Geraldine Hogan

I am already a huge fan of Geraldine Hogan, just check my author index and you can see that I have read everything that she has written to date as Faith Hogan, so I was super-excited when I found out that she was venturing into the crime fiction genre. Unfortunately I ended up not reading her first crime novel, My Sister's Bones, due to other reading commitments and missing out on a spot on the blog tour but I was delighted to be invited to take part in the blog tour for book 2, Why She Ran.

Eleanor Marshall has been institutionalised by her rich parents; the rebellious teen has been hidden away and forgotten about whilst her younger sister remains in the impressive and imposing family home. Neither of them are safe from the killer who is roaming Corbally. Eleanor escapes from the hospital one night after her nurse, Rachel, is brutally murdered and Eleanor becomes the prime suspect. Detective Iris Locke and her team are called in to investigate and the hunt for Eleanor kept me on the edge of my seat.

The fantastic Eleanor-hunt story aside, Geraldine Hogan has created a superb cast of characters in Locke and Slattery. Although I do wish I had read My Sister's Bones first, I gained enough information to not only follow their story through but to want to find out more. It's not just Locke who has family secrets to reveal as a huge nugget of intrigue has been planted in regards to Slattery's past and I can't wait to see this grow to fruition.

Having loved every page of Why She Ran, I can definitely say that you can read this if you haven't read My Sister's Bones. What it will do, however, is make you want to rush off and read the first Iris Locke book as soon as you can. To say my curiosity has been piqued is an understatement; I am desperate to find out more of Iris Locke's story, both past and future.

Two words keep springing to mind when I think of this book: shock and awe (to quote George W. Bush but in a more positive capacity). The story shocked and surprised me and I am completely in awe of Geraldine Hogan's writing talent. Why She Ran is a superb, fast-paced, edge of your seat crime thriller; it's a sweaty palms, heart-pounding race against time story that is virtually impossible to put down.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.… (mehr)

Detective Iris Locke is now a detective in her hometown of Limerick, despite her father's reticence. As a detective on the force for over 40 years, Jack Locke is worried for his daughter. He doesn't want her to face anything like what he had to deal with during his career. When she approaches a horrifying crime scene, Iris is rather shocked to discover that she knew one of the victims, Anna Crowe.

Anna Crowe is a name Iris has heard many times before. She was related to a case that her father was never able to solve. That case involved her sister's disappearance from her pram decades ago. It soon seems more than likely that Anna's death definitely had something to do with what happened to her sister.

Iris is forced to dig deep, even bringing her father into the case, although he is long retired. This case begins to open up secrets and unlikely occurrences affecting people much too close to Iris. I loved the pacing of this book, and was rather shocked at some of the developments.

Silent Night is the first book in a new series. With such a harrowing case, Iris has proved her worth to her team, and no doubt, to readers of this series. I am addicted to series, especially ones related to mysteries and crime. I enjoy coming in at the start of this and really look forward to watching Iris excel as a detective. Reading books straight through is especially rewarding when they are written with the flair Geraldine Hogan possesses.

Many thanks to Bookouture for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.… (mehr)

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This police procedural was rather slow and the characterization fairly thin (although Slattery and his family problems were interesting albeit slowing the story of the investigation down still further). Iris, the main protagonist, was a little entitled and I don't believe any human person can exist on the amount of sleep she is described as having.

The solution to the mystery was unnecessarily melodramatic and felt a little like cheating.

Disappointed.… (mehr)