Many thanks to NetGalley and to Storm Publishing for letting me see an advance reader's copy of Doctor Harrison Lane Books 1 to 3 by Gwyn Bennett.

Broken Angels
DCI Barker and her team have a particularly grisly case on their hands, a case that involves children. And as if that isn't harrowing enough, some of her team are also battling their own demons.

Broken Angels is the first in a series by Gwyn Bennett, and it's one I for one will certainly be going back to.

Set in London, it's a dark story that addresses dark issues and it goes a long way to also show how the case affects those investigating. I really liked the contemporary setting and the modern feel, and I liked the dual mystery element – the one they're all looking into *and* the one that directly affects one member of the team in particular.

I did feel that the Jack storyline went a bit off topic and didn't really have anything to do with the main story and that perhaps it was a bit of an author soapbox subject. But the Harrison storyline, I thought, did impact on the main investigation because his experiences made him the investigator he is.

I wasn't keen on the occasional head-hopping either, where we suddenly switched viewpoint character mid-scene and back again. It didn't happen often enough for it to work, for me. And I'm old-school anyway in that I prefer to stay with one character at a time.

All of this was balanced out, though, by the excellent overall story and the great characters the author has created.

Gwyn Bennett has a new fan.

Five stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Beautiful Remains
Dr Lane is called out to a murder investigation in Wicken Fen, but while it doesn’t take him long to start seeing connections to a secret society, the detective in charge of the case takes more convincing. When a second body turns up, in similar circumstances, the detective is forced to take the doctor’s suggestions seriously.

As with Book 1 in the series, there is some head-hopping, but it’s less severe in this instance. Saying that, there are a couple of slips of point of view here and there, particularly with the narrative describing something a viewpoint character would not know. There’s a lot of passive voice usage too and a fair bit of internal thoughts that slow the story down a bit. 

This book finally came to life in Chapter 11. But we still had a few names that were too similar. We had two Marks, a Mark Jones and a Tanya Jones, not related, and a Mark James and a James, which can all become quite confusing. And then there are all the ‘which’s instead of ‘that’s. Perhaps a good proofread might have ironed all of these out.

If these kinds of things don’t worry you, then you have a romping good read ahead of you. 

I *do* love Dr Harrison Lane, and I love Gwyn Bennett’s books. And I’m certainly looking forward to reading the next books in the series. 

Four stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Deadly Secrets
When a student is discovered murdered and with satanic symbols etched on their body, Dr Harrison Lane of the Ritualistic Behavioural Crime unit is called in to help solve the crime. During investigations, Dr Lane discovers a year-old cold case and he wonders if the two cases are connected.

Throw in a few ghost sightings, plus the historic backdrop of Durham and its university, and we have the makings of a truly captivating read. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

As the series progresses, so too does the writing. Book 3 felt a lot shorter than the previous two, so I read it in a much shorter time-frame. Even so, the author still had me turning the pages at a rate of knots, not wishing to put the book down, nor wanting the story to end.

Five stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed these 3 books in the first omnibus so much that I recommended my husband read them too. And now he’s hooked as well. Gwyn Bennett had two new fans for the price of one, and we can’t wait to read Book 4.

Overall, five stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gwyn Bennett’s Broken Angels and sequels, is are a series of gripping and emotionally charged crime thriller, blending elements of mystery, psychological suspense, and character-driven drama. The first novel revolves around the investigation of a series of disturbing murders, with a detective protagonist who is both haunted by their past and deeply committed to uncovering the truth. Bennett’s storytelling excels in building tension and atmosphere, with a complex plot that unfolds through unexpected twists and revelations. The characters, especially the lead investigator, are deeply layered, bringing emotional depth to the thriller as personal stakes are woven into the unfolding mystery. Themes of trauma, justice, and redemption are explored, giving the novel a thoughtful edge beyond the usual crime narrative. Broken Angels is fast-paced yet carefully constructed, keeping readers engaged with its intricate mystery and psychological insights. Fans of dark, emotionally driven thrillers will find it a compelling read, with enough suspense and intrigue to keep them turning the pages.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

Book 1: Broken Angels
This book has me grasping at the edge of my seat every single day when I was reading it.
This book is just mind blowing!
5 stars is not enough for this amazing masterpiece. It deserves more!
This book is very fast-paced which I love so much because there is no bullsh*t or any unnecessary stuff that will make the story boring.
I don't know what Gwyn Bennet put into this story that got me sooo freaking addicted to it.
It's just that good and what's even more amazing is that... this book is a freaking series! hell yeah!
Guess I'll be binge reading the whole series now! 😍🥰

Book 2: Beautiful Remains
Ever since I stumbled upon the first book of this series and devoured it, I knew that I'd get addicted. I want more, so bad! 
Beautiful Remains is the second book in the Dr. Harrison Lane series. It's a story about Paul Lester, who is a local jockey who was murdered because he was a member of a secret group, The Horsemen. 
This story has had me sitting at the edge of my seat since the first page. The whole story is just amazing and epic. It's fast-paced, but at the same time, it feels like there is so much going on inside the story that it doesn't feel fast-paced at all. 
I just love how Gwyn Bennet combined two of my favorite topics, crime and murders in secret societies.
The story is spine-chilling, hard to put down, and the twist... the twist just gave me goosebumps; it was freaking awesome!
I can't get enough of this series! I want more! 

Book 3: Deadly Secrets
OH MY FREAKING GAHD!
This book literally gave me the best book hangover!
It's riveting, exciting, thrilling, hard to put down, and grips your attention from the beginning till the last page.
The first two books of the series were amazing, but this one... This one literally blows my mind!
Anything that involves secret societies or cults will always be a 5-star read to me.
That's why, when I read the prologue of this book, I completely devoured it immediately.
Nothing can ever top this series for me.
I am utterly addicted!

Ritualistic Behavioural Crime may be one of the most interesting categories of crime to read about and these books are incredible in their level of detail and the care given to explain key concepts. Strong characters, sharp dialogue and a careful focus on setting the scene all add up to a terrific series.