Title | : | Evil Crimes (DCI Sophie Allen #6) |
Author | : | |
Rating | : | |
ISBN | : | - |
Language | : | English |
Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
Number of Pages | : | 255 |
Publication | : | First published November 24, 2017 |
A young man's body is spotted in the stormy sea off Dancing Ledge in Dorset.
Did he lose his footing in the gale force winds and fall in? Or is there a more sinister cause of death?
Detective Sophie Allen's team discover some curious links to a suicide that happened six months earlier.
A strikingly attractive female student connects the cases. Alarming facts slowly come to light as the team probes more deeply.
Is the young woman as evil as she seems or is someone else manipulating her?
DCI Sophie Allen races against time to uncover the tragic secrets behind the crimes and stop any more deaths.
If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Colin Dexter, Ruth Rendell, or Mark Billingham you will be gripped by this exciting new crime fiction writer.
EVIL CRIMES is book six of a new series of crime thrillers featuring DCI Sophie Allen, head of the Violent Crime Unit in Dorset.
Evil Crimes (DCI Sophie Allen #6) Reviews
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EXCERPT: . . . I think she's convinced herself that there might be something wrong, and she wants to nip it in the bud before we have another death on our hands. If it is the same woman behind these two deaths, then she's right to push hard. Killers can soon get addicted to what they do. The boss is worried that she might have already chosen another victim. If that's the case, it's a race and we're handicapped because there's so much we don't yet know.
THE BLURB: A young man's body is spotted in the stormy sea off Dancing Ledge in Dorset.
Did he lose his footing in the gale force winds and fall in? Or is there a more sinister cause of death?
Detective Sophie Allen's team discover some curious links to a suicide that happened six months earlier.
A strikingly attractive female student connects the cases. Alarming facts slowly come to light as the team probes more deeply.
Is the young woman as evil as she seems or is someone else manipulating her?
DCI Sophie Allen races against time to uncover the tragic secrets behind the crimes and stop any more deaths.
MY THOUGHTS: How have I previously missed out on Michael Hambling? How many times have I said that I wished someone would give me a strong female lead detective who isn't carrying loads of baggage and lives a relatively normal life? A female Alan Banks.
Well, here she is. DCI Sophie Allen is happily married to the father of her two daughters, one coming up eighteen, the other a little older. She has a great relationship with both her daughters and with her mother, who’s quite a colorful character. She works well with her team. A nice woman who gets the job done. A breath of fresh air!
And if you think that sounds boring, you'd be wrong. The characters are well portrayed, the plot unusual and interesting. I liked this so much that I am planning to gorge myself on the earlier books in the series over the Christmas break.
And, in case you are wondering, Evil Crimes works perfectly well as a stand alone.
Thank you to Joffe Books via Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of Evil Crimes by Michael Hambling for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/... -
This is the 6th book in the DCI Sophie Allen series.
A middle aged woman commits suicide and the police have now closed the case. Her brother later discovers her diary and it contains strange notes about someone named H. He takes it to the police. A man's body is found in the sea in Dancing Ledge, Dorset. Had he lost his footing? Was he pushed? Or is it another suicide?
This is another good read from the author. The pace is steady and the plot is good. The book is full of twists and it has a satisfying ending. Although this book is part of a series it can be read as a standalone.
I would like to thank Joffe Books and the author Michael Hambling for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
After the body of a young man is spotted in the stormy sea of Dancing Ledge In Dorset,Detective Sophie Allen and her team finds themselves caught up in a complex case involving blackmail,secrets,lies,manipulation and murder.
They soon discover some curious links to a suicide that happened six months earlier.The connection between the two cases seems to be a strikingly attractive female student.As the team probes deeper into the deaths alarming facts slowly come to light.
Sophie and her team race against time to uncover the tragic secrets behind the crimes and stop any more deaths.
This is a fast paced,twist packed,well written,gripping thriller that is quite dark at times.The plot is Intreguing and keep me guessing and frantically turning the pages,totally engrossed in the story that was unfolding before my eyes.The characters where a diverse,mixed bag of well developed,realistic personalities.I liked Sophie and her team,they worked well together and it made a nice change that they socialized outside of work as well.My absolute favourite character was Sergeant Rose Simons,her witty and sarcastic comments where really funny,she wasn't in the book enough for my liking.
