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DS Josie Masters #1
Hold My Hand
How long do you hunt for the missing?
A horrible vanishing act…
When a young Josie Masters sees a boy wearing a red football shirt, Dylan Jones, being taken by a clown at a carnival, she tries to alert the crowds. But it’s too late. Dylan has disappeared…
Thirty years later, Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of the body of a child have been found – complete with tatters of a torn red football shirt. Is it the boy she saw vanish in the clutches of the clown? Or is it someone else altogether?
And then another child disappears…
A horrible vanishing act…
When a young Josie Masters sees a boy wearing a red football shirt, Dylan Jones, being taken by a clown at a carnival, she tries to alert the crowds. But it’s too late. Dylan has disappeared…
Thirty years later, Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of the body of a child have been found – complete with tatters of a torn red football shirt. Is it the boy she saw vanish in the clutches of the clown? Or is it someone else altogether?
And then another child disappears…
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2018
1354 people are currently reading
1652 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
August 10, 2023
Writing: solid | Plot: standard police procedural | Ending: ok actually had my ass kinda shook
HONDA CIVIC RELIABLE 3-STARS!!! THIS IS NOT A BAD BOOK!!! FOR FANS OF ANGELA MARSONS AND LISA REAGAN!!!!
Phat ass trigger warning: miscarriage, child abuse, kidnapping
SYNOPSIS
Thirty years after witnessing a young boy being kidnapped by a clown, DS Josie Masters is called to work on a case that's eerily similar.
MY OPINION
So as per usual, I started this series with book #2 and according to my review, I wished I had started with #1 because there were a lot of continuing storylines. And as per usual, I cannot remember what any of those are but let's just say if I think you need to read a series in order, you probably should. I am a vet when it comes to bopping around a series.
This was your classic Honda Civic Reliable, British police procedural. Good pacing, a lil dry humour here and there, and just enough character development to keep you invested in the series. As I said in my review of book #2, I'm pleasantly surprised with how well this male author writes Josie's character. Limited male gaze and he didn't make her an unhinged super twat like some other FMC in male-authored police procedurals. I appreciated how he handled her miscarriage (not a spoiler, literally mentioned in the first chapter) with sensitivity and empathy.
Since I read a lot of police procedurals/thrillers, this was pretty predictable BUT I did not expect the extent of one of the reveals. It was disturbing but in a juicy way. It was straight out of Criminal Minds but the type of stuff they reserve for the mid-season or season finale. Very creepy to think about. Don't bother questioning the validity. It's as valid as my street cred (not at all... I am very bougie).
Anyways, if you're a fan of Angela Marsons, Lisa Reagan, and the like, you will most likely vibe with this one. I'll definitely be picking up #3 when I need a Honda Civic Reliable read after I foolishly pick up another Booktok recommendation.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: writing flows nicely, I liked Josie's character, miscarriage handled with sensitivity and empathy, standard case but well-executed, one of the reveals was very creepy in a juicy way, dry wit
Cons: I'm sure there's something but it's Honda Civic Reliable so I ain't gonna throw a fit about it
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
HONDA CIVIC RELIABLE 3-STARS!!! THIS IS NOT A BAD BOOK!!! FOR FANS OF ANGELA MARSONS AND LISA REAGAN!!!!
Phat ass trigger warning: miscarriage, child abuse, kidnapping
SYNOPSIS
Thirty years after witnessing a young boy being kidnapped by a clown, DS Josie Masters is called to work on a case that's eerily similar.
MY OPINION
So as per usual, I started this series with book #2 and according to my review, I wished I had started with #1 because there were a lot of continuing storylines. And as per usual, I cannot remember what any of those are but let's just say if I think you need to read a series in order, you probably should. I am a vet when it comes to bopping around a series.
This was your classic Honda Civic Reliable, British police procedural. Good pacing, a lil dry humour here and there, and just enough character development to keep you invested in the series. As I said in my review of book #2, I'm pleasantly surprised with how well this male author writes Josie's character. Limited male gaze and he didn't make her an unhinged super twat like some other FMC in male-authored police procedurals. I appreciated how he handled her miscarriage (not a spoiler, literally mentioned in the first chapter) with sensitivity and empathy.
Since I read a lot of police procedurals/thrillers, this was pretty predictable BUT I did not expect the extent of one of the reveals. It was disturbing but in a juicy way. It was straight out of Criminal Minds but the type of stuff they reserve for the mid-season or season finale. Very creepy to think about. Don't bother questioning the validity. It's as valid as my street cred (not at all... I am very bougie).
