When You Are Mine

An excellent stand alone thriller novel by author Michael Robotham. This is a real page turner and a story about domestic abuse, coercive control and toxic friendships. There are some really strong characters in this novel, some you will like and others you will hate together in a well plotted story that kept me reading all day.

I really enjoy Michael Robotham’s books and have followed both the Joseph O’Loughlin and Cyrus Haven series from the start as well as his standalones. This is another excellent plotted story and is well worth a read.

Young police officer Philomena McCarthy has a promising career future despite being the daughter of a notorious London gangster. When Phil is called to the scene of a domestic assault, she rescues a young woman, Tempe Brown from her abusive boyfriend, who just happens to be a decorated detective. The incident is hushed up, but she has unwittingly made a dangerous enemy with powerful friends.

A bond is forged between the two women who are determined to protect each other and a strange friendship is made. Tempe goes to great lengths to please Phil but something isn’t quite what it seems with the friendship. A journalist approaches Phil after linking her to her estranged father and is found floating in the Thames shortly after. With all the deceit around Phil is unsure who to trust or suspect leaving her in an impossible position.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is a standalone by Michael Robotham, the author of the highly acclaimed Joseph O'Loughlin series and is a highly contemporary novel looking at domestic abuse and police corruption. It is a gripping thriller with a fast moving plot that I finished over the course of 24 hours. Philomena McCarthy a police officer in the Met with a complicated family history is a great character and I hope there is a follow up to this compelling novel. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Philomena McCarthy, daughter of a London mob boss, is the last person people would expect to join the police force, but she has and has proved she’s more than worthy of the job. And while Phil thought she knew who the bad guys were, she changes her mind when she rescues, Tempe. the girlfriend of a high ranking detective, from domestic violence. The whole affair is swept under the rug and Phil has made herself enemies on the force. Tempe and Phil form a fast friendship, and even though the young woman seems very kind, something is off about ther. When a journalist who’s connected to both Phil’s father and Tempe’s boyfriend, Phil begins to wonder if she should trust her new “friend”. Reading Robotham is always a treat. make yourself a cuppa and settle in for a long, satisfying read

When You Are Mine - Michael Robotham

First of all Michael Robotham is one of my favourite authors, I binged on all of his books during lockdown last year.

When You Are Mine of more psychological and may be his best yet.

The story centres on PC Philomena 'Phil' McCarthy a young female London copper. A call to a domestic incident finds a bloodied victim of domestic assault and the boyfriend is arrested. The boyfriend turns out to be a senior highly-decorated Police Detective Sergeant.

So begins a dark and intense psychological thriller, as Philomena must balance trying to help and protect the victim with the threats and aggravation that will come if she gets involved in investigating a senior officer.

It's just brilliant, a dark and highly unpredictable story involving coercive control, domestic abuse and obsessive toxic relationships. The characters become real and the tension continually ramps up.

More psychological than Robotham's previous novels, but still with the depth of characterisation, intricate plotting and intensity that we know and love.

One of his best books yet, up there with Shatter and Bombproof vying for the top spot.

If this isn't in my top ten books at the end of the year I'll be very surprised.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sphere, Little Brown Book Group.

Michael Robotham’s books have long since become an automatic purchase for me, and so I was ecstatic to receive this galley. The story of a young female detective with a family linked to the seedy underworld of crime touched me and kept me up well into the the night.

This is a book that completely took over every minute I had spare as it really is a page turner and I just couldn’t put it down. So it’s a thrilling non stop ride full of extremely well written characters one of whom I totally disliked and I love it when there is a character that is so poisonous I shout at my kindle !
The book has some hard subjects domestic abuse being one making it a difficult read but this all adds to the dark and clever writing from Michael Robotham who is fast becoming one of my favourite authors he really can write a fabulous story!
No rehash of the plot here it’s not my thing I just went into this book quite blind as I requested it to read purely because of the author and wow I was not disappointed at any time I was completely immersed in the story from beginning to end and loved the surprises it had in store.
If you want a read that is compulsive, clever and thrilling you have it here I loved it and look forward to the next book Mr Robotham writes, many thanks for a tremendously satisfying read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

