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heathercottledillon's review against another edition
4.0
If you like gritty thrillers that you can't put down, you really can't do better than this. Bolton does a wonderful job of adding rich characterization to heart-pounding suspense, which is rare. It's definitely not for the faint of heart--some of the descriptions are so intense and horrific that I, being a generally anxious person with a very vivid imagination, was pretty disturbed. Still, I enjoyed the twists and turns, the likes of which I have not experienced for a long time.
claire1044's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
3.0
Started January 12th, 2014.
Instantly gripping, very good start.
Wow! At roughly 50% (per Kindle-Count) there is a 180-degree-like twist. Both for the main story and the Ripper-Case. Did not see this coming nor had I heard before of this explanation.
But, as with some books, it looses steam soon after that (which sometimes even happens in the middle of books from [a:Val McDermid|5672|Val McDermid|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1241725522p2/5672.jpg]).
The romance was obvious from the get-go, and at nearly the same point in the book I can not care about it any more.
Being at more than 80% I cannot wait to finish it.
At this point I guess it will likely be a 3star. Nice try for debut (ehm is it? A short search shows it is not, so not even a nice try).
At least it is british not american, both in the settings and in some of the lesser points ( vinegar when eating french fries, a rather strange taste and only in Britain ...).
Here is hoping for some other twist and a better ending than I expect now.
And also to finish this book soon, maybe today (January 16th, 2014).
Jupp! Some nice twist(s) could not save it from getting only 3 stars.
OK, on the plus side, it is real bloody and lots of gore, torture scenes are rather short, but that is ok for me.
This is as expected for a book which deals with the story of Jack the Ripper. But that is also one of my problems, while I am no real Ripper-know-it-all-fan, something of about 20% of the book is based on a good basic summary and retelling of the facts, problems and most theories about the Ripper-Case.
While parts of the book, up to the 50%-mark mentioned above, and then again near the end, have page-turner-unputdownable quality, the romance felt wrong and bad, unconvincing.
And a few parts dragged along, while not much, it could have been 20-50 pages shorter, most in the second 50%.
As it is, I have also bought the short-novella [b:If Snow Hadn't Fallen|17137551|If Snow Hadn't Fallen (Lacey Flint, #1.5)|S.J. Bolton|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1356026216s/17137551.jpg|23539543].
I will read this fast probably now, but I will not read the next book in the series anytime soon, maybe never.
Three stars might warrant a recommendation, but in this case, not from me.
Instantly gripping, very good start.
Wow! At roughly 50% (per Kindle-Count) there is a 180-degree-like twist. Both for the main story and the Ripper-Case. Did not see this coming nor had I heard before of this explanation.
But, as with some books, it looses steam soon after that (which sometimes even happens in the middle of books from [a:Val McDermid|5672|Val McDermid|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1241725522p2/5672.jpg]).
The romance was obvious from the get-go, and at nearly the same point in the book I can not care about it any more.
Being at more than 80% I cannot wait to finish it.
At this point I guess it will likely be a 3star. Nice try for debut (ehm is it? A short search shows it is not, so not even a nice try).
At least it is british not american, both in the settings and in some of the lesser points ( vinegar when eating french fries, a rather strange taste and only in Britain ...).
Here is hoping for some other twist and a better ending than I expect now.
And also to finish this book soon, maybe today (January 16th, 2014).
Jupp! Some nice twist(s) could not save it from getting only 3 stars.
OK, on the plus side, it is real bloody and lots of gore, torture scenes are rather short, but that is ok for me.
This is as expected for a book which deals with the story of Jack the Ripper. But that is also one of my problems, while I am no real Ripper-know-it-all-fan, something of about 20% of the book is based on a good basic summary and retelling of the facts, problems and most theories about the Ripper-Case.
While parts of the book, up to the 50%-mark mentioned above, and then again near the end, have page-turner-unputdownable quality, the romance felt wrong and bad, unconvincing.
And a few parts dragged along, while not much, it could have been 20-50 pages shorter, most in the second 50%.
As it is, I have also bought the short-novella [b:If Snow Hadn't Fallen|17137551|If Snow Hadn't Fallen (Lacey Flint, #1.5)|S.J. Bolton|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1356026216s/17137551.jpg|23539543].
