Nowhere to Hide by Stephen Puleston #BlogBookTour

#AD GIFTED but as always opinions are my own, I always stick to the genre I love, so it’s hard to not like them. I struggle to read genres that I have no personal interest in.

Once again it’s a new author discovery for me, which I find exciting, as if like me to start to love a particular author, you literally read everything they’ve ever wrote. I’ve Patricia Cornwell or Nora Roberts I have read them ALL.

The tile is intriguing and I like the cover of the book too, it lures me in. I found Nora Roberts purely by being drawn to her cover on one book! So I don’t underestimate the power of being eye-catching, and titles are important too.

Nowhere to Hide (Inspector Drake #7) by Stephen Puleston
A murdered mother… A failing police force…A detective looking for justice.

When drug addict Dawn Piper is found dead in her own home, her neighbours are far from surprised. Dawn’s habit led her to mix with some dangerous people. But this quiet mother of one was small fry …would anyone want Dawn dead?

Inspector Drake knows there is more to Dawn’s murder than a simple drug deal gone wrong. As he digs deeper, he discovers that Dawn hoped to clean up the streets of her community that are being overrun by drugs and the dangerous County Lines gangs that sell them. And it cost her her life. Have the police force failed the community they serve?
Drake is used to the murky world of organised crime groups. He knows the dirty games they play to evade arrest. But in his toughest case to date Drake is determined to make the guilty pay.
This time, they will have nowhere to hide”

The Author

Biography

I write crime fiction based in Wales and about Wales. The rural landscape of north Wales provides the backdrop to the Inspector Drake novels. And Cardiff the capital of Wales provides the setting for the Inspector Marco novels set in a modern urban environment.
I love the novels of Raymond Chandler, Ian Rankin, Mark Billingham, Henning Mankell, Val McDermid – the list could go on! And I enjoy watching detective series on the television the recent Hinterland series based near Aberystwyth in Wales was great. One of my favourites is the French series Spiral but The Bridge and Broadchurch and the Rebus series with Ken Stott and Kenneth Branagh in Wallander are great too.

I have been on writing courses at the Welsh Writers Centre in Llanystymdwy, North Wales tutored by Matt Whyman and Marcus Sedgwick as well as crime writing courses with Peter Robinson and Andrew Taylor at the Scottish Writers centre.

I was born in Anglesey an island off the north Wales coast and after leaving school in Holyhead I went to University in London before training as a solicitor/lawyer. I practised in a small family business doing criminal work in the magistrates and crown courts, divorce and family work.
I still live on Anglesey, North Wales near the beach and the mountains of Snowdonia

My Review

After reading Stephens biography I was fully invested. He loves Spiral (one of my favourite series) and boardchurch and the bridge. So straight away I’m thinking he has excellent taste in viewings, so he must know and feel what means those series so successful and enjoyable.

I like the way things are written, and based in Wales. It feels familiar and homely. Nothing too graphic or crude, it’s cleverly written and the storyline flows well.

I think I like Drake, but I want to read more books with him in, to build up a a better picture of him. He sounds complex and driven, all that I expect from an Inspector.

I like the thriller aspect of it, and I enjoyed reading it and learning new things too along the way. Definitely looking out for this author for more.

Week 29 Post #HipReplacement

After gorging on birthday cheese… Yes I asked for cheese for my birthday, and boy it was goooood. And of course cake too. This week it’s time to embark on week 3 of my physio routine, it’s the hardest one out of the 3 weekly routines I have, but by far the most affective too.

I’m getting concerned about my left side, as I never ever feel the muscles pull, or tense or anything really. I’m keen to ask the surgeon in Jan 2020 to ask his opinion, that’s for sure. Whereas in the operated leg boy oh boy I feel those muscles after this workout, it’s a butt killer.

Gorgeous birthday flowers are giving me the sunshine feels, as it had to typically rain all weekend. So peeved.

Had a lovely rest off physio Friday Saturday and Sunday, as we used those days to visit all the family.

Logan and Leonardo are doing well, and it was lovely to get to visit them again.

So back to physio, this week it’s a killer!! But hopefully it’s all worth it.

