The Colour Of Death by Michael Cordy

No. of pages: 381
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: In a residential neighbourhood of Portland, Oregon, an unknown young woman uncovers a shocking crime scene by inexplicably sensing the evil within its walls. To the police, she is a mystery. She can’t even tell them her own name. They christen her Jane Doe. Suffering terrifying hallucinations, Jane is assigned to Nathan Fox, a forensic psychiatrist struggling with his own demons. Together they must piece together the jigsaw that is Jane’s identity. Then a sequence of brutal killings terrorizes the city and Fox learns Jane is the only cryptic link between the unrelated victims. To solve the murders, Fox must discard his black and white preconceptions, look beyond the spectrum of normal human experience and confront the dark truth of her past…and his own.

Review: When a young woman breaks into a house and releases several trapped girls being held as slaves, she is hailed a hero. Only one problem though, not only does she not remember how she knew the girls were there, but she doesn't even remember her own name. Christened Jane Doe, she is taken to hospital where she is terrified by vivid hallucinations. Moved swifly to a mental facility, she comes under the care of Nathan Fox, a man troubled himself by the murder of his family when he was a child. Together, Jane and Nathan start to unravel not only the mystery of her identity, but also the sudden spate of murders that seem to somehow link back to Jane.

Having heard of Michael Cordy before, but never having read any of his work, I was very interested to read The Colour Of Death. Not only because I love new authors, but because the synopsis sounded so intriguing! I can honestly say, I have never read anything like this story before, the content was completely new, to me anyway. I loved how you slowly found out about all of the fascinating details about Jane and Nathan, and the secrets they both held, and then how it all tied back to the murders that seem so random. I did figure out some of the ending pretty early on, but that didn't ruin any of the enjoyment or suspence for me. A throughly enjoyable read, and a must for fans of thrillers with a science-y twist! I'm not only looking forward to reading the sequel, but also more books by Michael Cordy in the future.

The Eighth Scroll by Dr. Laurence B. Brown

No. of pages: 332
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Stirring the flames of age-old controversies, The Eighth Scroll by Laurence B. Brown draws on the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to create an unbelievably dynamic and powerful story. Set in a world that teeters between orthodoxy and heresy, this thriller is packed with intrigue and adventure. When a Roman Catholic scholar involved in the Dead Sea Scrolls Project hides one of the scrolls because of the heretical message it contains, no one is the wiser until decades later, when a prominent archeologist discovers reference to the scroll in an archeological dig. This discovery spurs the world religions into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, in which all who seek the hidden scroll are mysteriously silenced, leaving the salvation of humankind to a father and son, who must either find the hidden scroll . . . or die trying.

Review: When archaeologist Gerald Hansen receives a cryptic phone call from one of his friends, he rushes half way around the world to the dig where his friend is working, dragging along his son Michael. What they find there completely changes their lives forever. It would seem there is another Dead Sea scroll which has never been found, and it will completely change the face of religion as we know it. The trouble is, they aren't the only ones looking for it, and it will be a life or death race to find it first...

When I was asked to review this book, it was compared to The Da Vinci Code, which is a book I really enjoyed. I am always wary though, when a book is said to be 'like' another, because usually they fall a little short. In this case I can definitely see why the comparison is made, but personally I think Brown can stand with his own merit though, this is a fantastic book. I'm not a follower of any religion, but it has always fascinated me, and so mixed with the gripping thriller aspect as well, made for a really great read. It is immediately clear that this was a subject the author knew a lot about or researched very throughly, and it is all written in a very understandable way for people who do not necessarily know a lot about the three religions spoken about. I liked the characters involved, and thought it was a great move to switch narrators part way through the book. For me, I enjoyed savouring this book over the course of a few days, it gave me time to digest each section of information and think about the story, but I can definitely see it being a book that is impossible to put down as well. I would definitely recommend this to fans of religious thrillers, if you liked The Da Vinci Code, I can assure you this is just as good!

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

No. of pages: 414
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Summer, 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels has come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Along with his partner, Chuck Aule, he sets out to find an escaped patient. But nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. And neither is Teddy Daniels.
Is he there to find a missing patient? Or has he been sent to look into rumors of Ashecliffe's radical approach to psychiatry? An approach that may include drug experimentation, hideous surgical trials, and lethal countermoves in the shadow war against Soviet brainwashing. The closer Teddy and Chuck get to the truth, the more elusive it becomes, and the more they begin to believe that they may never leave Shutter Island.

