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Detective Dan Riley #2
The Couple on Cedar Close
One sunny August afternoon, the residents of Cedar Close throw their annual summer barbecue. Children play in the cherry-tree lined street, tables are laden with food, and the wine is flowing. For Laurie Mills, it’s her first time meeting the neighbours. And it’s the first time she discovers her husband Robert is having an affair.
Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen.
Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom.
Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands.
She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert.
The trouble is, no-one believes her…
Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen.
Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom.
Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands.
She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert.
The trouble is, no-one believes her…
348 pages, ebook
First published January 18, 2019
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January 19, 2019
A compulsive and fast paced bloody brilliant book!
The perfect mash up of a police procedural and a psychological thriller! I had no idea that this was the second book in the DI Daniel Riley series until I got to the end, can absolutely be read as a standalone.... this book wasn’t necessarily full of crazy twists and turns, but I loved how it dove so deeply into the psychology of these characters.... A dark domestic drama with some pretty psychotic characters....
Laurie is planning the perfect dinner for her estranged husband, convinced she can still win him back.... but as time goes by and more vodka is consumed Laurie is pretty certain that her husband Robert has stood her up... devastated and in an alcohol Hayes Laurie passes out and wakes up in the guestroom covered in blood, with no recollection of how she got there.... Robert is dead and Laurie is the number one suspect, but she can’t remember and she can’t believe she would ever kill Robert....
Daniel Riley” The detective with the kind eyes,“ is convinced that there is more to this case then meets the eyes... after interviewing Laurie, Daniel can hardly believe she could hurt a fly much less a man twice her size.... oh what a wide web of deceit over this charming Close.... I enjoyed watching the unraveling of this psychotic killers perfect plans... I appreciated how thoughtful and compassionate Daniel was in his investigation.... I also loved how they called him “governor,” I’m not even sure why exactly, but it was super cool! I think because I could only think of it in the English accent, I don’t find governors of states very cool, LOL! But I digress....
This was an addictive read that had me furiously turning the pages... I figured out who the killer was fairly early on, but there was a pretty obvious clue that I am assuming we were supposed to pick up on? I am usually the world’s worst detective, so this is why I am assuming this... this did not detract from my enjoyment of the story whatsoever! I really wanted to know how they were going to catch this person and what was motivating this person to be so extremely Cray Cray! And bravo to that ending, that was just perfection! Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, and time permitting I will go back and read “Black Heart.”
This book will quench both your police procedural and psychological thriller thirst, absolutely recommend!🖤
🎶 Song running through my mind: I defy you to read this book and not have this Drake song going through your head:
… Kiki, do you love me? Are you riding?
Say you'll never ever leave from beside me
'Cause I want ya, and I need ya
And I'm down for you always
KB, do you love me? Are you riding?
Say you'll never ever leave from beside me
'Cause I want ya, and I need ya
And I'm down for you always
-Drake 2018
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xc4u85W...
*** Big thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***
The perfect mash up of a police procedural and a psychological thriller! I had no idea that this was the second book in the DI Daniel Riley series until I got to the end, can absolutely be read as a standalone.... this book wasn’t necessarily full of crazy twists and turns, but I loved how it dove so deeply into the psychology of these characters.... A dark domestic drama with some pretty psychotic characters....
Laurie is planning the perfect dinner for her estranged husband, convinced she can still win him back.... but as time goes by and more vodka is consumed Laurie is pretty certain that her husband Robert has stood her up... devastated and in an alcohol Hayes Laurie passes out and wakes up in the guestroom covered in blood, with no recollection of how she got there.... Robert is dead and Laurie is the number one suspect, but she can’t remember and she can’t believe she would ever kill Robert....
Daniel Riley” The detective with the kind eyes,“ is convinced that there is more to this case then meets the eyes... after interviewing Laurie, Daniel can hardly believe she could hurt a fly much less a man twice her size.... oh what a wide web of deceit over this charming Close.... I enjoyed watching the unraveling of this psychotic killers perfect plans... I appreciated how thoughtful and compassionate Daniel was in his investigation.... I also loved how they called him “governor,” I’m not even sure why exactly, but it was super cool! I think because I could only think of it in the English accent, I don’t find governors of states very cool, LOL! But I digress....
This was an addictive read that had me furiously turning the pages... I figured out who the killer was fairly early on, but there was a pretty obvious clue that I am assuming we were supposed to pick up on? I am usually the world’s worst detective, so this is why I am assuming this... this did not detract from my enjoyment of the story whatsoever! I really wanted to know how they were going to catch this person and what was motivating this person to be so extremely Cray Cray! And bravo to that ending, that was just perfection! Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, and time permitting I will go back and read “Black Heart.”
This book will quench both your police procedural and psychological thriller thirst, absolutely recommend!🖤
🎶 Song running through my mind: I defy you to read this book and not have this Drake song going through your head:
… Kiki, do you love me? Are you riding?
Say you'll never ever leave from beside me
'Cause I want ya, and I need ya
And I'm down for you always
KB, do you love me? Are you riding?
Say you'll never ever leave from beside me
'Cause I want ya, and I need ya
And I'm down for you always
-Drake 2018
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xc4u85W...
*** Big thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***
January 18, 2019
The Couple on Cedar Close
is the second book in the detective Dan Riley series. Though part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.
Cedar Close is a nice & cosy neighborhood – a quiet suburban street with happy families and friendly neighbors.…....Until one day, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom. Downstairs, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark, covered in blood. She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert. The trouble is, she had also threatened to kill Robert in front of the entire neighborhood, just a few days back. With all the evidence, pointing towards Laurie, the police too believe that this is an open & shut case. Everyone believes Laurie is guilty, except Detective Dan Riley, who believes there is more than what meets the eye. Will Dan Riley be able to solve the case or is he is being fooled by a master manipulator?
The Couple on Cedar Close is a part police procedural and a part thriller. The book is fast paced right from the first chapter and will keep you engaged right till the end. The story covers different timelines and perspectives from different characters, and does it quite well. This book adds more twists and turns as the story moves ahead and adds other few tracks as well. The main mystery however felt predictable and most of the mystery is revealed long before the climax.
Overall, the book works better as a psychological thriller than as a murder mystery. The final third part of the story especially, was nicely crafted. The best part about the book though are the characters, from Detective Dan Riley to David and Laurie to even the minor characters, every character feels real and human. From their motivations to their backstory to their inner psyche, everything was revealed for the readers perfectly. Detective Riley reminded me of detectives from Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries, more of wit & gut feel, rather than relying purely on evidence.
In conclusion, The Couple on Cedar Close is a nice & tight thriller with some excellently developed characters. If you like psychological thrillers, you will enjoy this one. 3.5/5 ⭐
Many thanks to Bookouture, the Author Anna-Lou Weatherley and NetGalley for the ARC.
Cedar Close is a nice & cosy neighborhood – a quiet suburban street with happy families and friendly neighbors.…....Until one day, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom. Downstairs, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark, covered in blood. She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert. The trouble is, she had also threatened to kill Robert in front of the entire neighborhood, just a few days back. With all the evidence, pointing towards Laurie, the police too believe that this is an open & shut case. Everyone believes Laurie is guilty, except Detective Dan Riley, who believes there is more than what meets the eye. Will Dan Riley be able to solve the case or is he is being fooled by a master manipulator?
The Couple on Cedar Close is a part police procedural and a part thriller. The book is fast paced right from the first chapter and will keep you engaged right till the end. The story covers different timelines and perspectives from different characters, and does it quite well. This book adds more twists and turns as the story moves ahead and adds other few tracks as well. The main mystery however felt predictable and most of the mystery is revealed long before the climax.
Overall, the book works better as a psychological thriller than as a murder mystery. The final third part of the story especially, was nicely crafted. The best part about the book though are the characters, from Detective Dan Riley to David and Laurie to even the minor characters, every character feels real and human. From their motivations to their backstory to their inner psyche, everything was revealed for the readers perfectly. Detective Riley reminded me of detectives from Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries, more of wit & gut feel, rather than relying purely on evidence.
In conclusion, The Couple on Cedar Close is a nice & tight thriller with some excellently developed characters. If you like psychological thrillers, you will enjoy this one. 3.5/5 ⭐
Many thanks to Bookouture, the Author Anna-Lou Weatherley and NetGalley for the ARC.
December 21, 2018
3 Stars.
Laurie’s marriage to Robert has always been cloaked In secrets - that is until that fateful day at the barbecue on Cedar Close when a drunken Laurie spills all.
Months later, Laurie prepares a fancy meal for Robert, hoping for a good outcome. Laurie, awaiting Robert’s arrival, nervous and upset, begins drinking. Hours later she awakes in her bed, groggy, drunk, the power mysteriously off in her house. Her skin is wet and sticky. Fumbling, she finds a flashlight and discovers she is covered in blood: her husband’s - his body is beside her of which she has no memory. Of course, all evidence points to her.
Detective Dan Riley however intuits that Laurie is not guilty and he sets out to prove it.