• Foot pointing outwards, leg raise (ankle weighted) 20reps each side
• Side leg raise (ankle weighted) 20reps each side
• Single leg hip bridges 10reps each side (my worst)
• Hip thrusts (green banded) 20reps
• Reverse lunges (ankle weighted) 10reps each side
• Side lunges (ankle weighted) 10reps each side
• Romanian deadlift 7kg weights 20reps
• Supine marching (ankle weighted) 10reps each side
• Dead bugs 10reps each side

Week 28 post #HipReplacement

What a week! Previously I had said that the weekend was going to be busy, see here

And I wasn’t wrong, blinked and the whole weekend was gone just like that. The Saturday I saw my mum for her birthday, and Sunday was the planned day for Baby.

So at 11.30am I got there, ready to be a birthing partner, and at 4.50pm little Logan arrived.

Didn’t get home until 10pm. And I was shattered. I slept well that night that’s for sure. Monday I woke up in agony, though not entirely sure why. I was on standby for lifts home from the hospital, so never managed any physio that day.

Packed them up to come home, and collect her older son Leonardo and show him his baby bro. All went as smoothly as it could.

So Tuesday after 3 days off, I embarked on week 2 of my physio routine, find it here but doing the sets x 2 instead. So definitely attempting to challenge the hip more this week.

And OH MY GOD it was soooooo hard. Harder than I ever imagined if I’m honest. But I survived. Managed to do Tuesday, Wednesday, but today is actual physio appointment day. And in that appointment we did.

• Stationary bike level 2 x 5mins
• Leg press 60kgs x 20 reps
• Ball squeeze hip bridges x 20 reps
• Clam side drop outs, red resistance band x 20 reps
• Heel to butt, ankle weighted x 20 reps
• Prone knee raise ankle weighted x 20 reps
• Kettle bell glute squeeze stand ups x 20 reps
• Walking lunges with dumbbells x 20 reps
• Ducking walking green resistance band x 20 reps

It’s also been lovely and hot, this week, at times I was melting. So physio had to be done before the temperature of the day got too much. As I have found in high heat I can’t exercise properly, all motivation disappears. The gym at the hospital was 35 degrees!! That was a sweat fest.

Venom by Stewart Giles #Blogbooktour

#AD GIFTED all opinions are my own and the book is gifted to me.

Woohoo I’ve been getting well stuck into Stewart Giles books, having recently loved Dropzone a parachuting story arch that was gripping to read from start to finish. It also had this main character in, teamed up with another series’s leading character. However this book is Detective Jason Smith series, so no double act for this one.

VENOM, Detective Jason Smith book 9

From #1 best-selling author: Stewart Giles comes a new addition to the popular Detective Jason Smith series.

Still recovering from an accident, DS Jason Smith receives a strange phone call: ‘I want to live.’ The number is unknown, and Jason puts it down to a hoax call. While doing a favour for DCI Chalmers the phone call suddenly begins to make sense and Jason is once again on the trail of a psychopath.

Can Smith stop this maniac before more people die? Who is it and why does he have Smith’s number? As the team struggle to find some kind of a lead Jason realises that it may not be his own life in danger this time but he is in danger of losing someone else he cares about.

This is a unique story that has a steadily increasing pace that continues to deliver all the way to the very last page.

THE SETTING
At the confluence of the River Ouse and Foss, York is the traditional county town of the historic county of Yorkshire. York Minster and a variety of cultural and sporting activities make it a popular tourist destination.
THE DETECTIVE
DS Jason Smith is an Australian who was sent to York to live with his Grandmother when his sister disappeared from a beach. He has suffered many losses in his short life and is now a dedicated detective. He is a bit of a loose cannon he has his own way of doing things that doesn’t always mean following orders and procedures. However, he does get results.

BOOKS BY STEWART GILES

DS JASON SMITH SERIES
Book 0.5-Phobia
Book 1-Smith
Book 2-Boomerang
Book 3-Ladybird
Book 4-Occam’s Razor
Book 5-Harlequin
Book 6-Selene
Book 7-Horsemen
Book 8-Unworthy

Book 9 – Venom

DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1-The Beekeeper
Book 2-The Perfect Murder
Book 3-The Backpacker
DS JASON SMITH &DC HARRIET TAYLOR SERIES
Book 1 – The Enigma

Book 2 – Dropzone

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS

Miranda

Miranda sequel coming soon

The Author

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live.

