RoroblusMumReadsReviews/Rants

 4* Tragic and sad, but Shan and Leo see that justice is done.  Book 2 in this series can be read as a standalone, but if you were as vested as I was in finding out what happens to Luke after his disgusting behaviour and radicalisation in book 1, you'll want to read both back to back. There's no gap between the tales and this one starts really, really satisfyingly, and sadly for Leo and Ange, realistically. Thankfully they're a strong, united couple, they're both spouses and parents (not one or the other), and they're grown adults who have each other's back, and it was good to see such a positive relationship.  Back to the main storyline- Tyler never should've been killed. He sounded like one of life's good guys, an achiever without the need for fanfare, a decent person - son and activist - with lots to offer. His death was tragic but Shan and Leo didn't stop, despite being at death's door at one point, until they got their man. The tale, once ag...

 4* Decent police procedural, set in the UK, which is half the win. At first when I read the thoughts of the DI  saying that he couldn't figure out if Shan was Chinese or Japanese or what, I had a slight moment of discomfort, wondering if he'd end up being an unpleasant and ignorant character. It turned out to be a bit of an unfortunate turn of phrase - the tale is obviously being read in 2025 but was set in 2019 - and later events proved that Leo is actually a guy with deep morals and a sense of right and wrong and fairness, and I warmed to him. I'd hope that with the book being revised, a tweak could be made, but it didn't ruin the tale for me.  The tale is part decent police procedural and part exploring the familial relationships of both main characters. Both interested me, with Shan being adopted from China by an English couple, and Leo having a son who's been radicalised to the point where, thankfully in book 2 (devoured it!) he gets what he deserved, and who ...

 4* Makes me grateful that I live in the UK, because that kind of justice is effing messed-up, frightening, and endemic of the US's current 'leadership'.  This book had me feeling uneasy just from the second or so page when the protag and his wife met a LEO, and I use the latter loosely, who tried to intimidate them with veiled threats, and an attempt at what could've become physical, too. It had me on edge, had me feeling disgusted that the  current 'leadership' in 2025 USA likely has given growth and empowerment to this version of 'justice'. It made me glad to be a Brit in a country where there's respect, dignity, and not-crazy politicians.  Back to the actual tale - maybe a bit of the original Lincoln Lawyer film to it, because if the southern setting and prejudices. And corrupt people in positions of power that they have no business being in. Justice in that town was non-existent and I'm hoping that book 2 finds Dean staying in town and celeb...

 4* Not sure that I expected the tale that I got, but it was pretty un-put-down-able. This book took me somewhere the blurb didn't tell me about, into the fall of Afghanistan and the arrival of the Taliban, lives shattered; lives lived with surprising freedoms and incredible strengths; people with courage and conviction; greed and betrayals; and then America where it all seemingly goes wrong. But does it?  Honestly, I was on my toes with the skilful weaving of past and present, not knowing who was good and who wasn't, and if Sabhera was hallucinating or mentally ill or actually seeing who she thought she was seeing. Then add in Frankie herself, whose courage and determination to try and get justice for others, is, I think, a way of righting her own shortcomings - as she perceives them - and stopping herself from looking back too much and having regrets and 'whatifs'. And then there's Genni. And Daryl, Roberta and Marc and the brothers - all have hidden parts to them...

4* THE book I've been waiting for so far this year, so sooo glad I got an ARC. But, ugh, the comeuppance I'd been hoping for, didn't happen.  There's not been a bad book in this series, and this follows on nicely from the previous one that'd bigged up Kat's dad's and Carve-Up's roles in the 'bribery' situation. But, gah, I'd been hoping both guys would've been in for it; alas, it was not to be. But, from the ending of this tale, it seems that Kat has a new CI that'll be helping her get her all-too-right revenge.  The tale has a cosy mystery feel to it, despite the reveals about the deceased, and I think Kat did the right thing at the end, both where Tomski was concerned, and a former colleague. I mean, she's done similar-ish where Liz is concerned and not thought about the repercussions if that mystery gets unravelled, so yeah, I bought that she did that she did at the end. I liked, too, the family bonding in this, especially the ...

3* A pleasant enough 15-minute deckchair read. This isn't a deep novel with a big plot, but pretty much what the blurb offers. I didn't feel much for either character but the tale ended well for both - not going to spoiler, but it wasn't what I expected and it didn't quite ring true.