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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
DCS Kat Frank and AI Detective Lock are back in this sequel to In The Blink of An Eye. Their first live case involves a victim found crucified but it is just the beginning. When another man is found dead, their search for the killer becomes even more urgent.
Jo Callaghan is an immensely talented writer who has created something truly special with her characters.
The contrast between Kat and Lock is even more evident by just how human Kat comes across. You feel her every emotion - especially the parts that shine a light on the grief that she lives with every day.
As a huge fan of the first book I had really high hopes for the sequel and I was not disappointed. The plot had me hooked from the very start and I raced through the book, desperate to find out who was behind the murders.
Leave No Trace is another outstanding book in the series and I can't wait to see what happens in the next instalment.
Thank you Simon and Schuster for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I absolutely loved In the Blink of an Eye which I read last year and am so pleased to say that the second in the series is every bit as good.
Kat is back with her team alongside Lock, an artificial intelligence detective. For an AI, Lock has a way of getting into your emotions. Whilst he may not be human or have any emotions for that fact, you kind of have empathy that he misses out on so much of what we take for granted as human beings. Whilst I can see the pros and cons of technology that has taken away a lot of our jobs, there is no doubting that the speed that he can look up things and his endless knowledge is a huge help for the police. Sometimes though, as we discover in the story, you still need a human touch and compassion.
The case was a highly intriguing one where I never expected the outcome which came as a complete shock. I was so sure I had guessed the killer correctly a couple of times which I’m sure is the author’s intention but when you realise, as does the team, who it is, woah, I had not seen that coming at all! It’s very much a race against time in more ways than one as not only do they need to catch the killer before they strike again, there is also the outside threat of the case being taken them off them. It all adds to the tension and suspense which gets the adrenaline going.
Leave No Trace is a brilliant follow up to what was one of my favourite reads from last year. I was slightly worried with such a strong first book in a series, that my expectations for the second may be too high but Jo Callaghan knocked it out of the park again. There is all the thrills and excitement I would expect in this genre and so much more. I love Kat and she is someone readers can fully get behind with juggling her home and work life. Lock does threaten to steal the lime light at times and in fact he probably does but he adds a certain je ne sais quoi. Absolutely loved it!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Really enjoyed book 1 and was lucky again to receive a copy of book 2.
We are back with DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock - this time they've put on a live case. A man is found on top of a hill, naked, crucified and his ears removed. With very little to go on they need to work fast. When another man is then murdered a warning is sent out for the men of Nuneaton not to be out alone.
It was good for them to be on a live case and see how relevant AIDE is to the day to day workings of solving a case. There wasn't as much humour between him and Kat this time, but I think that was the right thing to do as wouldn't fit in with the seriousness of the case. Good to see Kat's team back and the introduction of a medical examiner. All the characters are quite diverse, but seem to gel together well.
It took me a while to work out who the murderer was and I was actually quite pleased that it was AIDE who figured it out or god knows how many dead bodies there would have been.
The cliffhanger at the end has got me excited for book 3.
We are back with DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock - this time they've put on a live case. A man is found on top of a hill, naked, crucified and his ears removed. With very little to go on they need to work fast. When another man is then murdered a warning is sent out for the men of Nuneaton not to be out alone.
It was good for them to be on a live case and see how relevant AIDE is to the day to day workings of solving a case. There wasn't as much humour between him and Kat this time, but I think that was the right thing to do as wouldn't fit in with the seriousness of the case. Good to see Kat's team back and the introduction of a medical examiner. All the characters are quite diverse, but seem to gel together well.
It took me a while to work out who the murderer was and I was actually quite pleased that it was AIDE who figured it out or god knows how many dead bodies there would have been.
The cliffhanger at the end has got me excited for book 3.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I have only recently listened to the first book in the series called ‘The Blink of an eye’, so I couldn’t wait to read the second book in the Kat and Lock series Leave no trace.
We are now back with DS Kate Frank and Aide Lock of the future Policing unit with their first live case. A man is found crucified on the top of Mount Judd. It is a gruesome and macabre scene, and they work tirelessly to find the killer, but it deems difficult when everyone has trampled over the scene.
When another body turns up Kat knows she has a serial killer on her hands and there is a race against time before the killer strikes again. There is also tension rising from the locals as the details of the death has been posted on social media.
