4 Stars from me
I am genuinely stunned to find this is a debut crime thriller as it read as a very accomplished story – DI Gemma Reign is a complex and multi-layered character who is perfectly fleshed out and tangible as the lead. Her backstory outside of the job is solid, even if not happy.
The conversations feel natural and well delivered and the story as a whole is well built, engaging and has enough misdirection to hold the readers interest.
The sub plot featuring her sister and her awkward hook ups was a delight amid the main the story – this is just one example of the depth of the story, it isn’t just a surface level police procedural/crime thriller, there is so much more at play.
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut and will definitely be looking out for more by this author. My thanks to Zooloos Book Tours and J L Brooke for an ARC in return for my honest review as part of the book tour for His Next Angel.
Blurb: When evidence is found next to the battered body of a nineteen-year-old girl, Detective Inspector Gemma Reign is convinced she’ll have the killer behind bars in no time. However, the rugged North Devon coastal town of Combe Helen is shaken when another member of their community is found dead – another battered body and another clue. DI Reign and her team soon realise things are not as they seem as they follow the killer’s deadly trail.
When the next victim on the killer’s hit list is revealed, it becomes a race against time to stop him striking again. DI Reign is struggling with her own personal loss and with the pressure mounting, she’s scared she’s failing the local community and the woman she’s sworn to keep safe – the woman who’s next to die.