Review: Teddy and his partner Chuck, are called to Shutter Island to help find an escaped mental patient. But once on the island, Teddy starts to realise things are not what they seem. Over the course of the next 24 hours, while a terrible storm rages, Teddy finds himself questioning everything he ever believed in...

I wasn't sure whether I was going to like this, so I watched the film first which I loved, and then got a hold of the book after that. I was pleased to find that the book and film were very similar, as sometimes they change the film so much from the book it's not even noticable as the same thing! The ending is really good, and it's definitely a bit of a mind bender book, but in a good way. The character of Teddy is lovable, well written and interesting to get to know, I liked the way his past unravels as you read further into the book. Shutter Island is a great setting, and you really get the creepy feel of this desolate island and it's inhabitants. I would most definitely recommend both the book and the film, I think Leo Di Caprio and Mark Ruffalo perfectly capture the characters of Teddy and Chuck.

Blood Vines by Erica Spindler

No. of pages: 483
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Alex Owens knows very little about her childhood or who she really is - her only family an absent, emotionally fragile mother. Alex has always felt something was missing and has spent most of her life searching for what that could be. When an infant's remains are unearthed, Alex realises she has a connection to the case. Suddenly long-lost memories start flooding in, leading her back to a small town in California and to dark and terrifying nightmares that haunt her every waking moment. Greeted with silence and suspicion, Alex is determined to get to the heart of a secret no one wants to see uncovered. As violent deaths and a series of pagan rituals terrify the tightly-knit community, Alex is forced to confront the terrible truth about a single night that changed her family's lives for ever...

Review: Alex has always had strange dreams, and coupled with the secrets her mother quite obviously keeps from her, she feels that something is missing in her life, but she has no idea what. But when she's contacted about the death of a baby she has no clue about, she realises the secrets her mother kept are coming back to haunt them...

It's well known that Erica is one of my favourite thriller writers, and this book is no exception to the rule. It was gripping and full of twists from page one, and maybe a tad more dark that some of her other books because it's about the murder of a little baby. I really felt quite suffocated at times during the story, which goes to show how great the writing is. It was great as always to see all of the puzzle pieces falling into place, and there were plenty of surprises, including the ending which I didn't see coming. It's well worth a read if you're looking for a gripping thriller that you can't put down!

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

No. of pages: 550
Rating: 9/10
Series: Harry Hole (Book 7)

Synopsis: The night the first snow falls a young boy wakes to find his mother gone. He walks through the silent house, but finds only wet footprints on the stairs. In the garden looms a solitary figure: a snowman bathed in cold moonlight, its black eyes glaring up at the bedroom windows. Round its neck is his mother’s pink scarf. Inspector Harry Hole is convinced there is a link between the disappearance and a menacing letter he received some months earlier. As Harry and his team delve into unsolved case files, they discover that an alarming number of wives and mothers have gone missing over the years. When a second woman disappears Harry’s suspicions are confirmed: he is a pawn in a deadly game. For the first time in his career Harry finds himself confronted with a serial killer operating on his turf, a killer who will drive him to the brink of insanity.

Review: A little boy awakes to find his mother has disappeared, upon his search for her around the house, he sees a snowman in the garden with his mother's scarf wrapped around it. A few days later, another mother goes missing, and there's another snowman. So begins Harry Hole's chase after the 'Snowman' serial killer, but considering Harry is a disgraced ex-alcoholic, it's not going to be a smooth ride...

My one and only niggle about this book is the cover, I absolutely hate the massive 'the next Stieg Larsson' sign, and it almost put me off of reading this book completely. It's like comparing an apple to a banana, sure they're both fruits, but that's where the similarities end, and it's the same with these authors. Personally, I prefered this book over the one I've read by Stieg Larsson, so I find the sign a bit frustrating, plus it's rude to try and launch an author in a new country by saying he's 'like' an already established author, especially when they have so much talent and merit of their own. Apart from that I loved this book! It very dark, and truly what a thriller should be in every sense. Harry Hole is one of those characters that's hard to love, but he's great at his job, and I found him to be very funny throughout the book. I loved the mystery of the murders, and it unravelled nicely, with lots of twists and turns. I thought I knew who the killer was a few times, but of course I was completely and utterly wrong! The ending was amazing, one of the best endings I've ever read in a thriller book, and I cannot stress enough how great a thriller this book is! If you're a fan of them, then this is definitely a MUST read. I can't wait to get my hands on more books from this series!

