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DI Max Byrd & DI Orion Tanzy #4
The Little Girl in the Wardrobe
The police receive a call.
‘Please help. He’s coming.’
The small voice is barely a whisper.
‘Who’s coming? Are you in danger?’
‘He has a knife. He killed her.’
The line goes dead.
Nine-year-old Anya crawls into a cupboard in her bedroom and calls the police again. The line connects as the bedroom door creaks open.
‘They’re here . . .’
A blood-curdling scream barrels down the phone, filling the earpiece of the operator.
For the second time, the lines goes dead.
Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are called to Anya’s home, a small, semi-detached property.
They’re hit by the familiar smell of death.
Something terrible happened here — and it’s up to Tanzy and Byrd to pull together the pieces of this terrifying puzzle.
‘Please help. He’s coming.’
The small voice is barely a whisper.
‘Who’s coming? Are you in danger?’
‘He has a knife. He killed her.’
The line goes dead.
Nine-year-old Anya crawls into a cupboard in her bedroom and calls the police again. The line connects as the bedroom door creaks open.
‘They’re here . . .’
A blood-curdling scream barrels down the phone, filling the earpiece of the operator.
For the second time, the lines goes dead.
Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are called to Anya’s home, a small, semi-detached property.
They’re hit by the familiar smell of death.
Something terrible happened here — and it’s up to Tanzy and Byrd to pull together the pieces of this terrifying puzzle.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2025
296 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
January 19, 2025
Oh well… better be honest. This one wasn’t for me.
“The Little Girl in the Wardrobe” (DI Max Byrd & DI Orion Tanzy # 4), by C. J. Grayson
3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a recent release by his author. I noticed that his writing skills have improved significantly since his first book.
Well written and good dynamics between the characters (although too many characters), but I didn’t find the story compelling or even entertaining. This was not a book that gave me thrills or made me want to read it in one sitting. But at the same time it was not boring. As one of the main characters loved to say, “never a dull day” (fortunately this phrase wasn’t used often, and the word “dull” was only used 13 times).
When I reached half of the book I still didn’t have a clue of what was happening.
Adults using kids to commit crimes is not something new, but to use them for brutal murders? Why? A new kick?
Anyways… I needed an explanation.
Unfortunately that explanation wasn’t good enough and then everything turned out too absurd, fiction or not.
And the last chapter was rushed.
This was a fast read because the chapters are short. There are 75 chapters.
ebook (Kindle edition): 352 pages (default)
“The Little Girl in the Wardrobe” (DI Max Byrd & DI Orion Tanzy # 4), by C. J. Grayson
3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a recent release by his author. I noticed that his writing skills have improved significantly since his first book.
Well written and good dynamics between the characters (although too many characters), but I didn’t find the story compelling or even entertaining. This was not a book that gave me thrills or made me want to read it in one sitting. But at the same time it was not boring. As one of the main characters loved to say, “never a dull day” (fortunately this phrase wasn’t used often, and the word “dull” was only used 13 times).
When I reached half of the book I still didn’t have a clue of what was happening.
Adults using kids to commit crimes is not something new, but to use them for brutal murders? Why? A new kick?
Anyways… I needed an explanation.
Unfortunately that explanation wasn’t good enough and then everything turned out too absurd, fiction or not.
And the last chapter was rushed.
This was a fast read because the chapters are short. There are 75 chapters.
ebook (Kindle edition): 352 pages (default)
January 16, 2025
This book made me sit of and take notice from the very first page. It’s dark and edgy and very original, I honestly haven’t read anything quite like it before. There is a brutal murder with a child, seemingly, involved to the point of enabling it to happen but then she’s the little voice that calls the incident into the police to raise an alarm, in whispered tones from the sanctity of a wardrobe and can’t solve the mystery herself as her memory has been affected by a bang to the head. The storyline has several very dark and twisted threads, each of which had me transfixed and wound themselves seamlessly into one common thread. There is criminal underworld violence and a very real sense of threat and plenty of suspense, terror and intrigue. I loved the level of insight into the personalities and home lives of the main police characters and, as a police wife myself thought it a very empathic and realistic portrayal. Overall really loved this and was left wanting more.
December 22, 2024
I’d never heard of this author prior to reading this book but I obtained it as my very first ARC read so needless to say, I was pretty excited to dive into this story. I was very impressed with this book and the twists were jaw dropping! I did find the descriptions of the various vehicles everyone drove a little over the top but other than that I feel like it was laid out very well and I appreciated the wrap up at the end. If it had just ended where it did I wouldn’t have liked that as much.
January 26, 2025
By far my favourite book of this series so far and I am hoping that there will be a fifth book soon!
This series has been quite hard for me to rate because I have enjoyed it but compared to other four star series I’ve read it hasn’t quite hit the mark. I’ve always given three stars so far but at the same time, three stars hasn’t quite felt enough.
The characters are lovable and there are multiple interconnecting storylines that all come together at the end and I have enjoyed my time with this series. Last year I tried to read a lot of different series and this wasn’t as good as some of those. It’s definitely been a pleasant read but the problem is when you tend to read one genre you do have a high bar for books to hit a four star or five. Extremely happy that this has finally hit the four star mark.
This series has been quite hard for me to rate because I have enjoyed it but compared to other four star series I’ve read it hasn’t quite hit the mark. I’ve always given three stars so far but at the same time, three stars hasn’t quite felt enough.
The characters are lovable and there are multiple interconnecting storylines that all come together at the end and I have enjoyed my time with this series. Last year I tried to read a lot of different series and this wasn’t as good as some of those. It’s definitely been a pleasant read but the problem is when you tend to read one genre you do have a high bar for books to hit a four star or five. Extremely happy that this has finally hit the four star mark.