Anyways, if you're a fan of Angela Marsons, Lisa Reagan, and the like, you will most likely vibe with this one. I'll definitely be picking up #3 when I need a Honda Civic Reliable read after I foolishly pick up another Booktok recommendation.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: writing flows nicely, I liked Josie's character, miscarriage handled with sensitivity and empathy, standard case but well-executed, one of the reveals was very creepy in a juicy way, dry wit
Cons: I'm sure there's something but it's Honda Civic Reliable so I ain't gonna throw a fit about it
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
March 8, 2018
When a young Josie Masters sees a boy wearing a red football top, Dylan Jones, being taken by a clown at a carnival, she tries to alert the crowds. Dylan has disappeared. Thirty years later, Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of a child have been found - complete with tatters of a torn red football top.
Josie has carried a lot of guilt over the years as she felt she did not do enough to help when Dylan was being abducted. The storyline is believable,the characters are a mixed bunch of likeable and dislikeable. There is even a retired police detective, Harry Freeman, who had been part of the original case. There is plenty of dead ends during the investigation and it took me until nearly 3/4 of the way through before I realised where this book was going. This is a very good, well written and fast paced debut novel. I will be looking out for more from this author in future.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and the author M.J. Ford for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Josie has carried a lot of guilt over the years as she felt she did not do enough to help when Dylan was being abducted. The storyline is believable,the characters are a mixed bunch of likeable and dislikeable. There is even a retired police detective, Harry Freeman, who had been part of the original case. There is plenty of dead ends during the investigation and it took me until nearly 3/4 of the way through before I realised where this book was going. This is a very good, well written and fast paced debut novel. I will be looking out for more from this author in future.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and the author M.J. Ford for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2018
Let me just catch my breath... woah that was such a great book.. and that ending.. what a roller coaster ride that was! I loved this book... really loved it. Started in my lunch break today at work and stayed up tonight to finish it.,
As a child Kate was a witness to a child being taken at a carnival by a man dressed as. A clown. Now 30 years later she is a police officer in Bath and a body of a child is found when digging up a backyard for a pool. Is it possible that they have finally found Dylan after all this time? And then another child goes missing in creepily similar circumstances. Kate follows her gut and will not give up until to the truth comes out.
A fantastic book... Thanks you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions
As a child Kate was a witness to a child being taken at a carnival by a man dressed as. A clown. Now 30 years later she is a police officer in Bath and a body of a child is found when digging up a backyard for a pool. Is it possible that they have finally found Dylan after all this time? And then another child goes missing in creepily similar circumstances. Kate follows her gut and will not give up until to the truth comes out.
A fantastic book... Thanks you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and enjoy in exchange for my honest opinions
March 27, 2018
Josie Meadows was a young girl herself when she witnessed a boy in a red football top lured away from a travelling circus by a clown. As the only one to see him leave, and no evidence to back it up, his disappearance remained unexplained. Thirty years later and Josie, herself, is now a police detective, when the body of a small boy is unearthed, wearing the same clothing as the boy from all those years ago. Is this the past repeating itself, or is it merely rearing its ugly head to finally dispose of its secrets?
Alongside this central mysterious story-line was encroaching drama from Josie's own life, leading the suspenseful narrative to dually blossom whilst it meandered. The side-by-side action was cleverly curated and carefully interwoven, making this feel like an authentic snippet from reality. This authenticity of the text led to the heightening of this already emotional narrative and an affinity formed, when I found myself unable to leave this book unattended so fiercely did its many mysteries plead with my senses to be discovered.
Every puzzle piece was perfectly placed and no scene was surplus, providing the reader with the chance at imagining the final scene but without making its contents too obvious. There were also many additional dead ends and false starts that allowed this book to slowly build until its cumulative, thrilling scenes.
And this finale is one worth waiting for. Delightfully chilling and shockingly gruesome in design, this has provided many terrifyingly visual scenes to replay inside my mind's eye and has ensured M. J. Ford has created a truly unforgettable thriller.
Alongside this central mysterious story-line was encroaching drama from Josie's own life, leading the suspenseful narrative to dually blossom whilst it meandered. The side-by-side action was cleverly curated and carefully interwoven, making this feel like an authentic snippet from reality. This authenticity of the text led to the heightening of this already emotional narrative and an affinity formed, when I found myself unable to leave this book unattended so fiercely did its many mysteries plead with my senses to be discovered.
Every puzzle piece was perfectly placed and no scene was surplus, providing the reader with the chance at imagining the final scene but without making its contents too obvious. There were also many additional dead ends and false starts that allowed this book to slowly build until its cumulative, thrilling scenes.
And this finale is one worth waiting for. Delightfully chilling and shockingly gruesome in design, this has provided many terrifyingly visual scenes to replay inside my mind's eye and has ensured M. J. Ford has created a truly unforgettable thriller.
January 28, 2020
Wow, can I just take a moment to wrap my head around what just happened? Hold My Hand by M.J. Ford was full of surprises and the end was even a tad mind-blowing.
Hold My Hand started out as a really quick read for me and the end went fast as well, but I found the majority of the pacing to be on the slower side. That's what ultimately brought the rating down a bit for me, but overall this is a book that is more than deserving of the 4 stars I'm giving it. There is definitely disturbing content but for the most part it's not too descriptive, so those of you that don't like gory or anything too detailed should be fine.
