is the estranged daughter of the police commissioner and soon Tannahill Khan, the detective in charge of the investigation, is brought in to help.

This is an engrossing thriller. The back story of Laughton is interesting and heartrending and the difficulties she is facing with her own daughter are realistic. Many good political points are made throughout about how it is some victims get all the media attention while others are ignored and I especially enjoyed the scenes between the commissioner and the weaselly home secretary. The ending took me by surprise (not something that often happens) and while I can see the reasoning behind it, I didn't particularly like it. Also for me, the descriptions were sometimes too graphic but once again this is personal taste and I have no doubt that there are many for whom this will be a five star read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

If you like a sharp, stunningly plotted, locked room mystery then you need to be reading Dark Objects. Simple as that. They don't come much better than this. Complex, twisted and with an ending that completely threw me, I was pulled into the book from the very beginning, taken in by the characters and the overwhelming sense of mystery that enshrouded the case, and I devoured the book. It was another of those 'why haven't I read this author's books before' moments. And although this is billed as as standalone thriller, if ever the author decided to expand upon it, the styling, and the characters, certainly lend themselves to a return engagement.

Both investigating officer, DCI Tannahill Kahn, and university lecturer, Laughton Rees are people I felt at ease with very quickly. True, it's fair to say that Laughton has a few ... quirks of character, but the more we learn about her, the more sensible and understandable those traits become. She's a very dedicated mother, even if relations with her daughter are complicated, but also a very intelligent and logical woman who comes to play a key part in solving this most complicated of cases. As for Khan, there is a quiet determination about him that I liked. A kind of patience and understanding nature and a natural chemistry with Laughton that makes them a great team. I was intrigued by their methods, pulled into the sphere of their investigations, and enjoyed seeing them working through the logistics and possibilities of this seemingly impossible murder, very carefully and cunningly plotted by the author.

The book is packed with mystery, and an underlying tension that starts building from the very first page. There is a very ominous feeling to the opening scenes, and although we don't 'see' the carnage that is found, there is no doubting that sense of the impossible as the cleaner slowly and methodically works her way through a veritable fortress. A home protected by so much security it beggars belief that anyone could penetrate the defences to wreak havoc on the people who live within. And yet ... well that's precisely what happens, and with the tension ramped up to the max and a skin-crawling voyeuristic nature to the first chapter you realise that just anything could happen.

I loved the uncertainty and that is cast upon this case from the very start. Every intricate detail is very carefully managed, although it never feels it. We are fed exactly the right amount of information at just the right moment, the author balancing the confusion and the intrigue perfectly. I wanted to know why the killer seemed intent to bring Laughton into the case. What the motives were with regards to that almost as much as for the murder. There was a very obvious suspect from the start, but was that solution a little too perfect?

The more Simon Toyne reveals to readers, the more elaborate and confusing the case became. Part of me expected the worst, guessed that in a story this brilliantly bewildering, that the easy answer couldn't possibly be the truth. Or could it? The more we learnt about the victims the more my feelings about the whole book changed, and my suspicions about who may be responsible. As for motive - what would drive someone to murder a woman in such a violent and elaborate way? Well, that takes time to come to the fore but, if I'm honest, did nothing to help me identify a killer who remained elusive until the very last.

I loved all the little touches about the book and the characters, The gossipy nature of the neighbours, whos hunger for the salacious gossip was only moderately masked by their faux shock and horror at the turn of events. The little affectations of Laughton's character and what sits behind them, and her fierce, if misjudged, defence of her daughter. Even the quiet moments when we get a taste of Khan's personal life all add a touch of humanity to the story, keeping it very grounded in reality and as a result, scarily plausible no matter how impossible it may all seem.

Dark, twisted and complex, Dark Objects is an edge of the seat thriller that had me completely riveted from start to finish. I was completely absorbed by the plotting, the story and the characters and would love to see them again. Most definitely recommended. Fans of proper, multi-faceted and suspenseful mysteries need to get this on their to be read shelf and fast.