I will read this fast probably now, but I will not read the next book in the series anytime soon, maybe never.
Three stars might warrant a recommendation, but in this case, not from me.
illusie's review against another edition
3.0
This was a suspenseful fast paced read with unexpected twist. Yet the book just didn't hook me. Some things the main character Lacey did annoyed me. I'm not sure yet if I'll continue reading the series.
ericaalydiaa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
litwithleigh's review against another edition
5.0
Book outlet read #9!! SOUND THE ALARM BECAUSE IT'S A BANGER ALERT!!!!!!!
Writing: 5/5 | Plot: 5/5 | Ending: HER BEST YET/5
THE PLOT
Young detective constable Lacey Flint is whisked into a terrifying Jack the Ripper-esque case that seems to get more personal the deeper she probes.
MY OPINION
WOW. My FIFTH, yep FIFTH, five star read in May #blessed #sometimesstressed. Anyways. Out of all my Sharon Bolton reads, this one is my favourite because the ending kept its shit together. Usually her books go off the chain in the last 15% or so, but this ending worked and I was SHOOKETH.
As if I wasn't excited enough for her upcoming release, [b:The Dark|59743277|The Dark (Lacey Flint, #5)|Sharon J. Bolton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1645966060l/59743277._SY75_.jpg|94088528], now I am bussin at the seams to get my grubby lil mitts on it.
I stan Joesbury and Lacey even though they are toxic. I've already read book #2, and I yeeted book #3 when I realized one of the main POVs was an 11-year-old boy who was helping Lacey solve the crime... absolutely not lmao. So onto #4 it is!
Do yourself a favor and read this series (well maybe not #3 unless you can handle a crime fighting child). Bolton is the ultimate literary crime writer. Sharp wit, informative, and well-paced. This was 400 pages at font size 6 but I gobbled it up even with my MIL in town. She's the only author I'd go over 400 pages for... that's how much I love her.
In one word: BANGERLICIOUS!!!!!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: everything... even the ending was good, nay, GREAT
Cons: nothing. all hail queen bolton
Writing: 5/5 | Plot: 5/5 | Ending: HER BEST YET/5
THE PLOT
Young detective constable Lacey Flint is whisked into a terrifying Jack the Ripper-esque case that seems to get more personal the deeper she probes.
MY OPINION
WOW. My FIFTH, yep FIFTH, five star read in May #blessed #sometimesstressed. Anyways. Out of all my Sharon Bolton reads, this one is my favourite because the ending kept its shit together. Usually her books go off the chain in the last 15% or so, but this ending worked and I was SHOOKETH.
As if I wasn't excited enough for her upcoming release, [b:The Dark|59743277|The Dark (Lacey Flint, #5)|Sharon J. Bolton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1645966060l/59743277._SY75_.jpg|94088528], now I am bussin at the seams to get my grubby lil mitts on it.
I stan Joesbury and Lacey even though they are toxic. I've already read book #2, and I yeeted book #3 when I realized one of the main POVs was an 11-year-old boy who was helping Lacey solve the crime... absolutely not lmao. So onto #4 it is!
Do yourself a favor and read this series (well maybe not #3 unless you can handle a crime fighting child). Bolton is the ultimate literary crime writer. Sharp wit, informative, and well-paced. This was 400 pages at font size 6 but I gobbled it up even with my MIL in town. She's the only author I'd go over 400 pages for... that's how much I love her.
In one word: BANGERLICIOUS!!!!!
PROS AND CONS
Pros: everything... even the ending was good, nay, GREAT
Cons: nothing. all hail queen bolton
karlyo83's review against another edition
4.0
My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ pretty damn good… enjoyable and entertaining!!!
GoodReads Synopsis
One night after interviewing a reluctant witness at a London apartment complex, Lacey Flint, a young detective constable, stumbles onto a woman brutally stabbed just moments before in the building’s darkened parking lot. Within twenty-four hours a reporter receives an anonymous letter that points out alarming similarities between the murder and Jack the Ripper’s first murder—a letter that calls out Lacey by name. If it’s real, and they have a killer bent on re-creating London’s bloody past, history shows they have just five days until the next attempt.