In 2014 Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head and I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later.

3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series – the DC Harriet Taylor Cornwall series.

The Beekeeper was published and soon hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well.

I continued to self-publish the Smith series and Unworthy hit the shelves in 2018 with amazing results. I therefore made the decision to self-publish The Backpacker which is book 3 in the Detective Harriet Taylor series which was published in July 2018.

After The Backpacker I had an idea for a totally new start to a series – a collaboration between the Smith and Harriet thrillers and The Enigma was born. It brings together the broody, enigmatic Jason Smith and the more level-headed Harriet Taylor.

Miranda is something totally different. A stand-alone psychological thriller, it is a real departure from anything else I’ve written before.

Dropzone, book 2 in the Smith/Harriet series is now available and Venom, book 9 in the Smith series will be released in July 2019. I have plenty more books planned to include, by popular request, a sequel to Miranda.

My Review

It’s all action stations here, today my daughter is booked into hospital to have her baby boy. So this book has kept my nerves in check and kept me going this week.

Revisiting old friends as that’s how I see the characters now at this point, as this is book 9 for DS Smith. I enjoy the piecing together of this murder jigsaw.

The cases were interesting and highly inventive and pulled on my intrigue the whole way through. And seeing Smith get emotional with this case tugs on heart strings for sure.

I had a lot of suspense and twists with this one, definitely the most unique inventive murders.

Day 192 Post #HipReplacement

Wow these days are racking up!! And a week until my birthday too. Happy days.

I had a bad start to the week, feeling unmotivated and sore, but I endeavoured to stick to my routine. And I’m pleased to say I did it!! And I feel better for knowing I did it too.

It was a basic routine, but my lower limbs don’t consider it easy in the slightest!! It’s not getting easier at all.

I managed to do Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday in my physio and even did weights too, so I’m extra pleased with myself.

Thankfully in between physio workouts, I’ve been reading books and watching films, so the body has had chance to recover properly. Starting to really feel glutes some days. Other days I feel a twinge pull pain in the hip flexor in the operated leg. In the other hip all is well except it’s weaker, and has less stamina too. Hoping I can build upon that though.

Saturday (today it’s a mad dash to see my mum for her birthday, instead of Sunday) as my daughter is being induced on Sunday and I have to be there. So it’s all chaos, excitement and fear all rolled into one!!

Its baby time, get to meet him this weekend I hope. Not settled on name as yet, think it’s either Elijah or Logan. Either way he will be loved by his big brother Leonardo.

Dead of Night by Deborah Lucy #BlogBookTour

#AD GIFTED in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own and honest.

This time I have an incredible book to read by Deborah Lucy. The title already have me dying to dive in and forget the world, and that’s exactly what I did!! I mean who doesn’t want a title to say the dead of night?

After a week of intensive physio, this weekend called for relaxing times, unwinding with a good tale of murder and mayhem. Well it was meant to be more relaxing, than it ended up being!! However I did love this escapism.

DEAD OF NIGHT

DEAD OF NIGHT (Detective Temple Mystery Book 2) by Deborah Lucy

A MACABRE KILLER WORKS IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT. HE’S VERY GOOD – NO ONE SEES HIM.

14-year-old local girl, China Lewis is reported missing by her friend Amy. Detective Inspector Temple is tasked to find her. The more he discovers about China, the greater the danger he knows she’s in.

Temple needs to find her and fast. But when his past suddenly catches up with him and two more girls go missing, it becomes personal. Temple’s quest to find the girls takes him into an evil world of exploitation and it seems he’s the only one who really cares.

ONE SERIAL KILLER. THREE MISSING GIRLS.

Temple has to take a gamble that risks the lives of the girls he’s trying to save. As he uncovers police corruption, he is forced to work in the shadows. Who can he trust now?

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO SAVE THEM.