What an absolutely fantastic and thrilling book. Such an incredible story that you think you've got worked out but you're probably wrong. Amazing xx

this was my first book by this author and i really enjoyed it. I hope he does a second book about the main character, who was very likeable and complex. In this book, we watch her as a cop try to help two abused woman who are connected to the same cop. She ends up taking on the police force and being set up and fired as they attempt to cover up various crime. At the same time, her family is a major crime family. Does she accept their help. It is the story of domestic abuse, cover ups, toxic friendships and what can we live with in this morally challenging world

Explosive Suspense....
Explosive suspense exploring themes of domestic violence, coercive control and manipulation and the toxicity of friendships and relationships. With a gripping, realistic storyline and credible characters, a compelling read, which is often heart wrenching, from the first page to the last.

What a fantastic book. Pulled me right in. Love drama and so much going on in this one.. great storyline, likeable characters and what an ending!!!!

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Another great book from one of my favourite authors. Great storyline, great characters and had me hooked from the beginning.

There is a good opening to this story. A young girl is caught by the London bombings and is helped by a female police officer. It has the effect of shaping her life. The book continues with the girl Philomena (Phil) now as a serving police officer. She is caught up in a case that appears to be a fairly straightforward domestic abuse case. It is not! Another facet of this story is that Phil's family have had fairly major crime connections although she no longer has any contact with them. This means that there is a good mix of potential issues for this story.

The book follows the aftermath and consequences of the domestic abuse case. I don't like spoilers so I'd prefer to give nothing more than that away. Suffice it to say that so much that is "obvious" may not actually be correct. I did work out/guess some of the twists but definitely not all of them. While there were times that I was screaming at Phil (!!) she was for me a good character. Most of the other people were rather more peripheral though I did grow to like Phil's uncles.

I've been a fan of Michael Robotham's books for some years now. I have particularly enjoyed the Joe O'Loughlin ones however a previous standalone book also worked very well for me. In my mind this author writes extremely well. There is always a decent sense of pace and tension and this book is no exception. Whenever I had a free moment I turned to this. Equally I often thought "I'll just read a little more" and then read for much longer than I had intended. For me it is one of those sort of books.

I'd happily recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good tense read. If you haven't tried Michael Robotham then this would make a good into to his work. There is a real sense of foreboding about this tale for me. You know bad things are going to happen but the who, why and when will come as a surprise sometimes. I found this edgy, pacey and twisty - just what I want for this sort of book. 5 star and happily so.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Philomena McCarthy responds to a domestic abuse case and finds that the abuser is a decorated cop who is married to someone else. She befriends the abused but suffers ramifications for taking on the cop.

This was a good book. I wasn't sure where it was going but it ended up being a good read. I have liked all of the 6 or so books I have read from this author and look forward to reading more.

‘When You Are Mine’ is the latest intense thriller from the pen of Michael Robotham. This stand alone novel tells the story of Philomena 'Phil' McCarthy, young police constable in the London Metropolitan police. Phil is ambitious and has a promising career ahead of her. Until the day that she tries to help a young woman, Tempe, who is being abused – Phil seems to follow all of the correct steps but the victim’s abuser is a highly respected and decorated police officer. Suddenly, Phil’s glittering career aspirations are lying in tatters and she is facing accusations that she is in league with her father – a well-known London gangster. As her police family turn their backs on her, Phil slowly learns that blood can indeed be thicker than water but just who can she trust from outside her family? Phil needs to determine if Tempe told her the truth? How deep does the corruption run and is taking on the Met really possible?

From the opening pages, Robotham engages the reader’s attention with pacing writing and strong characters. It is easy to identify with Phil as the protagonist who struggles to trust her family and friends, while constantly trying to do that she considers to be ‘right’.

Definitely a thrilling read and one that I would not hesitate to recommend.

4.5

The central character in this stand alone is police officer Philomena (Phil) McCarthy. The premise is excellent, we can’t choose our family but they may bend over backwards for us when we most need their help. We can choose our friends but sometimes we can be misled, deceived or downright wrong in our choices with dangerous consequences. The final theme is domestic violence which is a pertinent topic especially following the rising Covid related statistics. I don’t want to give much away about this excellent psychological thriller because it’s one you get the most out of by going in blind.