A mystery / suspense that is an easy, fast-paced read. Though this book took on a few twists that were not to my personal liking, the story itself is enjoyable one. This is a part of the Detective Dan Riley series (Black Heart being the first) by Anna-Lou Weatherly (though the synopsis doesn’t describe it as such), and it can be read as a stand-alone. It was good detective story and I would definitely read the next in the series.
This was another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherly for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 12.21.18.
Laurie’s marriage to Robert has always been cloaked In secrets - that is until that fateful day at the barbecue on Cedar Close when a drunken Laurie spills all.
Months later, Laurie prepares a fancy meal for Robert, hoping for a good outcome. Laurie, awaiting Robert’s arrival, nervous and upset, begins drinking. Hours later she awakes in her bed, groggy, drunk, the power mysteriously off in her house. Her skin is wet and sticky. Fumbling, she finds a flashlight and discovers she is covered in blood: her husband’s - his body is beside her of which she has no memory. Of course, all evidence points to her.
Detective Dan Riley however intuits that Laurie is not guilty and he sets out to prove it.
A mystery / suspense that is an easy, fast-paced read. Though this book took on a few twists that were not to my personal liking, the story itself is enjoyable one. This is a part of the Detective Dan Riley series (Black Heart being the first) by Anna-Lou Weatherly (though the synopsis doesn’t describe it as such), and it can be read as a stand-alone. It was good detective story and I would definitely read the next in the series.
This was another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherly for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 12.21.18.
December 27, 2018
3.5🌟
Things aren’t always as they appear...
This is the second book I’ve read by Anna-Lou Weatherley. Turns out this is book two of a series, though I didn’t realize it when I started. Yay! Lucky me!
Laurie was livid. Her estranged husband was due to stop over to discuss their future. She was planning, hoping for a reconciliation and decided a home cooked meal of all his favorites might smooth things over.
But as the hours ticked by into the night and he never shows, Laurie throws in the towel and proceeds to drink herself into a stupor. (What’s a girl to do!) When the alcohol fog clears and she finally comes to she’s drenched in blood and oh my, her husband Robert is dead!
But there has got to be more to it...right!?
It was fun to get back to this series. While I ended up guessing the outcome early in, I still felt this was a fun, light thriller! And will be back for the next installment.
A buddy read with Susanne!☃️
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherley for an ARC to read and review
Things aren’t always as they appear...
This is the second book I’ve read by Anna-Lou Weatherley. Turns out this is book two of a series, though I didn’t realize it when I started. Yay! Lucky me!
Laurie was livid. Her estranged husband was due to stop over to discuss their future. She was planning, hoping for a reconciliation and decided a home cooked meal of all his favorites might smooth things over.
But as the hours ticked by into the night and he never shows, Laurie throws in the towel and proceeds to drink herself into a stupor. (What’s a girl to do!) When the alcohol fog clears and she finally comes to she’s drenched in blood and oh my, her husband Robert is dead!
But there has got to be more to it...right!?
It was fun to get back to this series. While I ended up guessing the outcome early in, I still felt this was a fun, light thriller! And will be back for the next installment.
A buddy read with Susanne!☃️
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherley for an ARC to read and review
March 18, 2024
5 fabulous stars for this backlist NetGalley British police procedural hidden gem!
In a wealthy, close knit neighbourhood, an estranged husband is found murdered in his family home. His wife is covered in his blood without any memory of what happened.
I had no idea this was book 2 of a series when I downloaded it years ago. Knowing that would have deterred me from downloading it so I’m glad it worked out this way. This book can EASILY be read as a standalone. Yes, there is mention of things that happened in the past. But nothing that is so important that I felt like I was missing something. In fact, this book was SO AMAZING that I’ve already downloaded book 1 so I can get the backstory on the main character and I plan to read the remaining 5 books after. This is important information to know in my review as I am NOT a series reader. This shows you just how FANTASTIC this book was!
First, I ADORED, the main detective, Dan Riley. (I actually have a slight book crush on him 🫣). He was such a terrific main character! He was hard working, gentlemanly, heartbroken, dedicated, charming, clever and his inner thoughts kept me entertained with his witty inner snark! The book smoothly switches between multiple perspectives, but I always enjoyed Detective Riley’s chapters the best.
I had an immediate connection to this intriguing storyline from the very first page in the Prologue. It was a brilliant way to introduce the story and pique curiosity. I was invested from the Prologue and never once did my attention waver. The fast paced flow was perfection, keeping me thinking of this book even when I wasn’t reading it.
Unreliable narrators can be an overdone narrative but one of the perspectives in this story that focuses on the wife, is so well done! I didn’t trust her but I felt for her. I was curious about her backstory and what lead to her current state. I wanted her to get answers. She had me questioning everything!
It’s easy to see I LOVED this book and highly recommend it! Yes, it’s another book centered around neighbourhood drama which is an oversaturated genre, but this one is unique, clever, well written, and done so very well! I can’t wait to start book 1 and then continue on with this series!
Audio rating: 5+ stars! The narrator was PHENOMENAL and immensely added to my overall enjoyment! I can only hope that he is the same audio narrator for the entire series as I plan to listen to all of these books.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!
In a wealthy, close knit neighbourhood, an estranged husband is found murdered in his family home. His wife is covered in his blood without any memory of what happened.
I had no idea this was book 2 of a series when I downloaded it years ago. Knowing that would have deterred me from downloading it so I’m glad it worked out this way. This book can EASILY be read as a standalone. Yes, there is mention of things that happened in the past. But nothing that is so important that I felt like I was missing something. In fact, this book was SO AMAZING that I’ve already downloaded book 1 so I can get the backstory on the main character and I plan to read the remaining 5 books after. This is important information to know in my review as I am NOT a series reader. This shows you just how FANTASTIC this book was!
First, I ADORED, the main detective, Dan Riley. (I actually have a slight book crush on him 🫣). He was such a terrific main character! He was hard working, gentlemanly, heartbroken, dedicated, charming, clever and his inner thoughts kept me entertained with his witty inner snark! The book smoothly switches between multiple perspectives, but I always enjoyed Detective Riley’s chapters the best.
I had an immediate connection to this intriguing storyline from the very first page in the Prologue. It was a brilliant way to introduce the story and pique curiosity. I was invested from the Prologue and never once did my attention waver. The fast paced flow was perfection, keeping me thinking of this book even when I wasn’t reading it.
Unreliable narrators can be an overdone narrative but one of the perspectives in this story that focuses on the wife, is so well done! I didn’t trust her but I felt for her. I was curious about her backstory and what lead to her current state. I wanted her to get answers. She had me questioning everything!
It’s easy to see I LOVED this book and highly recommend it! Yes, it’s another book centered around neighbourhood drama which is an oversaturated genre, but this one is unique, clever, well written, and done so very well! I can’t wait to start book 1 and then continue on with this series!
Audio rating: 5+ stars! The narrator was PHENOMENAL and immensely added to my overall enjoyment! I can only hope that he is the same audio narrator for the entire series as I plan to listen to all of these books.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!
January 21, 2019
4.5, practically perfect in every way, stars!
Imagine this? You awaken in darkness, groggy and disorientated, to discover you’re lying on your guest bed with no memory of how you got upstairs. The last thing you remember is sitting at your kitchen table, drinking wine, dinner ruined, suspecting you’ve been stood up by your cheating husband, whom you were hoping to reach an amicable solution with, maybe even a reconciliation. The power is out, so you grope your way downstairs, suddenly aware that your dress feels wet and sticky. You find a flashlight, turn it on, look down, and to your horror, discover you’re covered in blood. Terrified and confused, you dial your husband’s number, praying he’ll help. You hear his phone ringing – it’s coming from upstairs. You follow the sound to the guest bathroom where your husband is lying on the floor, throat slit, stabbed eighteen times. The police arrive, and next thing you know, they’re arresting you for your husband’s murder.
Right away, our hero, DI Daniel Riley has his doubts over Laurie Mills’ guilt – call it cop’s intuition, but he senses there’s more to it, and we along with Riley quickly discover he’s correct – Robert Mills’ death is just the tip of the iceberg. What slowly unfolds is a story of twisted obsession, murderous revenge, psychological abuse, lies and deceit, devastating secrets, tragic loss, and a cat-and-mouse game to catch and punish a vicious killer. And I loved every second of it – felt there was a 50/50 balance between police procedural and psychological suspense.
The Couple on Cedar Close is the second book in the Detective Dan Riley series, the first being Black Heart, but you will have no problem following this one if you haven’t read that one – I didn’t. Riley is the perfect leading man/detective – kind, caring, intelligent, vulnerable – still grief-stricken over a recent tragic loss of his own. His team were equally fascinating, and I loved the parallels between characters involved in the mystery to those on the police force.
The mystery was fast-paced, horrific, action-packed, with some jaw-dropping shocks and reveals that had me on the edge of my seat. There were some pretty heavy topics of a sensitive nature, as well as bad language, and several graphic, distressing, emotionally affecting scenes. This is not a tame crime by any means, so be prepared.
