Book: The Cold Cold Sea by Linda Huber

A family day out at the beach takes a tragic turn when 3 year old Olivia Granger goes missing. Time passes and with no sign of Olivia she is presumed drowned.

Meanwhile 5 year old Hailey Marshall starts school and her Mother Jennifer couldn’t be any more proud.

As we follow both families it isn’t clear where this story will take us but slowly the horrible truth begins to reveal itself.

Following her impressive début novel, The Paradise Trees, Linda Huber returns with another tension filled tale depicting a young girl in a very worrying situation. As the growing sense of dread builds you anticipate certain things happening, only for events to transpire somewhat differently.

I’m not entirely sure that this sits comfortably under the crime fiction umbrella. Yes, there is a crime being committed, but there is no sign of the hackneyed genre favourites of serial killer and streetwise detective. This is far removed from those types of novels but it is no less entertaining whilst also managing to instil an excruciatingly uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach.

The Cold Cold Sea also gives us a wonderful main character that has you completely emotionally invested in her. I haven’t rooted for a character as much since Thor the dog in Wayne Smith’s story.

With only her second book Linda Huber has written a wonderful tale that puts the reader through the wringer and then drags them back again. Thankfully every suspense filled page is worth it.

The Cold Cold Sea is available now from Legend Press. 

Ric’s Rating: Essential

Book: The Paradise Trees by Linda Huber

Alicia Bryson returns to the village of her childhood when she hears that her Father’s health has deteriorated. Unfortunately she does not have many happy memories of the house or the man himself, as he was often abusive and violent towards his daughter.

This time though her own daughter, Jenny, is with her and hopefully the little girl will create better memories for herself during the summer spent at Granddad’s.

Unbeknown to Alicia is the fact that their arrival has not gone unnoticed. A stranger has seen them and begins to formulate a plan that will send them both to “Paradise”.

The story is told from the perspectives of Alicia and The Stranger and quickly becomes a bit of a guessing game as to who The Stranger is. Could it be the local Doctor, the pet shop owner, the care home manager or even Jenny’s own Father who comes back into her life after a long absence.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Alicia and The Stranger the story moves along swiftly towards the tension filled finale.

Often uncomfortable but totally compelling The Paradise Trees is an excellent debut novel by Linda Huber and I’ll certainly look out for her future work.

Available now from Legend Press.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended.

Book: The Sacrificial Man by Ruth Dugdall

Ruth Dugdall’s second novel to feature probation officer Cate Austin deals with the thorny issue of assisted suicide.

Alice Mariani has been convicted of helping her lover kill himself but the troubling facts are that he was not unwell and that Alice consumed part of his flesh.

The story is told from Alice’s perspective and seamlessly switches from present to past as we take a journey through her troubled childhood, exploring the events that moulded her into the strong, intelligent and confident woman she has become.

Cate’s role is to examine the case and recommend a sentence to the Judge and her investigations delve into the motives of both Alice and the mysterious “Smith”. These investigations unearth many, often unpredictable and sinister, factors, all of which contribute to the unsavoury event.

Dugdall’s intelligent and articulate prose immediately captivates and the murky past of Alice together with Smith’s hidden agenda make for an unpredictable read that will satisfy fans of crime fiction who don’t require their stories to be unnecessarily bloody or violent. The emphasis here is firmly on the characters, all of whom are multi-layered.

The Sacrificial Man is a thoroughly satisfying read and Ruth Dugdall proves to be a smart new voice in the crime fiction genre.

Ric’s Rating: 81%

Preview: Ashes by Matthew Crow

Legend Press have provided me with a copy of Ashes by Matthew Crow for review.

It sounds like it'll be up my street:

A lawless land of violence and deprivation, The Meadow Well Estate is a no-go area for police and non-residents alike and a hotbed of ritual violence. No-one dares enter of their own accord, and few make it out alive. But Jack was one of the good ones. Recently released from prison, he is determined to turn his life completely around: by getting out.
When, however, rumours spark of the police's involvement in the death of two young joy riders,the anxieties of the estate flare into a week-long riot, causing burnt out wrecks at every turn and capturing the attention of the local and national media. Can Jack resist the call of the indiscriminate fury, or will the desperation of Meadow Well claim him once more?

Check back soon for a full review but in the meantime check the Legend Press website http://www.legendpress.co.uk/ for more info.