February 4, 2025
BOOK✶TOUR
#ad many thanks for my copy of this book @zooloosbooktours #partner
🆃🅷🅴 🅻🅸🆃🆃🅻🅴 🅶🅸🆁🅻 🅸🅽 🆃🅷🅴 🆆🅰🆁🅳🆁🅾🅱🅴
𝙰𝚟𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚊 𝙺𝚄
This was my first time reading this author and I was not disappointed. And although this is book number four in a series, it can be read as a standalone. I honestly wouldn’t know because I didn’t read the books before it but I had no issues so assume it is.
The story pulls you in from the start! The questions start building and your mind starts that slow click-click-click of rusted gears just being run for the first time in a long time. And then BAM! OMG DID THAT SERIOUSLY JUST HAPPEN?!?!?
Loved the writing so much! Grayson’s unique voice shines throughout the story and I’ll def be reading more of his books. With its fast-pace and gripping plot this is a book you won’t be able to put down. The action kicks off almost immediately and by then you just can’t look away.
Seriously loved it all.
📕
“The police receive a call.
‘Please help. He’s coming.’
The small voice is barely a whisper.
‘Who’s coming? Are you in danger?’
‘He has a knife. He killed her.’
The line goes dead.
Nine-year-old Anya crawls into a cupboard in her bedroom and calls the police again. The line connects as the bedroom door creaks open.
‘He’s here . . .’
A blood-curdling scream barrels down the phone, filling the earpiece of the operator.
For the second time, the lines goes dead.
Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are called to Anya’s home, a small, semi-detached property.
They’re hit by the familiar smell of death.
Something terrible happened here — and it’s up to Tanzy and Byrd to pull together the pieces of this terrifying puzzle.”
#zooloosbooktours #books #bookstagram #book #booklover #reading #bookworm #bookstagrammer #read #bookish #booknerd #instabook #bookaddict #bookstagrammer #bibliophile #bookshelf #readersofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookaholic #bookgirlbrown #reader #booklove #literature #instabooks #booklovers
#ad many thanks for my copy of this book @zooloosbooktours #partner
🆃🅷🅴 🅻🅸🆃🆃🅻🅴 🅶🅸🆁🅻 🅸🅽 🆃🅷🅴 🆆🅰🆁🅳🆁🅾🅱🅴
𝙰𝚟𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚟𝚒𝚊 𝙺𝚄
This was my first time reading this author and I was not disappointed. And although this is book number four in a series, it can be read as a standalone. I honestly wouldn’t know because I didn’t read the books before it but I had no issues so assume it is.
The story pulls you in from the start! The questions start building and your mind starts that slow click-click-click of rusted gears just being run for the first time in a long time. And then BAM! OMG DID THAT SERIOUSLY JUST HAPPEN?!?!?
Loved the writing so much! Grayson’s unique voice shines throughout the story and I’ll def be reading more of his books. With its fast-pace and gripping plot this is a book you won’t be able to put down. The action kicks off almost immediately and by then you just can’t look away.
Seriously loved it all.
📕
“The police receive a call.
‘Please help. He’s coming.’
The small voice is barely a whisper.
‘Who’s coming? Are you in danger?’
‘He has a knife. He killed her.’
The line goes dead.
Nine-year-old Anya crawls into a cupboard in her bedroom and calls the police again. The line connects as the bedroom door creaks open.
‘He’s here . . .’
A blood-curdling scream barrels down the phone, filling the earpiece of the operator.
For the second time, the lines goes dead.
Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are called to Anya’s home, a small, semi-detached property.
They’re hit by the familiar smell of death.
Something terrible happened here — and it’s up to Tanzy and Byrd to pull together the pieces of this terrifying puzzle.”
#zooloosbooktours #books #bookstagram #book #booklover #reading #bookworm #bookstagrammer #read #bookish #booknerd #instabook #bookaddict #bookstagrammer #bibliophile #bookshelf #readersofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookaholic #bookgirlbrown #reader #booklove #literature #instabooks #booklovers
September 2, 2025
I have mixed feelings on this book. The writing was descriptive and done well. The beginning of the book started with a bang that had me instantly pulled in. Unfortunately, there was a description of the antagonist and later, the exact same description of one of the characters made guess who was doing all of the murdering pretty early on. I didn't have the details of "why", but was still disappointed. I'm also still a little confused on the "why"...
I know police procedurals can have a lot of characters, but I was really overwhelmed by the amount in this one. Especially since they which were referred to by either their first or last name (or both) that made it more confusing at times. The book had a pretty good ending, and I'd recommend it if you are into crime/police procedurals.
I know police procedurals can have a lot of characters, but I was really overwhelmed by the amount in this one. Especially since they which were referred to by either their first or last name (or both) that made it more confusing at times. The book had a pretty good ending, and I'd recommend it if you are into crime/police procedurals.
February 4, 2025
4 ⭐️
The Little Girl in the Wardrobe by C.J. Grayson, which is the fourth book in the Tanzy and Byrd Thrillers series. The story starts with a chilling emergency call from a nine-year-old girl named Anya, whispering from her wardrobe, “Please help. He’s coming.” The line suddenly goes dead after a blood-curdling scream, and Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are sent to investigate.
When they arrive, they find a woman’s body, but the mystery deepens when the husband claims their daughter’s name is Ella, not Anya. This kicks off a dark and twisted investigation involving murders, missing children, and long-hidden secrets.
I thought the plot was really fast-paced and full of twists. Just as I thought I’d figured something out, another revelation would completely throw me off. That being said, the large cast of characters could get a bit confusing at times, especially with the interchangeable use of first and last names.
Although it’s part of a series, it works perfectly well as a standalone. I didn’t even realise it was part of a series until I finished it, and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book at all.
Overall, The Little Girl in the Wardrobe is a gripping and intricate crime thriller. The twists and turns kept me guessing right up until the end, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves the genre.
Thank you to @zooloosbooktours @joffebooks and the author for letting me review.