The investigation – Interviews/following leads/gathering evidence, etc – is conveyed via Dan’s POV, with touches of his personal life intertwined. Other chapters are narrated by Laurie as she attempts to access her memories from the night Robert was killed, as well as deal with being the main suspect in a murder investigation. There are also two sets of flashbacks – various snapshots of Laurie and Robert’s marriage, as well as an undetermined POV to a girl named Kiki, growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, living in a disturbing and dysfunctional family environment.
This was my first read by Anna-Lou Weatherley, but certainly won’t be my last by any stretch of the imagination. I have just downloaded the first book in the series, via Amazon Kindle, and I’m picking by the sounds of it, it will be on par with this one. The final pages of The Couple on Cedar Close (wholly satisfying and sweet by the way) felt like closure, and leads me to believe that Dan Riley’s story is finished, but of course I could be completely wrong. Whatever Anna-Lou Weatherley writes next, I’ll be there, ready to read, and review.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture, and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the opportunity to read, and review, a digital copy of this book.
US Release Date: 18th January, 2019. (Out Now!)
Imagine this? You awaken in darkness, groggy and disorientated, to discover you’re lying on your guest bed with no memory of how you got upstairs. The last thing you remember is sitting at your kitchen table, drinking wine, dinner ruined, suspecting you’ve been stood up by your cheating husband, whom you were hoping to reach an amicable solution with, maybe even a reconciliation. The power is out, so you grope your way downstairs, suddenly aware that your dress feels wet and sticky. You find a flashlight, turn it on, look down, and to your horror, discover you’re covered in blood. Terrified and confused, you dial your husband’s number, praying he’ll help. You hear his phone ringing – it’s coming from upstairs. You follow the sound to the guest bathroom where your husband is lying on the floor, throat slit, stabbed eighteen times. The police arrive, and next thing you know, they’re arresting you for your husband’s murder.
Right away, our hero, DI Daniel Riley has his doubts over Laurie Mills’ guilt – call it cop’s intuition, but he senses there’s more to it, and we along with Riley quickly discover he’s correct – Robert Mills’ death is just the tip of the iceberg. What slowly unfolds is a story of twisted obsession, murderous revenge, psychological abuse, lies and deceit, devastating secrets, tragic loss, and a cat-and-mouse game to catch and punish a vicious killer. And I loved every second of it – felt there was a 50/50 balance between police procedural and psychological suspense.
The Couple on Cedar Close is the second book in the Detective Dan Riley series, the first being Black Heart, but you will have no problem following this one if you haven’t read that one – I didn’t. Riley is the perfect leading man/detective – kind, caring, intelligent, vulnerable – still grief-stricken over a recent tragic loss of his own. His team were equally fascinating, and I loved the parallels between characters involved in the mystery to those on the police force.
The mystery was fast-paced, horrific, action-packed, with some jaw-dropping shocks and reveals that had me on the edge of my seat. There were some pretty heavy topics of a sensitive nature, as well as bad language, and several graphic, distressing, emotionally affecting scenes. This is not a tame crime by any means, so be prepared.
The investigation – Interviews/following leads/gathering evidence, etc – is conveyed via Dan’s POV, with touches of his personal life intertwined. Other chapters are narrated by Laurie as she attempts to access her memories from the night Robert was killed, as well as deal with being the main suspect in a murder investigation. There are also two sets of flashbacks – various snapshots of Laurie and Robert’s marriage, as well as an undetermined POV to a girl named Kiki, growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, living in a disturbing and dysfunctional family environment.
This was my first read by Anna-Lou Weatherley, but certainly won’t be my last by any stretch of the imagination. I have just downloaded the first book in the series, via Amazon Kindle, and I’m picking by the sounds of it, it will be on par with this one. The final pages of The Couple on Cedar Close (wholly satisfying and sweet by the way) felt like closure, and leads me to believe that Dan Riley’s story is finished, but of course I could be completely wrong. Whatever Anna-Lou Weatherley writes next, I’ll be there, ready to read, and review.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture, and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the opportunity to read, and review, a digital copy of this book.
US Release Date: 18th January, 2019. (Out Now!)
January 5, 2019
The neighbours are having a summer bbq when they meet their new neighbour, Laurie Mills for the first time. When Robert (Laurie's husband) was found dead, Laurie quickly became the number 1 suspect. His body was found in her house but he had left Laurie for another woman with whom he had a child with. Laurie and Robert had moved to Cedar Close after Laurie had had an accident so that she could be closer to her to her best friend, Monica.
This is the perfect mash up of police procedural and a psychological thriller. The story jumps back and forward from the present day to the past. I easily guessed who the culprit was, the reasons why I could not predict though. As the story unfolds, there are plenty of twist and turns and there are some surprises along the way. I like DI Riley and although this is the the second book in this series, it can be read as a standalone. I was hooked from the start. I'm looking forward to reading the third book in this fast paced series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Anna-Lou Weatherley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the perfect mash up of police procedural and a psychological thriller. The story jumps back and forward from the present day to the past. I easily guessed who the culprit was, the reasons why I could not predict though. As the story unfolds, there are plenty of twist and turns and there are some surprises along the way. I like DI Riley and although this is the the second book in this series, it can be read as a standalone. I was hooked from the start. I'm looking forward to reading the third book in this fast paced series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Anna-Lou Weatherley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2019
THE COUPLE ON CEDAR CLOSE is the second book in the Detective Dan Riley Crime Thriller Series by author Anna-Lou Weatherley. After really enjoying book one, I was anxious to start the second book in the series; The Couple on Cedar Close…and again another winner! I was not disappointed! I loved it! This book will clutch you right from the beginning until the last page.
The 2 books in the series include:
Black Heart (Book 1)
The Couple on Cedar Close (Book 2)
Detective Dan Riley is still coming to terms with the death of his girlfriend and unborn baby in a car accident two years ago, and totally immerses himself into his work investigating cases.
It was with great trepidation for Laurie Mills to meet her neighbours, at the annual summer barbecue for the residents of Cedar Close. For Laurie Mills, it’s her first time meeting the neighbours. But her husband, Robert said he would be right by her side to face the ordeal. But where was Robert? Her friend Monica was hosting it. Robert had said that Laurie needed to get out of the house and start interacting with people.
The residents of Cedar Close were close and nosy. Everyone knew everyone’s business. It was impossible to be anonymous.
Laurie happily retreats back into the house in search of her husband. But when she went to search for him upstairs, she discovered and heard him on his cellphone talking to his “lover”, arranging a rendezvous. Robert was having an affair!
“I just need a little more time…She’s still unhinged and I-we-don’t want her suicide on our conscience.”
Laurie was devastated…she really loved him! But after the scene at the barbecue, Robert moved out and three months later he was to show up at the house for a meeting with Laurie, requesting a divorce.
The last thing Laurie remembers was she was in the kitchen waiting for Robert, the dinner ruined, her heart destroyed. And when the light comes on, she is covered in blood!
Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom.
She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert.
The trouble is, no-one believes her…
This was an amazing story with complex characters, and twists and turns around every bend. It touches upon the subject of emotional and domestic abuse, an important issue that needs to be addressed. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author Anna-Lou Weatherley, Bookouture via NetGalley for my digital copy.
The 2 books in the series include:
Black Heart (Book 1)
The Couple on Cedar Close (Book 2)
Detective Dan Riley is still coming to terms with the death of his girlfriend and unborn baby in a car accident two years ago, and totally immerses himself into his work investigating cases.
It was with great trepidation for Laurie Mills to meet her neighbours, at the annual summer barbecue for the residents of Cedar Close. For Laurie Mills, it’s her first time meeting the neighbours. But her husband, Robert said he would be right by her side to face the ordeal. But where was Robert? Her friend Monica was hosting it. Robert had said that Laurie needed to get out of the house and start interacting with people.
The residents of Cedar Close were close and nosy. Everyone knew everyone’s business. It was impossible to be anonymous.
Laurie happily retreats back into the house in search of her husband. But when she went to search for him upstairs, she discovered and heard him on his cellphone talking to his “lover”, arranging a rendezvous. Robert was having an affair!
“I just need a little more time…She’s still unhinged and I-we-don’t want her suicide on our conscience.”
Laurie was devastated…she really loved him! But after the scene at the barbecue, Robert moved out and three months later he was to show up at the house for a meeting with Laurie, requesting a divorce.
The last thing Laurie remembers was she was in the kitchen waiting for Robert, the dinner ruined, her heart destroyed. And when the light comes on, she is covered in blood!
Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom.
She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert.
The trouble is, no-one believes her…
This was an amazing story with complex characters, and twists and turns around every bend. It touches upon the subject of emotional and domestic abuse, an important issue that needs to be addressed. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author Anna-Lou Weatherley, Bookouture via NetGalley for my digital copy.
December 29, 2018
3.5 stars
From the book description, I was expecting a novel of domestic suspense.
The blurb describes a summer barbecue, tables laden with food, wine flowing, and Laurie Mills meeting her neighbors for the first time....as she discovers that her husband is having an affair for the first time.