Sister by Rosamund Lupton

No. of pages: 358
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Nothing can break the bond between sisters...

When Beatrice gets a frantic call in the middle of Sunday lunch to say that her younger sister, Tess, is missing, she boards the first flight home to London. But as she learns about the circumstances surrounding her sister's disappearance, she is stunned to discover how little she actually knows of her sister's life - and unprepared for the terrifying truths she must now face.

The police, Beatrice's fiance and even their mother accept they have lost Tess but Beatrice refuses to give up on her. So she embarks on a dangerous journey to discover the truth, no matter the cost.

Review: Imagine getting a phone call telling you that your sister has gone missing, then imagine that you're half a world away from where your sister lives. This is the nightmare that begins for Beatrice one lunchtime as she receives a phone call from her mother back in London. But after rushing from New York back to London to find Tess, Beatrice realises that she may not have known her sister as well as she thought she did after all...

I was really looking forward to starting this book because I thought it sounded fantastic, and it even exceeded my incredibly high expectations. I don't know what it was, but this for me was that rare 'perfect' book. I loved the way it was written, I loved the storyline, I loved and cared about the characters, I just pure and simple loved it. I sat and read it through in one sitting because I couldn't bear to put it down and then was incredibly sad that it was over. I think the ending is one that will divide readers, I can definitely see how people would dislike it, but I thought it did fit in well with the story that was being told, so it didn't bother me. I would definitely recommend this to fans of mystery books and I for one cannot wait for another book by this author!

Terminal Care by Christopher Stookey

No. of pages: 333
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Phil Pescoe, the 37-year-old emergency physician at Deaconess Hospital in San Francisco, becomes alarmed by a dramatic increase in the number of deaths on the East Annex (the Alzheimer's Ward). The deaths coincide with the initiation of a new drug study on the annex where a team of neurologists have been administering "NAF"—an experimental and highly promising treatment for Alzheimer's disease—to half of the patients on the ward. Mysteriously, the hospital pushes forward with the study even though six patients have died since the start of the trial. Pescoe teams up with Clara Wong—a brilliant internist with a troubled past—to investigate the situation. Their inquiries lead them unwittingly into the cutthroat world of big-business pharmaceuticals, where they are threatened to be swept up and lost before they have the opportunity to discover the truth behind the elaborate cover-up.With the death count mounting, Pescoe and Wong race against time to save the patients on the ward and to stop the drug manufacturer from unleashing a dangerous new drug on the general populace.

Review: Phil Pescoe, an emergency doctor at Deconess Hospital is called in for a code blue, a patient is dying and it's up to Phil to try and save them. The odd thing is though, that the code blue is for the Alzheimer's unit, where the patients are never resuscitated. Phil finds out that they're doing a drug study on the Alzheimer patients, but he seems to be the only person alarmed by the dramatic increase in deaths. That is until he meets Clara Wong, who is also incredibly suspicious, so together they are determined to find out what is really happening in the East Annex.

I love medical thrillers, especially ones such as this, where you get a bit of romance mixed with a gripping storyline. I really liked the characters of Phil and Clara, and thought they were well developed and interesting. The medical trials storyline was something new to me, and it seemed really well researched, with a lot of detail, but with it all explained so a non-medical person could understand easily. That's what I love so much about medical books, as well as a great story, I also enjoy learning about the medical side of things which has always interested me. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Tess Gerritsen's earlier works, it has a very similar feel to it, and is just as great a read. Very hard to believe this is a debut novel! Will definitely be looking out for more by this author in the future.

I was given this book as part of a book tour by Pump Up Your Books in return for my honest opinion.