A beautiful woman is found murdered in her secluded Highgate mansion but where is her husband? What are the strange objects posed around the body and what do they mean? A hit and run and a young woman is being stalked. This tale is a real workout for the grey matter which I found impossible to put down. I had to know the truth!!! A well thought out crime thriller with a mind bending mystery. Masterful storytelling which kept me reading late into the night. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

My first read of author Simon Toyne is a thrilling and terrific London set crime read with an all too pertinent social and political commentary. Pakistani-Irish DCI Tannahill Khan (North London Murder Squad) finds himself at a forensically clean, gruesome murder scene at a fortress Highgate Mansion, wealthy Kate Miller has been stabbed with a zombie knife and posed with 4 objects surrounding her, a stuffed unicorn, a couple of medals, set of keys, and a book, How to Process a Murder by Laughton Rees (excerpts of which are interspersed in the narrative). The victim's husband, Mike, is missing, becoming the obvious prime suspect, but what is strange is that there is barely any information on the couple who had not really mixed with the locals. Who exactly are they? This is the start of a dark, twisty and tense investigation in which Khan invites Laughton to help as a consultant.

At the age of 15, Laughton was left broken and shattered by the brutal murder of her mother by the monster Adrian McVey, for which she blamed her police officer father, now the Police Commissioner, for failing to protect her mother. With her life spiralling out of her control, she overcomes her challenging circumstances when she became a single mother, her daughter, Gracie, driving her to achieve. Estranged from her father all through the years, Laughton is an academic forensics expert at London Metropolitan University, although she has never worked live crime scenes, all this is now changes. Her tragic past has shaped her into becoming the over protective mother as she tries to address the problems Gracie is facing at school, efforts which only have Gracie pulling away from her. Laughton works well with Khan in an investigation where there are further murders, and where the past returns to haunt her as she once again becomes the target of a killer.

Toyne incorporates WhatsApp groups, online media, and newspaper articles in his riveting story, with its wide cast of characters, including a sleazy tabloid journalist, Brian Slade, of The Daily, who finds himself ahead of the pack with exclusives that come from photographs and information provided by the killer. This is a great crime thriller that I found engrossing, it is packed with suspense and tension, and has some startling twists. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Rating: 4.2/5

I have to admit that "Dark Objects" took a little time to grow on me, but the deeper into the book I got, the more impressed I became. Ultimately, I would have to say that Simon Toyne has delivered a classy crime thriller.

Superficially this could be viewed as another police procedural dealing with the hunt for a twisted serial killer, but that would do the author a disservice. "Dark Objects" is more rounded than that and respects the intelligence of the reader far more than many books of that type tend to. In addition to the core crime theme there are also sub-plots of family dramas and socio-political commentary. The danger with this latter aspect being incorporated into fictional stories is that it can potentially become a bit preachy. Generally, Simon Toyne does a good job of avoiding that pitfall by making the points via the mouths of his characters in a way that is very much in keeping with their personas. The characterisation throughout is impressive, and while the protagonists may not always be likeable, they well-drawn, properly fleshed-out and credible.

The plot has its fair share twists and turns, but there are no underhand tactics employed by the author and the clues are there to be found and plot twists are defensible. There are sections where there is tangible suspense and some moments that genuinely took me by surprise. And, if you are type of reader who is frequently annoyed by loose ends when you reach the final page, then you should be satisfied with the way that the author pulls everything together.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

"Dark Objects" by Simon Toyne started off quite promising. I liked the location: the architecturally-stunning house overlooking Highgate Cemetery. Having visited recently, I can image the house this is based on. The story was pretty good but there were just a few niggling bits, that as a North-Londoner, I picked up on (but this is me being pedantic). The address of 3 Swains Lane is actually at the bottom and not really near Highgate Cemetery. Also London Metropolitan University is referred to as London Met and not London Metro.... these small things aside, it's a good book

Sensational! This was such a fabulous novel. Dark, mysterious and chilling. I really hope this is the beginning of a series.

Laughton Rees' childhood was destroyed when she witnessed her mother's brutal murder. Now, as a mother herself, she has become a forensic analyst, but never works live crime scenes. That all changes when the book she wrote on forensics, turns up at a violent murder scene and the police ask for her help. As she works together with detective Tannahill Khan and his team, it becomes apparent that the items left around the body are not just about the victim, they are about her.