But, this is actually the second installment of the Detective Dan Riley series ( the first being, Black Heart) which in my opinion makes it more of a police procedural. A murder-mystery where the reader is always a step ahead, anxiously waiting for those investigating to catch up...
DI Dan Riley is supposed to be working with DS Martin Delaney, but as this book alludes to, they did not always see eye to eye on their last case....Delaney being a bully in the interrogation room, Riley, being the detective “with the kind eyes”......he knows of pain, and relies on his intuition.
“ In my experience it’s best to say it all in one go. No ripping the plaster off gently. it only hurts more. I watch, my heart filled with familiar pity as the expression on her faces changes as the words register. It’s amazing how expressive the face can be. I read shock, horror, disbelief and anguish across hers in less than a second.” (DI RILEY)
You will root for him to solve the case...and you will root for him personally as well. He is a likable, well developed character perfect to base a series on. But this can be read as a stand-alone as well.
A bit predictable, not much of a mystery as described, but some interesting observations throughout make this a perfect new series for those who like light, police procedurals!
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture, and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the ARC I was provided in exchange for a candid review. This title will be available soon- Jan. 18, 2019 but you can read Black Heart while you are waiting!
Merged review:
3.5 stars
From the book description, I was expecting a novel of domestic suspense.
The blurb describes a summer barbecue, tables laden with food, wine flowing, and Laurie Mills meeting her neighbors for the first time....as she discovers that her husband is having an affair for the first time.
But, this is actually the second installment of the Detective Dan Riley series ( the first being, Black Heart) which in my opinion makes it more of a police procedural. A murder-mystery where the reader is always a step ahead, anxiously waiting for those investigating to catch up...
DI Dan Riley is supposed to be working with DS Martin Delaney, but as this book alludes to, they did not always see eye to eye on their last case....Delaney being a bully in the interrogation room, Riley, being the detective “with the kind eyes”......he knows of pain, and relies on his intuition.
“ In my experience it’s best to say it all in one go. No ripping the plaster off gently. it only hurts more. I watch, my heart filled with familiar pity as the expression on her faces changes as the words register. It’s amazing how expressive the face can be. I read shock, horror, disbelief and anguish across hers in less than a second.” (DI RILEY)
You will root for him to solve the case...and you will root for him personally as well. He is a likable, well developed character perfect to base a series on. But this can be read as a stand-alone as well.
A bit predictable, not much of a mystery as described, but some interesting observations throughout make this a perfect new series for those who like light, police procedurals!
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture, and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the ARC I was provided in exchange for a candid review. This title will be available soon- Jan. 18, 2019 but you can read Black Heart while you are waiting!
From the book description, I was expecting a novel of domestic suspense.
The blurb describes a summer barbecue, tables laden with food, wine flowing, and Laurie Mills meeting her neighbors for the first time....as she discovers that her husband is having an affair for the first time.
But, this is actually the second installment of the Detective Dan Riley series ( the first being, Black Heart) which in my opinion makes it more of a police procedural. A murder-mystery where the reader is always a step ahead, anxiously waiting for those investigating to catch up...
DI Dan Riley is supposed to be working with DS Martin Delaney, but as this book alludes to, they did not always see eye to eye on their last case....Delaney being a bully in the interrogation room, Riley, being the detective “with the kind eyes”......he knows of pain, and relies on his intuition.
“ In my experience it’s best to say it all in one go. No ripping the plaster off gently. it only hurts more. I watch, my heart filled with familiar pity as the expression on her faces changes as the words register. It’s amazing how expressive the face can be. I read shock, horror, disbelief and anguish across hers in less than a second.” (DI RILEY)
You will root for him to solve the case...and you will root for him personally as well. He is a likable, well developed character perfect to base a series on. But this can be read as a stand-alone as well.
A bit predictable, not much of a mystery as described, but some interesting observations throughout make this a perfect new series for those who like light, police procedurals!
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture, and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the ARC I was provided in exchange for a candid review. This title will be available soon- Jan. 18, 2019 but you can read Black Heart while you are waiting!
Merged review:
3.5 stars
From the book description, I was expecting a novel of domestic suspense.
The blurb describes a summer barbecue, tables laden with food, wine flowing, and Laurie Mills meeting her neighbors for the first time....as she discovers that her husband is having an affair for the first time.
But, this is actually the second installment of the Detective Dan Riley series ( the first being, Black Heart) which in my opinion makes it more of a police procedural. A murder-mystery where the reader is always a step ahead, anxiously waiting for those investigating to catch up...
DI Dan Riley is supposed to be working with DS Martin Delaney, but as this book alludes to, they did not always see eye to eye on their last case....Delaney being a bully in the interrogation room, Riley, being the detective “with the kind eyes”......he knows of pain, and relies on his intuition.
“ In my experience it’s best to say it all in one go. No ripping the plaster off gently. it only hurts more. I watch, my heart filled with familiar pity as the expression on her faces changes as the words register. It’s amazing how expressive the face can be. I read shock, horror, disbelief and anguish across hers in less than a second.” (DI RILEY)
You will root for him to solve the case...and you will root for him personally as well. He is a likable, well developed character perfect to base a series on. But this can be read as a stand-alone as well.
A bit predictable, not much of a mystery as described, but some interesting observations throughout make this a perfect new series for those who like light, police procedurals!
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bookouture, and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the ARC I was provided in exchange for a candid review. This title will be available soon- Jan. 18, 2019 but you can read Black Heart while you are waiting!
December 23, 2018
The Couple on Cedar Close is book 2 in the Detective Dan Riley series - and oh my goodness what a book it is!! Absolutely Addictive!! Although I worked out early on who I didn't know why right til the very end. I wanted to read this in one go but being the silly season that was never going to happen. A fantastic story, original and an enjoyable read.
Cedar Close is a quiet place to live. The neighbourhood is friendly and nothing much happens. Until Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom, and his wife Laurie sits downstairs in the dark with a large gap in her memory. She knows that she didn't kill her husband but nobody believes her. Their marriage is falling apart, with Robert having an affair and a daughter with another woman. The story jumps between the present wher Laurie tries to remember the events of that night, and the past.. but who's past is it?
A fantastic read that I would tell anybody to read who likes a great story. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
Cedar Close is a quiet place to live. The neighbourhood is friendly and nothing much happens. Until Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom, and his wife Laurie sits downstairs in the dark with a large gap in her memory. She knows that she didn't kill her husband but nobody believes her. Their marriage is falling apart, with Robert having an affair and a daughter with another woman. The story jumps between the present wher Laurie tries to remember the events of that night, and the past.. but who's past is it?
A fantastic read that I would tell anybody to read who likes a great story. Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
October 8, 2020
3.5
It’s book 2 in this series but can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
I have to say that all the characters in this book stood out to be 3D to me, very real. I could certainly imagine them in my minds eye.
The plot was good, although not unique in itself it did have plenty of paths that either lead your thoughts to nowhere or you predicted what the outcome would be.
In itself I quite enjoyed it then there were parts I raised my eyes to the ceiling about, predictable.
Laura defends her innocence too many times. Yes I can see someone would say it, but, for the reader it was far too many times in my point of view especially when the reader actually knew it wasn’t her.
The parts I loved, I really enjoyed. The author did make this a fast moving thriller. Yes it’s a police procedure based series yet, it had that thriller vibe which I love.
It’s not a book you should refuse read as it’s got some very good ratings. Besides, I did like it.
It’s book 2 in this series but can definitely be read as a stand-alone.
I have to say that all the characters in this book stood out to be 3D to me, very real. I could certainly imagine them in my minds eye.
The plot was good, although not unique in itself it did have plenty of paths that either lead your thoughts to nowhere or you predicted what the outcome would be.
In itself I quite enjoyed it then there were parts I raised my eyes to the ceiling about, predictable.
Laura defends her innocence too many times. Yes I can see someone would say it, but, for the reader it was far too many times in my point of view especially when the reader actually knew it wasn’t her.
The parts I loved, I really enjoyed. The author did make this a fast moving thriller. Yes it’s a police procedure based series yet, it had that thriller vibe which I love.
It’s not a book you should refuse read as it’s got some very good ratings. Besides, I did like it.
January 28, 2019
I am loathe to even write a detailed review here, as this is yet another slightly less than average piece of crime fiction, coupled with an unambitious nod to domestic noir and a wink to police procedural. The premise is fairly formulaic—Laurie Mills awakens after a drunken bender to find that she is covered in blood, her husband Robert upstairs with his throat slashed. The rest of the story follows detectives as they discover the truth behind Robert’s murder. Yeah. Been done, right? The writing is average, the characters are fairly flat and the ending is drawn out in an excruciatingly painful denouement. There’s just nothing here to make this book stand out amongst the hundreds of others that seem to be churned into publication, one after the next, in assembly-line fashion. I could rail on about the issues that this author attempted to address—incest, domestic abuse, child abuse, incompetent police, mental health...but to be honest, it wouldn’t add much to what I’ve already written. It’s not a “bad” book, it’s just a “familiar” book that didn’t for a single second fully engage me in the reading. 2.5 stars rounded to 3
October 10, 2023
*Pawn in a Game*
This was a book that gave me chills at how far people will go to cover up a disturbing secret, I guessed early on what was going on but also enjoyed seeing how the pieces came together.
