It appears that Caroline Mitchell, author of the The Perfect Mother and other previous thrillers and works of psychological suspense, made a good decision when she switched from being CID to becoming a full-time author.   Her latest release is a tense and twisty novel that offers some good character development and solid plotting to counteract a small bit of predictability and repetition.  Roz is living in Dublin with her best friend when she discovers that she is pregnant after a secret one-night encounter. Roz feels unprepared to raise a child at this point in her young life, but is also unwilling to have an abortion due to her religious upbringing.  Faced with this dilemma, she explores an option unique to our modern economy- a website offering to anonymously connect wealthy couples with surrogates or those looking for adoption in return for extensive compensation.  Her roommate, Dympna, tries to dissuade her from following through with the arrangements, but Roz is dazzled by an offer that will have her pampered in NYC at the behest of a high-profile couple looking to pass off an unborn child as their own. She also believes that this is an incredible opportunity for her child to have the very best that life can offer. Roz is naïve but smarter than she first appears, and the reader may be initially frustrated by her actions but will come to respect her intuition and self-preservation skills. It is a little too late when Roz realizes that her circumstances are suspicious when she finds herself held captive by a celebrity couple who may have already performed some serious misdeeds in the past.  Their money and influence have bought the silence of those who abet their scheme, and the woman in the couple seems to be completely unhinged and controlling to the point of abuse.  Mitchell writes the character of Sheridan especially well.  She manages to be an obvious villain, but still evokes pity and has some surprising attributes and a rationale that rescue her from becoming a caricature.  Dympna is also a resourceful person in the story, providing the moral and rational voice that acts as the safety valve in the spiraling action. The novel is told primarily through Roz as the first-person narrator, with occasional guest chapters told from Sheridan and Dympna’s point of view. There are also cleverly placed excerpts from tabloid press “articles” that help flesh out the backstory of Sheridan and her superstar husband.  The reveal of the paternity of the baby is not as surprising as it was intended to be, and some of the “Americanisms” are a bit off, but these are forgivable in light of the rest of the book’s overall quality.   The Perfect Mother is not a perfect thriller, but it is an entertaining one- a solid choice that will delight those looking for an absorbing new read.

Thanks to the author, Thomas & Mercer (Amazon) and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (7th March 2019)

ISBN: 978-1503905023

Source: Netgalley 

Rating: 5*

Synopsis: 

Four-year-old Ellen is snatched by a stranger in the dead of night. Her devastated mother, Nicole, receives four identical phials and a threatening note in a familiar scrawl that chills her to the bone. But she always knew this would happen. She’s been expecting it for years.

According to the note, one of the phials is poisoned. Nicole is given a deadly challenge: if she drinks one, the sadistic kidnapper will notify the police of Ellen’s location. The sender claims to be Luka Volkov but Luka is supposed to be dead, killed long ago in a fire that haunts all those involved.

DI Amy Winter is still reeling from the discovery that she is the daughter of a serial killer, and her childhood trauma only makes her more determined to bring Ellen home. When another child is taken, Amy finds herself in a race against time. To rescue the children, must she seek help from the one person she wants to forget?

Review:

In the first novel in the D.I. Amy Winter series, Amy learns that she has a notorious serial killer for a mother. If you've not yet read Truth and Lies I urge you to pick up a copy. Although The Secret Child reads well as a stand alone, there are references to events that happened in first book, (though they are well explained) plus it's the perfect introduction to the character! 

In this second outing for Amy, we are plunged into tension immediately as the kidnapper strikes, spiriting little Ellen away. I was on the edge of my seat straight away, not knowing what was about to happen. Caroline Mitchell is fantastic at conjuring up an air of menace and keeping it palpable throughout, whilst simultaneously juggling several other interwoven storylines.  Her finger never wavering off the pulse for a second as she seamlessly ties all the invisible ends together in one fell swoop that just made me gasp and shout 'Nooooo!' very loudly at my kindle! I will never tire of reading Caroline's books because they are simply unputdownable and I can never forsee what is going to happen. 