This is another compelling Police procedural and quite unique than others I have read with the mix of drama and science fiction and got me thinking is this going to be the real future of Policing. I like the relationship of Kat and Lock. With them both bouncing ideas and learning of each other and found it quite funny in places too. They are both such likable characters. This is another fascinating read and I can’t wait to hear more about these two. 5 stars from me.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an eARC of "Leave No Trace" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
I really enjoyed In The Blink of an Eye when I read it last year and as soon as I knew a second book was coming I knew I had to get my hands on it and boy, did it ever surpass expectations. This instalment of the Kat and Lock series is a fantastic follow up that for me was more well rounded and balanced than the first with a dark and thrilling case plus interesting and thoughtful commentary on the nature of identity especially in relation to AIDE Lock.
In this case DCS Kat Frank and Lock are finally able to investigate current events - a man has been found on a hilltop crucified with his ears cut off. With few leads and a race against time to solve this murder before more victims are found, the team have to battle the elements, the press and political pressure to ensure success.
I loved how current and modern this felt, including the slightly futuristic technology as well as the messaging around female and male safety, use of pronouns and ideas of found family and friendship. I love the diversity of characters and viewpoints including those of the more 'old school' Frank and her boss McLeish who are trying to adapt and get comfortable with the nature of AI Detection but also recognise that they risk becoming relics of a bygone age if they don't move forward (albeit begrudgingly). It's a very timely discussion considering the current implications of AI in modern life and the morality aspects of utilising such technology. I think the author has done a fantastic job of balancing out the viewpoints showing the positive and negative aspects whilst using these characters as a voice for the wider world at large.
This book overall is a wonderful mix of crime thriller/mystery with a fantastically dark, twisting and intriguing case which perfectly balances plot and character. The team is growing, personalities are becoming more rounded and formed and I'm finding myself becoming very quickly attached to them and their lives.
I was so pleased to see that 2 more books in the series have been commissioned and eagerly await those next instalments in the future as with plots and characters like these who wouldn't want to read more?!!
Leave No Trace is released on March 28th 2024
I really enjoyed In The Blink of an Eye when I read it last year and as soon as I knew a second book was coming I knew I had to get my hands on it and boy, did it ever surpass expectations. This instalment of the Kat and Lock series is a fantastic follow up that for me was more well rounded and balanced than the first with a dark and thrilling case plus interesting and thoughtful commentary on the nature of identity especially in relation to AIDE Lock.
In this case DCS Kat Frank and Lock are finally able to investigate current events - a man has been found on a hilltop crucified with his ears cut off. With few leads and a race against time to solve this murder before more victims are found, the team have to battle the elements, the press and political pressure to ensure success.
I loved how current and modern this felt, including the slightly futuristic technology as well as the messaging around female and male safety, use of pronouns and ideas of found family and friendship. I love the diversity of characters and viewpoints including those of the more 'old school' Frank and her boss McLeish who are trying to adapt and get comfortable with the nature of AI Detection but also recognise that they risk becoming relics of a bygone age if they don't move forward (albeit begrudgingly). It's a very timely discussion considering the current implications of AI in modern life and the morality aspects of utilising such technology. I think the author has done a fantastic job of balancing out the viewpoints showing the positive and negative aspects whilst using these characters as a voice for the wider world at large.
This book overall is a wonderful mix of crime thriller/mystery with a fantastically dark, twisting and intriguing case which perfectly balances plot and character. The team is growing, personalities are becoming more rounded and formed and I'm finding myself becoming very quickly attached to them and their lives.
I was so pleased to see that 2 more books in the series have been commissioned and eagerly await those next instalments in the future as with plots and characters like these who wouldn't want to read more?!!
Leave No Trace is released on March 28th 2024
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ARC REVIEW
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Suicide
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
DCS Kat and AIDE Lock are back and this time they are on the hunt for a killer on a live case rather than a cold one.
The second from this author and I loved being back with DCS Kat and AIDE Lock. The dynamic between the human Kat and AI Lock is fascinating to me and the author creates the tension and fores and against so well, giving plenty of discussion topics if you read this for a book club.
The premise is so clever, turning what is usual behaviour for women - don't walk alone, tell someone where you are etc - on its head and seeing how the men react to the same messages.
I did find this a little slow to get into, but I was soon engrossed in this game of cat and mouse. Already looking forward to book 3.
The second from this author and I loved being back with DCS Kat and AIDE Lock. The dynamic between the human Kat and AI Lock is fascinating to me and the author creates the tension and fores and against so well, giving plenty of discussion topics if you read this for a book club.
The premise is so clever, turning what is usual behaviour for women - don't walk alone, tell someone where you are etc - on its head and seeing how the men react to the same messages.
I did find this a little slow to get into, but I was soon engrossed in this game of cat and mouse. Already looking forward to book 3.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated