mags_louise's reviews
3681 reviews

Hurricane After Dark returns readers to Gansett Island for what is Ms Forces one hundreth published novel. 

And to characters who genuinely feel like old friends.

As this ensemble cast find themselves facing a category three hurricane. Which is heading straight for them and the island they love. And although the main focus of this story is state trooper Jack and assistant manager of the Sand and Surf Hotel Piper. There are plenty of appearances from the rest including all of the McCarthy and Lawry families and their extended group of friends.

And with a couple of heart in your mouth moments as the islanders mount daring rescues, plenty of sweetness, humour and heat. Not to mention weddings, engagements and the odd pregnancy announcement or two! 

This was a delightfully easy, entertaining and engaging read. And another great addition to a series I just can't stop reading.

After That Night is my first introduction to author Karin Slaughter and the Will Trent series. And my only thought after finishing is why have I never read any Karin Slaughter books before.

As this was a tightly plotted story. That grabbed me from the very first page and never let go.

As three years ago Dr Sara Linton whilst covering a shift in the ER attends to a patient. Who has driven a car into an ambulance outside the hospital. That patient is nineteen year old student Dani Cooper. Who in a moment of lucidity is able to tell Sara she's been raped. Before she passes out and later dies from her injuries.

And some three years later Sara now working as a medical examiner for the GBI is a witness in a private case against Dani's alleged abuser. Who has never been formally charged with the assault. Only after taking the stand Sara is confronted by the young mans mother, Britt. Whom she once knew. And who tells her that Dani's assault is connected to Sara and the assault she suffered at the hands of a hospital janitor fifteen years ago.

But how? And why is Britt telling her this now?

That's what Sara's fiancée GBI Agent Will Trent and his partner Faith Mitchell are determined to find out. Even though it's not an official case.

But working with Sara on the down low the three begin to investigate and in doing so they open a can of worms and secrets long buried are brought to the surface.

And with such a sense of realism, fantastic characters, lots of detail and an explosive ending. This was a cracking read. Albeit a tough one at times given the subject matter. Which rightfully Ms Slaughter does not shy away from.

My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read an early copy of After That Night.

This is my third A.R.Torre novel, and I'll be honest out of the three this is my least favourite. Not that it's not a great read.  It's just that I found The short chapters discombobulating especially in the beginning and they stopped me from really getting into the story.

But it's a story that is intriguing. As A.R.Torre delves into the lives of the Hollywood elite and the dirty secrets they keep.

And told from multiple points of view. You're taken on a perplexing journey. When Hollywood's golden couple Nora Kemp and Hugh Iverson find Hugh's twin brother Trent in their guesthouse  dead alongside an ordinary woman. Who they claim they have never seen before.

And the detectives tasked to investigate soon learn it's a murder-suicide. But one thing is clear this killer has struck before.

Yet, with Nora and Hugh tight lipped and their staff having signed NDA's. How are the detectives ever going to get answers? 

Then there's the woman, who is she?

Furthermore, what does a mother and her son travelling to LA from Wisconsin to visit Disneyland on behalf of a cancer charity have to do with it all?

And with such an array of interesting characters. Plus bags of secrets, lies and deceit. This was an enjoyable read. It just didn't grab me or excite me as much as A Familiar Stranger or The Good Lie did.

I would though happily recommend it, especially if you like a mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read an early copy of A Fatal Affair. 😊

Detective Amanda Steel is back enjoying some well earned free time. Whilst her daughter Zoe has her first, ever sleep over.

But unfortunately for Amanda the free time doesn't last. When her niece Ava calls upset and begging for help. As her best friend Nadine's older sister Reese is missing and the pair have just discovered her phone abandoned in the Potomac River.

So, Amanda sets out to find Ava and Nadine and promises them she'll search for Reese. Who is due to attend her prom as prom queen that evening.

But just as Amanda starts looking for answers. So do Nadine and Ava. Who sneak in to the prom hoping that Reese will turn up. And she does, just not how they expected.

And so Amanda is caught between caring for her niece, a distraught sister begging for answers and solving a murder and things only get worse.

As Amanda and her partner Trent start their investigation. They learn disturbing truths about Reese and the day she disappeared and find another victim.

However, what they don't realise is that Ava is still investigating, and the killer has set their sights firmly on her.

But will Amanda and Trent realise this before it's too late? Or will the killer strike again?

And with great pacing, plenty of twists and turns and a thrilling confrontation. Taken Girls was a cracking addition to the series, and it's a story I would happily recommend to all.

My thanks to Bookouture for the opportunity to read and early copy of Taken Girls. 😊







































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Her Deadly Truth is the second Sally Fairburn crime thriller and picks up about a year after Next Girl Missing.

With Sally and her son Paul still recovering from the shock of finding out who the Poster Killer really is and learning more horrific details about her ex-husband Scott and daughter Zelda's suicide. And whilst Scott is yet to pay for his crimes. Sally hasn't given up hope. Yet, she's determined not to have anything to do with the police or investigating crime. Especially after the notoriety she's earned from her involvement with the Poster Killer case.

However, it's not long before Sally is drawn back into an investigation. As her next door neighbour Carolyn having learnt of Sally's exploits is desperate for her help. As she believes her husband Matt is trying to kill her.

But surely Carolyn is just being paranoid?

Then she is murdered and she's not the only one.

And it soon becomes clear the killer has their eye firmly on Sally.

But why?

And why is the Poster Killer so keen to make contact with her?

And with great mystery and plenty of twists and turns. This was a really enjoyable and engaging read. It just didn't grab me the way Next Girl Missing did.