In this instalment we see a seemingly happy couple to the outside world Robert and Laurie Mills. Laurie has taken to drink because of experiencing a traumatic tragedy she has a car crash after receiving some very unwanted news, this results in the loss of her almost full term twins. She survived to the distain of someone who is masquerading as a friend. This friend and Laurie’s husband share a secret that is unsavoury and distasteful. One of Robert’s secrets has pushed Laurie so far that at the annual street barbecue she rages at him airing their dirty laundry, she also utters words that would come back to haunt her, words that someone is counting on….
So when Laurie wakes up covered in blood, how will she ever be able to explain herself and the aftermath of what has happened? Who will ever believe her and her so called best friend is on hand to fill in the blanks.
Roll in DI Dan Riley with his hunches, will he put all the pieces together in time to save a life?…
This was a book that gave me chills at how far people will go to cover up a disturbing secret, I guessed early on what was going on but also enjoyed seeing how the pieces came together.
In this instalment we see a seemingly happy couple to the outside world Robert and Laurie Mills. Laurie has taken to drink because of experiencing a traumatic tragedy she has a car crash after receiving some very unwanted news, this results in the loss of her almost full term twins. She survived to the distain of someone who is masquerading as a friend. This friend and Laurie’s husband share a secret that is unsavoury and distasteful. One of Robert’s secrets has pushed Laurie so far that at the annual street barbecue she rages at him airing their dirty laundry, she also utters words that would come back to haunt her, words that someone is counting on….
So when Laurie wakes up covered in blood, how will she ever be able to explain herself and the aftermath of what has happened? Who will ever believe her and her so called best friend is on hand to fill in the blanks.
Roll in DI Dan Riley with his hunches, will he put all the pieces together in time to save a life?…
December 17, 2022
Did Laurie Mills kill her serial philandering husband?
WARNING: This book is not a "typical" neighborhood mystery.
"The Couple on Cedar Close" is the second book in Anna-Lou Weatherley's Detective Dan Riley series and I am absolutely, positively hooked.
The book was a solid 5-star read with over-the-top police procedurals.
Special thanks to Audible Plus for introducing me to writer Anna-Lou Weatherley and narrator James Lailey.
Narrator James Lailey gave an outstanding performance.
I have just added the entire series to my Audible library.
WARNING: This book is not a "typical" neighborhood mystery.
"The Couple on Cedar Close" is the second book in Anna-Lou Weatherley's Detective Dan Riley series and I am absolutely, positively hooked.
The book was a solid 5-star read with over-the-top police procedurals.
Special thanks to Audible Plus for introducing me to writer Anna-Lou Weatherley and narrator James Lailey.
Narrator James Lailey gave an outstanding performance.
I have just added the entire series to my Audible library.
January 11, 2019
The second book in a mystery series featuring the smart and intuitive Detective Dan Riley.
SUMMARY
Laurie wakes with a start, her head spinning. She’s laying on a bed but not sure where. When she attempts to rise her fingers touch something metal. She pulls herself up and realizes she is wet, and her hands feel slippery. It’s dark, and the light switch doesn’t work. She makes it downstairs to the electric panel and flips the switch. The light floods the room. She looks down and realizes she is covered in blood.
Her estranged husband has been murdered in the guest room of their house, his throat cut and he has multiple stab wounds. Laurie is taken into custody, but she doesn’t remember what happened to Robert. She remember earlier in the evening she had fixed his favorite meal, Beef Wellington, for dinner and had consumed a bottle of wine waiting for him to arrive. But he stood her up. She was furious with him. Could she have killed him? She hasn’t been the same since her accident years ago, she’s become dependent on Valium and alcohol. But did she really kill him?
REVIEW
THE COUPLE ON CEDAR CLOSE is the second book in a series featuring London Detective, Dan Riley. Dan Riley’s character is smart and intuitive and I appreciate his sense of reason in the book. The roles of the women in the book were disappointingly weak. Not a role model among them, except perhaps the nosy blind neighbor Mrs Foster, who delivers the best line in the entire book—“You’ll have to speak slower, Detective. My eyes aren't what they use to be.”
It’s a nice, light detective mystery, and can be read quickly. The writing was good, although the dialog seemed a little cliche at times. Author Anna-Lou Weatherley is a journalist who grew up and lives in London with her partner and two children. The first book in the Dan Riley series is Black Heart, published January 31, 2018. Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherley for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Bookouture
Published January 18, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
SUMMARY
Laurie wakes with a start, her head spinning. She’s laying on a bed but not sure where. When she attempts to rise her fingers touch something metal. She pulls herself up and realizes she is wet, and her hands feel slippery. It’s dark, and the light switch doesn’t work. She makes it downstairs to the electric panel and flips the switch. The light floods the room. She looks down and realizes she is covered in blood.
Her estranged husband has been murdered in the guest room of their house, his throat cut and he has multiple stab wounds. Laurie is taken into custody, but she doesn’t remember what happened to Robert. She remember earlier in the evening she had fixed his favorite meal, Beef Wellington, for dinner and had consumed a bottle of wine waiting for him to arrive. But he stood her up. She was furious with him. Could she have killed him? She hasn’t been the same since her accident years ago, she’s become dependent on Valium and alcohol. But did she really kill him?
REVIEW
THE COUPLE ON CEDAR CLOSE is the second book in a series featuring London Detective, Dan Riley. Dan Riley’s character is smart and intuitive and I appreciate his sense of reason in the book. The roles of the women in the book were disappointingly weak. Not a role model among them, except perhaps the nosy blind neighbor Mrs Foster, who delivers the best line in the entire book—“You’ll have to speak slower, Detective. My eyes aren't what they use to be.”
It’s a nice, light detective mystery, and can be read quickly. The writing was good, although the dialog seemed a little cliche at times. Author Anna-Lou Weatherley is a journalist who grew up and lives in London with her partner and two children. The first book in the Dan Riley series is Black Heart, published January 31, 2018. Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherley for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Bookouture
Published January 18, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
January 12, 2019
The Couple On Cedar Close is the second novel in the Detective Dan Riley series; however, it works perfectly well as a standalone. The highlight of the story is definitely the characters; they are all so real and beautifully flawed. The author makes you care for both the good characters and the bad. You sympathise with the good and despise the bad. It's difficult to comment on the novel without giving away details that I feel should be kept under wraps, so I will keep it purposely vague. I found that you didn't know who to trust throughout the story as most of the characters are untrustworthy, but it didn't take long until I knew exactly what was going on and sadly there were no twists of surprises.
Detective Riley is intelligent, intuitive, compassionate and has a tendency to be stubborn. He's a well-developed character, but what let the novel down was the lack of suspense and the very obvious clues that pointed to the killer early on that I'm pretty sure even a youngster could figure out. The book then focused on the psychology of the killer and why they decided to carry out such a despicable act. Don't get me wrong, the book had a lot of potential and I enjoyed the psychological aspect, the writing was sound and the characters interesting but those positives couldn't make up for the lack of twists and thrills.
Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
Detective Riley is intelligent, intuitive, compassionate and has a tendency to be stubborn. He's a well-developed character, but what let the novel down was the lack of suspense and the very obvious clues that pointed to the killer early on that I'm pretty sure even a youngster could figure out. The book then focused on the psychology of the killer and why they decided to carry out such a despicable act. Don't get me wrong, the book had a lot of potential and I enjoyed the psychological aspect, the writing was sound and the characters interesting but those positives couldn't make up for the lack of twists and thrills.
Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
May 6, 2019
I'd like to thank Bookouture, Anna-Lou Weatherley and NetGalley for approving this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the greatest I've read so far this year! I haven't read the first one in the series, but this worked very fine as a standalone, also.
The story presents us a married couple, Laurie and Robert Mills. But they are about to break up, because Robert is in love with another woman. He wants to marry that woman, but he is afraid of leaving Laurie because she is unstable.
One day they plan a meeting at her house so she thinks that maybe he changed his mind and wants to get back with her. She goes and shop, come home and cook his favourite meal.
But he doesn't arrive, so she starts drinking a lot until she can't remember anything. When she wakes up, all the power is gone and she feels something wet on her dress. She goes to the basement and turn on the electricity. Then she realizes she has blood on her dress.
Changing the point of view, we are now in the head of Daniel Riley, a badass cop that I really loved as a character. Lucy Davis, another great character comes to his office to announce him that a certain Robert Mills was found dead, and the wife called.
Going forward, the details are shown to us - some of them, of course! The story isn't rushing and the characters are relatable. Everyone thinks that Laurie killed her husband because she knew about the affair. So when she comes to the Police Station, she has to talk with Dan, our detective, and the annoying and bad cop, Delaney. Riley is the one who understand her and tries to see the facts without judging too quickly.