The best word to describe my reaction to this book is ‘glued’. It’s an absorbing read that you don’t want to put down until the end. The characterisation is very good, Phil makes a terrific central focus as she’s brave, gutsy, instinctive and very capable of standing up for herself even though it frequently gets her into trouble. Her family are portrayed well though there may be a little hint of a stereotype or two. The toxic friendship element is handled very well and it’s chilling and scary how someone as buttoned down as Phil can be so manipulated in a twisted fashion, she’s hooked in and then stitched up like kipper. The domestic abuse angle is demonstrated effectively and makes you feel all kinds of emotions. There’s a corruption angle with a warped musketeer group which Phil runs foul of which adds to the threat level and ramps up the tension. The plot has numerous suspenseful twists and turns and an excellent ending you don’t see coming!

Overall, I anticipate this being another bestseller for Michael Robotham who is a ‘go to’ author for me and in my opinion he’s one of the masters of this genre. He weaves intelligent, relevant and well thought out tales. It’s would be great to read about Phil again as she’s fantastic!

With thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This is a dark, intense and pulse pounding standalone psychological thriller from Michael Robotham focusing on the themes on the boys culture in the police, of protecting their own when it comes to domestic violence, the controlling, coercive, and menacing behaviour, along with the issue of toxic relationships. PC Philomena 'Phil' McCarthy wanted to be a police officer ever since a female PC helped her and others after the trauma of a bus bombing. However, given her father Edward is a crime boss, and her uncles, Clifton, Daragh and Finbar spent 10 years in prison, she had to fight to become accepted by the police force. Phil's entire career and ambitions come under threat when she and PC Anisha Kohli attend a domestic violence incident. Tempe Brown shows clear signs of being assaulted, and whilst she is unwilling to report her abuser who is present, Phil intervenes when he goes for her, cuffing and arresting him.

Phil is unaware that the man is decorated police 'hero', DS Darren Goodall, a married man with two children. Phil is given a dressing down and threatened by Chief Superintendent Drysdale, and warned off investigating further. However, Phil cannot leave well alone, reasoning that if Goodall has been assaulting his mistress, it is unlikely to be an isolated incident. This proves to be the case, with the sinister fatal 'accident' of the woman he was engaged to and Phil listens to a terrifying phone call made to the emergency services by his young son, Nathan, when Goodall is assaulting his wife. Phil ends up helping and befriending Tempe, who can't do enough for her, organising her wedding to Henry, a firefighter, making herself utterly indispensible, but can Tempe be trusted? As her life begins to unravel in spectacular fashion, Phil is pushed back into her criminal family's arms for help.

Robotham writes a riveting crime thriller that I could not put down, full of twists and turns, and dripping with tension and suspense. Phil makes for an impressive central protagonist, a strong woman who believes in justice, who finds herself out in the cold when it comes to her fellow police officers when she is just trying to do her job, officers who suddenly are unwilling to have her back. When the police force that are there for truth and justice are no longer there for her, ironically it is only her colourful criminal family that she can trust and rely on. This is such a compelling and engaging crime read, which reflects many of our contemporary realities, that I think many of Robotham's fans and other readers will love it too. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

‘When You Are Mine’ Michael Robotham's newest stand alone novel tells the story of Philomena 'Phil' McCarthy, a police constable for the London Metropolitan police. The story revolves around her trying to help Tempe, a young woman who is being abused. An intense thriller that you will have a hard time putting down. I would not hesitate to recommend.

A brilliant book. I really enjoyed Michael Robotham’s latest offering. Great plot line - Philomena McCarthy comes from a notorious family with links to organised crime. Yes she is a police officer with the Met. When she comes across a corrupt police officer who she believes has assaulted his mistress she is not prepared to let things lie. Twists and turns a plenty - highly recommended.