#joffeebooks #zooloosbooktours
The Little Girl in the Wardrobe by C.J. Grayson, which is the fourth book in the Tanzy and Byrd Thrillers series. The story starts with a chilling emergency call from a nine-year-old girl named Anya, whispering from her wardrobe, “Please help. He’s coming.” The line suddenly goes dead after a blood-curdling scream, and Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are sent to investigate.
When they arrive, they find a woman’s body, but the mystery deepens when the husband claims their daughter’s name is Ella, not Anya. This kicks off a dark and twisted investigation involving murders, missing children, and long-hidden secrets.
I thought the plot was really fast-paced and full of twists. Just as I thought I’d figured something out, another revelation would completely throw me off. That being said, the large cast of characters could get a bit confusing at times, especially with the interchangeable use of first and last names.
Although it’s part of a series, it works perfectly well as a standalone. I didn’t even realise it was part of a series until I finished it, and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book at all.
Overall, The Little Girl in the Wardrobe is a gripping and intricate crime thriller. The twists and turns kept me guessing right up until the end, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves the genre.
Thank you to @zooloosbooktours @joffebooks and the author for letting me review.
#joffeebooks #zooloosbooktours
February 5, 2025
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and oh boy, what a book!
This book started off with a huge bang and didn’t let up at all until I’d finished the last page. At first two different events, a hit and run and a terrified little girl whispering down the phone to the police seem completely unrelated but the big questions are, are they and if so how? And it’s down to DI Tanzy and DI Byrd to get to the bottom of these two crimes. There’s plenty of action in this book and plenty of twists throughout. I loved finding out about Byrd and Tanzy, and it made me feel more involved as they try to juggle their work and home lives. I also liked that fact that the book is based in a town close to where I live. As I became more involved in the lives of all the characters I felt a variety of emotions and could not put it down until I’d read the final page.
Although The Little Girl in the Wardrobe can be read as a stand-alone, I know I’ll be going back to read the first three in this series.
This book started off with a huge bang and didn’t let up at all until I’d finished the last page. At first two different events, a hit and run and a terrified little girl whispering down the phone to the police seem completely unrelated but the big questions are, are they and if so how? And it’s down to DI Tanzy and DI Byrd to get to the bottom of these two crimes. There’s plenty of action in this book and plenty of twists throughout. I loved finding out about Byrd and Tanzy, and it made me feel more involved as they try to juggle their work and home lives. I also liked that fact that the book is based in a town close to where I live. As I became more involved in the lives of all the characters I felt a variety of emotions and could not put it down until I’d read the final page.
Although The Little Girl in the Wardrobe can be read as a stand-alone, I know I’ll be going back to read the first three in this series.
January 15, 2025
This is book four in the series featuring Tanzy and Byrd, although this was the first in the series for me and also the first book I had read by C.J. Grayson, it didn't matter one bit.
In Warrington, Selena Goldberg was in a restaurant sipping her drink, but what exactly is she up to, and who is she? What connection does she have to the murder in Darlington?
In Darlington in the North of England, a call comes through, a young girl called Anya is hiding in a cupboard in her bedroom, and a woman has been stabbed in the kitchen. The intruder is still in the house, and advice is given to the child to stay hidden. When the police arrive at the house in Houghton Road, they find the body in the kitchen.
But some things just don't add up.
Who exactly is Anya?
When another body turns up in the hospital grounds, who is it? Is it connected to the previous murder?
But where is Ella? She is still missing after the murder of her mother, Mia, the first of many murders in the locality. Are they connected?
At the end of the book, I was literally chewing my fingernails as I read the last few chapters. It is certainly a gripping storyline with an ending that keeps you on the edge of your seat. My heart was racing along with the police officers' cars as they concluded their search.
It is full of tension and suspense that certainly keeps your attention throughout the book. A thrilling five-star read from me.
#Joffebooks
#thelittlegirlinthewardrobe
#netgalley
In Warrington, Selena Goldberg was in a restaurant sipping her drink, but what exactly is she up to, and who is she? What connection does she have to the murder in Darlington?
In Darlington in the North of England, a call comes through, a young girl called Anya is hiding in a cupboard in her bedroom, and a woman has been stabbed in the kitchen. The intruder is still in the house, and advice is given to the child to stay hidden. When the police arrive at the house in Houghton Road, they find the body in the kitchen.
But some things just don't add up.
Who exactly is Anya?
When another body turns up in the hospital grounds, who is it? Is it connected to the previous murder?
But where is Ella? She is still missing after the murder of her mother, Mia, the first of many murders in the locality. Are they connected?
At the end of the book, I was literally chewing my fingernails as I read the last few chapters. It is certainly a gripping storyline with an ending that keeps you on the edge of your seat. My heart was racing along with the police officers' cars as they concluded their search.
It is full of tension and suspense that certainly keeps your attention throughout the book. A thrilling five-star read from me.
#Joffebooks
#thelittlegirlinthewardrobe
#netgalley
February 12, 2025
This is the fourth book in the Tanzy and Byrd thriller series and sadly it's the first book I've read, both in the series and by this author.
I really would have preferred to have caught up with the first 3 books, but just didn't have to time before this release date!
The actual storyline for the crime was itself complete and made sense even though I hadn't any further background - so in this sense, it read ok as a standalone read.
But there was definitely a sense of progression with the main characters, that I did feel would have been benefitted had I had some other backstory.
Still, it was really nice to see the personal lives of the characters incorporated well into the storyline as sometimes this is left out, or not well managed within books of this genre.
I loved the tension in the main storyline though, which had me gripped from.start to finish.
I'm always a bit more affected by storylines which involve children and this was no exception.
I was completely immersed in this and couldn't wait to get to the end to find out what kn earth was really going on.
I really liked the characters here and feel like there's definitely some potential for lots of development over the course of the series - I think that I'll be adding the rest of the books to my tbr for future reading.
