Outside Looking In by Michael Wood (Book 2) - 5/5

A couple are found after a brutal attack. The man is dead and the woman is barely hanging on. They happen to be married just not to each other. Their spouses have alibis and with no other links the leads dry up. The pressure to catch the violent killer is increased when Darkes team become targets.

I love that we get to experience more of the team with all their humour and sass. I think they are probably one of my favourite fictional teams. They work so well together. Darke is still struggling with the death of her husband and the messed up kidnap case and now she has a reporter desperate to smear her reputation.

With regards to the brutal attack, I had no idea who had committed it and each clue they unearthed still left the ending a surprise. I could not put this down.

Everything is written so well, with the characters feeling very real and the scenes being set perfectly.

If you love authors like Angela Marsons and M.J Arlidge then I would highly recommend checking out Michael Wood. I will be digging into the 3rd book asap.



Rattle by Fiona Cummins (Book 1) - 2/5

A seemingly normal guy has a secret macabre museum. His obsession? Deformed bones. He desperately wants to add to his collection and he has hunted down the perfect additions. Etta Fitzroy is brought in to investigate a spate of seemingly unconnected abductions but manages to find the link.

I was expecting so much from this book. It was supposed to be creepy and gruesome. I just found it a bit boring and poorly researched. I read a review by someone who actually has the condition that Jakey has and she says Cummins portrayal is not only wrong but highly offensive which is disappointing.

Etta Fitzroy isn’t particularly likeable and I just found her a bit annoying. She lets her personal life affect her work way too much. To be honest I didn’t really like any of the characters and wasn’t invested at all. The big reveal for one of the parents at the end was also genetically impossible which was kind of funny.

I only finished this one because I’d been sent the 2nd book to review and I knew it followed on. There are definitely much better creepy series out there so I’d give this one a miss.


The Collector by Fiona Cummins* (Book 2) - 2.5/5

A few months after serial killer Brian Howley escaped all Etta Fitzroy wants to know is where Clara is. Howley has moved on, new home, new look, new name. However, he still has the same creepy obsession. He’s busy planning his new collection and how he can ensure it is passed on.

This is the 2nd book in the series and I would definitely recommend reading them in order because it picks up pretty much where the 1st book ended. I was expecting this to be more police procedural but the story is more from the killer and victims POVs. We actually see very little of Fitzroy.

Overall the story is creepy and intriguing. Unfortunately, I just didn’t find myself itching to get back to it. It wasn’t really one of those books I’m desperate to read. There is very little character development and the only characters I actually cared about were Jakey and Clara. Although I was intrigued by Saul. It also switches POV a lot without being particularly clear.

I found the apprentice storyline wasn’t particularly believable. Would a serial killer really take on a teenage boy he hasn’t known long to be his heir? Then he expects him to fully welcome the gruesome lifestyle in just a couple of days.

Definitely not one for the favourites.