This was such a well thought out thriller and the mystery really drew me in, it was masterful! There were lots of twists and backstories that added to the suspenseful atmosphere and I flew through this in a day. Definitely one I recommend.

Dark objects is fantastic . Gripping from the first page . I couldn't put it down, beautifully written with well rounded and flawed characters. The twists and turns are mind-blowing and the end ... Wow !!

Not what I expected at all but in a good way. A murder of a very rich beautiful woman living her best life, her husband now missing. Did he do it? Why did he do it? Are the police on the wrong trail? How do I review this without giving spoilers? I can’t! Just read it for yourself and if you are a fan of murder/thriller/police procedure you will be in for a great read.

I absolutely fell in love with this book it was such a good read and wonderfully written. The two main characters Laughton and Tannahill are what made the read so brilliant for me I thought they were both so real and likeable and I do hope that Simon Toyne will write another book featuring these two I feel there is so much more
to know about them so fingers crossed for that.
The plot was a real page turner and kept me gripped, the final reveal was mind blowing and I hadn’t seen it coming at all and for me that’s always a thrill.
So a book that had everything I love in a thriller and as I say I do so hope for a follow up it’s one I would highly recommend but be warned it’s a hard one to put down !
My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If a book is really good, a nailed-on five star score and a title I know I am going to be recommending for months to come then I tend to change my normal review style and open with an announcement along the lines of “This is a book you do not want to miss”.

Well folks – Dark Objects by Simon Toyne is all of the above. From the opening chapter to the wholly unexpected conclusion I was gripped, engrossed, entertained and all the other positive adjectives a reader experiences when a thriller is ticking all the right boxes. I bloody loved it and I did not want it to end.

Now I have to try to explain why Dark Objects was so damn gripping. I’m not sure I can do it justice.

Events begin in a large, secluded home in London. The cleaner, Celia Barnes, is arriving at work and as she opens the door to the house of Mr and Mrs Miller she has no idea it will be for the last time. Watching her is a killer who knows Celia will never again deactivate the security system to the Miller house and knows what will happen to her once she gets inside.

It’s a grim opening but it perfectly sets the pace and tone for the rest of the book. A murder has to be investigated, the principle suspect is nowhere to be found and police will be confounded in their attempts to investigate the crime scene. Why will they be confounded? It is thanks to one key piece of evidence which was left at the scene for them to find – a book written by Dr Laughton Rees. And more than that I cannot say here.

Laughton is approached by the police to assist with the investigation. But due to events in her past (which are covered in the blurb) she is reluctant to become involved. Laughton does not work live cases and restricts her forensic analysis to old investigations. But whether she likes it or not, Laughton is going to become a key figure in this particular murder.

The reader is guided through the story by following events where Laughton is involved but we get more than just her POV. We see the investigation with Tannahill Khan, the reporting of the story from less than pleasant journalist Brian Slade (who gets regular scoops on the murder investigation which will keep the police on their toes) and we even drop in on a neighbourhood WhatsApp group who will have their own take on events. There’s plenty to take on and the switching between the key characters keeps everything bubbling along very nicely.

Laughton is juggling the involvement in the murder investigation with a pressing need to find a new school for her daughter. As a single mother Laughton is determined to give her daughter Grace the best opportunities. However, Grace appears to be isolated in class and the school do not seem to be addressing Laughton’s concerns about bullying. This worry is further compounded by the rising knife crime in the capital – a theme which is revisited more than once through the story. Laughton wants Grace in a private school where she feels she will be safer and, hopefully, less isolated. Having Laughton, Tannahill and Brian Slade’s personal lifes opened up and explored as part of the story helped make all the characters more relatable, realistic and it gives readers that insight as to why the key players act as they do.

I am skirting around lots of the bits of Dark Objects which I would really like to discuss in a review; but to dwell on the bits of this book which sang to me would mean disclosing too many spoilers and we don’t do spoilers here. Suffice to say Simon Toyne has woven the clues into his story and I missed them all. I gaped at certain reveals and could not turn those pages fast enough as I reached the end of the story when all the clever story layers started to come together.