This writing style really helps my attention and built up a tense and dark atmosphere throughout which I love in a good thriller.
Am looking forward to catching up with Tanzy and Byrd and sewing what the next book might have in store for us....
I really would have preferred to have caught up with the first 3 books, but just didn't have to time before this release date!
The actual storyline for the crime was itself complete and made sense even though I hadn't any further background - so in this sense, it read ok as a standalone read.
But there was definitely a sense of progression with the main characters, that I did feel would have been benefitted had I had some other backstory.
Still, it was really nice to see the personal lives of the characters incorporated well into the storyline as sometimes this is left out, or not well managed within books of this genre.
I loved the tension in the main storyline though, which had me gripped from.start to finish.
I'm always a bit more affected by storylines which involve children and this was no exception.
I was completely immersed in this and couldn't wait to get to the end to find out what kn earth was really going on.
I really liked the characters here and feel like there's definitely some potential for lots of development over the course of the series - I think that I'll be adding the rest of the books to my tbr for future reading.
This writing style really helps my attention and built up a tense and dark atmosphere throughout which I love in a good thriller.
Am looking forward to catching up with Tanzy and Byrd and sewing what the next book might have in store for us....
January 16, 2025
Review:
16/1/25
I was delighted to be offered this book by Joffe as an ARC as Mr Grayson is one of my favourite authors, and I think whoever reads this if they haven’t read the first three then they are really missing out.
This, in my opinion is not as fast paced as the previous ones and is slow in parts but does pick up and the ending is very complete and the reader is not left with any loose ends.
One thing that does irritate me in these police books is the whinging wives. Having been married to a merchant seaman for 43 years, who was away longer than he was home, if they don’t know what it’s about when they marry them, why complain about their absences later. I can’t see Claire or Pip making it long term, but I might be proved wrong!
My thanks to the author and Joffe publishers for the arc.
16/1/25
I was delighted to be offered this book by Joffe as an ARC as Mr Grayson is one of my favourite authors, and I think whoever reads this if they haven’t read the first three then they are really missing out.
This, in my opinion is not as fast paced as the previous ones and is slow in parts but does pick up and the ending is very complete and the reader is not left with any loose ends.
One thing that does irritate me in these police books is the whinging wives. Having been married to a merchant seaman for 43 years, who was away longer than he was home, if they don’t know what it’s about when they marry them, why complain about their absences later. I can’t see Claire or Pip making it long term, but I might be proved wrong!
My thanks to the author and Joffe publishers for the arc.
February 5, 2025
Recommend.
The Little Girl in The Wardrobe by C.J. Grayson.
Tanya and Byrd book 4.
This was a really good read. The first book I've read in this series and i was able to read it. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. This was a twisty and gripping. I did try to guess. I did like Tanya and Bryd. I'm hoping there is more to come. Recommend.
The Little Girl in The Wardrobe by C.J. Grayson.
Tanya and Byrd book 4.
This was a really good read. The first book I've read in this series and i was able to read it. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. This was a twisty and gripping. I did try to guess. I did like Tanya and Bryd. I'm hoping there is more to come. Recommend.
February 6, 2025
Oops I did it again...I've only gone and started another series not one, but four books in!
I have to say though that The Little Girl in the Wardrobe was a fantastic way for me to be introduced to Grayson's books, and also to Tanzy and Bird.
It had me totally gripped from the opening pages, and from then on it flowed at a frenzied pace throwing me straight into the thick of the action.
Loved the characters and I definitely want to catch up on the first three books for further context and backstory on both Tanzy and Bird.
An enjoyable and engaging police procedural.
I have to say though that The Little Girl in the Wardrobe was a fantastic way for me to be introduced to Grayson's books, and also to Tanzy and Bird.
It had me totally gripped from the opening pages, and from then on it flowed at a frenzied pace throwing me straight into the thick of the action.
Loved the characters and I definitely want to catch up on the first three books for further context and backstory on both Tanzy and Bird.
An enjoyable and engaging police procedural.
February 2, 2025
Wow! This was a crazy roller coaster of a ride to read! I really enjoyed reading it and found that I couldn’t put it down. There were so many ways the plot could have gone but the twists and turns left it quite unpredictable. I enjoyed the little snippets of the detectives lives you got to read too. I will be reading more by this author as I really enjoyed this book and the way it was written.
December 18, 2024
THE LITTLE GIRL IN THE WARDROBE BY C. J. GRAYSON.
Release date set for the 16th of January 2025.
"NEVER A DULL DAY IN THIS TOWN"v
This is the 4th book in the Tanzy and Byrd Darlington series.
This series is set in the authors home town and also my home town so its brilliant to read books that you know exactly where he's talking about.
The first 3 books were OUTSTANDING and I've rated them all 5 ✨s.
C.J. Grayson is a brilliant author. He brings life to the town, he's created amazing detectives that you fall in love with.
This 4th book is just something else entirely. The Story line/plot is so good and i dont think ive read anything like it before. His best work yet.
BRAVO C.J. GRAYSON BRAVO
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
I very much look forward to the next one
Release date set for the 16th of January 2025.
"NEVER A DULL DAY IN THIS TOWN"v
This is the 4th book in the Tanzy and Byrd Darlington series.
This series is set in the authors home town and also my home town so its brilliant to read books that you know exactly where he's talking about.
The first 3 books were OUTSTANDING and I've rated them all 5 ✨s.
C.J. Grayson is a brilliant author. He brings life to the town, he's created amazing detectives that you fall in love with.
This 4th book is just something else entirely. The Story line/plot is so good and i dont think ive read anything like it before. His best work yet.
BRAVO C.J. GRAYSON BRAVO
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
I very much look forward to the next one
December 20, 2024
I haven't read the other books in the series. Didn't realize that there were more until I actually came to Goodreads to write a review.