I really love a good detective novel which is exactly what I got with Hold My Hand. I was also a big fan of Josie and I liked the tie in of her becoming a copper and being involved in the same case she was involved in as a child. Things really came full circle and I enjoyed how the author tied everything together.
Final Thought: There were so many things I never saw coming and Hold My Hand definitely kept me on my toes. If you like crime and detective fiction, especially set in England, this would be a perfect book to check out. Even the parts that were slower didn't slow down my reading much and I was done in under 4.5 hours. It was basically unputdownable, and a book I will be highly recommending to my crime/detective fiction lovers out there. I can't wait to read more of Ford's novels!
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Hold My Hand started out as a really quick read for me and the end went fast as well, but I found the majority of the pacing to be on the slower side. That's what ultimately brought the rating down a bit for me, but overall this is a book that is more than deserving of the 4 stars I'm giving it. There is definitely disturbing content but for the most part it's not too descriptive, so those of you that don't like gory or anything too detailed should be fine.
I really love a good detective novel which is exactly what I got with Hold My Hand. I was also a big fan of Josie and I liked the tie in of her becoming a copper and being involved in the same case she was involved in as a child. Things really came full circle and I enjoyed how the author tied everything together.
Final Thought: There were so many things I never saw coming and Hold My Hand definitely kept me on my toes. If you like crime and detective fiction, especially set in England, this would be a perfect book to check out. Even the parts that were slower didn't slow down my reading much and I was done in under 4.5 hours. It was basically unputdownable, and a book I will be highly recommending to my crime/detective fiction lovers out there. I can't wait to read more of Ford's novels!
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
August 15, 2022
It had the makings of a good book, and the story had a promising plot, but there was just too much going on at once. It read like stories within stories. You would have thought the author was never going to get a chance to write another book "so let's get it all in here". I did begin to understand though, why I hate clowns. The beginning and about 30% of the book was the best parts. The story covers a span of roughly 30 years. Starting with the kidnapping of a little boy at a carnival, which happened to be witnessed by a little girl. Thirty years down the road; that little girl is now a detective assigned to another case of a kidnapped little boy. Many pages later we come to the ending. It needed...well, something more believable. The "big reveal" was over the top. It felt as if the author wanted to come up with something that was so bizarre and so out in left field that the reader would be overly, even shockingly, surprised. I know this was this author's first book...heaven knows I have never had a first book or any book for that matter...but there was so much that really "bothered" me and didn't fit well together about the entire layout of the story. I gave it 3 stars...because first of all, I DID NOT HATE THE BOOK. Those stars are also for the author's first efforts, she is a good writer...for the idea of the plot...and for the first part of the story which really was very good...but someone in charge of the editing or the finished product, really let this author down somewhere along the way. Of course, I have probably done more with this review to get people to read it than the editor ever could have hoped to have accomplished:)
March 18, 2018
Hold My Hand was a clever little thriller with a main character that just seemed to get into more and more trouble but was eminently likable and pulled you along with her.
It is quite an emotive story, Josie witnesses a kidnapping then years later, as a police officer, gets caught up in the case again when a body is found and another child goes missing. Soon things will hit close to home and with everyone looking in all the wrong directions things might not go so well for Josie..
The plotting was taut and the story unfolded beautifully, an addictive writing style and some genuinely engaging characters. I was especially taken with Josie’s relationship to those around her, Boss and ex lover Ben, the now much older detective who questioned her as a child, her brother and his family…the author does an excellent job of absorbing you into their world.
The case itself is unpredictable and felt authentic in it’s twists, the investigative elements rang true and I always like a story where at the end you are saying WELL IF ONLY THEY HAD LISTENED IN THE FIRST PLACE…which actually I did out loud although luckily there was nobody around to hear me…
We also have scary ass clowns, a surprising turn at the end, a edge of the seat resolution and some great writing. Overall excellent. I really enjoyed it, especially as a lot of it was set in my neck of the woods…
Recommended.
It is quite an emotive story, Josie witnesses a kidnapping then years later, as a police officer, gets caught up in the case again when a body is found and another child goes missing. Soon things will hit close to home and with everyone looking in all the wrong directions things might not go so well for Josie..
The plotting was taut and the story unfolded beautifully, an addictive writing style and some genuinely engaging characters. I was especially taken with Josie’s relationship to those around her, Boss and ex lover Ben, the now much older detective who questioned her as a child, her brother and his family…the author does an excellent job of absorbing you into their world.
The case itself is unpredictable and felt authentic in it’s twists, the investigative elements rang true and I always like a story where at the end you are saying WELL IF ONLY THEY HAD LISTENED IN THE FIRST PLACE…which actually I did out loud although luckily there was nobody around to hear me…
We also have scary ass clowns, a surprising turn at the end, a edge of the seat resolution and some great writing. Overall excellent. I really enjoyed it, especially as a lot of it was set in my neck of the woods…
Recommended.