From time to time, we get to see another point of view, in the old days. Kiki is the daughter of a family who punishes her and praise their son, Bertie. But Bertie and Kiki are really great friends! He promises her that he will take her out of there and live a happy life together.
I guessed who the murderer was almost from the first quarter of the book. I wasn't sure if I was right, but my detective sense didn't cheated me! The plot is really thick as you continue reading and the ending is very satisfactory!
As I told you earlier, Dan Riley is my new favourite character. He is perfect in my opinion!
This book also reminded me of another one I read in the same month, and that is Little Darlings by Melanie Golding, another ARC from NetGalley. There were times when characters used to say "babe" a lot and that annoyed me a little. Also, the names of the main characters, Laurie Mills and Lauren Tranter. And the detective story was alike in some ways.
But this book is my favourite so far this year!
I highly recommend it to you! 5 STARS!
This book is the greatest I've read so far this year! I haven't read the first one in the series, but this worked very fine as a standalone, also.
The story presents us a married couple, Laurie and Robert Mills. But they are about to break up, because Robert is in love with another woman. He wants to marry that woman, but he is afraid of leaving Laurie because she is unstable.
One day they plan a meeting at her house so she thinks that maybe he changed his mind and wants to get back with her. She goes and shop, come home and cook his favourite meal.
But he doesn't arrive, so she starts drinking a lot until she can't remember anything. When she wakes up, all the power is gone and she feels something wet on her dress. She goes to the basement and turn on the electricity. Then she realizes she has blood on her dress.
Changing the point of view, we are now in the head of Daniel Riley, a badass cop that I really loved as a character. Lucy Davis, another great character comes to his office to announce him that a certain Robert Mills was found dead, and the wife called.
Going forward, the details are shown to us - some of them, of course! The story isn't rushing and the characters are relatable. Everyone thinks that Laurie killed her husband because she knew about the affair. So when she comes to the Police Station, she has to talk with Dan, our detective, and the annoying and bad cop, Delaney. Riley is the one who understand her and tries to see the facts without judging too quickly.
From time to time, we get to see another point of view, in the old days. Kiki is the daughter of a family who punishes her and praise their son, Bertie. But Bertie and Kiki are really great friends! He promises her that he will take her out of there and live a happy life together.
I guessed who the murderer was almost from the first quarter of the book. I wasn't sure if I was right, but my detective sense didn't cheated me! The plot is really thick as you continue reading and the ending is very satisfactory!
As I told you earlier, Dan Riley is my new favourite character. He is perfect in my opinion!
This book also reminded me of another one I read in the same month, and that is Little Darlings by Melanie Golding, another ARC from NetGalley. There were times when characters used to say "babe" a lot and that annoyed me a little. Also, the names of the main characters, Laurie Mills and Lauren Tranter. And the detective story was alike in some ways.
But this book is my favourite so far this year!
I highly recommend it to you! 5 STARS!
May 24, 2023
She vowed, from that day forward, always to look at people's eyes.
🧐 Detective Dan Riley, book #2
Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen.
Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom.
Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands.
She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert.
The trouble is, no one believes her…
**Another great installment of this crime series! 👍👍
🧐 Detective Dan Riley, book #2
Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things don’t happen.
Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom.
Downstairs, in their beautiful kitchen, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands.
She can’t remember the last few hours, but she knows she didn’t kill Robert.
The trouble is, no one believes her…
**Another great installment of this crime series! 👍👍
August 18, 2019
The Couple on Cedar Close is a dark domestic thriller with basically no surprises or twists. Almost from the beginning, it was easy to guess where the story was going and “who-dun-it,” and about halfway through the book, everything is confirmed, so there’s little, if any, element of surprise and no hope for a twisty ending.
Laurie Mills and her husband Robert live on Cedar Close, across the way from her best friend, Monica. Laurie is a traumatized woman, having discovered her husband’s long-term affair, leading to a car accident during Laurie’s pregnancy, causing the loss of twins. The affair continues, and one day Laurie finds that not only has her husband continued the relationship, but the other woman has given birth to a little girl. These things contribute to Laurie spiraling out of control, and when Robert is found murdered, she is the most likely suspect.
There is a backstory involving two other characters, Kiki and Bertie, whose importance become relevant soon into the book. Again, there are not many surprises, and it’s easy to figure out how they play into the drama.
The most interesting character, by far, is the detective on the case, Dan Riley. He is working through his own loss, but seems the most human and a relatable character.
One interesting note: there are a heck of a lot of pregnancies mentioned in this book. If I was told I would be one of the female characters in the story, I would be well-prepared with plenty of contraceptives, as it appears no one else in the book remembers to use any.
Other than the disappointment of figuring out the plot early on, the storyline was interesting enough that I stayed with it throughout. Although figuring out the murderer was easy, I still wanted to know how the story would end, and the conclusion was satisfying.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. 3 solid stars.
Laurie Mills and her husband Robert live on Cedar Close, across the way from her best friend, Monica. Laurie is a traumatized woman, having discovered her husband’s long-term affair, leading to a car accident during Laurie’s pregnancy, causing the loss of twins. The affair continues, and one day Laurie finds that not only has her husband continued the relationship, but the other woman has given birth to a little girl. These things contribute to Laurie spiraling out of control, and when Robert is found murdered, she is the most likely suspect.
There is a backstory involving two other characters, Kiki and Bertie, whose importance become relevant soon into the book. Again, there are not many surprises, and it’s easy to figure out how they play into the drama.
The most interesting character, by far, is the detective on the case, Dan Riley. He is working through his own loss, but seems the most human and a relatable character.
One interesting note: there are a heck of a lot of pregnancies mentioned in this book. If I was told I would be one of the female characters in the story, I would be well-prepared with plenty of contraceptives, as it appears no one else in the book remembers to use any.
Other than the disappointment of figuring out the plot early on, the storyline was interesting enough that I stayed with it throughout. Although figuring out the murderer was easy, I still wanted to know how the story would end, and the conclusion was satisfying.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. 3 solid stars.
January 9, 2019
The Couple on Cedar Close was terrific, 4.5 stars!
First, let me start out by saying, I had no idea that this book was the second book in the Detective Dan Riley Series but as I read, The Couple on Cedar Close, and was falling deeply in love with Dan, the detective with a heart, I was hoping it would turn into a series…because he is amazing…and I was joyous when I discovered it was already part of a series! This can definitely be read as a standalone, I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing pieces of a character or a backstory. This is a VERY big deal for me because I CANNOT read books out of order, I am ‘OCD’ about it so I am very glad that I didn’t know it was the second in the series or I may have missed this book in its entirety. Now, I am going to get on Amazon right after I post this review and buy a copy of, Black Heart, the first in the series. I can’t wait for Anna-Lou Weatherley to write/release book 3 in the detective series.
Also, if anyone wants to talk about the ending- send me a message!!!
Here are some of my favorite lines from the ARC...
"Please know that there is hope, there is help and there is light at the end of the tunnel."
"Trauma has bonded you to him by a chemical addiction. You're an addict..."
Many addicts swap one addiction for another, Laurie. And some people develop another addiction while trying to anesthetize themselves from the first."
You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time..."
***Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of, The Couple on Cedar Close, in exchange for my honest review!
First, let me start out by saying, I had no idea that this book was the second book in the Detective Dan Riley Series but as I read, The Couple on Cedar Close, and was falling deeply in love with Dan, the detective with a heart, I was hoping it would turn into a series…because he is amazing…and I was joyous when I discovered it was already part of a series! This can definitely be read as a standalone, I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing pieces of a character or a backstory. This is a VERY big deal for me because I CANNOT read books out of order, I am ‘OCD’ about it so I am very glad that I didn’t know it was the second in the series or I may have missed this book in its entirety. Now, I am going to get on Amazon right after I post this review and buy a copy of, Black Heart, the first in the series. I can’t wait for Anna-Lou Weatherley to write/release book 3 in the detective series.
Also, if anyone wants to talk about the ending- send me a message!!!
Here are some of my favorite lines from the ARC...
"Please know that there is hope, there is help and there is light at the end of the tunnel."
"Trauma has bonded you to him by a chemical addiction. You're an addict..."
Many addicts swap one addiction for another, Laurie. And some people develop another addiction while trying to anesthetize themselves from the first."
You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time..."
***Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of, The Couple on Cedar Close, in exchange for my honest review!
December 19, 2021
I really didn't enjoy The Couple on Cedar Close.
I found the quality of the writing akin to a piece of GCSE coursework. I struggle to believe it was edited. Cliches are abundent, repetition is overwhelming, the filler packs out a good 60% of the book, the protagonist is a gross pervert and why does every character address everyone else by their name in every sentence of every conversation?
All the characters repeatedly say the same thing twice for no apparent reason (other than to bulk up the word count). It got to the point where I would stop reading most sentences halfway through because the second half of the sentence was just a reiteration of the first half, said slightly differently.
If you read the conversations out loud without all the irrelevant fluff in between, they'd go something like this:
"Agatha, I'm DI Dan Riley,"
"Hi, Dan. I've come about my daughter, about Monica,"
"Why didn't you come earlier, Agatha, why didn't you come before all this happened?"