I have read and enjoyed all of Michael Robotham’s previous novels, including the Joe O’ Loughlin and Cyrus Haven series so I was excited to receive this review copy of his latest book which is a stand alone.
Philomena McCarthy is a police constable who is very dedicated and doing well in the force, despite a difficult start. She is actually the daughter of a gangster so the police were not keen on her joining their ranks and she has had to fight hard to be accepted.
When she is called to a domestic dispute she meets Tempe, an old school friend, who has been attacked by her boyfriend. Unfortunately her boyfriend turns out to be a violent and corrupt, though highly decorated senior police officer and once Philomena decides to help Tempe she runs into all sorts of difficulties, not only by trying to get justice for her friend but also, Tempe herself seems to have some very strange ideas and obsessive behaviours.
This is a novel which combines many strands: it examines police corruption and conspiracy as well as obsession, coercive control, wife abuse and mental illness.
Philomena’s father runs his “ building firm” which appears to be a front for criminal activities and she has therefore been estranged from him for many years. However despite his career choice he loves his daughter unconditionally and is willing to do anything for her as are her uncles who are part of the firm.
Philomena herself is a great character and an excellent first person narrator. She is strong and focused, unwilling to give up investigating Police Officer Darren, even when she is warned off by her superiors. Tempe is hard to read and I wasn’t really sure what she was capable of nor what she had actually done, right until the final pages of the book when the last twist is revealed.
This is a fist class five star book which I highly recommend. It is an addictive read and I just couldn’t put it down.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have been focusing on blog tours this year, so I have had little time to reach for books by any of my favourite authors this year so far. When I saw this title on NetGalley I could not resist. I am a huge Michael Robotham fan and always enjoy his work. When You Are Mine did not disappoint.
The author has a knack for creating very realistic damaged women. In When You Are Mine he looks at domestic abuse, and a woman with psychological problems that make her obsessive.
Michael Robotham stories are all different, whenever you reach for one of his books you are never sure what you will find. I love the way he draws you into his fictional world, allowing you to get to know his characters and end up empathising with the bad guy. Reading this book I was reminded how much I enjoyed his writing style. This is the seventh book by Michael Robotham I have read and each one has been a brilliant read. I wish I had more time to add more of his books to my TBR.
Philomena McCarthy is called to a domestic disturbance call where she finds a woman who has clearly been abused by her partner. When the partner takes a swing at McCarthy she has no problem arresting him. However, the man she arrests turns out to be a decorated police officer himself and her superiors quickly cover up the arrest.
McCarthy, taking her duty very seriously is determined to ensure that the young woman, Tempe is taken care of. She becomes involved with this young woman and soon starts digging deeper into Darren’s life. When strange things start happening and bodies begin to appear McCarthy is not sure who she can trust, or who to turn to.
This story looks at friendship, family relationships and professional loyalty. When You Are Mine is a gripping tale that quickly leaves you doubting everyone in Phil McCarthy’s life. As the piece slowly start fitting together you are left with a jaw-dropping conclusion that you never saw coming. This book had me hooked from the start and I could not get to the last page fast enough.
I put this story up there with The Secrets She Keeps, one of my favourite Robotham books.
The author did not disappoint with his character’s. Philomena McCarthy is a determined young woman who is eager to break away from her gangster father, not wanting to live in his shadow and be judged by his actions. She is caring, hard-working and loyal. Tempe is a damaged woman who never seems to tell the truth. AS you read the book you move from liking to disliking her and as her true story emerges you cannot help but feel compassion for her.
I always enjoy Michael Robotham’s books but this one is a real page-turner that had me hooked from page one. No doubt, this one is added to my loved list for 2021. The only thing I did not love about this book was the name of the main character. Philomena? That name did not work, but that is just me, it did make the character unique. (Apologies to anyone named Philomena.)
If you enjoy a book that is full of mystery, and characters with psychological problems you will love this book. Michael Robotham has a marvellous talent for creating women you are forced to love. If you enjoyed The Secrets That She Keeps then you have to read this book! When You Are Mine is almost better.

4.5* I loved this book.
A stand a lone psychological thriller. Phil is a police officer. She gets called to a domestic abuse incident with the accused being a fellow police officer. It is buried because the accused officer has a record for bravery.
Despite being told to drop it,Phil decides to continue probing. This is in no way a police procedural. It’s a domestic/ psychological thriller. The story is told from Phil’s point of view.

