Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"The Ravenswood Murders" by Helen H. Durrant is a compelling addition to the British crime thriller genre, marking the second installment in the Detective Alice Rossi series. Durrant's novel plunges readers into a chilling sequence of events that begins with a young woman's body discovered in a shallow grave, setting off a complex investigation led by the tenacious Detective Rossi.

The narrative is tightly woven, with Durrant's prose driving the story forward at a relentless pace. The author masterfully crafts a tapestry of suspense, layering twist upon twist that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The book's strength lies in its ability to balance the intricacies of the plot with the development of its central character, Alice Rossi, whose leadership is tested not only by the case's grim nature but also by the dynamics within her new team.

Durrant's portrayal of Rossi is nuanced and multifaceted, presenting her as a formidable protagonist who navigates the challenges of her role with grit and determination. The supporting cast of characters is equally well-drawn, providing a rich backdrop against which the drama unfolds.

The novel's setting is evocatively described, with the dark woods and the town of Ravenswood almost becoming characters in their own right. The atmosphere is dense with tension, mirroring the dark undercurrents of the plot.

While the book is undeniably gripping, some readers may find the detailed depiction of police procedures and interviews to be somewhat exhaustive. However, this meticulous attention to detail also lends authenticity to the narrative, immersing the reader fully in the world Durrant has created.

In summary, "The Ravenswood Murders" is a must-read for fans of the genre. It delivers an intricate mystery, a strong female lead, and a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers eager for more of Detective Alice Rossi's adventures.

Another fantastic story with twists by Helen, I am enjoying this new series about Alice Rossi she is a strong character and I look forward to reading more

Positive: The murder mystery started off with a bang. The detective work in building the case held my interest. I liked the protagonist, the lead detective. Red herrings made it interesting.

Negative: Poor editing was problematic. The hands cut off yet there was mention of getting finger print analysis. One sentence states they are going to serve a search warrant yet the next sentence states they are doing the search the day after tomorrow. These are two examples among a number of discrepancies. Although tension is built in the attempt to learn who is the villain, the reveal comes out of left field and NO MOTIVE is given. To drop a bomb without explanation is frustrating at best. Poor character development . Too many characters started really clouding the plot. One person (Alec) popped in then popped out all within two sentences. Additionally, everyone saying how fearful they were of the villain precluded their revealing him, although he had murdered 4 people. Maybe going to the police and indeed revealing his identity might stop his insanity, and save their own lives. The villain reveal was the most disappointing because the motive wasn’t developed, the climax and ending was rushed.

Three stars because it was exciting and held my interest. The ending was a terrible letdown.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. This review expresses my personal viewpoint.

Girls are being murdered. Detective Alice Rossi is one the case. The girls have been made to sew their own shrouds Another girl is going to be murdered and they have to catch the killer before he does.
Thanks to publisher Joffe Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Absolutely loved this. Excellent plot and wonderful suspense. Kept me on my toes the entire time. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

The Ravenswood Murders by Helen H Durrant is the second book in the Detective Alice Rossi mystery series.
In short, Detective Alice Rossi is called in to investigate a case, with three bodies already in the morgue with no names a new fourth body is found…no witnesses, no clues and no leads, it’s a tricky case.
This is my first read by Helen and I enjoyed the story which was well written in short, snappy chapters which kept the pace and interest flowing. I personally thought it was rather predictable, I guessed the killer earlier in the book so the ending was a bit of a damp squib!
Big thanks to Helen Durrant, Joffe Books and NetGalley for this eARC which I chose to read in return for my honest review.

I do love a Helen Durrant novel and I can just read this in one session as they are so good. This is a new series to me and I am really enjoying the new characters they work so well. I am looking forward to seeing how this develops going forward.

The crime itself was interesting and made sense and was well researched and kept my imagination There were lots of twists and turns.

I was given a copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

Reminiscent of Joy Ellis’ police procedurals, the author takes us to Manchester and to the heart of the criminal world. I loved the details of how the case was progressed and enjoyed the full suite of characters brought to life in this interesting book.

A police procedural concerning the drug scene and associated murders in the East of Manchester. The main detective, Alice, is asked to look into a series of murders of young girls. When found, they have been starved and abused and 3 of the 4 bodies were unrecognisable .
There is quite a lot of chasing leads which don't get anywhere. The case does add up and I had my suspicions quite early on in the book.
I am a bit disappointed with the characterizations of the team. Alice comes across as a bit old fashioned and others do not really seem involved in the investigation in a useful way. I thought the conversations were also stilted at times.
Not really action packed, though plenty happens and there are a couple of open ends . I did like the book but have read better .
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3,5 stars, but will round up because I have read and enjoyed more books from this author

This was a good story which kept me turning the pages throughout the night. Great mystery, writing and plotting will recommend to all my friends who love this genre.

I am normally a big fan of this author's works, but this one just felt off to me. For starters there were a LOT of little inconsistencies that I hope were fixed prior to publication. However, because I did read an advanced copy of this novel, I have no way of knowing if they were and can only speak on what I DID read.