April 11, 2018
If you were freaked out by those “killer clown” news reports last year then this possibly isn’t the book for you. Likewise, if any of my three daughters are reading this review…….THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE BOOK FOR YOU (there is a funny family story behind this. Funny for me but not for my three little coulrophobics, who weren’t actually coulrophobic until aforementioned incident!!) But for me, I just want to scream out loud that THIS BOOK IS BLOODY BRILLIANT!! And I’m no great fan of clowns either!!
This is an amazing debut from M.J. Ford! It’s a twisty crime thriller with a great premise, a cracking storyline and an intriguing protagonist whom I took to straight away. Josie Masters is only 8 years old when she sees a young boy that she has met at a local funfair being lead away by a clown. He was never seen again. Thirty years later a body is found and Josie, now Jo and a police officer, goes back home to investigate. Her personal life is complicated by a work connection and she has some big decisions to make but these are put on the back burner by her determination to solve this thirty year old mystery. So when another child is taken, Josie has to look deeper into the past for clues before another child goes missing.
This really was an unputdownable read for me. From the first few pages, where I wanted to read with my fingers over my eyes, to the shocks dished out in the thrilling conclusion, I was gripped. The narrative flowed with a confident pace, portraying a vivid picture of the horrors facing Jo as she dug deeper into the evidence to find out the truth about what happened to Dylan Jones and why. Those images created disturbingly realistic scenarios and as a parent I found them particularly chilling especially as any plot concerning the abduction of children can be a difficult one to read. This one in particular seemed to affect me more than usual, possibly because of the image on the front cover and also remembering real life cases where the abducted child has gone off with a stranger, trusting them enough to hold their hand as they did so.
But to balance those feelings the author gave us a detective who was approachable and engaging. I really liked Jo! Although deeply affected by the guilt she felt from being unable to prevent Dylan’s abduction when she was a child, she had used that emotion in her career so that it had a positive impact on her life. And as the case came to its final stages I didn’t want to stop reading, I wanted MORE! I had become so deeply involved by the end, with both the storyline and the characters, that I had a major book hangover and was unable to move onto my next book as I just knew it couldn’t possibly live up to Take My Hand!
A brilliant debut that I highly recommend!
This is an amazing debut from M.J. Ford! It’s a twisty crime thriller with a great premise, a cracking storyline and an intriguing protagonist whom I took to straight away. Josie Masters is only 8 years old when she sees a young boy that she has met at a local funfair being lead away by a clown. He was never seen again. Thirty years later a body is found and Josie, now Jo and a police officer, goes back home to investigate. Her personal life is complicated by a work connection and she has some big decisions to make but these are put on the back burner by her determination to solve this thirty year old mystery. So when another child is taken, Josie has to look deeper into the past for clues before another child goes missing.
This really was an unputdownable read for me. From the first few pages, where I wanted to read with my fingers over my eyes, to the shocks dished out in the thrilling conclusion, I was gripped. The narrative flowed with a confident pace, portraying a vivid picture of the horrors facing Jo as she dug deeper into the evidence to find out the truth about what happened to Dylan Jones and why. Those images created disturbingly realistic scenarios and as a parent I found them particularly chilling especially as any plot concerning the abduction of children can be a difficult one to read. This one in particular seemed to affect me more than usual, possibly because of the image on the front cover and also remembering real life cases where the abducted child has gone off with a stranger, trusting them enough to hold their hand as they did so.
But to balance those feelings the author gave us a detective who was approachable and engaging. I really liked Jo! Although deeply affected by the guilt she felt from being unable to prevent Dylan’s abduction when she was a child, she had used that emotion in her career so that it had a positive impact on her life. And as the case came to its final stages I didn’t want to stop reading, I wanted MORE! I had become so deeply involved by the end, with both the storyline and the characters, that I had a major book hangover and was unable to move onto my next book as I just knew it couldn’t possibly live up to Take My Hand!
A brilliant debut that I highly recommend!
April 8, 2018
Hold My Hand is the spectacularly assured debut from M.J. Ford and, as far as first novels go, they don’t come much more impressive than this cracker! Part police procedural with more than a hint of psychological thriller about it and an admirable attention for the police procedures that is so rarely demonstrated by a debut author without practical experience of the job.
The novel opens in the summer of 1987 in the village of Yarnton, Oxfordshire when an eight-year-old Josie Masters attends the final day of the travelling circus with her fifteen-year-old brother, Paul. Parting company with her brother she is drawn to the football stall where a ginger haired and freckly lad sporting the current Liverpool football shirt watches her win the top prize. Rather envious of his shirt, the last time Josie sees the boy he is holding hands with a clown and walking off into the distance in what proves to be the final sighting of seven-year-old Dylan Jones. Attempting to alert the crowd to no avail and with Dylan subsequently never having been found and his fate unknown has imbued Josie with a sense of guilt and a lingering feeling of responsibility. From the stomach churning disappearance of a child, the story then fast-forwards thirty years when readers meet Josie (Jo) is an entirely different context.