Presumed Guilty by Tess Gerritsen

No. of pages: 347
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Miranda's ex-lover is found murdered. She had a motive and the opportunity. After being arrested for the crime, Miranda is shocked to learn she's been released on bail - bail posted by someone determined to remain anonymous. Is someone trying to help Miranda? Or is someone trying to manipulate Miranda and draw her into the dark and secret world of a murdered man, where everybody's presumed guilty?

Review: When Miranda comes home to find her ex-lover dead in her bed, stabbed with her knife, she knows there's no way anyone will believe it wasn't her. But when someone posts her bail and all sorts of things start to happen, she realises she has to find out who the killer really is, no matter what the cost will be...

As I've said many times before, Tess Gerritsen's romantic thrillers aren't as good as her medical thrillers, but they are still very good. This particular story was my favourite of her romantic thrillers that I've read so far, it focused more on the thriller aspect than on the romance, and I enjoyed trying to guess who the killer was. I liked the character of Miranda, although very vulnerable, she still managed to be a strong woman who fought hard to prove her innocence. I definitely could see more of the Tess Gerritsen I know and love coming through in this novel, and I'm really looking forward to something new from her.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

No. of pages: 307
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

Review: An apocolyptic event has happened, and the earth has burned. Few humans have managed to survive, but a man and his son have and are walking south in the hopes of out running the bitter cold in which they will not survive another winter. As they scavange their way through towns trying to find food and shelter, they have nothing but a gun with two bullets to protect themselves and their map to lead them south.

I decided to read this after watching and appreciating the film, and I'm so glad I did. The book is just as bleak, if not even more so than the film, and it really makes you think about what would happen if such a thing were to really occur. I found the lack of punctuation slightly strange, and it took a little while to get used to, but that and the lack of chapters lends to the feeling of endlessness, to the lack of hope the man must feel as the story evolves. While normally I wouldn't like such a book, for this particular story, it was absolutely perfect. I found it hard to put down, because it's just so gripping, the story of this man and boy trying to survive against all odds. I found the ending very sad, but in a way, it was hopeful too. I would absolutely recommend this, it's beautifully told, even if it's almost too hard to bear at times.

Therapy by Sebastian Fitzek

No. of pages: 348
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: Dr. Viktor Larenz’ life ended the day his 12-year-old daughter, Josy, vanished without a trace. Now, with his marriage and his career as a TV psychiatrist in tatters, he retreats to a remote island cottage to work on an article marking the fourth anniversary of Josy’s disappearance.

Viktor’s solitude is shattered by the appearance of a mysterious woman named Anna Glass. A schizophrenic author who claims she meets characters from her stories in real life, Anna begs for Viktor’s help. Reluctantly, he agrees—but when he recognizes Josy in one of her delusions, it becomes clear that Anna is not what she seems.

Review: Dr. Viktor Larenz is a renowned Psychotherapist, but his life falls apart the day his 12 year old daughter Josy disappears. Fours year later, Viktor is taking a break on the island of Parkum, when a strange woman called Anna Glass insists she needs him to give her therapy sessions. When she starts talking about a character in her book, a young girl that ran away, Viktor wonders if she could possibly be referring to his daughter, and if he might he find out what happened to her after all?

This book was quite frankly, one of the best I've read in the psychological thriller genre. The whole thing from start to finish was written to play with your mind, and it does it oh so well too. When you think you've guessed what happened, something else is revealed blowing your theories out of the water. The story is well written, as are the characters, and I was so gripped I found it impossible to put down until I was finished. The ending was a complete surprise, which I didn't see coming at all, and I love those kinds of endings. I cannot recommend this higly enough to fans of this genre. When more of his work is translated, I will be first in the queue!

Fear The Worst by Linwood Barclay

No. of pages: 471
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: The worst day of Tim Blake's life started out with him making breakfast for his seventeen-year-old daughter Sydney. Syd was staying with him while she worked a summer job and Tim hoped this quality father-daughter time would somehow help her deal with his divorce. When she didn't arrive home at her usual time, he thought she'd probably gone to the mall to hang with her friends. When she didn't answer her phone he began to worry. When she didn't come home at all, he began to panic. And when the people at the motel said they had no Sydney Blake working there, and never had, he began to see his life going into freefall. If she hadn't been working at the motel every day, what had she been doing? Something she couldn't - or wouldn't - tell her own father about?