Although this is the sixth book in the series,it can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone.I haven't read any of the previous titles but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this riveting thriller.
Many thanks to Joffe book and Jill Burkinshaw for a arc of this book in exchange for a honest review -
Book 6 in this crime thriller series has Sophie Allen and her team investigating suicides that could actually have been murder.
One young man fell off a cliff's ledge. An older woman was found hanging from a beam in her home. The only thing they had in common was a woman with long red hair.
The more they dig, the more facts come to light. And then another death takes them all by surprise.
Although part of a series, this one does quite well as a stand alone. I would recommend starting with the first book ..perhaps a marathon reading. It's a terrific way of getting to know not only Sophie, but her entire team.
The author has done a great job with characterization. Narratives and conversations are smooth flowing with a great deal of credibility. There are twists and turns leading to a startling conclusion. Crime buffs will immensely enjoy this one.
Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. -
This is a 4.5 star read.
I received an ARC of this novel directly from the author and publisher Joffe Books. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book, and the gifting in no way determines my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.
The sixth book in the series, I was dropped into the deep end a bit with no prior knowledge of the characters but I feel this book works quite well as a standalone, although it's killing me to know more about the character Rae. I've never come across a trans character in a novel that is so completely normal and the author has done an exemplary job in creating a character so life-like and compelling.
To say I was completely riveted by this story would be an understatement! The plot was enticing and fresh, and once I'd "opened" the book I couldn't put it down. (Save for day to day living, which was really rude to interrupt 😂) The pacing was tight, which was one of the reasons the book was such a quick read, the other being the incredibly life-like characters of the investigation team - all completely normal with no hangups or damaged psyches, which is the first time I've come across that in a police procedural/crime series. It was so refreshing to just concentrate on the crimes themselves.
And what of Harriet? Firstly, although she was a manipulative antagonist, I couldn't help but be intrigued by her story. Then as the novel progressed and I began to understand the reasons for her behaviour I started feeling a little sorry for the shitty life fate had dealt her. Then all of a sudden, right out of left field, the author hit me with a stunning twist that left me completely shocked! What happened and who is ultimately guilty of the crime? Well, you'll just have to find out for yourself - you won't be disappointed!!
I'm now off to add the first two of the author's series to my TBR list. -
Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for this ARC.
While I enjoyed the story, the characters felt somewhat flat to me. I have not read the previous books in the series, so that may be partly why the characters (Sophie in particular) felt underdeveloped. There was also some politically "correctness" / aspects that I felt detracted from the story line as well.
It was a good story though and moved along at a decent pace. -
This is the first book I have read by Michael and it is part of a series. It does work very well as stand-alone and his website has a very informative section on the characters which enabled me to learn about them before reading the book.
The story begins with a suicide pact, or is it? From there the intrigue begins and continues all the way through the book to a jaw dropping finale. There are twists and turns with plenty of false leads that all work together very well to create a story that has the reader continuing to turn the pages.
In the background there are issues that are examined and discussed that bring a very interesting human aspect to the characters and the story.
The book is very well written and an excellent read. I will certainly be reading the back list to this series and look forward to the next book. -
*Thank you to Jill Burkinshaw and the team at Joffe Books for the copy which I received in exchange for an honest review*
A body is found in what appears to be a suicide in the stormy seas. Sophie Allen and her team are called to investigate, and while investigating find some clues that link it to an earlier suicide. They begin to get suspicious, especially as a striking young female is involved. Were they suicides? Is the young woman a murderer? Or is she being manipulated or framed?
This is the sixth book in the series, and although it can easily be read as a standalone, I did feel I had missed a little just at the very start. It’s clear Sophie and an early witness to the suicide in the sea have some history, but it didn’t affect the story.
There were several things I really liked about the book. Firstly, I liked that Sophie was given a family, and family dramas were played out throughout the storyline. I also liked that one of Sophie’s junior members of the team, Rae, was a transgender character. It’s not something you come across a lot in crime fiction.
It’s a good meaty plot for you to get your teeth stuck into, a mix of psychological thriller and police procedural. -
Evil crimes by Michael Hambling.
A young man's body is spotted in the stormy sea off Dancing Ledge in Dorset.