Narrated entirely in the third-person subjective a now thirty-nine-year-old DS Jo Masters of Avon and Somerset police is summoned to a derelict house in Bradford-on-Avon where the remains of a child’s body have been recovered complete with the tatters of a red football shirt. A pensive Jo attends fully expecting the confirmation that the skeleton belongs to Dylan when she is informed that a member of Thames Valley CID has connected the discovery to a long-standing missing persons report. Also attending the scene is retired Detective Harry Fremantle who at the time of Dylan’s disappearance worked as a constable on the original investigation. As the team await confirmation M.J. Ford provides a succinct overview of the most pertinent aspects of the initial case, from the deliberate cutting of the circus phone line to the persons of interest investigated at the time, even addressing the lack of definitive sex offenders records pre-1997. Although the circumstantial evidence points towards the remains being that of Dylan before there is a conclusive answer DS Masters is taken off the case that is headed up by her ex partner and once again filled with a sense of powerlessness that she was never given the chance to make amends.
However when another boy goes missing in a case which echoes the hallmarks of Dylan’s disappearance, specifically with the perpetrator disguised by a clown mask, Jo is seconded to Thames Valley to join the investigation in Jericho. As speculation of a possible connection between Dylan’s disappearance and eleven-year-old Niall McDonagh’s case mounts the local media whips up a frenzy and dubs the perpetrator, “The Killer Clown” whilst the detectives begin to speculate that a copycat is at work and what at first seems like a relatively straightforward case reveals itself to be mired in complexities that drag Jo back to her own mixed childhood memories and family home. As the Niall McDonagh investigation stalls and Jo awaits confirmation of the possible remains of Dylan the possibility that she might let another child down weighs every bit as heavily.
As level-headed Jo goes under the radar keeping abreast of the resolution on Dylan’s fate and actively liaising in Niall’s disappearance she ignores the reprimands and warnings to steer clear and with a local journalist and school contemporary latching onto Jo’s involvement in both cases she finds herself out of favour and coming to the attention of Thames Valley’s mercurial DCI Stratton. However when a suspect emerges who doesn’t quite feel right or fit the required profile it niggles Jo and with the respective CID’s keen to resolve both the cold case and Niall’s disappearance in one fell swoop she is impelled to act to ensure the real perpetrator is brought to justice. Jo’s personal involvement with the case of Dylan and the circularity of Niall’s inspires her to dig deeper into the contrasts between both situations, with one indicating an opportunistic snatch and Niall’s kidnap clearly planned and the age difference between the boys in particular raising more questions. As she takes time to understand the suspects previous offences, mindset and the thoughts on his social worker, she quickly forms the opinion that he either had an accomplice or was coerced..
Whilst the novel is largely driven by a tight knit plot, the characterisation is definitely not lacking and in lead protagonist, DS Jo Masters, M.J. Ford has carved out a downright ordinary modern female and whilst her personal life isn’t overly rosy there is not an ounce of self-pity for her situation, rather a take it on the chin determination and sincere compassion. Perhaps the closest comparison in current crime fiction with Jo is DS Joanne Aspinall from Paula Daly’s novels especially given her ability to keep things in proportion. I certainly hope that her character will make a repeat appearance as she is a sympathetic and sensible woman who I empathised with immensely and her impressive handling of the case, including her very direct approach to interviewing some very clued up teens, inspires faith in her abilities. Having recently split from her partner of over ten years and superior in DI Ben Coombs after his compulsive gambling and a recent miscarriage Jo is vulnerable with Ben is making her life a misery both at work and outside. Renting a grim one-bed flat in the centre of Oxford and struggling for money, her dream of having a child is fading into the distance with the costly and uncertain process of undergoing IVF weighing on her mind. Ben too is well-drawn, ranging from condescending and dismissive at work to apologetic and underhanded as he attempts to inveigle himself back into Jo’s life.
Engrossing until the last, the relentless pace does abate a little into the close however with plenty of surprises unfolding and Ford’s admirable refusal to deliver the crowd pleasing happy ending his execution and the pause for reflection final chapters impress. All in all, Hold My Hand is an outstanding debut with a substantial plot, a fascinating three-dimensional protagonist and credible red herrings on the part of M.J. Ford. A cunning eye for misdirection is in evidence throughout with retired Detective Harry Fremantle and DI Ben Coombs both notably giving rise to a disconcerting unease. Infused with an atmospheric sense of place, the archaic traditions of the Oxford colleges and the proximity to Jo’s own past and an awkward relationship with her ailing mother. Subtle distinctions are made between the children of 1987 and the more street-smart, outspoken and savvy youth of today. The denouement is dispatched with due consideration, giving enough details and background to make it feel plausible and fitting. A superior debut!