The storyline, the characters, the intense moments, and the plot were all 5 stars. I read this in one setting because the plot had me going. I loved the story, and it was so different from other thrillers that I thought I was in a horror movie or about to get pranked. It confused me in all the right ways.
The one piece of advice that I would give, knowing that this is the fourth book in the series, is not to put the initials in front of every name. We know who they are, and DCI, DI, DT (if you know what I mean) gets a little annoying, especially when it does every other time the name is mentioned.
Thank you NetGalley and Joffee Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The storyline, the characters, the intense moments, and the plot were all 5 stars. I read this in one setting because the plot had me going. I loved the story, and it was so different from other thrillers that I thought I was in a horror movie or about to get pranked. It confused me in all the right ways.
The one piece of advice that I would give, knowing that this is the fourth book in the series, is not to put the initials in front of every name. We know who they are, and DCI, DI, DT (if you know what I mean) gets a little annoying, especially when it does every other time the name is mentioned.
Thank you NetGalley and Joffee Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2025
Tanzy and Byrd investigate following a phone call from a child saying that there is a man looking for her and she’s hiding in a wardrobe. By the time they arrive at the scene, there is a dead woman in the house and the young child is missing.
As they investigate, it’s not long until there is another murder, as well as the sighting of another child. Surely these young children cannot be involved in what’s happening in the homes of people in Darlington.
This is the fourth book in the Tanzy and Byrd series, and the stories just keep on getting better.
It was an extremely dark crime thriller, but I was heavily involved in the storyline and it held my attention.
The story also took on a sub plot that I certainly wasn’t expecting and came to a surprising conclusion.
My thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours and Joffe Books for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
As they investigate, it’s not long until there is another murder, as well as the sighting of another child. Surely these young children cannot be involved in what’s happening in the homes of people in Darlington.
This is the fourth book in the Tanzy and Byrd series, and the stories just keep on getting better.
It was an extremely dark crime thriller, but I was heavily involved in the storyline and it held my attention.
The story also took on a sub plot that I certainly wasn’t expecting and came to a surprising conclusion.
My thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours and Joffe Books for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 14, 2025
A complex and gripping crime thriller
C.J. Grayson’s The Little Girl in the Wardrobe is one of those thrillers that completely pulls you in from the first page. The opening scene - a desperate phone call from a terrified young girl hiding in a wardrobe - gave me chills and had me instantly hooked. From there, the story got darker, twistier, and even more gripping.
The plot is packed with layers, and I loved how it kept me on my toes the whole way through. Just when I thought I’d figured something out, another twist would come along and make me question everything. Between the missing girl, the brutal murder, and all the secrets that get uncovered, there’s so much to sink your teeth into.
That said, I did find the large cast of characters a little tricky to follow at times. The way first and last names were used interchangeably left me a bit confused, especially when some of the characters didn’t feel as fleshed out as I would’ve liked. It made it harder to connect with them fully, which I think is why I struggled to keep track of everyone at certain points. But honestly, that didn’t stop me from flying through the book in a single day. I couldn’t put it down! The pacing was relentless, and the twists just kept coming. Even when I felt slightly overwhelmed by the complexity, the tension and intrigue were so strong that I couldn’t tear myself away.
If you enjoy dark, layered thrillers that keep you guessing right until the end, this one’s definitely worth picking up. Despite a few small challenges, I found it completely gripping, and it’s left me excited to see what C.J. Grayson comes up with next.
C.J. Grayson’s The Little Girl in the Wardrobe is one of those thrillers that completely pulls you in from the first page. The opening scene - a desperate phone call from a terrified young girl hiding in a wardrobe - gave me chills and had me instantly hooked. From there, the story got darker, twistier, and even more gripping.
The plot is packed with layers, and I loved how it kept me on my toes the whole way through. Just when I thought I’d figured something out, another twist would come along and make me question everything. Between the missing girl, the brutal murder, and all the secrets that get uncovered, there’s so much to sink your teeth into.
That said, I did find the large cast of characters a little tricky to follow at times. The way first and last names were used interchangeably left me a bit confused, especially when some of the characters didn’t feel as fleshed out as I would’ve liked. It made it harder to connect with them fully, which I think is why I struggled to keep track of everyone at certain points. But honestly, that didn’t stop me from flying through the book in a single day. I couldn’t put it down! The pacing was relentless, and the twists just kept coming. Even when I felt slightly overwhelmed by the complexity, the tension and intrigue were so strong that I couldn’t tear myself away.
If you enjoy dark, layered thrillers that keep you guessing right until the end, this one’s definitely worth picking up. Despite a few small challenges, I found it completely gripping, and it’s left me excited to see what C.J. Grayson comes up with next.
February 15, 2025
Well this was the worst in the series for me. I ended up skim reading huge chunks of it.
I'd hate to live in Darlington, I'm surprised there are any people left there as every book (Including this one) has sooo many murders!
It was good to start but there are too many characters, too many murders, it's implausible and I really struggled to wade through it. If I read the words "never a dull day in Darlington" again I'll scoop out my own eyeballs!
I think I'm done with this author now.
I'd hate to live in Darlington, I'm surprised there are any people left there as every book (Including this one) has sooo many murders!
It was good to start but there are too many characters, too many murders, it's implausible and I really struggled to wade through it. If I read the words "never a dull day in Darlington" again I'll scoop out my own eyeballs!
I think I'm done with this author now.