Review: Tim Blake's 17 year old daughter Sydney is staying with him for the summer, that is until she disappears without a trace. When Tim is told she didn't work at the place he thought she did, he has to wonder if he knew his daughter at all...

This is my personal favourite by this author so far, although I do still think some aspects of his stories are always a little too far fetched, but they are still mostly enjoyable and gripping. Fear The Worst was a little slow to get started, but once it did, it didn't stop until the last page. Tim Blake was a great character, I really liked him and was rooting for him the whole way through, he was very realistic in that he had flaws, but you could see that he really loved his daughter. I do wish the book had gone on for another chapter past the ending, to see how things wrapped up, I think that would have made it a more rounded story. Enjoyable for a quick thriller that keeps you glued to the pages, would recommend to fans of his other novels.

The Killing Place by Tess Gerritsen

No. of pages: 322
Rating: 10/10
Series: Rizzoli/Isles (Book 8)

Synopsis: Something terrible has happened in the snowbound village of Kingdom Come, Wyoming. Twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. Meals remain untouched on dining room tables. Cars are still parked in garages. The human occupants have vanished, seemingly into thin air. This is the unsettling place where Maura Isles finds herself trapped during a snowstorm. She has joined a group of friends on a drive to an isolated ski lodge, but when a wrong turn leaves her car stranded in deep snow, she stumbles down a private road into the valley of Kingdom Come, where she takes shelter - and disappears. Days later, Jane Rizzoli flies to Wyoming to search for her missing friend. A crashed vehicle has been found with four badly burned bodies still inside. The authorities assume that one of the women is Maura. But is it? Jane Rizzoli's search for the truth leads her to Kingdom Come, where a terrifying and gruesome discovery lies buried beneath the snow.

Review: While at a medical conference, Maura bumps into an old friend from medical school, and decides on the spur of the moment to accept his offer for a side trip to a cabin for a few days. But when a bad snow storm forces them off the road, they come across the village of Kingdom Come, which eerily is completely empty, even though there are plates of food still on the tables. When Jane hears that Maura has disappeared, she flies out to try and find her, but instead only finds a car with four bodies inside...is one of the them Maura?

I absolutely loved this book. I'm a huge fan of the Rizzoli/Isles series so I knew I would enjoy The Killing Place, but it surpassed even my expectations. This is the most haunting plot yet, and it was so gripping that I found it absolutely impossible to put it down. There were so many twists that I just didn't see coming and the ending had a great twist too. I enjoyed the fact that you really get to know Maura so much more in this book, and can start to understand her a bit more as a person, rather than it being mainly about Jane. Definitely my favourite book yet, and I'm already eagerly awaiting the next installment! The Killing Place can easily be read as a stand alone book, but I would highly recommend reading the whole series, purely because the books are just so fantastic!

Harvest by Tess Gerritsen

No. of pages: 510
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Dr Abby DiMatteo - a second-year surgical student in Boston Bayside's elite cardiac team - is about to make a decision that will jeopardize her career. A car-crash victim's healthy heart is ready to be harvested, having been cross-matched to a private patient, forty-six year-old Nina Voss. Instead Abby makes sure the transplant goes to a dying seventeen-year-old boy who is also a perfect match. The repercussions leave her plagued with self-doubt. Suddenly a new heart appears, and the transplant is completed - but Abby makes a terrible discovery. The new heart has not come through the right channels. Defying the hospital's demands for silence, Abby begins her own investigation that reveals an intricate and murderous chain of deceptions ...

Review: Abby is a second year surgical intern at Bayside medical center, and is finally getting to where she wants to be in her career. So when a heart becomes available she assumes it will go to the deathly ill 17 year old boy who is crashing multiple times a day and has minimal time left to live. Instead, she's told it'll be going to a 46 year old woman, who is a private patient. Suspicious that she's only getting it because of her money, Abby makes sure the heart gets transplanted to the boy instead. But when another suitable heart becomes immediately available and the woman gets transplanted, Abby has to wonder where it came from, because after all, they couldn't possibly be getting hearts illegally....could they?