Perfect for fans of Kimberley Chambers, Damien Boyd, Rachel Abbott, Patricia Gibney or Mark Billingham.

DISCOVER A RACE-AGAINST-TIME MYSTERY FULL OF TWISTS AND TURNS.

What readers are saying about DEBORAH LUCY

“Could not put it down.” SP

“Well written and plotted, an excellent and complex crime novel.” MP

‘Loved this book, gripping story, kept me guessing till the end.’ DW

“Compulsive read!” GC

THE DETECTIVE

As a small boy, DI Temple found his mother dead. She had been brutally murdered, with the crime unresolved. Temple is a man on a mission to find her killer, it’s why he joined the police. With the past throwing a long shadow over his life, as a detective, this makes him even more determined to seek justice for other victims as he hunts their killers. His personal quest makes him difficult to live with and difficult to work with and his relationships suffer. But he’ll stop at nothing to protect his family, even though they are estranged and if it means breaking the law.

THE SETTING

The DI Temple novels are set in Wiltshire, a largely rural county. Its landscape of beautiful rolling hills, downs and valleys gives no immunity to the crime that infects its scattered towns and villages. Steeped in ancient history, the tourist guides make no mention of the organised crime groups, the murders and turf wars, or the drugs that saturate the streets, lanes and school playgrounds. The M4 artery across the top of the county pumps its poison from London and Bristol, linking east and west coasts, providing criminal gangs and networks with an easy route to ply their deadly trade.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deborah Lucy was born in Southsea and bought up in Portsmouth, the island city.

In her working life, Deb has worked alongside a number of senior investigating officers as they’ve investigated major crime – from murder, to missing persons to abduction and kidnaps. She’s been at the 7am starts and the 3am finishes, the ‘golden hour’s,’ the high’s, the low’s, the breakthrough’s, the arrests. The slog. The politics.

For three years she worked in the missing adults and children arena, with police, government policy advisors and charities. Latterly, she conducted lifestyle enquiries for international blue-chip companies into the lives of billionaires, millionaires and politically exposed people around the world.

She is a non-fiction author, ghost-writer and has been a consultant on a forthcoming ITV drama series, A Confession starring Martin Freeman and Imelda Staunton, involving a real case she was involved in. She has a master’s degree in historical research.

Her experiences lend authenticity to her stories; she also wants her books to be entertaining and find fans amongst those who are the hardest to please – the most discerning of crime readers and real life detectives.

Links

Website: www.deborahlucy.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Deborah-Lucy-1809348826037410

Twitter: @DeborahLucy6

My Review

I thought from the blurb and author bio I’m in for a treat, someone that’s actually worked with cases, can be a more genuine and realistic point of view. One of the reasons Patricia Cornwell is one of my favourite authors.

And I wasn’t wrong, it kicks off immediately, no slow burn here, it’s off and keeps going, so many twists and turns, it’s actually an edge of your seat read!!!

This is a complex story unfolding at a good pace, taking you through the murky world of drug smuggling, trafficking and graphic in nature. Some a bit too graphic for me at times I will confess, too descriptive. However that’s in no way taken from the writing or story, it’s merely a personal preference.
I’d definitely recommend, but I would do a trigger warning for some of the content, as it may be too graphic for some.

27 weeks Post #HipReplacement

This week, I’ve gone back to the original workout, as this weekend really took it out of me. Lots of stairs, have caused a dull ache in the thigh, and lower back.

So the thinking of doing the basic routine, means I don’t aggravate it too much, while keeping up my physio routine.

• Clam knees drop outwards (green band) 20 reps
• Ball squeezes ankles 20 reps
• Ball squeezes knees 20 reps
• Ball squeeze hip bridges 20 reps
• Prone knee raise (ankle weight) 20 reps
• Prone heel to butt (ankle weight) 20 reps
• Front leg raise (ankle weight) 20 reps
• Hip abduction (ankle weight) 20 reps
• Side leg raise (ankle weight) 20 reps
• Duck walking (green band) 20 reps
• Lunge walking (ankle weight) 20 reps

Though I’m sore, and unmotivated. I’m sticking to it. And my drinking more water too. No weight loss but I feel better, especially skin wise. So that’s a plus.