February 1, 2025
Based in Darlington, County Durham, DIs Max Byrd and Orion Tanzy pick up a very strange case. A nine-year-old girl called Anya has made a distressed emergency call telling the police that a man is standing over a dead woman in the kitchen while she hides in a wardrobe upstairs. However, when they arrive at the scene it is clear that the woman, Mia, had died some twelve hours previous from multiple stab wounds. When Mia’s husband arrives home, he tells them that the girl is not his daughter Ella! Questioning Anya, they discover she had been playing with Ella while a “nasty” man watched her from behind the garden, and chillingly she says he wanted her to help him kill the family. She tried to warn Mia and as a struggle with the man ensued at the front door, Ella escaped and is now missing. Anya, wearing an ankle tracker and who was being kept a prisoner in a big house, was badly injured by the man. This all ties back to Selena and her work assistant Corey who run a residential alternative treatment centre and are now being blackmailed to help the man who witnessed her drunkenly killing a man in a road accident into looking after his guests, including Anya. They desperately need to get Anya back or there will be big trouble. Soon there is a fire and a death at the hospital as Anya is abducted. Now Tanzy and Byrd have to find two missing girls and catch a very violent killer before he does it again.
It always seems to be a bit unusual to have two DIs working a case together, especially as they are both experienced officers, but they do seem to get the job done. Apologies to the author, but I so much wanted to call Tanzy “Onion”! Both Byrd and Tanzy are good guys with nice home lives and the rest of the officers featured all work well as a team. The story is a dark and gripping police procedural with lots of action and plenty of twists to keep both the reader and the detectives on their toes. Part of a great series which I can recommend.
It always seems to be a bit unusual to have two DIs working a case together, especially as they are both experienced officers, but they do seem to get the job done. Apologies to the author, but I so much wanted to call Tanzy “Onion”! Both Byrd and Tanzy are good guys with nice home lives and the rest of the officers featured all work well as a team. The story is a dark and gripping police procedural with lots of action and plenty of twists to keep both the reader and the detectives on their toes. Part of a great series which I can recommend.
January 7, 2025
Remind me never to move to Darlington! There can't be many people left to kill or kidnap there but at least all of the bad people are dead or in jail now.
This one is a bit of a bloodbath, not super graphic about it but there is a trail of dead bodies over just a week as well as closing some cold cases. You have missing children, kidnappings, gangs, a hit & run and a psychopathic serial killer. It is a lot for the police to deal with and the book is based over a span of 5-6 days. It all starts with a mistake and snowballs as a gang member takes advantage thinking it would be an easy way to gain power only for it all to backfire as bodies start to turn up.
It is a great read. I worked out pretty early who was involved but still had some 'uh what if it is...' moments after deciding and had no clue why they would have done it. It is fast paced but not in a way that is hard to follow and while very much a police procedural, doesn't get bogged down on the paperwork/interviews like some.
While part of the Max Byrd and Orion Tanzy series, this is very readable as a standalone. I found some of the personal mentions like where they store laptops at home and comments on people's bodies a bit much but they probably make more sense if you read the previous books. There are also a lot of cops and forensic team members and it was hard to keep them straight outside of the two main characters.
Overall, a great book and better than you would expect from a series that seems to be mostly Kindle Unlimited/$0.99 books.
Thanks to netgalley and Joffe Books for the copy to review. The Little Girl in the Wardrobe is available on January 16th.
Trigger warnings: death, violence and kidnapping (there are also some mentions that initially seem like they could be child sexual abuse)
This one is a bit of a bloodbath, not super graphic about it but there is a trail of dead bodies over just a week as well as closing some cold cases. You have missing children, kidnappings, gangs, a hit & run and a psychopathic serial killer. It is a lot for the police to deal with and the book is based over a span of 5-6 days. It all starts with a mistake and snowballs as a gang member takes advantage thinking it would be an easy way to gain power only for it all to backfire as bodies start to turn up.
It is a great read. I worked out pretty early who was involved but still had some 'uh what if it is...' moments after deciding and had no clue why they would have done it. It is fast paced but not in a way that is hard to follow and while very much a police procedural, doesn't get bogged down on the paperwork/interviews like some.
While part of the Max Byrd and Orion Tanzy series, this is very readable as a standalone. I found some of the personal mentions like where they store laptops at home and comments on people's bodies a bit much but they probably make more sense if you read the previous books. There are also a lot of cops and forensic team members and it was hard to keep them straight outside of the two main characters.
Overall, a great book and better than you would expect from a series that seems to be mostly Kindle Unlimited/$0.99 books.
Thanks to netgalley and Joffe Books for the copy to review. The Little Girl in the Wardrobe is available on January 16th.
Trigger warnings: death, violence and kidnapping (there are also some mentions that initially seem like they could be child sexual abuse)
February 12, 2025
Here is my review for The Little Girl In The Wardrobe by C J Grayson
This was a brilliant read and I loved it from the start. It hooked me straight away. The synopsis is gripping and drew me to this book. A frightened young girl calls the police from a wardrobe, they trace her location and send a car immediately. When the police arrive, they break in to find a dead body in the kitchen and a young girl upstairs. It’s a fast, paced story with lots of twists and turns which I totally enjoyed. These are new detectives to me but I like them and it’s interesting learning about their families. They are well described so you can picture them in your head and get an idea what they look like. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this story but it keeps you alert. It’s been well written and extremely well thought out and plotted. This is book four of the series but it can be read as a standalone. I will be reading more of this series and this author.
Blurb :
Introducing the must-read, heart-pounding crime thriller of this year.
The police receive a call.
‘Please help. He’s coming.’
The small voice is barely a whisper.
‘Who’s coming? Are you in danger?’
‘He has a knife. He killed her.’
The line goes dead.
Nine-year-old Anya crawls into a cupboard in her bedroom and calls the police again. The line connects as the bedroom door creaks open.
‘He’s here . . .’
A blood-curdling scream barrels down the phone, filling the earpiece of the operator.
For the second time, the lines goes dead.
Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are called to Anya’s home, a small, semi-detached property.
They’re hit by the familiar smell of death.
Something terrible happened here — and it’s up to Tanzy and Byrd to pull together the pieces of this terrifying puzzle.