"I couldn't Dan, I was unable to. I can't tell my husband I'm here, he must never know I came today,"
"It's okay, Agatha, we won't tell him, won't let on that you're here."
"Oh, thank you, Dan, thank you. Have you heard anything about the little girl, about Matilda, his poor mother being murdered, being stabbed, killed in such a violent way, it's heartbreaking, horrible."
"She's alive, Agatha, she survived, she's not dead, she's in the land of the living, thank the Lord, thank God, Agatha, I'm Dan by the way."
"I know, Dan, you already introduced yourself, said hello, told me your name, verbalised your current title. What's the point of this conversation, this tête-à-tête, this clandestine, private meeting that my husband can never discover, hear about, be told of by anyone?"
"Nothing, really, Agatha, it's just a really easy cop-out way of bulking up a very basic plot. You've got great tits, by the way. What are you like in bed?"
The plot was embarrassingly juvenile and paper-thin. I knew who the killer was and why they did it within the first few chapters, and spent the rest of the book waiting for the idiot characters to catch up.
Some of my other reasons for my 2* rating are as follows (in no particular order):
I've read dozens of other books this year that have a lower star rating than this one, and are much, much better.
I found the quality of the writing akin to a piece of GCSE coursework. I struggle to believe it was edited. Cliches are abundent, repetition is overwhelming, the filler packs out a good 60% of the book, the protagonist is a gross pervert and why does every character address everyone else by their name in every sentence of every conversation?
All the characters repeatedly say the same thing twice for no apparent reason (other than to bulk up the word count). It got to the point where I would stop reading most sentences halfway through because the second half of the sentence was just a reiteration of the first half, said slightly differently.
If you read the conversations out loud without all the irrelevant fluff in between, they'd go something like this:
"Agatha, I'm DI Dan Riley,"
"Hi, Dan. I've come about my daughter, about Monica,"
"Why didn't you come earlier, Agatha, why didn't you come before all this happened?"
"I couldn't Dan, I was unable to. I can't tell my husband I'm here, he must never know I came today,"
"It's okay, Agatha, we won't tell him, won't let on that you're here."
"Oh, thank you, Dan, thank you. Have you heard anything about the little girl, about Matilda, his poor mother being murdered, being stabbed, killed in such a violent way, it's heartbreaking, horrible."
"She's alive, Agatha, she survived, she's not dead, she's in the land of the living, thank the Lord, thank God, Agatha, I'm Dan by the way."
"I know, Dan, you already introduced yourself, said hello, told me your name, verbalised your current title. What's the point of this conversation, this tête-à-tête, this clandestine, private meeting that my husband can never discover, hear about, be told of by anyone?"
"Nothing, really, Agatha, it's just a really easy cop-out way of bulking up a very basic plot. You've got great tits, by the way. What are you like in bed?"
The plot was embarrassingly juvenile and paper-thin. I knew who the killer was and why they did it within the first few chapters, and spent the rest of the book waiting for the idiot characters to catch up.
Some of my other reasons for my 2* rating are as follows (in no particular order):
I've read dozens of other books this year that have a lower star rating than this one, and are much, much better.
September 13, 2022
I really only started the audiobook because I wanted something to listen to while cleaning, and it served its purpose, it was alright background noise.
The story had potential, but something about it really annoyed me and it failed to engage me. I didn't care about the characters or how the case would end.
I also didn't read the first one (didn't even know there was a previous book when I came to log this) so maybe that impacted my enjoyment. Maybe I'd like it more if I already read it.
2.5
The story had potential, but something about it really annoyed me and it failed to engage me. I didn't care about the characters or how the case would end.
I also didn't read the first one (didn't even know there was a previous book when I came to log this) so maybe that impacted my enjoyment. Maybe I'd like it more if I already read it.
2.5
February 12, 2020
“But you can’t mimic truth. It exists in itself and it has a way of exposing itself.”
― Anna-Lou Weatherley, The Couple on Cedar Close
So this book was not what I expected AT ALL.
I had thought I was getting a domestic Noir but it is really more of a police procederal/Detective story. That does not mean it isn't good.
Laurie and Robert are estranged and he wants a divorce. Laurie however still loves him.
Robert and Laurie are supposed to have dinner one night when something goes horribly wrong. The police are called. They find Robert dead and Laurie covered in blood. She insists she has no memory of what happened that night.
There is much more but I am not going to do a whole plot summary. Here is the thing. I do not really read many detective stories. It is not one of my preferred genres. So I was going to DNF this.
But then it got me. It "hooked" me. I was into it! This is one of those cases where I almost missed a perfectly good book because of my own judgments.
I really enjoyed the psychological aspect to it. Dan Riley who is the sexy detective on the case, has a conversation with Laurie's therapist that is just spell binding. I dug all the talk about psychology and personality disorders. I really did.
But there are a few things I did not like. One is that the villain is very easy to pick out even before the writer tells us who it is. So this is really not a who done it. Second I just do not like reading about mothers and babies being hurt and/or killed and the book takes a nasty turn in regards to that and I did not care for that aspect at all. Had that not happened this book I may have rated a five because it HOOKED me.
I think that is talent when a writer can hook a reader with her words into a story of a genre she usually does not read. That is why I am giving this 3.5 stars and recommending it.
Oh and Dan Riley? Well there is an afterword from the author about whether the reader fell in love with this self deprecating sexy sarcastic ADORABLE detective and..the answer is yes! Absolutely! 3.5 stars for a fun Detective novel.
― Anna-Lou Weatherley, The Couple on Cedar Close
So this book was not what I expected AT ALL.
I had thought I was getting a domestic Noir but it is really more of a police procederal/Detective story. That does not mean it isn't good.
Laurie and Robert are estranged and he wants a divorce. Laurie however still loves him.
Robert and Laurie are supposed to have dinner one night when something goes horribly wrong. The police are called. They find Robert dead and Laurie covered in blood. She insists she has no memory of what happened that night.
There is much more but I am not going to do a whole plot summary. Here is the thing. I do not really read many detective stories. It is not one of my preferred genres. So I was going to DNF this.
But then it got me. It "hooked" me. I was into it! This is one of those cases where I almost missed a perfectly good book because of my own judgments.
I really enjoyed the psychological aspect to it. Dan Riley who is the sexy detective on the case, has a conversation with Laurie's therapist that is just spell binding. I dug all the talk about psychology and personality disorders. I really did.
But there are a few things I did not like. One is that the villain is very easy to pick out even before the writer tells us who it is. So this is really not a who done it. Second I just do not like reading about mothers and babies being hurt and/or killed and the book takes a nasty turn in regards to that and I did not care for that aspect at all. Had that not happened this book I may have rated a five because it HOOKED me.
I think that is talent when a writer can hook a reader with her words into a story of a genre she usually does not read. That is why I am giving this 3.5 stars and recommending it.
Oh and Dan Riley? Well there is an afterword from the author about whether the reader fell in love with this self deprecating sexy sarcastic ADORABLE detective and..the answer is yes! Absolutely! 3.5 stars for a fun Detective novel.
August 19, 2020
I read this book after seeing several people talk about how much they like this author's mysteries. Often I think detective novels veer towards police procedural over thriller, but that is not the case with this book. It is the second in the series but I had no trouble keeping up, having not read the first.
Laurie and Robert have a marriage that seems okay on the outside, but is filled with lies and deception. This is the norm for them until one day when Laurie spills all at a local BBQ. And then the trouble starts…
Laurie awakens in her guest bed with no memory of the end of the evening before. She remembers waiting for Robert to come home, hoping for a way for them to reconcile his cheating and lies. And now she is alone, wet, and unsure what happened.
And then she hears a phone ringing, and she finds her husband in the bathroom murdered….
Though the police arrest Laurie, DI Riley seems to have doubts about what really happened. And soon he’ll discover that Robert’s death is only the beginning of a twisted mystery…
I enjoyed DI Riley. He is that classic tortured detective that makes police procedurals work. You will kind of have the first book spoiled if you jump in here, but I didn’t mind that. I thought the mystery itself had lots of twists and turns, and had a pretty fast-pace.
I wanted a bit more focus on the suspense aspect personally, but this is a police procedural so it had a lot of that as well. This will work as a standalone novel if you don’t plan to read the first. Overall a solid mystery that I enjoyed!
Thank you Bookouture for my copy! Opinions are my own.
Laurie and Robert have a marriage that seems okay on the outside, but is filled with lies and deception. This is the norm for them until one day when Laurie spills all at a local BBQ. And then the trouble starts…
Laurie awakens in her guest bed with no memory of the end of the evening before. She remembers waiting for Robert to come home, hoping for a way for them to reconcile his cheating and lies. And now she is alone, wet, and unsure what happened.
And then she hears a phone ringing, and she finds her husband in the bathroom murdered….