Although not one of her best thrillers, I did enjoy this book, especially the heart transplant storyline which was interesting to read about. You figure out within pages of the beginning what the whole storyline will be, but there are a few bits that fit together more as the story goes on. I did find some of the characters hard to connect with, but I immediately fell in love with Yakov, he seemed so damaged, yet he was the character with the most personality and loveability. Abby was a strong, determined young woman, who was willing to do whatever it took to find out what was going on, even at the risk to herself, which I liked. It's always good to read books where there's a strong female lead. As with her other books, Gerritsen draws on her medical knowledge and that makes the books so much more realistic and enjoyable to read. Overall, Harvest is decent, but as it was her first thriller, it's not quite as good as her other books, such as her Rizzoli/Isles series.

Kill For Me by Karen Rose

No. of pages: 581
Rating: 9/10
Series: Vartanian Trilogy (Book 3)

Synopsis: Brutalised
Susannah Vartanian's life changed overnight when, as a teenager, she was viciously raped by a sadistic gang of youths. Now she won't allow anyone to get close to her.

Sickened
Luke Papadopoulos is approaching burn-out. As a detective working on sex crimes against children, he will do anything to find those responsible for such evil atrocities.

Terrified
Monica Cassidy's life is under threat. Held in a bunker with ten other teenage girls, she barely escaped with her life when her kidnappers fled, killing five of the girls as they left. Now Monica is the only one free who can identify her abductors, and they know where she is.

Review: Susannah Vartanian has overcome a lot in her life, and has always sought answers as to why it all happened. Finally, the time has come for her to find out, but there are plenty of shocks along the way. Agent Luke Papadopoulos, is determined to find answers too, and together he and Susannah finally find the way to the truth.

Following along the same lines as the previous two books in the trilogy, I really enjoyed this one also. It was great to find out the ending of the whole thing, and finally piece together the puzzles of the various storylines. This book was a bit darker than the other two, due to the storyline involving kids forced into the sex business, but Rose handled it well. Although sad to read about, it was written really well, with great characters, and an interesting conclusion to the whole storyline, it certainly wasn't what I was expecting that was for sure! A really great series, definitely recommend to thriller fans who like a bit of romance thrown in.

Scream For Me by Karen Rose

No. of pages: 661
Rating: 9/10
Series: Vartanian Trilogy (Book 2)

Synopsis: A terrifying ordeal
Special Agent Daniel Vartanian has made a horrific discovery - photographs, taken years ago by his brother Simon, showing a gang of teenagers raping young girls. Disgusted, Vartanian is determined to bring the rapists to justice.

A sinister abduction
Alex Fallon's family fell apart when her sister was murdered thirteen years ago. And history now seems to be repeating itself with her stepsister Bailey's disappearance. When Vartanian meets Alex, and realises that her dead sister was in the photos, he starts to believe that the rapists may be behind Bailey's disappearance.

An evil unleashed
Bailey Crighton is being held captive by a monster. Alone and unable to escape, all she can do is scream for help. Vartanian and Alex must confront their pasts head-on if they are to find Bailey - before it's too late.

Review: When Agent Daniel Vartanian finds depraved pictures of teenagers boys raping girls that his brother had taken, he vows to find the young men in the pictures and bring them to justice. Along the way he meets Alex, a woman looking for her stepsister who has disappeared into thin air. Then women start getting murdered and together they plan to get to the bottom of what's happening to the women of Dutton.

Another great installment from Karen Rose, I'm really enjoying the series about the Vartanian's. The storyline was completely different from the first book in the series, but equally as enjoyable to read. Again, the characters were great, I enjoyed how real they seemed, in particular Alex, I think she was my favourite overall, but I really liked Daniel as a character too. I'm really looking forward to the final book in the series and seeing how it all wraps up. I definitely recommend these to fans of this genre, they're great books, and I for one will be reading all I can by this author in the future.

Die For Me by Karen Rose

No. of pages: 695
Rating: 9/10
Series: Vartanian Trilogy (Book 1)

Synopsis: A secret cellar
A multimedia designer is hard at work. His latest computer game, Inquisitor, heralds a new era in state-of-the-art graphics. But there's only one way to ensure that the death scenes are realistic enough...

An isolated field
Detective Ciccotelli's day begins with one grave, one body and no murder weapon. It ends with sixteen graves, but only nine bodies and the realisation that the killer will strike again...

A living hell
When it's discovered that the murder weapons are similar to those used in medieval torture, Ciccotelli knows that he's up against the most dangerous opponent of his career - let the games begin...

Review: A game designer is killing people using medieval torture as inspiration for his new game, so when the field of previous bodies are found, it's a race against time to find the killer before he strikes again.

This is the first Karen Rose I've read, and using this as an example, her books are exactly the kind of thrillers I love to read. At 700 pages, it's a hefty book, but I never once felt like the plot was dragging, or the story was boring. The characters were great, and easily distinguishable even though there was a lot of people to remember. Vito and Sophie were my favourites, although as they're the main characters it's not all that surprising, but I thought they had a realistic depth about them, they weren't perfect and were down to earth, so that made them enjoyable to read about. The plot, whilst nothing massively original, was interesting and gripping, I particularly liked the medieval aspect of it which seemed extensively researched. I also enjoyed the fact that she mixed some pretty gruesome murder scenes, with some nice family scenes, and a blossoming romance, so it all flowed through really well. I can't wait to get started on the second book, and would definitely recommend them to thriller fans, but don't let the size of them put you off, once you're reading them, you don't even notice the length.

Hold Tight by Harlan Coben

No. of pages: 432
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis: Tia and Mike Baye never imagined they'd become the type of overprotective parents who spy on their kids. But their sixteen-year-old son Adam has been unusually distant lately, and after the suicide of his classmate Spencer Hill - the latest in a string of issues at school - they can't help but worry. They install a sophisticated spy program on Adam's computer, and within days they are jolted by a message from an unknown correspondent addressed to their son: "Just stay quiet and all safe." Meanwhile, browsing through an online memorial for Spencer, Betsy Hill is struck by a photo that appears to have been taken on the night of her son's death and he wasn't alone. She thinks it is Adam Baye standing just outside the camera's range, but when Adam goes missing, it soon becomes clear that something deep and sinister has infected their community...

Review: Tia and Mike Baye are worried about their son, so they install spyware onto his computer to find out exactly what is happening in his life. Expecting to come across normal teenage behaviour online, they're surprised when Adam receives a message that says 'Just stay quiet and all safe', which immediately rings alarm bells, but nothing they imagined is anywhere near as bad as what is about to happen to the family...

This book had the two seemingly random storylines that merged at the end and become clear, which I actually enjoyed, it suited the plot line and it was fun to try and guess how they connected. I enjoyed the plot, although it was nothing particularly special and it didn't grip me particularly, but it was written well and was really easy to read. The characters were quite well developed, they all had their own 'voice' which suited them well, I think I probably liked Mike Baye the most, but didn't feel particularly connected to any of the characters. I'm not sure what else to really say about it to be honest, it's one of those books that are enjoyable to read, but just don't grab you, not something you'd remember a few months down the line. Enjoyable to pass the time, but not something I'd go out of my way to read if I was looking for something to get my teeth into.

Too Close To Home by Linwood Barclay

No. of pages: 466
Rating: 7/10

Synopsis: When the Cutter family's next-door-neighbours, the Langleys, are gunned down in their house one hot August night, the Cutters' world is turned upside down. That violent death should have come so close to them is shocking enough in suburban Promise Falls, but at least the Cutters can console themselves with the thought that lightning is unlikely to strike twice in the same place. Unless, of course, the killers went to the wrong house... At first the idea seems crazy - but each of the Cutter family has a secret they'd rather keep buried. What was on that old computer teenage Derek and his friend Adam Langley had salvaged? And where is it now? What hold does a local professor and bestselling author have on Ellen Cutter? And what does Jim Cutter know about Mrs Langley that even her husband didn't? To find out who killed the Langleys and why, everybody's secrets are going to have to come out. But the final secret - the secret that could save them or destroy them - is in the one place nobody would ever think of looking...

Review: When the next door neighbours are murdered, the Cutter family are horrified, but then they start to wonder, did the killer go into the wrong house by mistake? Each of the Cutter family are hiding their own secrets, and it's about time they all came to light...