I would though happily recommend it to crime fiction fans everywhere.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an early copy of Her Deadly Truth. 😊

Next Girl Missing introduces readers to Sally Fairburn. Who was once a beat cop before she gave it up to advocate for victims and found herself supporting the families of the victims of a serial killer nicknamed the Poster Killer.

Yet, in the midst of her offering support to the families of six abducted girls Sally's own teenage daughter Zelda takes her own life, and a heartbroken Sally walks away.

However, she never forgets those families or the girls themselves and is visiting one such family member. When she gets a phone call from the man convicted of the abductions and killings.

Only he claims the Poster Killer is someone else. In fact he reckons there is more than one killer.

Which sets Sally of on a quest to find answers and bring the girls home to be buried.

And then missing person's posters begin to appear. With Sally and her son Paul amongst the targets.

But Sally doesn't realise just how much danger she's in and what terrible secrets she will unearth.

And with big shocks, twists and a killer I never expected. Not to mention an edge of your seat confrontation. This was a story I found hard to put down, and it's one I would happily recommend to others.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Next Girl Missing. 😊

I adore enemies to friends to lovers romances and so I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of Kaylee Ryan's Kissing the Rival. An enticing, fun, sweet and low angst romance.

Featuring Charlotte and Spencer. Who meet on their first day of college, and Spencer is immediately smitten. But Charlotte isn't interested. Yes, he's gorgeous. But having lost her parents and having left her younger sister Audrey behind. Charlotte just wants to focus on getting through College. And besides Spencers comments and quips don't help.

So they spend all of college sparring. The best two in class, battling to come out on top and becoming bigger and bigger rivals.

Then ten years later Spencer's best friend Lincoln becomes engaged to Charlottes sister Audrey and the pair are stuck together. As best man and maid of honour.

However, at the last minute Lincoln decides not to go through with the wedding and leaves Spencer to break the news. Just as Charlotte is starting to thaw.

But Spencer isn't ready to throw in the towel, especially when Charlotte rates their first kiss as a four.

And he soon gets another chance when their professional lives collide and now Spencer is playing for keeps. (And a kiss rating of ten!😉)

And with really likable characters, banter, and sweetness. This was an extremely enjoyable read, and I'm excited to read more from this multi-author series in the future.

I would happily recommend Kissing the Rival to all. 😊

My thanks to Kaylee Ryan and Greys Promo for the opportunity to read an early copy of Kissing the Rival.  😊

Meet Pepper; owner of two exclusive sex clubs. She's a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ask for it.

But she meets her match in Bale.

A watcher by trade. He's spent the last few months learning everything he possibly can about Pepper including what she enjoys inside the club.

And after he finishes his latest job, he makes his move and the pair have one hell of a sexy time together before going their separate ways.

Or they're supposed too.

Only one time isn't enough.

Then Bale learns the information he's collected is going to be used to destroy the clubs and Pepper A woman he is starting to feel way more for than he should and he knows he has to tell her.

But will she want to know?

And with smoking hot sex scenes both inside and outside of the club setting. This was a really engaging and enjoyable short story. That I would happily recommend to others.

My thanks to Valentine PR and Marni Mann for the opportunity to read an early copy of Dominated. 😊

Falling for the CEO is only my second Layla Hagen story and just like the first it was a fabulous read, full of family, heart, heat, likable characters and touches of emotion.

As Spencer Whitley, CEO of the Whitley Publishing House finds himself a single dad. When his ex-girlfriend Naomi returns with a baby boy in toe. Then promptly leaves him behind.

But Spencer is more than happy to step up and care for his son and he does so beautifully.

And of course he has the help of his brothers and his adorable grandmother Jeannie. Who is still set on matchmaking her grandsons, and she gets the chance with Spencer. When he moves into his new house and his grandmother meets his new albeit temporary neighbour Penny.

Yet neither Spencer or Penny are in the right headspace for romance. But the attraction is undeniable and as the pair spend more and more time together they agree the perfect way forward is to have a fling.

And I adored how the romance developed. How Spencer would do these little things for Penny, things that meant everything to her. But were so normal and basic, and I loved how Penny embraced Spencers son Ben and how they quickly realised that a fling was never going to be enough.


And with such well rounded individual characters, plenty of heat and sweetness. This was a delightfully delicious romance. That kept me reading long into the night. And it's a story I would recommend to all especially if you're a sucker for the single dad trope.

My thanks to Layla Hagen and Wildfire Marketing for the opportunity to read an early copy of Falling for the CEO. 😊

Detectives Kane and Alton are back enjoying some time together. When Jenna gets a call that there has been a murder and it looks like a professional hit.

But when Jenna and Dave arrive on scene . What they find isn't what they were expecting. As three college students have been murdered and although the scene has been sanitised. It's clear this was no contract killing.

However, what they don't expect to find is evidence pointing to three killers and a link to a serial killer who has been behind bars for a number of years.

And just as the investigation gets under way. Jenna is kidnapped off the street. With Dave just miliimeters from her side.

But is this the killer or killers striking again? Or is something far worse at play?

That's what Dave is desperate to find out. As he goes off on his own to find her.

And that's just part of what is a fantastic story. As a dangerous killer continues to pull the strings, and the danger to the residents of Black Rock Falls, Jenna, Dave and the rest of the team including FBI Agents Jo and Carter intensifies.

And with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments, shocks and surprises. This was another hard to put down story. That I absolutely devoured and is a story/series I would recommend to crime fiction fans everywhere.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Their Wicked Games. 😊