No one believes the connections are anything more than a sadistic killer’s game, not even Lacey, whom the killer seems to be taunting specifically. However, as they investigate the details of the case start reminding her more and more of a part of her past she’d rather keep hidden. And the only way to do that is to catch the killer herself.
What’s that… FOUR STARS oh yes after 6 straight losers I finally hit the jackpot… I was tossing up between 4 and 5 and I have it on good authority that Book 2 (which I am almost halfway through) is better so I have reserved my extra special star for a BETTER book… I have Rose Coloured goggles on a bit with my rating this time because of the aforementioned 6 in a row losing streak!!
However, having said that I did really like this book got into it straight away. A HUGE shoutout to my girl Lit with Leigh, she is always shouting this series from the rooftops and I finally got my life together to try it out and I wasn’t disappointed.
I was really happy with the style of writing, I have read one other of Bolton’s books and it was meh for me (The Pact) it sounded juicy but was a bit of a flop if I am honest … I threw it 3 stars but really… thats a stretch.
This one though is DARKER much darker… I really like that in a thriller and I realise this is a police procedural but there is some dark shit going on… and again (thank you Leigh) I am told that book 2 gets into the darkness in a big way. I am here for that… as a fan on Chris Carter and anyone who reads him you KNOW THE DARKNESS…
I digress… I liked Lacey… was she a dumbass - YES. Did she behave questionably - ABSOLUTELY. But I found it endearing in a way… and I may back after book 5 screaming about how much I hate her but right now let me have this… let me have silly, dumbass Lacey with her cuteness and ABSOLUTELY unbelievable stories… I am happy to let it all slide. It was entertaining this book set out to entertain and thrill - it did that in spades.
I loved the banter between the characters, I loved the drama and the suspense. I was here for the gory bits… which weren’t too over the top but still pretty icky. I was here for the sloooow burn beginnings of a relationship between a superior and Lacey… look is it right… nah but is it entertaining YES it is … I am here for it!!!
I also really liked the TWIST omg that twist… there were a couple and I was so smarty bum with myself like… I know what is going on here… I have this figured out. Well WE GOT YOU B*TCH is what Sharon Bolton did… she tricked my ass big time. My jaw hit the floor so fast I had to run it back.
The prologue was really creepy and why am I mentioning this near the end of my review, well it plays a big part in the ending we are building up to find out who those characters are in the prologue and as it unfolds… well there you go… genius writing it was super well done. To me this is not the same author that wrote the Pact that was basic compared to this.
Are you going to need to throw your disbelief right out the window… of course but that is what these types of thrillers are for. They are entertaining and wild.
Overall I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes this type of genre, give it a whirl see how you go… based on others reviews I would recommend reading in order but I suppose you can roll the dice and do what you like. I have already read book 1.5 (review pending) and I am onto book 2 but I have book trauma now from my 6 in a row of 1 star shit fest so I think Lacey and I are going to get to know each other pretty well.
GoodReads Synopsis
One night after interviewing a reluctant witness at a London apartment complex, Lacey Flint, a young detective constable, stumbles onto a woman brutally stabbed just moments before in the building’s darkened parking lot. Within twenty-four hours a reporter receives an anonymous letter that points out alarming similarities between the murder and Jack the Ripper’s first murder—a letter that calls out Lacey by name. If it’s real, and they have a killer bent on re-creating London’s bloody past, history shows they have just five days until the next attempt.
No one believes the connections are anything more than a sadistic killer’s game, not even Lacey, whom the killer seems to be taunting specifically. However, as they investigate the details of the case start reminding her more and more of a part of her past she’d rather keep hidden. And the only way to do that is to catch the killer herself.
What’s that… FOUR STARS oh yes after 6 straight losers I finally hit the jackpot… I was tossing up between 4 and 5 and I have it on good authority that Book 2 (which I am almost halfway through) is better so I have reserved my extra special star for a BETTER book… I have Rose Coloured goggles on a bit with my rating this time because of the aforementioned 6 in a row losing streak!!
However, having said that I did really like this book got into it straight away. A HUGE shoutout to my girl Lit with Leigh, she is always shouting this series from the rooftops and I finally got my life together to try it out and I wasn’t disappointed.