I’m still experiencing some groin pain at times, not sure why. It’s concerning. And back ache like no other!! But knees are improving, or at least they haven’t had a flare up recently.

Its dry weather for now, so some aches and pains are under control, for now at least. Hands are tricky at times, so the splint is out and in use.

Day 184 post #HipReplacement

It’s Physio appointment day (Thursday) and I feel worn out before I’ve started. But I have done Monday physio at home, see previous post here

Wonderful day off Tuesday as we were out for a family meal. Great to see everyone, and to relax the muscles for the day. Found out that one of my daughters is expecting a Girl, due in December.

Then Wednesday no matter how fatigued I felt, I dragged myself up to do physio routine at home, thinking I’d have a day off Thursday and do the last session on Friday. I was proud of myself for doing it, when my motivation was super low. The reward was #Spiderman film as early birthday celebration though.

However I had forgotten, that I h an official physiotherapy appointment on Thursday, so instead Friday is my day off.

At physio we did a killer session too.

• Stationary bike level 2 (this time) x 5 mins
• Leg press 60kg x 15reps
• Single leg bridges x 15 reps
• Ball squeeze hip bridges x 15reps
• Prone knee raise (ankle weighted) x 15 reps
• Clam knees drop out (green banded) x 15 reps
• Kettle bell sit, stand up glute squeeze x 15 reps
• Lunge walking (with dumbbells) x 20 reps
• Duck walking (green banded) x 20 reps

And I was done, it burned in my thighs and glute (still only feel left glute) we can see the right one working, but I can’t feel it. Not sure what this means, but at least physiotherapist knows all about it.

Once home, I ate such a beautiful dinner and promptly fell fast asleep, it was totally exhausting. I really struggle to do multiple things in a week, especially if doing constant physio as well.

What a week! Productive, entertaining, exhausting but progressive too. Not weight loss this week, I’ve eaten out 2 times and it’s that dreaded time of the month too. But I’m trying to stay on track of clean eating and increasing water intake.

Week 26 post #HipReplacement

This week I turned it up a notch! But I may regret it. But knowing I probably couldn’t do 6 days of physio, I decided to do some harder, more challenging exercises, but less days.

Let’s see if I survive this week. I’ve started with. Monday do the routine, Tuesday day off, Wednesday do routine, Thursday day off, Friday do routine (this is the plan) will it work??

• Foot pointing outwards, leg raise (ankle weighted) 20 reps
• Side leg raise (ankle weighted) 20 reps
• Single leg hip bridges 10 reps per side
• Hip thrusts (green banded) 20 reps (why did I try this, it’s so hard!!)
• Reverse lunge (ankle weighted) 10 reps per side
• Side lunges (ankle weighted) 10 reps per side
• Goblet squat 20 reps
• Supine marching (ankle weighted) 20 reps
• Dead bugs 20 reps
• Chest press 20 reps
• Bicep row 20 reps
• Tricep kickback 20 reps
• Bicep curl 20 reps
• Shoulder press 20 reps
• Tricep overhead 20 reps

Tilt foot outwards, then lift in leg raise, works the inner abductors.

Supine marching, is lying on your back, pulling stomach down to engage, and stabilise pelvis, march on the spot.

For Dead bugs it’s opposite arm and leg going down then up, pull stomach down to engage core. Helps to stabilise the pelvis.

Hip thrusts why did I try these? I had a band around my knees to stabilise them. And oh my god it activated my right hip that’s replaced, super challenging. But worryingly I felt nothing in the left glute, I don’t think it’s working properly, like the message isn’t going through. I have tried many different ways to awaken it, but it’s surgeries were so long ago (2011), it may be too late. I will ask for advice from my Physiotherapist though.

It felt good but difficult and I gave myself plenty of time to recover and re position myself between each exercise. Form is more important than quantity.

Getting some weights out for my upper body also gave my lower limbs chance to breathe and recover.

Best Served Cold By Pat Adams- Wright #Blogbooktour

#AD GIFTED as always this book was gifted for a review, but all opinions are my own.