The novel opens in the summer of 1987 in the village of Yarnton, Oxfordshire when an eight-year-old Josie Masters attends the final day of the travelling circus with her fifteen-year-old brother, Paul. Parting company with her brother she is drawn to the football stall where a ginger haired and freckly lad sporting the current Liverpool football shirt watches her win the top prize. Rather envious of his shirt, the last time Josie sees the boy he is holding hands with a clown and walking off into the distance in what proves to be the final sighting of seven-year-old Dylan Jones. Attempting to alert the crowd to no avail and with Dylan subsequently never having been found and his fate unknown has imbued Josie with a sense of guilt and a lingering feeling of responsibility. From the stomach churning disappearance of a child, the story then fast-forwards thirty years when readers meet Josie (Jo) is an entirely different context.
Narrated entirely in the third-person subjective a now thirty-nine-year-old DS Jo Masters of Avon and Somerset police is summoned to a derelict house in Bradford-on-Avon where the remains of a child’s body have been recovered complete with the tatters of a red football shirt. A pensive Jo attends fully expecting the confirmation that the skeleton belongs to Dylan when she is informed that a member of Thames Valley CID has connected the discovery to a long-standing missing persons report. Also attending the scene is retired Detective Harry Fremantle who at the time of Dylan’s disappearance worked as a constable on the original investigation. As the team await confirmation M.J. Ford provides a succinct overview of the most pertinent aspects of the initial case, from the deliberate cutting of the circus phone line to the persons of interest investigated at the time, even addressing the lack of definitive sex offenders records pre-1997. Although the circumstantial evidence points towards the remains being that of Dylan before there is a conclusive answer DS Masters is taken off the case that is headed up by her ex partner and once again filled with a sense of powerlessness that she was never given the chance to make amends.
However when another boy goes missing in a case which echoes the hallmarks of Dylan’s disappearance, specifically with the perpetrator disguised by a clown mask, Jo is seconded to Thames Valley to join the investigation in Jericho. As speculation of a possible connection between Dylan’s disappearance and eleven-year-old Niall McDonagh’s case mounts the local media whips up a frenzy and dubs the perpetrator, “The Killer Clown” whilst the detectives begin to speculate that a copycat is at work and what at first seems like a relatively straightforward case reveals itself to be mired in complexities that drag Jo back to her own mixed childhood memories and family home. As the Niall McDonagh investigation stalls and Jo awaits confirmation of the possible remains of Dylan the possibility that she might let another child down weighs every bit as heavily.
As level-headed Jo goes under the radar keeping abreast of the resolution on Dylan’s fate and actively liaising in Niall’s disappearance she ignores the reprimands and warnings to steer clear and with a local journalist and school contemporary latching onto Jo’s involvement in both cases she finds herself out of favour and coming to the attention of Thames Valley’s mercurial DCI Stratton. However when a suspect emerges who doesn’t quite feel right or fit the required profile it niggles Jo and with the respective CID’s keen to resolve both the cold case and Niall’s disappearance in one fell swoop she is impelled to act to ensure the real perpetrator is brought to justice. Jo’s personal involvement with the case of Dylan and the circularity of Niall’s inspires her to dig deeper into the contrasts between both situations, with one indicating an opportunistic snatch and Niall’s kidnap clearly planned and the age difference between the boys in particular raising more questions. As she takes time to understand the suspects previous offences, mindset and the thoughts on his social worker, she quickly forms the opinion that he either had an accomplice or was coerced..
Whilst the novel is largely driven by a tight knit plot, the characterisation is definitely not lacking and in lead protagonist, DS Jo Masters, M.J. Ford has carved out a downright ordinary modern female and whilst her personal life isn’t overly rosy there is not an ounce of self-pity for her situation, rather a take it on the chin determination and sincere compassion. Perhaps the closest comparison in current crime fiction with Jo is DS Joanne Aspinall from Paula Daly’s novels especially given her ability to keep things in proportion. I certainly hope that her character will make a repeat appearance as she is a sympathetic and sensible woman who I empathised with immensely and her impressive handling of the case, including her very direct approach to interviewing some very clued up teens, inspires faith in her abilities. Having recently split from her partner of over ten years and superior in DI Ben Coombs after his compulsive gambling and a recent miscarriage Jo is vulnerable with Ben is making her life a misery both at work and outside. Renting a grim one-bed flat in the centre of Oxford and struggling for money, her dream of having a child is fading into the distance with the costly and uncertain process of undergoing IVF weighing on her mind. Ben too is well-drawn, ranging from condescending and dismissive at work to apologetic and underhanded as he attempts to inveigle himself back into Jo’s life.
