Blog Tour: Come and Find Me by Sarah Hilary

Today, I’m super pleased to be closing the blog tour for Sarah Hilary’s new novel Come and Find Me, published by Headline.

Blurb:

On the surface, Lara Chorley and Ruth Hull have nothing in common, other than their infatuation with Michael Vokey. Each is writing to a sadistic inmate, sharing her secrets, whispering her worst fears, craving his attention.

DI Marnie Rome understands obsession. She’s finding it hard to give up her own addiction to a dangerous man: her foster brother, Stephen Keele. She wasn’t able to save her parents from Stephen. She lives with that guilt every day.

As the hunt for Vokey gathers pace, Marnie fears one of the women may have found him – and is about to pay the ultimate price.

 

What I Say:

This is the fifth novel in the DI Marnie Rome series which sees Marnie Rome and Noah Jake faced with a new evil. A new evil which seems to come from an escaped prisoner, Michael Vokey, who’s sadistic infatuations is just the tip of the iceberg.

The novel opens with such a vivid description it had me gripped – I couldn’t put it down until I had finished this novel.

Again, we see DI Marnie Rome trying to understand and increasingly becoming more and more entangled in the web which is her foster brother’s sick mind, as she grapples with her parents murder. Whereas her partner, DS Noah Jake is also dealing with his own guilt regarding his brother which he just can’t shake.

I really don’t want to give too much away as it will reveal too much of the twisty plot but what I can say is – it is yet another cracking read. I have always enjoyed this series with it’s strong characterisation, social commentary and compelling but twisty plots – and this one was no different. The author’s storytelling and descriptions of London really brings this novel and series to life, to the point you feel you are there right in the action. I also adore the characters of Marnie Rome and Noah Jake and their strong friendship which is at the heart of these books.

This novel doesn’t shy away from hard hitting themes regarding over crowded prisons and the problems which the inmates are facing on a daily basis as well as the psychological aspects of crimes. This makes the social commentary, and the plot even more realistic.

If you haven’t read any of Sarah Hilary’s books I would recommend starting from the very beginning. If you haven’t yet read this novel in the series – where have you been? I would highly recommend!

About the Author:

Sarah Hilary’s debut, Someone Else’s Skin, won the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2015 and was a World Book Night selection for 2016. The Observer’s Book of the Month (‘superbly disturbing’) and a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller, it has been published worldwide. No Other Darkness, the second in the series was shortlisted for a Barry Award in the US. Her DI Marnie Rome series continued with Tastes Like Fear, and Quieter Than Killing.

To find out more about Sarah Hilary follow her on Twitter @sarah_hilary.

Come and Find Me is out now and can be purchased via Amazon here or Waterstones here.

A massive thanks to Anne Cater and Headline for allowing me to be a part of this tour.

Killer Review: Quieter Than Killing by Sarah Hilary

Blurb:

It’s winter, the nights are dark and freezing, and a series of seemingly random assaults is pulling DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake out onto streets of London. When Marnie’s family home is ransacked, there are signs that the burglary can have only been committed by someone who knows her. Then a child goes missing, yet no-one has reported it. Suddenly, events seem connected, and it’s personal.

Someone out there is playing games. It is time for both Marnie and Noah to face the truth about the creeping, chilling reaches of a troubled upbringing. Keeping quiet can be a means of survival, but the effects can be as terrible as killing.

Oh my – I cannot begin to describe how awesome this novel is! I read this in one weekend, I was so engrossed I forgot to watch the England Rugby match on TV (which I usually never miss).

Quieter Than Killing is the forth installment in the DI Marnie Rome series which sees Marnie and her partner Noah trying to piece together a number of assaults which are escalating in violence. But as they delve deeper and uncover a number of chilling secrets, they realise the culprit has plans which they could never have imagined…

I do think this is one of her best yet, it is chilling and disturbing which really captures the fear of the victims. The sub-plots with Marnie’s foster brother and Noah’s troubled brother also come to the forefront of this novel which I found fascinating – I couldn’t wait to see what happened! The investigation itself focuses on Marnie having to deal with a vigilante who is attacking ex-convicts, teenage gangs, a missing child no-one knows is missing and convicts with a grudge – which kept me on the edge of my seat.

I really enjoyed the bleak descriptions of a harsh London winter which the author depicts, creating a chilling and haunting atmosphere for the characters.

The main protagonist DI Marnie Rome is at her very best in this novel, she isn’t your stereotypical detective – she evokes sympathy for the victims and has a gritty determination to see the job through not matter what even though she is struggling to come to terms with the murder of her parents. One of the things I love about this series is Marnie’s relationship with Noah – they bounce off each other and their friendship is at the heart of this novel.

For anyone who hasn’t read this series yet, I would highly recommend. Sarah manages to weave an effortless plot, has hard hitting themes and strong and lovable characters who you can’t help rooting for.

I loved loved loved this book and cannot recommend this enough. It has everything you can want from a gritty police procedural; surprising twists and shocking truths, a compelling plot and a fantastic cast of characters who you can get under your skin in a number of ways.

I am a massive fan of Sarah’s novels and this one didn’t disappoint. If anything I can’t wait for book five.

This novel isn’t out until 9th March but the good news is you can preorder this book from Amazon just click here

Or to preorder this book from Waterstones click here.
To find out more about Sarah Hilary follow her on Twitter at @sarah_hilary

Thriller Review: Someone Else’s Skin by Sarah Hilary

First line: ‘They’ve cordoned off the house by the time she gets home. A uniformed stranger is unwinding police tape, methodically.’

What the blurb says: Called to a woman’s refuge to take a routine witness statement, DI Marnie Rome instead walks in on an attempted murder.

Trying to uncover the truth from layers of secrets, Marnie finds herself confronting her own demons.
Because she, of all people, knows that it can be those closest to us we should fear the most. . .

This is the first novel in the DI Marnie Rome series which starts off with a bang – it opens with her visiting the crime scene of her parents’ murder. Fast forward five years and DI Marnie Rome and DS Noah Jake go to question a potential witness at a women’s refuge only to walk-in on an attempted murder. As the novel progresses both officers becoming increasingly embroiled in the lives of the women in the refuge and what started off as a simple routine case turns into a fight for life and death.

I particularly find the character of Marnie Rome fascinating. She is a strong, tough new female officer who is battling her own conscience about her parents’ murder and has a vulnerable side – which makes her very likeable and down-to-earth. The novel evokes a lot of sympathy for the characters but I think it is largely due to the character of Rome who has a real sense of empathy for others which gets her into trouble at times.

I loved this book which creates a lot of imagery and provides vivid detail about domestic violence but still manages to keep it relevant to the plot. It is a story packed full of pace, suspense and tension with a tightly weaved plot which takes the reader on a thrilling yet emotional ride.

This is a must-read and it’s easy to see why this won the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year in 2015. I can’t wait to read the next instalment in the Marnie Rome series.

To buy this book on Amazon click here

To buy this book on Waterstones click here

To find out more about Sarah Hilary follow her on Twitter @sarah_hilary or visit her website here