Though the police arrest Laurie, DI Riley seems to have doubts about what really happened. And soon he’ll discover that Robert’s death is only the beginning of a twisted mystery…
I enjoyed DI Riley. He is that classic tortured detective that makes police procedurals work. You will kind of have the first book spoiled if you jump in here, but I didn’t mind that. I thought the mystery itself had lots of twists and turns, and had a pretty fast-pace.
I wanted a bit more focus on the suspense aspect personally, but this is a police procedural so it had a lot of that as well. This will work as a standalone novel if you don’t plan to read the first. Overall a solid mystery that I enjoyed!
Thank you Bookouture for my copy! Opinions are my own.
January 20, 2019
I may be twisted, I may be turned
Let me talk about the emotions churned
I may be twisted, I may be turned
Let me tell you the scenes savored...
Murder and stabbing
Acid and gagging
Face in bag gasping
Infant left starving...
The book has these enlist
I was in literary bliss
The police and the forensics
The chief and his instincts...
The blind were forgotten
Where the ego deafened
Deviants and psychopaths
Dependents and sociopaths...
Hushed were the words
Incest was the whispers
Wife was arrested
Rest were blighted...
I may be twisted, I may be turned
Tell me o'dear who was a friend
I may be twisted, I may be turned
Anna-Lou Weatherley was the author brilliant!!!
There are a few times when a book makes me break into a song and a dance. And this book did. I certainly did my jig, hmmm..... Not sure if any of you would dance to this beat. But the story calmed my thriller mind to the point that my niggles were silenced.
I could guess the murderer easily, but Anna-Lou's writing kept my interested peaked. It was smooth, the chapters flowed. Even knowing the theme and the plot and the subplots, I couldn't let go of the book.
My vengeant superwoman soul wanted justice, wanted the right killer caught. I had to get to the end in one sitting. I wanted to knock sense into the cops, I could see the evidence and yet they couldn't.... Sheesh my brilliant mind and sheesh those dumb-boyos.
Well, I think you can guess I loved the book, and the book loved me back...
Let me talk about the emotions churned
I may be twisted, I may be turned
Let me tell you the scenes savored...
Murder and stabbing
Acid and gagging
Face in bag gasping
Infant left starving...
The book has these enlist
I was in literary bliss
The police and the forensics
The chief and his instincts...
The blind were forgotten
Where the ego deafened
Deviants and psychopaths
Dependents and sociopaths...
Hushed were the words
Incest was the whispers
Wife was arrested
Rest were blighted...
I may be twisted, I may be turned
Tell me o'dear who was a friend
I may be twisted, I may be turned
Anna-Lou Weatherley was the author brilliant!!!
There are a few times when a book makes me break into a song and a dance. And this book did. I certainly did my jig, hmmm..... Not sure if any of you would dance to this beat. But the story calmed my thriller mind to the point that my niggles were silenced.
I could guess the murderer easily, but Anna-Lou's writing kept my interested peaked. It was smooth, the chapters flowed. Even knowing the theme and the plot and the subplots, I couldn't let go of the book.
My vengeant superwoman soul wanted justice, wanted the right killer caught. I had to get to the end in one sitting. I wanted to knock sense into the cops, I could see the evidence and yet they couldn't.... Sheesh my brilliant mind and sheesh those dumb-boyos.
Well, I think you can guess I loved the book, and the book loved me back...
January 17, 2019
From the first few pages until the last I was utterly gripped into this story. Just who did murder Robert, and was it really the most likely suspect his wife.
It was good to be back with Dan Riley and his team, and I'm not firmly believing this is a series that I will wanting to follow, although this could easily be read as a standalone too - for it is a completely new case.
I've just tried writing this review a couple of ways and each time had to press delete as I've realised there is a giant great big spoiler in what I'm saying, so clearly I can't mention anything about the plot other than it really interested me, and I was absorbed while reading it.
There were some chapters that could be described as rather disturbing, and although I don't believe what the characters were doing was completely illegal, it could leave you with a bit of an icky feeling.
Often in these sorts of books you may have some sympathy for the dead person, but in this case as more and more information came to light, I couldn't help but be very happy that he was a dead man, as he sounded rather unpleasant when alive.
Within the police there seemed to be two trains of thought, one following circumstantial evidence, and the other following a gut feeling of Dan Riley. Was interesting to see the conflict within the team as most people seemed to think Dan was wrong.
The Couple on Cedar Close is an incredibly well plotted, fascinating thriller and one I really enjoyed reading, and given I read the first 20% in bed, I'm glad it didn't disturb my sleep either.
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
It was good to be back with Dan Riley and his team, and I'm not firmly believing this is a series that I will wanting to follow, although this could easily be read as a standalone too - for it is a completely new case.
I've just tried writing this review a couple of ways and each time had to press delete as I've realised there is a giant great big spoiler in what I'm saying, so clearly I can't mention anything about the plot other than it really interested me, and I was absorbed while reading it.
There were some chapters that could be described as rather disturbing, and although I don't believe what the characters were doing was completely illegal, it could leave you with a bit of an icky feeling.
Often in these sorts of books you may have some sympathy for the dead person, but in this case as more and more information came to light, I couldn't help but be very happy that he was a dead man, as he sounded rather unpleasant when alive.
Within the police there seemed to be two trains of thought, one following circumstantial evidence, and the other following a gut feeling of Dan Riley. Was interesting to see the conflict within the team as most people seemed to think Dan was wrong.
The Couple on Cedar Close is an incredibly well plotted, fascinating thriller and one I really enjoyed reading, and given I read the first 20% in bed, I'm glad it didn't disturb my sleep either.
Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
May 29, 2024
Another really solid 3* book. I feel like there hasn’t been as much character development as there has been in other series I’ve read which has meant I haven’t been as invested in this series as I have been in others I’ve read but still very enjoyable with good twists and a solid storyline!
![Profile Image for Terence M - [Quot libros, quam breve tempus!].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1712357414i/6658001._UY200_CR4,0,200,200_.jpg)
April 27, 2024
3.0-Stars - "I Liked It"
Although I had some "health hiatus" interruptions while listening to this book, at the end I thought the story was OK, if a bit too predictable. I "liked it", but not much more than that.
The MMC, Det. Dan Riley, finally overcame the burden that dominated his life in #1, Black Heart, namely the loss of the love of his life, Rachel, two years earlier. The storyline is better for it, although I thought that his lamentations were still intrusive.
Told from several POVs, which I found somewhat distracting, this book deserved quite a bit more attention and concentration than I was capable of giving to it. I thought the denouement was transparent, too drawn-out, and a touch unsatisfying. I will definitely listen to #3, The Stranger's Wife before making a decision to continue further with this series or not.
From my Listening Activity:
Apr 07, 2024 @ 51%: "Pretty good first half of the book. There were plenty of references to Det. Dan Riley's late girlfriend, Rachel, but fortunately they were nowhere near as intrusive as they were in #1, Black Heart."
Apr 24, 2024 @ 52%: "Today, 24 April, '24, I returned from my three weeks "health hiatus" during which I was disinclined to hear or read anything. This is one audiobook I now need to 'reverse skim' so I can refresh my memory of what I heard previously."
Apr 24, 2024 @ 99%: "While performing my 'reverse skim' to refresh my memory of how much I had read, I was surprised to realise that actually I had previously finished the book. An old bloke's 'hiatus' memory loss, I reckon!🙄 Rating and review will follow."
Although I had some "health hiatus" interruptions while listening to this book, at the end I thought the story was OK, if a bit too predictable. I "liked it", but not much more than that.
The MMC, Det. Dan Riley, finally overcame the burden that dominated his life in #1, Black Heart, namely the loss of the love of his life, Rachel, two years earlier. The storyline is better for it, although I thought that his lamentations were still intrusive.
Told from several POVs, which I found somewhat distracting, this book deserved quite a bit more attention and concentration than I was capable of giving to it. I thought the denouement was transparent, too drawn-out, and a touch unsatisfying. I will definitely listen to #3, The Stranger's Wife before making a decision to continue further with this series or not.
From my Listening Activity:
Apr 07, 2024 @ 51%: "Pretty good first half of the book. There were plenty of references to Det. Dan Riley's late girlfriend, Rachel, but fortunately they were nowhere near as intrusive as they were in #1, Black Heart."
Apr 24, 2024 @ 52%: "Today, 24 April, '24, I returned from my three weeks "health hiatus" during which I was disinclined to hear or read anything. This is one audiobook I now need to 'reverse skim' so I can refresh my memory of what I heard previously."
Apr 24, 2024 @ 99%: "While performing my 'reverse skim' to refresh my memory of how much I had read, I was surprised to realise that actually I had previously finished the book. An old bloke's 'hiatus' memory loss, I reckon!🙄 Rating and review will follow."
July 18, 2021
Audio - 5 Stars
Story - 5 Stars
Story - 5 Stars
January 9, 2019
This is like the same old tale, but with a delicious new twist.
Absolutely perfect for fans of marital/relationship, and all other contrasty day-night, good-bad, saint-sinner games of cat and mouse.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
Absolutely perfect for fans of marital/relationship, and all other contrasty day-night, good-bad, saint-sinner games of cat and mouse.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.
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