jbronderbookreviews

When the Waters Recede (DI Harry Evans – 3) by Graham Smith

When a car is pulled from raging floodwaters with a dead man in the front and the decapitated body of an evil woman in the boot, Cumbria’s Major Crimes Team are handed the investigation.

The woman is soon recognised, but the man cannot be identified and this leads the team and their former leader, Harry Evans, into areas none of them want to visit.

Before they know it, they’re dealing with protection scams and looking for answers to questions they didn’t know needed to be asked.

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Author’s Bio

Graham Smith is a time served joiner who has built bridges, houses, dug drains and slated roofs to make ends meet. Since Christmas 2000, he has been manager of a busy hotel and wedding venue near Gretna Green, Scotland.

He is an internationally best-selling Kindle author and has four books featuring DI Harry Evans and the Cumbrian Major Crimes Team, and three novels, featuring Utah doorman, Jake Boulder.

An avid fan of crime fiction since being given one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books at the age of eight, he has also been a regular reviewer and interviewer for the well-respected website Crimesquad.com since 2009

Graham is the founder of Crime and Publishment, a weekend of crime-writing classes which includes the chance for attendees to pitch their novels to agents and publishers. Since the first weekend in 2013, eight attendees have gone on to sign publishing contracts.

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My Review

5 stars

When a car is discovered in floodwaters with two bodies in it. The drive is unknown but the decapitated woman in the trunk is well known. DC Lauren Phillips is on scene but knows Henry Evens, now a civilian consultant, will want to come along for the ride as this murder investigation starts. Of course Henry jumps at the chance to be part of another investigation as things head in a direction neither person ever thought it would go.

I admit that this is my first book from Graham Smith. It was not bad as a standalone, I had no trouble following along with the characters and such. But I do think that if I would have read the prior two books in the series some of the background would have made more sense.

This was a great mystery and I loved how Henry Evan is a good detective but he seems to work better off the straight and narrow than toeing the line of formalities. Lauren Phillips is a great, strong female character that doesn’t take any crap from anyone yet has her own issues she is working on. She was a great lead for the case.

This is a great thriller and a wonderful story. I really enjoyed this book and want to know what I have missed with the two prior books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to than Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and share this book.

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of When the Waters Recede, Graham Smith is offering one lucky reader the chance to win all six books in the Harry Evans series.

To enter, simply sign up for his newsletter here before the 5th of June 2018 and you’ll be entered into not just this competition, but all competitions that he runs. Entrants from the whole world are welcome.

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Faceless by Rob Ashman

After surviving a vicious knife attack, which left her husband dead, DI Rosalind Kray returns to work and is handed a serial killer investigation.

This killer is different, he doesn’t just want to take the lives of his victims, he wants to obliterate their very existence. The murders appear random but the killer selects his quarry with meticulous care.

While fighting her superiors Kray must conquer her own demons, which are tearing her apart.

Kray has the ability to think like a killer and her skills lead to a series of horrifying revelations that turn the case on its head. She believes she is getting close, then her world comes crashing down with devastating consequences.

Will Kray find the murderer and escape with her own life in tact?

The truth is closer than she could have ever imagined…

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Author’s Bio

Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.

Like all good welsh valley boys Rob worked for the National Coal Board after leaving school at sixteen and went to University at the tender age of twenty-three when the pit closures began to bite. Since then he’s worked in a variety of manufacturing and consulting roles both in the UK and abroad.

It took Rob twenty-four years to write his first book. He only became serious about writing it when his dad got cancer. It was an aggressive illness and Rob gave up work for three months to look after him and his mum. Writing Those That Remain became his coping mechanism. After he wrote the book his family encouraged him to continue, so not being one for half measures, Rob got himself made redundant, went self-employed so he could devote more time to writing and four years later the Mechanic Trilogy is the result.

When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.

Rob published the Mechanic Trilogy with Bloodhound Books in 2017 and will be releasing three new books during 2018. These are titled: Faceless, This Little Piggy and Suspended Retribution.

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My Review

5 Stars

DI Rosalind Kray has just returned to work after a devastating attack that has left her broken inside and out. Her co-workers question if she should be back at work and make her life more of a hell than it was before returning to work. We don’t really know what it is right away but we learn more the further we read. It broke my heart to learn of her loss.

Kray is sent on a call about a horrible smell and discovers the rotting body of a murdered woman. It seems there is a serial killer of increasing depravity on the hunt. I swear Ashman’s serial kills are some of the best and most horrific that I have read. I love them all and hope no one in real life is this bad.

This is another great story from Rob Ashman that will suck you in, leave you rolling in horror and blood, and not let you go until the end. I love Ashman’s books and recommend anyone that loves a good, bloody, and gory thriller to check them out. They are some of the top thrillers that I have read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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