In short, Dark Objects is a fantastic murder thriller. We get the police investigation, the analyitical investigation of the crime scenes and the media spinning the story to meet their own agenda. I was hooked from the first pages and all other books were set aside until I reached the last pages – it commanded my full attention. Do not miss Dark Objects!

A wealthy woman is found brutally murdered in the locked fortress of her London mansion. Surrounding her are four mysterious objects, including a book on forensics by Dr Laughton Rees. WoW! WoW! WoW! What an absolute mind spinning, beautiful story this was! when i read a book i like a book to keep me gripped from the beginning and this book certainly does that!

This book was fantastic. It was well written. It gripped me from the first few pages and held my attention throughout, I couldnt put it down! The twists were surprisingly unpredictable and juicy!

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an advance copy of Dark Objects, a stand-alone novel set in North London.

A rich woman, Kate Miller, is murdered in her highly secure home in Highgate. Her body is posed and surrounded by some puzzling objects, including a book about crime scene investigation by Dr Laughton Rees, a woman who has her own trauma and who comes to realise that the murderer wants her involved.

I have not read Me Toyne’s work before, but I am mightily impressed with Dark Objects. I found it to be compulsive reading with an absorbing plot and well drawn, relatable characters. In fact, it has a bit of everything and is the kind of novel I like to read.

The novel is told from the investigative point of view, either Laughton or DCI Tannahill Khan, with the odd contribution from other characters to round out the narrative. This allows the reader to try and guess the outcome, the motive and the perpetrator’s identity. Sadly I failed on all counts, because the author does a good job of misdirection and throws in some excellent twists to help it along. Obviously it has nothing to do with the absorbing plot destroying my critical faculties. As I said the novel has a bit of everything with tension, twists, teenage angst, secrets and even a hint of romance.

The murder itself is a puzzle and keeps the reader occupied but the novel is equally interested in Laughton Rees and her trauma. When she was 15 a man her father, at the time DCI Rees, failed to convict came for revenge and murdered her mother. She cut her father out of her life and has struggled with the trauma ever since. Why would this new crime involve her and she’s sure it’s about her? Her stress and anxiety come through strongly in the novel and yet she’s still very likeable.

Dark Objects is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Tremendous…
Cleverly constructed and unbelievably pacy murder mystery with a seemingly impossible crime scene. A glamorous and wealthy woman is grotesquely killed in her highly secure, luxurious London mansion house. Four objects surround her body, seemingly clues to the brutal crime. With a tremendous cast of characters and a complex plot this doesn’t let go until the final page. Thoroughly immersive.

This was my first book by the author and what a great introduction This was a well written and amazing read.
A book you just can't put down,the ending blew me away I just wasn't expecting it at all.
The two main characters DCI Tannahill Kahn and Dr Laughton Rees were both likeable in their own way and I'd be very interested in following what happens to them next in any further stories.
Higher recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.

A wealthy woman is discovered brutally murdered in her "fortress" home and her husband is missing. a number of objects are carefully positioned on the floor around her body. As the police investigate her murder they try to unravel the meaning of these objects and wonder if there is a connection to a serial killer who was caught fifteen years ago.

This is my first novel by Simon Toyne and it didn't disappoint. Toyne certainly knows how to pack a punch. The opening is slow and gradual, building the tension, keeping the reader in suspense so that you feel your pulse increasing and your heart racing until we are hit with the shock of a dead body. This technique is used skillfully a number of times throughout the story and just as the bombshell moment is about to be revealed we are whisked away to a different character to keep the suspense going.

The lead characters, DCI Tannahill Khan and Dr Laughton Rees, are both likeable and their dynamic together works really well. We don't get quite as much backstory regarding Khan as we do with Rees. Laughton Rees is a flawed character as a result of previous trauma. As the story progresses you could feel all the emotions Rees was dealing with; frustration, anger, uncertainty and terror. I would love to see the relationship between these two characters develop in a second novel.

Possible links to a serial killer, along with someone who seems to be able to break into an impregnable home, give the story a really chilling edge and make you realise the danger the police and their families face at times because of the nature of the job and the criminals they are hunting.