Angela Clarke (1)

Watch Me is the sequel to Follow me and as I hadn't read the first book was this my first introduction to DS Nasreen Cudmore and journalist Freddie Venton. I optioned to listen to the audio version of the book and it was in hindsight perhaps not the best thing, Now both Nasren and Freddie are quite young, in the early twenties, and there is nothing wrong with that, it's just that Imogen Wilde made them sound like they were much younger than that. And, I'm sorry to say I just had some trouble taken them serious as a DS and an (ex)journalist. It's interesting how a narrator can affect the book in that way. I just want to stress that there is nothing wrong with Imogen Wildes voice. I just felt it didn't really suit this book.

As for the story. It was OK. The media angle, hacking, Snapchat, Facebook the constant awareness where you are through updates. That makes you an easy target. And, it's a perfect instrument for a crime plot. Nasreen and Freddie both know the effect of bullying and that makes this case very personal for them. It also gets a lot more personal when a colleague's sisters get kidnapped and they got 24 hours to find her.

I found the last part of the book the best when the pace started to increase when things started to both unravel and be revealed (keeping secrets is never good). As I wrote before I found the narrator not perfect for the characters, however, I did like Nasreen and Freddie and their friendship. It's a perfectly alright book and it's a series I would definitely read more from.… (altro)

This was an amazing debut by Angela Clarke, cleverly utilising the modern day obsession with social media. I loved the acronyms at the start of each chapter, some I knew like OMG and BTW and others I had never heard of such as FOMO (fear of missing out). The chapters are quite short and the fast pace of the book means that it falls into the never ending loop of 'just one more chapter'.

Freddie is a journalist who thinks in headlines. Everything that happens to her causes a headline to jump into her head, especially when she gets caught up in the #Murderer case. As she gets more involved in the investigation, the headline thoughts stop as she sheds her journalist skin and becomes a social-media advisor to the police. It was fascinating to see Freddie evolve from a headline grabbing journalist to a compassionate human being.

When she meets up with her old friend, Nasreen, who is now a police officer, there is the added intrigue of what happened when they were younger to make them lose touch with each other. It was excellent how the social media theme ran throughout the book, as I know all too well about the dangers of Facebook comments being taken the wrong way.

I had no idea who the #Murderer was and, at one time or another, my suspicions fell on almost everybody in the book as I looked at people close to Freddie for any hint or clue that they may have left. It was a complete surprise when the #Murderer was revealed and I applaud Angela Clarke for successfully throwing me off the scent.

This is a fast-paced modern social media murder tale that had me on the edge of my seat throughout. An absolutely cracking debut from Angela Clarke and I look forward to reading more from her.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Avon, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.… (altro)

This was a slower story than I was expecting. Oddly it took longer to get into and longer to read than I expected initially. The details were great and I enjoyed the style of writing and chapters had good break points for me (very episodic and good places to reach each time). The book reads ok for its technology and references but I did feel it would get out of date very quickly and seem a bit odd in a couple of years as it relies on a very specific period in time. I found the main character a bit hard to relate to and her affected personality a bit cliched (especially in the beginning) but otherwise it was a good read. As "find the killer" goes it was a version that actually improved as it went on and a few good options were left breadcrumbs which I liked. Worth the read if you want a very topical approach to an old idea. I think this would transfer very well to a mini series on television.… (altro)

Once again I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle copy of this book to read and impartially review, and introducing me to another new Author and an excellent book.
Framed. Imprisoned. Pregnant.
Jenna thought she had the perfect life: a loving fiancé, a great job, a beautiful home. Then she finds her stepdaughter murdered; her partner missing.
And the police think she did it...
Locked up to await trial, surrounded by prisoners who'd hurt her if they knew what she's accused of, certain someone close to her has framed her, Jenna knows what she needs to do:
Clear her name
Save her baby
Find the killer
But can she do it in time?
So states the blurb associated with this book which initially aroused my interest, and i am glad it did, this is a quality read, the majority of which is set in the claustrophobic confines of a prison cell.
Atmospheric tense and with a real sense of menace, the reader cannot help but sympathise and worry for our heroine and her fellow pregnant cellmate. Gripping from the first page and a real page turner, with a surprising amount of twists and turns, as Jenna tries to unravel the mystery of whodunnit. The characters are so real and well drawn they almost leap off the page, and there are some set pieces which draw you in and make you feel a part of the scene. Authentic gritty and with a feeling of menace, but also at times funny, this is a terrific read which i heartily recommend.… (altro)