I was really happy with the style of writing, I have read one other of Bolton’s books and it was meh for me (The Pact) it sounded juicy but was a bit of a flop if I am honest … I threw it 3 stars but really… thats a stretch.
This one though is DARKER much darker… I really like that in a thriller and I realise this is a police procedural but there is some dark shit going on… and again (thank you Leigh) I am told that book 2 gets into the darkness in a big way. I am here for that… as a fan on Chris Carter and anyone who reads him you KNOW THE DARKNESS…
I digress… I liked Lacey… was she a dumbass - YES. Did she behave questionably - ABSOLUTELY. But I found it endearing in a way… and I may back after book 5 screaming about how much I hate her but right now let me have this… let me have silly, dumbass Lacey with her cuteness and ABSOLUTELY unbelievable stories… I am happy to let it all slide. It was entertaining this book set out to entertain and thrill - it did that in spades.
I loved the banter between the characters, I loved the drama and the suspense. I was here for the gory bits… which weren’t too over the top but still pretty icky. I was here for the sloooow burn beginnings of a relationship between a superior and Lacey… look is it right… nah but is it entertaining YES it is … I am here for it!!!
I also really liked the TWIST omg that twist… there were a couple and I was so smarty bum with myself like… I know what is going on here… I have this figured out. Well WE GOT YOU B*TCH is what Sharon Bolton did… she tricked my ass big time. My jaw hit the floor so fast I had to run it back.
The prologue was really creepy and why am I mentioning this near the end of my review, well it plays a big part in the ending we are building up to find out who those characters are in the prologue and as it unfolds… well there you go… genius writing it was super well done. To me this is not the same author that wrote the Pact that was basic compared to this.
Are you going to need to throw your disbelief right out the window… of course but that is what these types of thrillers are for. They are entertaining and wild.
Overall I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes this type of genre, give it a whirl see how you go… based on others reviews I would recommend reading in order but I suppose you can roll the dice and do what you like. I have already read book 1.5 (review pending) and I am onto book 2 but I have book trauma now from my 6 in a row of 1 star shit fest so I think Lacey and I are going to get to know each other pretty well.
thepurplepages's review against another edition
5.0
This book was wild from start to end. It begins with a young female detective witnessing a stabbing right next to her car on her way out from work. From then, it only gets crazier.
There continue to be many more murders and they all seem to have a common theme. It is obvious that the killer is the same in each murder, and they all seem to be modeling that of Jack the Ripper.
Each time the team thinks they have caught the killer, another piece of evidence or another murder or another loophole is presented, proving them wrong once again. And when the murderer is finally revealed, it’s someone who was never expected.
This book is a great read for anyone who enjoys thrillers or murder mysteries. The author is an amazing writer and, though the book is long, never loses the readers’ attention.
This is easily one of my favorite books to this day. I can not wait until my library adds the rest in the series.
There continue to be many more murders and they all seem to have a common theme. It is obvious that the killer is the same in each murder, and they all seem to be modeling that of Jack the Ripper.
Each time the team thinks they have caught the killer, another piece of evidence or another murder or another loophole is presented, proving them wrong once again. And when the murderer is finally revealed, it’s someone who was never expected.
This book is a great read for anyone who enjoys thrillers or murder mysteries. The author is an amazing writer and, though the book is long, never loses the readers’ attention.
This is easily one of my favorite books to this day. I can not wait until my library adds the rest in the series.
celtic67's review against another edition
5.0
This was a brilliant read. Full of tension and twists and turns. Just when you knew what was happening, you were knocked out of your socks by something you never seen coming. A 5 star read!
majaisreading's review against another edition
5.0
First time reading Sharon J. Bolton. I appreciated her writing and enjoyed the story. I really like true crime, however, Jack the Ripper has never really been that interesting to me. This book changed that for me. The modern story mixed with background about Jack the Ripper was very intriguing and the story kept me wanting to read more.
Nice character development and description of background/scenery. The characters were likeable but not boring.
If you like twists, read this one! I thought I had it figured out, but my course of thought changed several times during the book. I will definitely read more by Sharon J. Bolton!
Nice character development and description of background/scenery. The characters were likeable but not boring.
If you like twists, read this one! I thought I had it figured out, but my course of thought changed several times during the book. I will definitely read more by Sharon J. Bolton!