I like the easy going writing style and gentle humour. It has a good steady medium pace.
I love Phil’s character, it is really well written. She is immediately likeable. She was doggedly determined to get accepted into the police force despite her father and Uncles having major criminal backgrounds.
She is kind and caring. There are characters to love, and ones that you love to hate.
The twists and turns begin immediately adding to the suspense and drama and continue right up to the ending.
I highly recommend this book.

When You Are Mine is a cleverly plotted thriller with numerous twists, turns and a willingness to address a difficult subject with compassion and kindness. Michael Robotham does not pull punches and the description of domestic abuse and some of the ongoing side issues are clearly shown.

Police Constable Philomena McCarthy, daughter of a notorious London gangster, has fought hard to get into the police force, and when she is called to a domestic dispute, she arrests the man who throws a punch at her. He is a decorated detective, and she finds her colleagues are not keen to help her with the conviction. She befriends Tempe Brown, the victim of the abuse who, herself, is a troubled individual. Tempe offers to help Philomena plan her wedding to Henry so the two of them spend a considerable amount of time together.

There a several plots and sub-plots which add to the tension and suspense making this a real page-turner. What an ingenious ending.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and Michael Robotham for my ARC in return for my honest review.
Loved it. Highly recommended.

The daughter of an infamous crime family trying to make her way as a police officer would seem to have enough problems. But, Phil McCarthy isn’t one to back down from a fight and certainly isn’t willing to back off because of pressure from her superiors to stay away from the girlfriend and wife of a fellow officer accused of assaulting them.

She puts her career, and potentially her life, on the line to try and help both women escape from their abuser and to see the culprit brought to justice. She helps Tempe, the officer’s girlfriend find somewhere else to live and begins to give her martial arts training. But, Tempe has secrets, secrets which might put Phil at more risk, even as she turns to family connections in her bid for justice.

There’s a palpable sense of feeling trapped in this book. Phil is desperately trying to do the right thing, but the processes, the cultures which protect their own at the expense of the truth, and the presence of someone who simply won’t take no as an answer, wall her in at every turn. Fantastic writing meant that I felt every part of her frustration.

A really strong psychological thriller delivered by a master of storytelling

Michael Robotham never disappoints and his new standalone novel "When You Are Mine" is well up to his usual high standards.

Despite being the daughter of a notorious villain Philomena "Phil" McCarthy has a promising career in the Metropolitan Police ahead of her. That lasts until she's called to the scene of a domestic assault , the alleged perpetrator turns violent and ends up on the wrong side of Phil's martial arts skills. He also turns out to be a highly respected police officer with decorations for bravery. Refusing to turn a blind eye Phil finds the ranks closing and herself being ostracised among the ranks of the Met.
As the rogue Cop targets Phil she becomes friends with his victim,a young woman called Tempe,a friendship she come to regret.

Phil's life spirals out of control personally and professionally, with rogue policemen targeting her ,Tempe's friendship becoming smothering then allegations of her involvement in even more serious crimes leading her back to her estranged criminal family.

This is a great book with a lot of serious issues addressed by Michael Robotham without being "preachy", mental health and domestic abuse amongst them. The ending proves to be surprising,moving,sad and unexpected.