To begin with it, it is plainly stated that the HANDS of the victims were cut off, but then when Alice goes to the PM of this new victim she is told that the coroner "ran prints" but they weren't in the database. Ran prints on what exactly? Then the first time she meets Ralph he tells her that he can't see things far away, but then shows her the magnifying glass he uses to read his ledgers and claims to not be able to see things close up? And then he *spoiler alerts* later on? I mean which is it?

We then have Alice and Hawkes interviewing Ralph at a later date. They tell him they will be back with a search warrant (in fact, Alice has already agreed to meet the lead Forensics person there at 2pm), and yet suddenly the search is put off? And I don't mean put off by a couple of hours, I mean Alice tells Hawkes that they are taking the following day off and will execute the search warrant the day after that.

Added to that, I was getting pretty fed up with the sheer amount of characters who kept saying they had information, but "couldn't possibly say" because they would be killed. Look, we get it. There are some dangerous people involved in this story, but this was just overkill. And a few of those "bad guys" were either too stupid, or too over the top to even be remotely believable.

The rest of the story went much the same way. People lie, Alice confronts them, they continue to withhold information (either on the grounds they will be killed if they talk or just because they are enjoying the game). But then, just when all hope seems lost, another member of Alice's team goes into a bar that is apparently frequented by cops (and criminals), yet the bartender is all too willing to shed insight and key factors into another part of the investigation for no reason other than someone (another cop nonetheless) mentions the person in question. A little too convenient if you ask me.

All things considered, I will read more from this author. I will even give this series another chance, but if I keep seeing all of these little issues in the future, I might have to take a step back for awhile.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

This was an enjoyable crime story. The characters were a bit cliche but still worth reading about. The story of a woman taking over in a new place with people who don’t necessarily want her there is not that new or unusual, but it is done well here and was a quick and easy read.

“The Ravenswood Murders” is the second book in the Alice Roddi series by author Helen H Durrant. I enjoy reading Helen Durrant novels as they are well written, good plots and full of interesting characters. I have read several series by her and this is another entertaining one to get my teeth into.

The body of a young woman is discovered in a shallow grave covered by a macabre shroud and unsettling mutilations and Alice Rossi is called on to investigate the case. A further three more victims follow and it appears that a serial killer is at large.

I enjoy the character Alice Rossi and it looks like this is going to be another excellent series to add to my never-ending list The book is well paced and addictive so it was no surprise to me that I read it in one sitting.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Joffe Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have read several books from this author including the first in this series and have always found what I've read engaging and this one was no different.

Durrant writes with detail, suspense, intrigue which helps to make this a fast paced engaging second instalment look forward to book three.

Absolutely fabulous as usual. I love all this authors work and this one didn’t disappoint. Can be read as a stand alone, and was thoroughly enjoyable.

The Ravenswood Murders by Helen H. Durrant is the second book in the excellent Detective Alice Rossi series and I have enjoyed reading these books, especially as I ended up reading it in one sitting. All Helen's books have been a great read with brilliant twists and turns throughout and with some brilliant red herrings!!! that will have you hooked from the beginning till the end.

I highly recommend this series and all Helen's books. They have never disappointed, great for holidays or a relaxing day off and always been a 5 star read.

Big thank you to Netgalley, Joffe Books and the author Helen Durrant for my ARC of in exchange for an honest review.

I have read most of Helen Durrant’s books. After a very promising start, I found this one quite predictable. That said I still really enjoyed it and hope the series continues.

A serial killer is on the loose, taking teen girls and making them sew their own shrouds before killing them. He mutilates the body to avoid identification of his victims and the police are stumped. DCI Alice Rossi is called upon to breathe new life into the investigation but can she work quick enough to save the next victim?
The Ravenswood Murders is the second book in the detective and serial killer series featuring DCI Alice Rossi. I have previously read and reviewed the first book The Ash Lake Murders.
Alice is called in to support a team trying to catch a killer. She faces a little opposition but the team are desperate to solve the case. Four teens are dead and another is missing. She brings in officers from her last big case as she respects their input and needs their contribution.
The descriptions of the bodies is quite graphic as they have had their hands removed and teeth smashed to avoid dental or fingerprint identification. Hauntingly, the most recent victim sewed her name into the shroud and this causes an emotional spike and additional determination for Alice.
I really love Alice's character. She has issues from her past which came to the fore in the last book. Now she is trying to focus on the case, bringing a fresh pair of eyes to the situation. The author creates a fast pace through quite short chapters and the writing style was gripping as the plot develops. I kept thinking I had guessed how the events would play out but in fact I was skilfully misdirected.
The Ravenswood Murders was a compelling killer thriller and I can't wait for the next book!

Second in the DI Alice Rossi series and another compelling, if gruesome, read where she has to find a murderer of young women, investigate the apparent kidnapper of a young teenager as well as coping with her new team. There also seems to be a new drug lord on the block, taking over from the supposedly reformed barons. A solid police procedural. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

An excellent 2nd book of a thrilling series.
I will be reading both of them via Kindle unlimited on Amazon.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book