Did he lose his footing in the gale force winds and fall in? Or is there a more sinister cause of death?
Detective Sophie Allen's team discover some curious links to a suicide that happened six months earlier. A strikingly attractive female student connects the cases. Alarming facts slowly come to light as the team probes more deeply.
Is the young woman as evil as she seems or is someone else manipulating her?
A fantastic read with great characters. Didn't expect that. 4*. Netgalley and joffe books. -
It was interesting; it was more of a generalized picture of an unsavory position and the deaths associated with it than a standard murder mystery. I have been reading these criminal mysteries of DCI Sophie Allen by Michael Hambling, and this is the sixth of them, and I am noticing that they are all distinct and have different emphases and details of crime overall to point out. I am currently reading the seventh (which will probably take ANOTHER month…) before I finish with the eighth (it takes me a LONG time to actually read due to my vision and difficulty following written words). I overall enjoy these books. The consistency in character amongst the main people is strongly appreciated, while there is available to be an element of surprise.
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Another brilliant story, loads of twists and I’m really enjoying the continuing stories of the constant characters.
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https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I really enjoyed this book, it was a well written crime thriller with an excellent plot!
This is the first book that I have by this author but I liked it so much that I have downloaded the rest of the series to catch up - it can easily be read as a stand alone but I do love picking up a new series so was delighted when I found this one!
The plot is great and I loved the pace, the story is easily believable and I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters and I do love a good crime book. Five stars from me, I really enjoyed it!! -
Okay dokey folks I have a confession to make. Although I have all of Michael Hambling’s books on my ever increasing and dangerously teetering ‘TBR’ (to be read) pile, I haven’t actually read one before. Please don’t hate me. When I was asked if I would like to take part in the blog tour for his latest release ‘Evil Crimes’, I grabbed the opportunity because it meant that I could familiarise myself with his work. Boy oh boy am I glad that I did because I now realise just what it is I have been missing out on. I LOVED this book but more about that in a bit.
DCI Sophie Allen is one likeable police officer. She’s in her forties and lives at home with her husband. They seem to get on really well , which seems like a rarity in crime novels. DCI Allen is considered to be the font of all knowledge as regards violent crime and murder within the Dorset area. Something for which she is very well qualified to be. DCI Allen holds a degree in law but uniquely she also has a Masters degree in criminal psychology. She can say what makes criminals tick but she also knows the law and how it can punish the perpetrators of crime. Sophie Allen is the sort of boss that I would want to work for- she is kind, supportive, always ready to lend an ear to those who need it, she’s ready with tea, sympathy and advice, she doesn’t hesitate to stick up for members of her team when the need arises but she also comes down hard on those members of her team, who screw up. DCI Sophie Allen is like a mother hen and her team are her chicks. Sophie is one heck of a strong woman. It’s obvious that she has secrets in her past but she tries not to allow them to affect her present day or future.
I have to say that the villain in this story is somewhat chilling and I could not believe the ease with which she or he sought out a victim and how they managed to get the victim under their spell. The villain displayed a chilling indifference to his/ her victims and I couldn’t believe the ease with which the villain managed to blend in to society. I guess this book shows that you can’t take anybody at face value and you don’t know what lurks beneath the surface.
Every once in a while I discover a new author, I read their book, I find out just what it is I have been missing all these years and I can’t understand why I haven’t read their work before. Well I felt this way about ‘Evil Crimes’ and it’s author. Rest assured that now I have discovered just how good this author is, reading the rest of his books is now a priority. I was hooked from the very first word on the very first page and I was enthralled until the last word on the last page. It was almost as if the book had cast a spell on me. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted when I read a book but not in this case. Once I picked up ‘Evil Crimes’ that was it, I just became addicted to reading it. It was almost as if my Kindle became glued to my hand as the book went everywhere with me. I was that into the story that I didn’t realise how quickly the pages were turning and before I knew it I had finished the book, which I had mixed feelings about. Don’t get me wrong, I was pleased to finish the book as I knew how the story ended but I was enjoying the writing style and the story so much that I just wanted it to continue. I liked the way that the author places more emphasis on the psychological aspects of crime and not the blood and guts aspect. You really get a sense of what makes a criminal tick, which I found so very interesting because my dream job is being a criminal psychologist.