Long before I started writing reviews here on Goodreads, I wrote reviews for a Dutch website. And as early as 2003 I reviewed books by Michael Robotham. Great books, all of them, but When You Are Mine would earn ten stars if the rating system would allow me to do that.
There are a lot of things happening in this book; Robotham weaves a story around a determined and intelligent Philomena, who constantly must prove she is different from her father, and two other women. One calls herself Tempe because she fled from a difficult past, the other is happily married with two children to a high-ranking police officer. Their life will be different after what the three of them are going trough in this book, alone, with two of them and with all three.
Philomena meets Tempe first, when neighbors call the police about a domestic disturbance. Sadly, it turns out that Tempe’s ‘boyfriend’ is Darren Goodall, a highly decorated police officer. We see immediately where the professional relationship between Darren and Philomena will go: nowhere. He is the exemplary abusive husband although we only later learn the specific details. He is also the exemplary bad cop and horrible boss. But Philomena wants to follow the rules, and that is apparently a no-no among her colleagues. Every time she tries to do the right thing, they will hold her family’s history against her. Her father and his brothers head up a criminal organization although nowadays they work more behind the scenes.
What made this book so special is that Robotham has a very clear way of telling things, or rather, have his characters tell us. The fact alone that Philomena is constantly named Phil, as if everybody is in constantly denial of the fact she is a woman. The way Darren talks to her, and the way her other superiors talk to her: as if she is a fraud, or a little child that doesn’t know better. Then there is Darren, who is absolutely a psychopath if you saw one. Very polite, friendly, well-mannered hero that he pretends to be, he is a predator. And then Tempe, who has lots of things to hide but has a whole very sad and serious side too. The way Philomena deals with her family is sometimes hilarious. My favorite part is chapter 12 in which she meets her family for the first time since almost a decade and introduces her fiancé Henry. Brilliant! Yes, they are a bunch of criminals (the man, not the women). But they are also loyal to each other and they loved Philomena even when she broke off al contact.
This is not a book with a great big happy ending. That wouldn’t be very realistic considering the story. But there are good things and things that could work out to be good.
So, great story, great characters, humor and even love, it’s all packed into this unforgettable book.

Philomena joined the police force despite her father's links to organised crime because she wanted to make a difference. However when she intervenes in an apparent domestic abuse, she is told in no uncertain terms by her superior officers to back off. The man she arrested for hitting his girlfriend is a highly respected police officer, and no charges will be brought against him. But when Philomena refuses to back down it is only the beginning of her troubles.

Like a cross between Line of Duty and a Martina Cole novel, this is a gripping and multi-layered story handling complex but very timely issues about domestic violence, the old boys' network, and toxic relationships. The characters are well drawn and memorable, particularly Philomena and Tempe, and although the book wraps up well as a standalone story, I would be interested in a series following Phil's experiences.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

It is not easy being a police officer when you are the daughter of one of the biggest criminals in London. Philomena McCarthy has not seen her father for years and is trying to move on with her life as a Police Constable and fiancée. Problems arise both at work and in her personal life when she is called to a flat for a domestic disturbance and uses her karate to subdue the accused who happens to be a decorated police officer himself and she befriends the victim who has secrets of her own.
Another excellent standalone novel by Michael Robotham. A master story teller he keeps the narrative moving with plenty of twists along the way. An author whose books I have always enjoyed. Highly recommended.

Thank you to the publisher and to net galley for a review copy. I have read a few books by this author previously from his Joseph O" Loughlin series but this is a stand-alone novel. The story follows a short period in the life of Philomena a female police constable in the Met whose life is turned upside down after a call out to a domestic disturbance. The woman being abused turns out to be someone she remembers from school who then attaches herself to Philomena with a drastic effect on her life.
It examines the ways in which one person tries to exercise control over the life of another. The plot and writing are both excellent. This is a very good book which I found difficult to put down and one which I can recommend

Thanks to Net Galley and Little,Brown Book Group UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
I’m a fan of Michael Robotham and this new book is fabulous, the pages turn themselves. A gripping psychological thriller, starts with a new friendship and quickly becomes an obsession!
Phil is a young policewoman, full of enthusiasm, courage and determination, she follows her instincts which can land her in trouble. She constantly feels she needs to prove to her colleagues that she is different from her father and uncles who often operate on the wrong side of the law.
Phil arrests a male senior colleague of hers for domestic violence against his girlfriend and sets a train of events in motion. She befriends the victim Tempe, Phil can’t see that Tempe seems obsessed with her, she constantly seems to know where Phil will be, does little errands for Phil, is planning her wedding for her, but Phil’s fiancé Henry is suspicious of her behaviour.
It’s a rollercoaster read, full of drama, which is hard to put down and what an ending.
Well done to Michael Robotham on another outstanding book for his fans.

Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Law.

After loving the author’s recent two books; Good Girl Bad Girl and When She Was Good, I hopped on the bandwagon for this advance copy and was excited to be granted.

