Just when I thought I had read every variation of the detective novel, along comes Detective Chief Inspector Frankie Sheehan. Kiernan has created a distant but dedicated lead character. With unique criminal profiling abilities and a zest for the truth, Frankie Sheehan refuses to bow down to media pressure or police politics in her pursuit of justice.

There is trouble in Wolfhunter River, Tennessee. Young women are disappearing and the police are making little progress in their investigation. At the end of a terrible day, Gwen Proctor receives a cryptic call from a Wolfhunter River resident. The woman is requesting Gwen come to Wolfhunter River, but will not provide any details. Initially Gwen believes the call may be a trap laid by her enemies but a few days later she receives another call from Wolfhunter River. Although Gwen is under an extreme amount of stress, she packs up her family and heads to Wolfhunter River. Upon their arrival Gwen realizes she may have jumped from the pot into the fire.

As a sole reader of crime fiction, I often see the same authors pop up when I am book browsing. Alafair Burke is one of those names. I read stellar reviews for other books by Burke such as The Wife and The Ex and vowed to read Burke’s next release. I finally got the opportunity to read The Better Sister, Burke’s latest release and I could kick myself for not discovering this author sooner. The Better Sister is indeed a murder mystery but so much more. Burke gives readers a twisty and embroiling mystery, as well as an examination of family bonds and how these bonds can be broken but are not beyond repair. 

I have recently noticed a trend in crime fiction. The trend has been coined Gothic Suspense. These stories often feature an old or abandoned home with mystic elements and of course a murder. I have read quite a few stories of Gothic Suspense, so far Griffiths has done it best. In The Stranger Diaries Griffiths takes an interlude (a brief interlude I hope) from the much loved Ruth Galloway series ; and makes her mark on the sub-genre of Gothic Suspense.

Around this time last year I was raving about C. J. Tudor’s debut novel, The Chalk Man. I am delighted to be in the same position this year with Tudor’s second novel The Hiding Place. The Hiding Place is the perfect mix of mystery, folklore, and edge of your seat suspense.

When reviewing books, I strive to be as honest as I can without being rude. I have never written a book and I admire anyone who has. This statement is not a prelude for a negative review, more like a bit of advice. When you start a series with book one and for whatever the reasons do not care for it ; do not give up on the series. Give book two a try. This was certainly the case for me with Fiona Barton’s Kate Waters series. 

When I started Murder and Moore, one of my hopes was to discover new authors. I have been very lucky. I have found many new fantastic authors I would have never discovered had I not started Murder and Moore. Many of these authors are now automatic adds to my to be read list whenever I learn of they’re newest release. After reading The Good Teacher, it is safe to say that Rachel Sergeant is the newest author to be added to my list of automatic must reads. 

Whenever I read a book by a writing duo, I am always curious about how the authors found each other. I was lucky because this was one of the first questions Greer and Sarah answered. They met each other through publishing; Greer, an editor and Sarah, already an author. The two became fast friends discovering they had a lot in common; same age, shared love of the same books, and they both have brothers named Robert. At the author event, I could truly feel the connection between Sarah and Greer. Although the event was in a large packed room, I felt like I was in a coffee shop or restaurant talking to two new friends.

What do you consider the most important element of a book? What aspect is the most influential when deciding if you enjoyed a book or not? For me, it is the main character. I do not necessarily have to like the main character but I have to find them intriguing. With Into The Night, I will be completely honest. I did not like its protagonist Detective Gemma Woodstock, but I found her very interesting. Into The Night presented me with a new experience, a lead character I did not care for but with an exciting and original central mystery, I found myself glued to the book. 

There is an old saying,“ People are like tea bags. If you want to know what they are made of stick them in hot water.” I believe this saying applies to the good and bad characteristics which emerge when people are in a difficult or challenging situation. With respect to Inhuman Resources, Pierre Lemaitre’s latest English translation, readers discover a character pushed to the brink by unemployment, fear of poverty, and the need to regain his dignity.