In short I loved this book and I can’t wait to read what comes next for DCI Sophie Allen and her team. In the meantime though, I will just content myself with catching up with the previous books in the series. I would definitely recommend this author and his books to anyone. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is an easy and very well deserved 5* out of 5*. -
The book opens with two apparent suicides Edwina Davis, prominent midwife and Mark Paterson, researcher at Bournemouth university. They both linked to a mysterious H. Who is this person and did they kill them or blackmail them into committing suicide?
Now this is the sixth book in the series and the first I’ve read by this author. I do feel like I missed something not reading the first books but that was just at the beginning. As the story progressed I got to know the main characters a little more and forgot about my initial concerns.
This is another solid police procedural from Joffe books which honestly I thought was going in one direction and suddenly there was a twist and I thought to myself I have to read this until the end, even though my eyes were sore and tired.
I found the characters of Sophie Allen and Barry Marsh interesting but the one I liked the most was transgender DC Rae Gregson. As I haven’t come across any transgender police officers in fiction before it was definitely something that I enjoyed and I feel more authors should include transgender officers/characters in their stories.
Then there’s the character of H. You find out very early on who this is which I would have liked a little more mystery about it but I did enjoy getting a glimpse inside their mind. They are a very damaged individual who I didn’t quite know whether to hate or feel sorry for.
My only complaint was the fact I don’t know the Dorset/Exeter area very well, so I kind of found it confusing at times with the setting but that is my own ignorance of geography rather than the authors fault. -
I read an ARC of this book for an honest review.
The book cover says “A gripping crime thriller full of twists”, boy is that a statement! This book took right off on the first page and kept me turning the pages right up through the end. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this book and I read it in one day. This is the sixth book in a the series, but it is a standalone book. I have not read the previous books in this series.
There are three suicides that have happened over a course of five years, with two of those being within six months of each other and recent. The first one is discovered after the investigation of the third suicide that just happened. There is one common denominator in the suicides, but it will take some digging and true investigative work to find this common denominator and then find out the rest of the details of the deaths and how they are linked. DCI Sophie Allen and her team will link everything together eventually. DCI Sophie is a smart investigator who doesn’t let up when she is on a case. She seems to have an ability to read people and figure out if she should push or back off. Her and her team work very well together and they are all very good at what they do.
If you like a book that will keep your mind reeling throughout and even after, then this book is a good book to pick up. Just be prepared to not want to put it down. I give this book a 5 star rating and look forward to reading more of Michael Hambling’s books in the future. -
I'm new to this series, but you don't need to have read the previous volumes to enjoy this whodunit. Well, it's more than a whodunit, it's several cases involving the same people so that one crime leads to another. When a series of unexplained suicides come to the attention of Sophie Allen's team, they will unravel a plot of blackmail, emotional abuse and, eventually, murder. The rhythm never lets up and one revelation leads to the next at breakneck speed. In the middle of this is "H," a mysterious and devastating young woman. Sophie will first have to identify her and then figure out how her involvement ended in death for so many people. There are secrets upon secrets and the ending is fantastic. Even if I didn't know the characters, they are all very well defined and it wasn't hard to follow the dynamics. I may have been a little out of the top regarding Sophie's family life, but that is just a small part. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Joffe Books! -
Evil Crimes by Michael Hambling
This is another gripping and original crime story in the brilliant DCI Sophie Allen series.
When questions are raised about a couple of suspected suicides, the local police call in DCI Sophie Allen. It doesn’t take long for her to connect them to a suspect and the investigation moves across the border into Exeter University. Liaison with the local police becomes strained when the main suspect is murdered and the case takes an unexpected turn.
Everything I love about this series is here in abundance – another original storyline, the relationships between the team members and families that keep everyone strong and focused, and a twisting plot that throws up a few surprises along the way. The writing is tight, the pace pitch perfect and at the heart of it all is Sophie Allen. She’s charismatic, empathetic, determined, clever and tough. She never loses sight of what and who matters.
While you can read this sixth story in the series as a standalone, you will never get the full benefit of just how good these stories and characters are unless you start from the beginning. -
This is the sixth book in the DCI Sophie Allen series and once again it is another intriguing case for Sophie and her team to investigate.
It opens with the discovery of a young mans body found in the surf by a group of walkers. What appears to be a possible suicide begins to look suspicious following the autopsy. Was he pushed ?