Detective Constable Philomena arrests a fellow cop for domestic violence and sets a chain of events in motion. Her take-down suspect is a decorated hero owning a collection of I.O.U’s which are quickly called in. Phil is suspended before she can download her body cam and the issue is squashed.

However, Philomena wants to help people which is why she applied to the police. When she reaches out to the victim while off the job, she complicates matters even more by befriending her.

This caught my interest from the first page. It began as a police procedural but veered down the psychological thriller route with some intriguing and colorful characters. I don’t want to expound more since I enjoyed the un-spooling experience wondering where this was going.

I really loved this and want to thank UK NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group, and the author for my electronic reader’s copy.

This novel addresses some serious issues, most notably domestic violence and abuse against women. It also shines a light on groups of men, in this case the police, protecting one of their own above and beyond what the law permits.

Philomena (Phil) McCarthy is the main protagonist. She is a police officer with the London Metropolitan police. She is in a good place, she has a partner on the force that she likes and she has just become engaged to the love of her life, Henry.

Phil comes from a rather dysfunctional family, her father is a known crime boss and he and her uncles are well known in the city. Phil has tried to distance herself from them. She has wanted to become a police officer ever since an incident when she was young involving a bombing on a bus she was riding. A police officer helped her and she has always wanted to become like her, helping others and doing the right thing.

PC McCarthy and her partner are called to the site of what appears to be domestic violence, reported screaming heard by a neighbor. When they arrive, the woman, Tempe, shows obvious signs of attack, bruising, a swollen eye, etc. The man is still there and states that her injuries are old and Tempe doesn’t want to file a report. While Phil is engaging with the man, he becomes enraged and swings at Phil, who takes him down and arrests him.

Turns out Darren Goodall, is a decorated police officer and Phil is almost immediately advised by her supervisor to forget about the incident, that she needs to back away from this case as Darren Goodall is almost “untouchable”, he has many friends in high places.

Phil, however, becomes determined to find out more about Goodall since rarely are such abuse cases isolated incidents. As she digs further she also finds herself befriended by Tempe. At first the friendship is casual but Tempe becomes more and more involved in Phil’s life. Her fiance Henry doesn’t trust Tempe and isn’t happy with her constant presence in their lives.

This novel starts at a run and the pace never lets up. This was a page turner where the tension never stops. I thought the characters were very well developed and shown from many angles.

Sometimes “bad” people can change, or evolve and friendships aren’t always healthy, SOMETIMES THEY CAN BECOME TOXIC !!!

This is the first book I’ve read by Mr. Robotham but I will definitely be watching for more from this talented author.

Thriller lovers will root for this strong female protagonist and enjoy this rollercoaster of a ride!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It is set to publish on June 24, 2021.

When You Are Mine is a thriller about possession. Possession by domestic abuse, possession by an obsessive friendship and possession by a protective family. Michael Robotham skillfully weaves these themes together in a compelling, haunting mystery that will stay with you long after you read the last page.

Philomena (Phil) McCarthy has perhaps chosen the wrong career. Although she has long wanted to be an officer with the London Police, she’s the only child of crime lord Edward McCarthy. She doesn’t have a lot of friends on the force and she has fewer after she arrests Detective Darren Goodall, a decorated hero, for domestic abuse. Against orders, she stubbornly pursues the case and at the same time becomes involved in a complicated friendship with the victim, Tempe Brown, and with Alison, Goodall’s wife. Phil is also balancing her career with her relationship with her father and her uncles, all of whom are now trying to appear respectable. Phil has to make difficult decisions about her family, friends and work and her choices will not always be the right ones.

The characters in When You Are Mine are vividly described. Phil is driven to help others and that determination costs her so much. Edward loves his daughter but doesn’t know how to help her. Tempe does everything she can to make friends and goes too far. Alison’s fear of her husband is palpable. Each character is trapped in a different way. The plot is driven by these characters and moves deliberately slowly but concludes with a surprise you won’t see coming. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Michael Robotham for this ARC.