This was a brilliant read and I loved it from the start. It hooked me straight away. The synopsis is gripping and drew me to this book. A frightened young girl calls the police from a wardrobe, they trace her location and send a car immediately. When the police arrive, they break in to find a dead body in the kitchen and a young girl upstairs. It’s a fast, paced story with lots of twists and turns which I totally enjoyed. These are new detectives to me but I like them and it’s interesting learning about their families. They are well described so you can picture them in your head and get an idea what they look like. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this story but it keeps you alert. It’s been well written and extremely well thought out and plotted. This is book four of the series but it can be read as a standalone. I will be reading more of this series and this author.
Blurb :
Introducing the must-read, heart-pounding crime thriller of this year.
The police receive a call.
‘Please help. He’s coming.’
The small voice is barely a whisper.
‘Who’s coming? Are you in danger?’
‘He has a knife. He killed her.’
The line goes dead.
Nine-year-old Anya crawls into a cupboard in her bedroom and calls the police again. The line connects as the bedroom door creaks open.
‘He’s here . . .’
A blood-curdling scream barrels down the phone, filling the earpiece of the operator.
For the second time, the lines goes dead.
Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are called to Anya’s home, a small, semi-detached property.
They’re hit by the familiar smell of death.
Something terrible happened here — and it’s up to Tanzy and Byrd to pull together the pieces of this terrifying puzzle.
January 14, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this eCopy to review
The Little Girl In The Wardrobe, is a crime thriller with a huge twist. The story follows Detectives Tanzy and Byrd as they investigate a chilling case involving a young girl named Anya, who makes a desperate call to the police from her hiding spot in a wardrobe. They find Anya's mother murdered and Anya missing. The detectives must piece together the clues to find Anya and uncover the truth behind the horrific events.
The book starts off strong, with a heart-pounding opening scene that sets the tone for the rest of the novel. I could almost hear Anya's terrified whispers and feel the tension as the detectives arrived at the crime scene. The atmosphere was palpable, and I was eager to see how the mystery would unfold.
However, I felt there were too many characters, I found it difficult to keep track of who was who, especially as they are referred to by either their first or surnames
One aspect I did appreciate was the setting. The author did a fantastic job of bringing the north of England to life, and I could easily picture the small, semi-detached houses and the eerie crime scenes. The writing style was also commendable, with vivid descriptions and a good pace that kept the story moving.
Overall, "The Little Girl In The Wardrobe" is a solid read for fans of crime thrillers,
The Little Girl In The Wardrobe, is a crime thriller with a huge twist. The story follows Detectives Tanzy and Byrd as they investigate a chilling case involving a young girl named Anya, who makes a desperate call to the police from her hiding spot in a wardrobe. They find Anya's mother murdered and Anya missing. The detectives must piece together the clues to find Anya and uncover the truth behind the horrific events.
The book starts off strong, with a heart-pounding opening scene that sets the tone for the rest of the novel. I could almost hear Anya's terrified whispers and feel the tension as the detectives arrived at the crime scene. The atmosphere was palpable, and I was eager to see how the mystery would unfold.
However, I felt there were too many characters, I found it difficult to keep track of who was who, especially as they are referred to by either their first or surnames
One aspect I did appreciate was the setting. The author did a fantastic job of bringing the north of England to life, and I could easily picture the small, semi-detached houses and the eerie crime scenes. The writing style was also commendable, with vivid descriptions and a good pace that kept the story moving.
Overall, "The Little Girl In The Wardrobe" is a solid read for fans of crime thrillers,
January 12, 2025
A terrified little girl, Anya, phones police to say she is trapped in the house with a killer who has a knife, and he’s already killed someone. Then the line goes dead. Detective Inspector Byrd and Tanzy are quickly dispatched to the crime scene where they find a mother murdered, and a mysterious little girl who is not an occupant of the house. This first crime scene sends detectives scrambling to solve the murder, except more bodies keep piling up, and they all seem to be centered around this mysterious little girl.
This story was wonderfully fast paced and kept me enthralled until the very end. It does not read like a typical crime novel in the best way! It felt like a horror movie that instilled an impending sense of doom from the very beginning.
I was not aware that this was part of a series until after I downloaded it but that did not detract from the overall book, and I believe it’s safe to say this fairs well as a standalone read.
The Little Girl in the Wardrobe will be on my mind for a long time! Thank you to NetGalley, CJ Grayson, and Joffe books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
This story was wonderfully fast paced and kept me enthralled until the very end. It does not read like a typical crime novel in the best way! It felt like a horror movie that instilled an impending sense of doom from the very beginning.
I was not aware that this was part of a series until after I downloaded it but that did not detract from the overall book, and I believe it’s safe to say this fairs well as a standalone read.
The Little Girl in the Wardrobe will be on my mind for a long time! Thank you to NetGalley, CJ Grayson, and Joffe books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 2, 2025
A gripping hard to put down thriller
This police procedural takes place mainly in the City of Durham. Detective InspectorsTanzy and Bird have a case that starts off with a frantic call from a young girl.it quickly spirals into one serial killings. Along the way, they encounter more missing girls, an organised crime gang fearing a gang war and multiple gruesome murders. All the while, both of them have to deal with issues in their home lives. Some may feel that all this is almost run of the mill for thrillers these days, but the author has done a fine job in lifting it to another level. The pace generated in the story is relentless and includes a spectacular car chase. It really is hard to put down.
I was not aware prior to reading this book of the Tanzy and Bird characters, nor indeed of CJ Grayson. This is the fourth book in the series, and it's a big temptation to now read the previous three.
This police procedural takes place mainly in the City of Durham. Detective InspectorsTanzy and Bird have a case that starts off with a frantic call from a young girl.it quickly spirals into one serial killings. Along the way, they encounter more missing girls, an organised crime gang fearing a gang war and multiple gruesome murders. All the while, both of them have to deal with issues in their home lives. Some may feel that all this is almost run of the mill for thrillers these days, but the author has done a fine job in lifting it to another level. The pace generated in the story is relentless and includes a spectacular car chase. It really is hard to put down.