During the search of the young mans home a book is discovered with a note on the fly leaf from someone named only as "H". One of the officers on the team remembers a similar note from an "H" from a previous suicide case.
Although this could just be a coincidence Sophie decides to look further into the two deaths in case a link can be established.
What follows is a cleverly plotted story with numerous suspects, which with the help of some sterling police work finally reveal the identity of the murderer.
Thanks to Joffe books for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC, another excellent book from Michael Hambling and a great addition to the Sophie Allen series. I hope there are many more. -
This is the first book by Michael Hambling that I've read and I fully intend reading all of the others. The story stands alone and the reader has no need to read the earlier books in order to thoroughly enjoy the story. It begins with what would appear to be a double suicide pact which becomes the murder of one of the would-be suicides by the other. Immediately, the reader is hooked and then, when the reader discovers that this isn't the first 'suicide' witnessed by a young lady with long red hair, one is grabbed by the nose and has to read on to the end.
Sophie Allen is a dedicated detective with a nose for false and misleading trails and the glimpses of her private life leave one wanting more. Fast-paced, with immaculate police procedure and more twists and turns than a bowl of spaghetti, this book leaves the reader with questions in their head about human nature and the propensity for evil, but forever grateful for our 'boys (and girls!) in blue. -
In this installment of the fantastic series, DCI Sophie Allen and her squad, as well as cops in other jurisdictions, track a serial killer the likes of which they’d never seen before. There’s a huge twist a little past halfway, where it seems the investigation is over, but it continues on to a great climax that I would not have expected.
Even without all the newcomers in other parts of the country, there’s a lot of detectives to keep track of, and I’ve read every book in the series! Even though that’s realistic, I wish there could have been less people to keep track of. But that’s a minor point.
The writing is as smooth as ever, Sophie is as spectacular as ever, and Rae’s really making her mark. I like that Rae’s transition, while mentioned a few times, isn’t treated as a big deal. But more than anything, it takes an excellent writer to make you have sympathy for the story’s devil.
I’m not going to say this is the best of the series, but it is my favorite. -
A young man commits suicide. Or did he? 6 months prior a woman commits suicide. Or did she? DCI Allen has to fight to prove that not only were these deaths not suicides but that there is a connection. Lucky for her, as in past cases, she has the support of a strong team, and combined they are able to track down the common link. But as they get closer and closer, they realize the story isn't as simple or as easy as they think it is. In addition to a compelling mystery, Mr. Hambling brought the personal stories back to play a larger role in this story after leaving them in the background for the past few books. While I am okay with letting the mysteries take the forefront most of the time, I really like the characters having deep background stories. I look forward to continuing their stories as well as seeing what crimes DCI Allen solves in the future!
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Joffe Books in exchange for an honest review. -
Evil Crimes- Michael Hambling- 4* Nov 24th- Joffe
Two apparent suicides- a man fallen over a cliff from a possible slippery path and a woman who hanged herself. The only possible klink being “H”- a young woman with red curly hair who was seen near both victims a short time beforehand. Sophie, Rae and Barry do their best to find and link the missing pieces of the puzzle. This is a well written book that sits comfortably (in the reading stance) from the start. Characters that come alive and you take to (or not in some cases!) with enough background to give their persona depth and an understanding of their actions and viewpoints. An easy enjoyable read.
I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased -
Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
This was an excellent mystery, the 6th DCI Sophie Allen in the series. I liked it so much I took my Kindle with me all day yesterday to snatch moments to read. Highly recommended! Sophie and the team are investigating 2 supposed suicides and end up investigating a young student, Hattie, a beautiful redhead. She is an intriguing character with a horrendous past, who is mentally unstable and leads a double life as a dominatrix.
She is scary, while at the same time you can't help feeling sorry for her.
To avoid spoilers I will conclude highly recommending this book. -
#michaelhambling #dcisophieallen #netgalley My first DCI Sophie Allen, and I'm hooked. Well written, plotted with good characters and a creepy, creepy villain, who isn't one dimensional. I enjoyed how Hambling seems to contrast "normal" vs. "abnormal" - it made for some interesting thinking during the read and after I finished. Look forward to catching up with the other books in the series.
P. S. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.