I’d like to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘When You Are Mine’ by Michael Robotham in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

From when she was eight years old Philomena ‘Phil’ McCarthy has wanted to join the police force and despite being the daughter of notorious London gangster Eddie McCarthy she’s finally accepted into the Metropolitan Police. When she’s called out to a domestic incident she rescues the woman Tempe Browne but makes an enemy of the boyfriend who assaulted her, Detective Sergeant Darren Goodall, who has friends in high places and sets out to destroy Phil. But the longer she befriends Tempe the more she realises the young woman is telling lies and is manipulating Phil for reasons best known to herself.

When I started reading ‘When You Are Mine’ I thought there would be more written of PC Phil McCarthy on duty but by the time I was three-quarters into the book I realised the author has got it just right. This is such an exciting psychological thriller that I’ve been unable to stop reading and have finished it in half a day as my need to know what’s going to happen to Phil has grown greater. It’s exceptionally well-written with drama, suspense, intrigue and tension that only increases the further I get into the story. This is the first thriller I’ve read by Michael Robotham but it definitely won’t be the last as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading it and it has my recommendation without a moment’s hesitation.

Another total best seller from Michael Robotham. This novel rocketed along and kept me gripped every step of the way. The characters were brilliantly drawn and realistic. One hell of a read.

Intense, full of twists, and definitely a book I found hard to put down. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication.
Philomena McCarthy comes from a background that she is keen to escape. Her father, Eddie, was a criminal who was well-known for his exploits before turning ‘good’ and she recalls visiting her uncles in prison. While she has fond memories of him, Phil has turned her back on her family in order to train and serve as a police officer. This struck me as unlikely, but she has an exemplary record and things are looking good for her.
Until the day she is called to investigate a disturbance. She finds a young woman, beaten and bleeding. She arrests the man believed to be responsible...only he is a decorated police officer. From that moment on, Phil cannot let it lie. She pursues Goodall, convinced he is a serial abuser, even though it puts her at risk.
You really could not predict how bad things get. Suspended from work, at risk from the stifling presence of the woman she rescued, Phil ends up in a very dangerous situation. Though she resisted it, determined to uphold the law, she finds herself making use of her family connections to try and rescue herself from the depths.
From start to finish I was struck by the recklessness of this young woman. She does things for the right reasons, and you want her to succeed, but she is the proverbial bull in a China shop. Caught in a situation not entirely of her own making this has explosive consequences for her.

Well... I had an absolute blast reading this book. It definitely blew the cobwebs off! Delivering punch after punch as it hit the ground running from page one, not letting up on the tension and intrigue until the very last page. Kept me on my toes throughout too, trying to guess and second guess what in the heck was really going on...
We first meet Philomena (Phil) on a day that changed her life. A day that made her determined to make the most of a life that could have so easily been wiped out at an early age. A day that set her on a path to being an officer in the Metropolitan Police. Not an easy task being as her family is, well, lets just say they walk on the wrong side of the law on occasion...! It's a job that she has had to fight tooth and nail to get and indeed keep, and there are still those who resent her and would easily rejoice in her downfall. But she's nothing if but determined and is ticking along nicely until one day she is called to a domestic by a neighbour. A young woman, Tempe, is being abused by her boyfriend. Phil steps in to protect Tempe little knowing that this act will eventually see her suspended from the force. It seems that the abuser is "one of their own" a decorated cop no less. And one with, well, lets's just say "connections". But it doesn't stop there as Phil takes Tempe under her wing as they both continue to be harassed and threatened.
And so begins a cat and mouse high octane psychological thriller as Phil and Tempe try and regain what they have both lost without losing more...
Wowsers. I have read a few books by this author, including his Cyrus Haven series, so I knew the standard of what to expect but I never thought he would not only reach this but completely smash it! The characters are wholly believable and easy to connect to - and there are a couple of cracking extras in this book to complement the main ones. Suspense, intrigue and tension are established early on and well maintained for the duration, ramping up to the final act. Which, I hasten to add, was completely satisfying and wasn't quite all what I was expecting.
This is billed as a stand alone but I really can't be the only one sad to have to say goodbye to Phil at the end of the book. Such a cracking character as her really deserves another outing in a sequel maybe, or could this be the author testing the water with a start of another series... Either way, I'm in... But, in the mean time, I'm going to fill in my gap in his back catalogue and give the Joseph O'Loughlin series a whirl.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.