Engrossing until the last, the relentless pace does abate a little into the close however with plenty of surprises unfolding and Ford’s admirable refusal to deliver the crowd pleasing happy ending his execution and the pause for reflection final chapters impress. All in all, Hold My Hand is an outstanding debut with a substantial plot, a fascinating three-dimensional protagonist and credible red herrings on the part of M.J. Ford. A cunning eye for misdirection is in evidence throughout with retired Detective Harry Fremantle and DI Ben Coombs both notably giving rise to a disconcerting unease. Infused with an atmospheric sense of place, the archaic traditions of the Oxford colleges and the proximity to Jo’s own past and an awkward relationship with her ailing mother. Subtle distinctions are made between the children of 1987 and the more street-smart, outspoken and savvy youth of today. The denouement is dispatched with due consideration, giving enough details and background to make it feel plausible and fitting. A superior debut!
March 17, 2018
The story goes thus, a young Josie, at a circus, sees a clown leading away a young boy in a red t-shirt, she becomes the only witness to this kidnapping. Now 30years later, Josie/ Jo is a cop and the body/skeleton of a child is found by the builders. A couple of days later, another boy is led away by a man in a clown mask. Another kidnapping.
Who is the clown in the first kidnapping?? Are these copy-cat kidnappers/murderers?? Are the two men the same or are the kidnappings just opportunistic coincidences?? Are they accomplices or master-protégé combination??
All these and more are answered in the police-procedural psychological thriller, Hold my Hand by the author M. J. Ford. A debut written so well is astonishing. There is a right amount of jadedness in Jo along with a burning desire for justice. The secondary characters also seem to prop and uphold the story well.
I liked the main character Jo, she was as flawed as it comes. I loved her gut instinct at work, but those instincts somehow didn't work in her personal life. I loved her professionalism towards co-workers, but somehow, her courteous manners were not extended to family. I loved her capabilities as a cop, but sadly enough they don't extend to her as a woman. As a cop, she knew where she was going, as a woman, she dithered. But then again, who amongst us, isn't like this??
I think the author M. J. Ford will grow on me, in the next few books. If I seived away Jo's personal life along with her closed-up weird attitude, the parts which remained read well. It was fast-paced with a lot of clues. The investigative journey was a winding, twisty road, with dead ends, false accused, ramblings of a child, along with the thoughts of a retired now mildly alcoholic policeman, who worked on the first kidnapping.
I liked Jo, the policewoman, she had courage in her convictions. Jo the woman didn't connect with me, she was too within herself. On the whole, a thrilling police procedural with a realistic main character, written in a fast pace, with a pragmatic hand by debut author M. J. Ford. A great way to spend the Saturday afternoon.
P.S. I loved the cover too; it was heartbreakingly innocent.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Avon Books UK, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Who is the clown in the first kidnapping?? Are these copy-cat kidnappers/murderers?? Are the two men the same or are the kidnappings just opportunistic coincidences?? Are they accomplices or master-protégé combination??
All these and more are answered in the police-procedural psychological thriller, Hold my Hand by the author M. J. Ford. A debut written so well is astonishing. There is a right amount of jadedness in Jo along with a burning desire for justice. The secondary characters also seem to prop and uphold the story well.
I liked the main character Jo, she was as flawed as it comes. I loved her gut instinct at work, but those instincts somehow didn't work in her personal life. I loved her professionalism towards co-workers, but somehow, her courteous manners were not extended to family. I loved her capabilities as a cop, but sadly enough they don't extend to her as a woman. As a cop, she knew where she was going, as a woman, she dithered. But then again, who amongst us, isn't like this??
I think the author M. J. Ford will grow on me, in the next few books. If I seived away Jo's personal life along with her closed-up weird attitude, the parts which remained read well. It was fast-paced with a lot of clues. The investigative journey was a winding, twisty road, with dead ends, false accused, ramblings of a child, along with the thoughts of a retired now mildly alcoholic policeman, who worked on the first kidnapping.
I liked Jo, the policewoman, she had courage in her convictions. Jo the woman didn't connect with me, she was too within herself. On the whole, a thrilling police procedural with a realistic main character, written in a fast pace, with a pragmatic hand by debut author M. J. Ford. A great way to spend the Saturday afternoon.
P.S. I loved the cover too; it was heartbreakingly innocent.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Avon Books UK, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
January 9, 2018
How long do you hunt for the missing?
A horrible vanishing act…
When a young Josie Masters sees a boy wearing a red football shirt, Dylan Jones, being taken by a clown at a carnival, she tries to alert the crowds. But it’s too late. Dylan has disappeared…
Thirty years later, Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of the body of a child have been found – complete with tatters of a torn red football shirt. Is it the boy she saw vanish in the clutches of the clown? Or is it someone else altogether?
