A mothers worst nightmare?? A dark psychological story which wasn't always an easy read. - but kept my interest.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will. Enjoy

I have been determined as a personal challenge this year to read through my backlist.

This is one of the books I was eager to get to. I received this from the publishers via Netgalley.
There are subsequent books in this series since then.

This is book 1. Which at the time I had no idea that it was to become a series.

That said, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this.
It’s very nicely detailed with a great premise and plot.

After finishing this I can see why it became a series. There are lots of avenues to go down in this one which is the most exciting bit I thought.

Because of books I already have, I’d love to say I’m jumping into book 2, I now own it, and I will read this series.

I’m sorry I didn’t get to this sooner.

Recommend to those who like a thriller with a great family backdrop.

I've had Mary-Jane Riley's two books - The Bad Things and After She Fell - on my Kindle for a very long time (an embarrassingly long time). But I finally managed to read them a few months ago. And I'm so glad I did.

Both books feature journalist Alex Devlin, who is investigating crimes and cases that are personal to her. As a journalist, I do have a soft spot for crime fiction featuring journalists although only when they're portrayed realistically, as Mary-Jane Riley has done here.

In The Bad Things, Alex is looking into the abduction and murder (15 years earlier) of her sister Sasha's two small children - Harry's body was discovered soon afterwards, but Millie's remains have never been found. When the woman who was jailed as an accessory to murder is released, Alex is determined to discover what really happened all those years ago. She wants her troubled sister to find closure as Sasha still struggles to cope with the aftermath of the past.

In After She Fell, Alex is investigating the death of the teenage daughter of an old friend. Seventeen-year-old Elena was found at the bottom of the cliff near her boarding school. In this book, we hear Elena's voice in the form of her diaries, providing a snapshot of her life - the teenager is portrayed realistically and authentically.

I loved both of these books. Alex is a very believable character. She's warm and sensitive when she needs to be, but also determined and not one to take no for an answer. These books are as much about the characters as the investigations, watching them in action and understanding their responses.

Both books are filled with family dynamics, secrets and lies. They are well plotted and gripping, with enough tension and pace to keep me intrigued all the way through. Mary-Jane Riley certainly kept me on my toes, with her twists, turns and red herrings. The endings were unexpected, but also neat, leaving no loose threads.

You could read After She Fell as a standalone, but it does reveal information about The Bad Things, which could act as a spoiler. It's probably best to read this books in the right order.

I look forward to seeing what's next from Mary-Jane Riley.