Death stalks Kettle Street – John Bowen

 

Book blurb:

“Imagine your neighbours begin to die in a series of accidents. Only they aren’t accidents…

Someone is murdering Greg Unsworth’s neighbours and staging the deaths to look like accidents.

Greg knows the truth, but when he’s grappling with OCD and simply closing his front door and crossing the road are a battle, how is he supposed to stop a serial killer?

Meet Greg Unsworth, afflicted with OCD, who begins to realize a series of fatal accidents on his street are in fact a series of murders. After encountering Beth Grue at the scene of one such crime, the two share their suspicions. Beth, a local librarian, aspiring author, and a woman who has never allowed herself to be defined by her cerebral palsy, agrees they have to do something. So when the police repeatedly dismiss their concerns, they take matters into their own hands, seek to discover the Kettle Street killer’s identity and expose him before he claims his next victim…”

My review:

Well,  as my first venture into a cosy crime story I couldn’t have picked a better choice. The story was engaging and made me want to keep going back to finally find out who the killer was.

The two main characters Greg and Beth certainly put a whole new spin on crime solving, one with OCD and other with Cerebral Palsy together somewhat tentatively they come together and try and sort the whole mess out.

All the events throughout the story all look like simple accidents a wasp sting, an unfortunate end with a weight lifting bench and such like, all brilliantly portrayed.

The narrator Helen Clapp is very easy listening and she does a fantastic irish accent.

Through a writing class , Beth thinks she has it all worked out, the author/teacher Dermot O’Shay looks good for it due to various things.

Throw in a couple of red herrings, a number of brilliantly crafted clues and you have a wonderfully warm and well written story, I can see alot of research has gone into the two conditions that feature heavily throughout.

If you have never listened to a cosy crime story I would highly suggest this is where you start.

You can find a link to buy here:

 

 

 

 

In The Dark – Daniel Fox

Book blurb:

“My name is Steve Lewis.
I know this because it’s one of the few things I remember.
I have a wife, a son and I run a successful business.
I know this because that’s what they tell me.
I remember things that aren’t true.
I forget things that are.
I see things and people that aren’t real.
You see, I have brain damage
…and that’s the only rational explanation for things like this.”

 

My review:

This is undeniably one of my favourite psychological Thrillers of 2017, answered alot of questions throughout the story but happily left me with so many more.
It left me wondering about how the brain and mind work, the difference between dreams and reality.

The narrator Timothy Mckean does a great job of keeping the chilling tone travelling through the story and up and down my spine.

Poor Steve throughout the book struggles with what’s real and what’s not, at times I found myself questioning my own sanity the mark of a great storyteller.

The only flaw, and it’s a minor one, was the very end jumped about really quickly so I really had to concentrate but it was well worth it, with an ending I did not see coming.

This is one I would definitely recommend, I will be looking out for more.

You can find the book here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/153277866X/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500664371&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=In+the+dark+Daniel+fox&dpPl=1&dpID=511CU8VXmZL&ref=plSrch