Special thanks to Caroline Mitchell, Thomas & Mercer for providing a review copy via Netgalley. This is my unbiased review. 

Published by: Thomas & Mercer (30th August 2018)

ISBN: 978-1503903142

Source: Netgalley 

Rating: 5*

Synopsis: 

DI Amy Winter is hoping to follow in the footsteps of her highly respected police officer father. But when a letter arrives from the prison cell of Lillian Grimes, one half of a notorious husband-and-wife serial-killer team, it contains a revelation that will tear her life apart.

Responsible for a string of heinous killings decades ago, Lillian is pure evil. A psychopathic murderer. And Amy’s biological mother. Now, she is ready to reveal the location of three of her victims—but only if Amy plays along with her twisted game.

While her fellow detectives frantically search for a young girl taken from her mother’s doorstep, Amy must confront her own dark past. Haunted by blurred memories of a sister who sacrificed herself to save her, Amy faces a race against time to uncover the missing bodies.

But what if, from behind bars, Grimes has been pulling the strings even tighter than Amy thought? And can she overcome her demons to prevent another murder?

Review :

I have been feeling rather spoilt of late with the number of incredible female lead characters I've had the fortune to read, and DI Amy Winter is no exception! Although she appears somewhat of a closed book at times, the way this particular case interweaves with her childhood forces her to open up. She's a fascinating, multi-faceted character, deftly supported by an array of other characters that play their part in building the story.

The way Amy's background pertains to the main case is intricately plotted, down to the very last detail. I enjoyed the amount of focus on the police personnel's home lives, it really brought the characters to life as well as satisfying my nosey streak! There were plenty of surprises that I didn't expect including one huge one. I thought I had it all worked out, but I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong! I'm a huge fan of the author's work, and am really looking forward to the next outing for DI Amy Winter. I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley; this is my honest review. 

Published by: Thomas & Mercer (1st March 2018)

ISBN: 978-1503948983

Source: Netgalley 

Rating: 5*

Synopsis: 

Emma’s darkest secrets are buried in the past. But the truth can’t stay hidden for long.

Emma is a loving wife, a devoted mother…and an involuntary killer. For years she’s been hiding the dead body of the teacher who seduced her as a teen.It’s a secret that might have stayed buried if only her life had been less perfect. A promotion for Emma’s husband, Alex, means they can finally move to a bigger home with their young son. But with a buyer lined up for their old house, Emma can’t leave without destroying every last trace of her final revenge…

Returning to the shallow grave in the garden, she finds it empty. The body is gone.

Panicked, Emma confesses to her husband. But this is only the beginning. Soon, Alex will discover things about her he’ll wish he’d learned sooner. And others he’ll long to forget.

Review:

Ooh, I do love to get well and truly stuck into a book by Caroline Mitchell...which is precisely what I've done with Silent Victim as it's now a little past 4 in the morning and I've been reading solidly for the last several hours! I simply couldn't go to sleep until I got to the end of the book and found out what happened! 

I've been a fan of the author since her first book, and thoroughly enjoy both her crime/police procedural novels and psychological thrillers. Regardless of genre, Caroline nails the plot, drawing you in with ease and making it look effortless. Her clever attention to detail, combined with an intelligent style of writing weave the intricate details together exquisitely. 

There are such complex characters in this deliciously dark tale! Emma is wonderful. Luke...what can I possibly say? Alex, Theresa and Josh all support well. I can't give any more details without any spoilers! Just when you think you have worked a character out... it all gets turned on its head. Masterful Mitchell at her best!

Silent Victim is a fast-paced, on the edge of your seat, biting your nails kinda book. It's dark, shocking, a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns that has you clinging on for dear life! Brilliant! 

Thanks to Caroline Mitchell, Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the advanced readers copy.

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