I was not aware prior to reading this book of the Tanzy and Bird characters, nor indeed of CJ Grayson. This is the fourth book in the series, and it's a big temptation to now read the previous three.
January 16, 2025
The Little Girl in the Wardrobe is an intense crime thriller that is very fast-paced and intriguing. This is a part of a series but it is easily read as a standalone. Detectives Tanzy and Byrd are investigating a case in which a young girl calls the police for help while hiding in a wardrobe. Very quickly they realize that all is not what it seems as the bodies start to pile up.
This book was very fast-paced and I could tell that I was going to be in for a ride right away. Set over the course of five to six days this book has missing children, gangs, a psychopath intent on killing and more. This was a very good read and worked very well as a standalone. The only thing that was hard to follow was there are a lot of different characters to keep track of. Overall a great read for fans of crime thrillers!
Thank you to NetGalley, C.J Grayson, and Joffe Books for this ARC. Expected publishing date is January 16th 2025.
This book was very fast-paced and I could tell that I was going to be in for a ride right away. Set over the course of five to six days this book has missing children, gangs, a psychopath intent on killing and more. This was a very good read and worked very well as a standalone. The only thing that was hard to follow was there are a lot of different characters to keep track of. Overall a great read for fans of crime thrillers!
Thank you to NetGalley, C.J Grayson, and Joffe Books for this ARC. Expected publishing date is January 16th 2025.
December 27, 2024
This is the fourth book in the authors Tanzy and Byrd series, and is a very good read with lots of tension, suspense and thrills. Here Tanzy and Byrd investigate a murder and a missing child case. There are a lot of story threads here that really grabbed my attention and held my interest from beginning to end. The authors writing is good, the story flows well, the plot line is multi layered and goes off in an surprising direction a number of times which had me constantly rethinking who the murderer was. The glimpses into the personal lives of Tanzy and Byrd is a nice touch. Overall if you like good, solid police procedurals I'd recommend this although if you've not read this series before then it's best if you read the series in order to get to know the characters from the beginning.
4 stars
4 stars
December 31, 2024
Book four Tanzy & Byrd thriller.
Durham constabulary Headquarters.
Darlington emergency services
has a young girl calling in asking for help hiding in a cupboard help is on its way.
Inspector Max Byrd and Detective Inspector Orion Tanzy along with Degnan and Andrews head to Haughton Road.
Finding the dead body of a woman, and a little girl in the wardrobe her name is Anya when they contact the father he identified his wife but not the little girl she is not his daughter Ella, so who is Anya? and where is Ella?
This is such a slap bang fast moving book that i was totally unabled to put down.
It's all a race against time as the characters all blend nicely into this thriller.
Superb writing at it's best.
It's one book not to be put aside.
Loved it.
Durham constabulary Headquarters.
Darlington emergency services
has a young girl calling in asking for help hiding in a cupboard help is on its way.
Inspector Max Byrd and Detective Inspector Orion Tanzy along with Degnan and Andrews head to Haughton Road.
Finding the dead body of a woman, and a little girl in the wardrobe her name is Anya when they contact the father he identified his wife but not the little girl she is not his daughter Ella, so who is Anya? and where is Ella?
This is such a slap bang fast moving book that i was totally unabled to put down.
It's all a race against time as the characters all blend nicely into this thriller.
Superb writing at it's best.
It's one book not to be put aside.
Loved it.
January 10, 2025
2 co workers are involved in an RTA on their way home. A man pulls up and tells them the man they ran over was dead but to go quickly.
There starts a story involving more murders & murderers than you can shake a stick at.
As D I' s Tanzy & Byrd always say " not a quiet day in Darlington " . Far from at as they try to find the murderers and 4 missing children.
The action is non stop , trying to work out who is guilty of what was a brain teaser and a half as the plot first thickens then starts to unravel itself so finally you begin to see the connections. There is however a big surprise at the finish you'll not expect.
This is book 4 of 4,now I've got to read the other 3 to check they're as brilliant as this one.
There starts a story involving more murders & murderers than you can shake a stick at.
As D I' s Tanzy & Byrd always say " not a quiet day in Darlington " . Far from at as they try to find the murderers and 4 missing children.
The action is non stop , trying to work out who is guilty of what was a brain teaser and a half as the plot first thickens then starts to unravel itself so finally you begin to see the connections. There is however a big surprise at the finish you'll not expect.
This is book 4 of 4,now I've got to read the other 3 to check they're as brilliant as this one.
January 23, 2025
Every book I have read by this author, has alway been 5 stars.
WoW...........The Little Girl In The Wardrobe by C.J. Grayson is the 4th book in the DI Max Byrd & DI Orion Tanzy series and it was another excellent read. One of the best books I have read so far this year. I just love the way this author writes, every book I have read draws you in and you become apart of his books, which makes Chris an excellent author.
So, Well Done Chris on your latest instalment of DI Max Byrd & DI Orion Tanzy series and another 5 star book. Looking forward to your next book........
I highly recommend this series and all his books.
Big Thank you to NetGalley and especially Joffe books for my ARC.
WoW...........The Little Girl In The Wardrobe by C.J. Grayson is the 4th book in the DI Max Byrd & DI Orion Tanzy series and it was another excellent read. One of the best books I have read so far this year. I just love the way this author writes, every book I have read draws you in and you become apart of his books, which makes Chris an excellent author.
So, Well Done Chris on your latest instalment of DI Max Byrd & DI Orion Tanzy series and another 5 star book. Looking forward to your next book........
I highly recommend this series and all his books.
Big Thank you to NetGalley and especially Joffe books for my ARC.
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