Totally new author for me, I confess I’d not heard of her before either, so fresh eyes, fresh characters to learn and either warm too, or hate with a passion. It’s exciting either way.

Best Served Cold

DCI Kirsty Savidge and her team (MCTF – Major Crimes Task Force) are tasked with solving the murder of Avril Webb, the third member of a vicious, bullying school gang from twenty-five years ago, to be killed in a matter of weeks. Although two previous deaths are brought to her attention by pathologist Dr Benedict Aldredge (Benny), they have been ruled a drowning and a gang-related murder in another district. Once Kirsty is aware of them, her detective instincts begin to kick-in, but because of the different Modi Operandi, she’s not sure she’ll be able to convince her superior Chief Superintendent Alison Fry, of a connection. The two women have history and cooperation is rarely a given. However, during the interviews into Avril’s death the remaining members of the gang are adamant about a link between the deaths and press Kirsty to investigate further. This gives Kirsty a legitimate reason to ask for the other two cases to be reviewed although none of those in the higher echelons would want to hear the term ‘serial killer’.

Another murder occurs quite soon, again with a different MO. At the same time, Kirsty becomes aware she’s had an intruder in her home, but she and DS Danny Hewitt decide to put off any investigation until the current case is finished. Also, Chief Superintendent Fry appears to be having some personal problems when Kirsty spots her wrist wrapped in bandages and bruising on her neck. The inclement weather is also having an effect on the investigation, as some people are having to work from home, including Savidge and Fry, who finds herself stranded at Kirsty’s cottage because of the heavy snowfall. Fry brought news Kirsty could proceed with linking all the cases. Members of the now covert group (nobody is aware in the present that these people are still linked and running false businesses for their leader, Chris Shaw), are now beginning to take care of their own security turning down protective custody. The police become suspicious.

Throughout, there is a running commentary from the murderer, about his methods and reasoning. Kirsty has her suspicions and is convinced one of the gang members is carrying out the murders. Only when information from those badly bullied at school does the method of the killings fall into place. Background information on two of suspects is proving illusive. A failed copy-cat attack narrows Kirsty’s choice to one and covert surveillance is set-up. At the time of Avril’s funeral the next day, it’s revealed the man watching the suspect has been murdered and the suspect has disappeared. He’s gone to Plan B – murdering the rest of the gang at the funeral. He kills two more using sniper-fire, then escapes. At the airport he is apprehended and held at gunpoint by two armed response officers, but is then shot himself when one officer mistakes a remote-control for the handle of a gun. The suspect’s lap-top reveals all, in the form of two books so all questions can be answered at a meal supplied by the Chief Superintendent. At the end of the book we are left wondering whose Kirsty’s intruder was and also who had leaked information to allow a copy-cat attack.

Pat Adams-Wright Author Bio

Pat Adams-Wright was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK, on the 15th October 1954, in Wellesley Barracks, to a sergeant major father and a working mother. Teacher trained in Liverpool, she actually taught very little during the austere period for practical subjects, doing any work she could find to keep the wolf from the door. However, this did provide plenty of experience and writing material. Finally settled into a teaching job, disaster struck after an accident left her disabled. After many years of using writing to distract her from pain, she successfully completed her debut novel, Run, which was published on the 18th April, 2015

Amazon universal link – http://mybook.to/Best-served-cold

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46777472-best-served-cold

My Review

As the title suggests it’s a revenge story arc, it’s a classic bullied person seeks to get revenge. And although it sounds predictable as revenge stories are, it has a good narrative from the murderer themselves, explaining and detailing their crimes.

It’s full of suspense and I was full of wanting to save the person, but then thinking they kind of deserved it too. I switched from wanting them caught to wanting them to get away, so many times. My head was playing an internal tennis match.

I wasnt sure of the main character at first DCI Kirsty, but I gently warmed to her, and she has a keen eye and trusty gut instinct that you want all law enforcement to have. I love the sound of Benny, he conjures up quite a character in my mind’s eye. He is definitely my favourite one.

I’m interested to see if this becomes a full series, will DCI Kirsty feature in more books, as I’m sure to read them. I’m keen to see how they all develop over time and with more cases under their belts.