This was better than I was expecting it to be, I thought the ending was going to be a let down like it was with No Time For Goodbye, but it wasn't as bad as that luckily. The plot line was interesting enough, there were a few surprises in there, and a few correct guesses by me as well, although I didn't guess who the killer was. I thought some of the secrets were a bit unbelievable, and the story got a little unrealistic at times. My main annoyance with this book is that the author tried to be too 'hip' with his writing I felt, considering it was meant to be from the point of view of a man in his 40s, it sounded more like it was coming from a teenager. The amount of swearing bothered me a little too, generally swearing doesn't bother me at all, but it just seemed so pointless in most instances in the book and I felt that ruined it a little for me. Despite that though, it was a quick and easy read, and on the most part an enjoyable enough way to pass a few hours.

Bloodstream by Tess Gerritsen

No. of pages: 324
Rating: 10/10

Synopsis: In April came the rains. In August came the heat. In November came the horror. It's paying a return visit.

Lapped by the gentle waters of Locust Lake, the small resort town of Tranquility, Maine, seems like the perfect spot for Dr Claire Elliot to shelter her adolescent son, Noah, from the temptations of the big city and the lingering memory of his father's death. And she's hopeful that she can earn the trust of the town as she builds a new practice. But all her plans unravel with the onset of winter when a rash of teenage violence, far more deadly than anything she'd encountered in the city, erupts in the local school. As she tries to find a medical explanation for this murderous epidemic, Claire stumbles upon an insidious evil which has blighted the town's past and threatens its future. Fearful that Noah, too, is at risk, she must race to prove her theory before everything she loves is destroyed.

Review: Moving to Tranquility, Maine is supposed to be a fresh start for Claire Elliot and her son Noah, but when the local teenagers start acting violently she suspects something is amiss. Determined to find out what is happening in the town, she begins to dig deeper, and what she finds is definitely not what she expected...

Another fantastic medical thriller from Tess Gerritsen, which kept me gripped from beginning to end. This was written after her transition from romance to thriller, so was it was great to read something more along the lines of what I've come to love from this author as she writes some truly great books in the thriller genre. I really like the way her books are full of medical terminology, but she always makes sure to explain everything so we know what exactly she's talking about. Claire and Noah were okay characters, nothing particularly special, I much prefered the sheriff Lincoln, who was a lovely guy. The plot of the violent kids was an interesting one, and I really enjoyed how it all panned out, I didn't guess the ending either, which is always nice! If you enjoyed her other stand alone novels such as The Bone Garden or Life Support, then it's pretty likely you'll enjoy this one, or even if you're just looking for a good thriller to enjoy!

The Blue Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver

No. of pages: 430
Rating: 9/10

Synopsis: Wyatt Gillette, a cybergenius who's never used his phenomenal talent for evil, is sitting in a California jail doing time for a few harmless computer capers when he gets a temporary reprieve--a chance to help the Computer Crimes Unit of the state police nail a cracker (a criminally inclined hacker) called Phate who's using his ingenious program, Trapdoor, to lure innocent victims to their death by infiltrating their computers. Gillette and Phate were once the kings of cyberspace--the Blue Nowhere of the title--but Phate has gone way past the mischievous electronic pranks they once pulled and crossed over to the dark side.

Review: A cracker called Phate has found a way to invade people's computers, taking every piece of information about them from the machine and is then using it to murder them horrifically. The Crimes Computer Unit bring in Wyatt Gillette, a hacker that's in prison, to help them try and find Phate, but the Blue Nowhere is big, and Phate is determined to stay hidden...

This is the first Deaver I've read, but I knew from other people's reviews of him that he would be someone I'd love, and I was right. I was actually surprised at how he manages to make you feel like you've guessed what's going to happen and who the bad guy is, and then he does the complete opposite thing and throws you completely off track! A great storyline, actually quite scary when you think of something like this being possible. It goes to show that we really put our whole lives into our computers and never think about who could get into them and read everything. I loved Wyatt as a character, he and Bishop were my favourites, and I thought they were both written really well. My one dislike, and the reason I've knocked the 0.5 off is because there were so many male police officers, that I found it quite hard to remember who was who at times, and that frustrated me a little, but overall I loved the book and definitely will be reading another Deaver soon! Recommended for fans of thrillers, because in terms of not being able to guess what will happen next, this is one of the best I've ever read.