Mercy Harbor Thriller book #2
I discovered this author not too long ago with “River Girls” book #1 in this series I found it so riveting that I couldn’t pass reading the 2nd installment and now I confess that I have an eye on book #3.
Eden Winthrop and detective Nessa Ainsley are the main characters in this series. In this latest our two players are recovering from the tragic events that occurred in the previous book. Trying to keep the vulnerable residents at Mercy House safe is not an easy task, so when one of the girls goes missing they discover that a serial killer may be lurking in the shadows. Not giving a second thought and determined to stop him at any cost they go all out and right into danger. 7 girls have already gone missing and now presumed dead. Has the killer set his mind on Girl Eight? Seems so…..
“Girl Eight” is definitely a page-turner, very suspenseful and one that it is hard to figure who is really behind the murders/kidnappings. As Eden pursuits the killer Leo Steele, a recurring character, investigates his mother’s death… The cases collide and as the events unfold the link between the two cases becomes clear but before we go any further I am warning you…. we are giving a very twisty ride to follow. What a story.
As for the characterization, we have a multitude of secondary players: investigators, officers of the law, doctors, some good guys and some not so good, all are drawn with a skillful hand to push forward this thrilling mystery. This story is tightly written, is action packed and moves at a steady pace. I was so into this story I had the hardness of time putting this book aside. Saying more will spoil the enjoyment so I say no more.
As the character development progresses with each installment, I suggest reading this series in order. But if you start here, you will definitely want to read “River Girl”, the first novel…
I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Opinions expressed are my own.
Ashley Grant book # 3
This Rapid Reads is a slim book with huge characters that says a lot in less than 150 of printed pages. This is a fast, easy and relaxing read that stand well on its own.
Of course a story so small has no frills or long sentences. The style is clear, concise but all good things are there. Ms. Delany knows how to make a captivating plot within the limited number of pages.
Ashley Grant is our main character, working as a paramedic in the Caribbean. Her parents are visiting her from Canada but bored stiff her father meets Paul one of the neighbors and gets friendly. But when Paul disappears, Ashley`s father makes it his mission to find out what happened to him but he soon finds out there is a deferent side to paradise….
Overall, this is an enjoyable book that is well put together. Of course the mystery is easily solved but what makes this little story so good is how we get there. This is a cute drama with good characterization and not taxing at all especially for those pressed for time.
I received the ARC through the Early Reviewer Program
Roy Grace book #5
The plot in this 5th installment is more of a conventional police-procedural than in the previous novel. Although, not particularly original in itself it is by far not your ordinary run of the mill bad cop/good cop story we find in most story of this genre. We may think that after so many books the vitality and freshness may have started to dwindle but I had no fear that Mr. James would deliver another blockbuster and he did.
In a few words:
When a dredger uncovers the body of a young man on the sea bed, Roy Grace is called in to investigate a crime that offers no clues other than an empty body cavity, leaving him totally baffled to find out what had happened. But when similar corpses are later uncovered it became clear to the investigators that they were dealing with murders of young people and the harvesting of their organs for sale.
“Dead Tomorrow”, ties the desperation of a mother with a daughter suffering acute liver disease to the vulnerable street kids and the burgeoning trade in human organs.
More thoughts:
In every good story we have a leading man, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, is not the stereotype characters we find in many novels. Roy has no alcoholism, misogyny and psychological disorders rather he is stable, reliable, sensitive and hard working. He is a hell of a cop. We will also find that all the supporting characters are so very human: from victims, to the pressured, to the investigators. In interweaving plot we learn of their personal lives, the nitty-gritty portrayal of teenagers and their emotions.
This is a most realistic portrayed plot I have read in a long time. It plays out more as a chase than an intricate layering of clues and red herrings. Its 500 or so pages move like the breeze even with the many details the tempo never bogs down. Mr. James created another world for us to temporarily become part of and for us to actually care what happens to his characters. What holds together this long novel is a strong narrative….
I certainly got my money’s worth
