K. A. Richardson

I knew from the cover and the title that this was going to be dark and creepy but I didn't realise just how much it would unnerve me. I haven't read any of the previous books in the series so I can definitely say that this book can be read as a standalone, although there are a few references to previous events that I suspect happened in the earlier books. It didn't affect my enjoyment of this book in any way as the author is so skilled at seamlessly weaving enough of the back-story into the narrative to flesh out the characters I was encountering for the first time.

TJ Tully wants to expand her riding stables into the woods surrounding her property but somebody already thinks of the woods as their own and they have invested lots of time in burying their 'angels' under the woods. The killer will do anything to keep this special place as there are still angels to collect and bury there. TJ seems to have a run of bad luck after a break in and a fire threaten to destroy her stables but there is worse to come and even her angry busybody neighbour can't escape the cruel hand of Lady (Bad) Luck.

CSI Jackson Doherty has a lot on his plate; Jackson is called on to investigate the strange events at TJ's stables but he can't seem to escape his personal life. After a one night stand, he's landed himself with a stalker, Nikki. Nikki seems to know his every movements and turns up at the most unlikely of places when she perceives TJ to be a threat to her happily ever after with Jackson. I loved this aspect to the story; Nikki is an absolute fruitcake!

What I loved about Under the Woods (apart from it being set in my native North East) is that you don't have to wait until the end for a big reveal; the killer is revealed about two thirds of the way through. You might expect the pace to drop after that but it is actually the complete opposite as the danger levels seemed to increase to epic proportions. Once I knew who was collecting these 'angels', I felt as if the story became even more creepy (if that's even possible, as it's pretty creepy to start with). I felt my heart rate quicken and I even began holding my breath at times as the killer's confidence seemed to grow as time went on.

With K.A. Richardson's remarkable attention to gruesome detail, Under the Woods is a Creepfest with a capital C; I can feel my heart pounding just thinking about it. It's one of those books that you live and breathe with every page and definitely one to read with all the lights on or you'll find yourself jumping at shadows. K.A. Richardson's Under the Woods totally creeped me out and I enjoyed every minute of it. I certainly won't be going down to the woods anytime soon.

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

How have I gone through the last year without picking up a book by K.A. Richardson? After seeing so many excellent reviews, it was something that I was quick to remedy and bought all 3 books after meeting the author herself. I have to say that on picking up With Deadly Intent, I found it IMPOSSIBLE to put down and read it in one day. So please clear your diary before picking up this book!

Cass Hunt is a Crime Scene Manager for Sunderland police force. Cass suffers from nightmares about something that happened in her past, making her a fragile and interesting character. Who better to break down her barriers than DCI Alex McKay? Alex and Cass are very similar; they both keep their private lives and professional lives very separate. As much as they try to fight the magnetic pull that draws them together, however, we know that is one battle they won't win.

Sunderland police force are in the midst of investigating a serial killer who always seems to be one step ahead of them. Only one clue is left behind at each murder scene which has the police puzzled. As they investigate each murder, the killer gets closer and closer to claiming one of their own. Can they crack the clues before the time runs out?

On the anniversary of its publication, I picked up With Deadly Intent as my Easter weekend read, not thinking for a moment that I would finish it on the first day of the holiday. So fast-paced, gripping and at times gruesome, this is a book and a half. I am astonished that it is a debut and cannot wait to read the next books in the series.… (altro)

K.A. Richardson has taken a mini-break from her native North East and has set her latest novel in Edinburgh. Although I have been, I don't know Edinburgh well whereas I know the North East as it is my home. What I found amazing is that I felt as if I knew Edinburgh as well as the North East, as K.A. Richardson has painted the dark grisly streets of Edinburgh in an equally vivid light.

I loved the psychic element in From the Dark; Antonia is such a colourful character having been shunned by the Romani community and rekindling her schoolgirl crush on Mark McKay. There's a killer in the vaults beneath Edinburgh's ancient streets and Antonia seems to be able to tap into the psychic energy, giving her details that she couldn't possibly know. When she goes to the police, she is worried that they won't believe her but she sees a familiar face there in old schoolfriend, Mark McKay. Mark is surprised that he believes Antonia's visions so quickly, but they are so accurate that he has little choice. Working together, they race against the clock to catch the killer before he turns his sights on one of them.

Wow! What a thriller! I felt as if I had partaken in a tour of the Edinburgh vaults myself due to the seriously impressive scene setting that K.A. Richardson does with her wonderfully expressive words. It is pretty dark and grisly in parts; there were some scenes of torture that made me recoil in horror and my stomach is lurching just thinking about it. I'm not squeamish at all but it really is written so vividly that I could almost see, hear and feel everything that was happening.

Dark by name and dark by nature, From the Dark is a spooky, spine-tingling thriller with a supernatural edge that had me riveted from start to finish. If you haven't discovered K.A. Richardson yet, pick up From the Dark today and you'll be hooked...in more ways than one!

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