And then another child disappears…
This gripping,riveting mystery is voiced entirely by Josie from the third person pov.I really liked Josie,she was a feisty,complex character who had some major personal issues that she was struggling to deal with.She carried around a lot of guilt because she felt she hadn't done enough to help Dylan when he was abducted.She wasn't very close to her mum and brother and she also had the added problem of her ex boyfriend who just happened to be her superior officer at the police station she was based at in Bath.He didn't want to accept that their relationship was over and seemed to do everything in his power to cause problems for her character,can't say I liked him very much.The other officers she worked with throughout the story where a likeable,mixed bag of believable characters.I especially liked retired detective Harry Freeman who had been part of the original investigation into Dylan Jones disappearance.The opening chapter covers the events leading up to Dylan's abduction then the story moves forward thirty years.After a few pages of character building Josie receives a phone call about the discovery of the body of a young boy.She swiftly finds herself caught up in a investigation packed full of false leads,red herrings and life threatening situations that will push her to the limits of her endurance both physically and mentally and culminates with a spine tingling final confrontation and a absolutely shocking OMG twist that I definitely didn't see coming although now I think about it there was a tiny hint that I really should have picked up on.
I absolutely loved this well written,riveting debut mystery and would have happily given it far more than five stars.I really hope this is the first book in a new series and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Avon Books uk for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
A horrible vanishing act…
When a young Josie Masters sees a boy wearing a red football shirt, Dylan Jones, being taken by a clown at a carnival, she tries to alert the crowds. But it’s too late. Dylan has disappeared…
Thirty years later, Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of the body of a child have been found – complete with tatters of a torn red football shirt. Is it the boy she saw vanish in the clutches of the clown? Or is it someone else altogether?
And then another child disappears…
This gripping,riveting mystery is voiced entirely by Josie from the third person pov.I really liked Josie,she was a feisty,complex character who had some major personal issues that she was struggling to deal with.She carried around a lot of guilt because she felt she hadn't done enough to help Dylan when he was abducted.She wasn't very close to her mum and brother and she also had the added problem of her ex boyfriend who just happened to be her superior officer at the police station she was based at in Bath.He didn't want to accept that their relationship was over and seemed to do everything in his power to cause problems for her character,can't say I liked him very much.The other officers she worked with throughout the story where a likeable,mixed bag of believable characters.I especially liked retired detective Harry Freeman who had been part of the original investigation into Dylan Jones disappearance.The opening chapter covers the events leading up to Dylan's abduction then the story moves forward thirty years.After a few pages of character building Josie receives a phone call about the discovery of the body of a young boy.She swiftly finds herself caught up in a investigation packed full of false leads,red herrings and life threatening situations that will push her to the limits of her endurance both physically and mentally and culminates with a spine tingling final confrontation and a absolutely shocking OMG twist that I definitely didn't see coming although now I think about it there was a tiny hint that I really should have picked up on.
I absolutely loved this well written,riveting debut mystery and would have happily given it far more than five stars.I really hope this is the first book in a new series and look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.
Many thanks to Avon Books uk for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
April 1, 2018
I bought my own copy from Amazon. M. J. Ford has worked as an editor and writer of children's fiction. Hold my hand is his first novel for adults. I hope that with the success of Hold My Hand that M. J. Ford decides to write more fiction for adults. I absolutely loved this cover and the story. In Yarnton,near Oxford July 26th, 1987 Josie, Kim and Bec go to the circus. Josie sees a boy in a red football shirt holding a hand of a clown with red hair, then they were gone out of sight towards the trees at the bottom of the field. A woman can't find her son Dylan. Years later Josie is working as a police officer. Thirty-one years later a body of a boy is found in a by builders in an old pool. With a scrap of dirty red material. The body was found at advance state of decomposition it really was a little more than a skeleton. But the police think that this body points to the fact that Dylan Jones body has been found. Prepare for some twist to delevope.
March 13, 2018
I was completely engrossed in this book! It was very spine-chilling at times and was a fantastic page-turner! I found the plot very captivating and compelling. Even though there were some aspects to the ending that I had already guessed early on, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend!
May 4, 2018
When she was a child Josie witnessed a child being led away from a fairground by a clown. Thirty years later she is a detective back near where she grew up & a body is found that appears to be the missing child. Josie has always regretted not saying something back then, even though she was a small child & she wants to get involved in the case.
This is a fast paced story that keeps the reader guessing. Josie was an interesting character & I hope to meet her again in a sequel. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book
This is a fast paced story that keeps the reader guessing. Josie was an interesting character & I hope to meet her again in a sequel. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book
March 4, 2024
“The clown’s outside. He’s watching me.” What a deliciously creepy sentence to read teehee 🤩🤩🤩 Slow burn for most of this but a delightfully twisted ending that was thoroughly disturbing, big fan ✨
April 3, 2019
This is a very classic detective, police procedural where a kid goes missing and 30 years later, another kid who watched the kid go missing all those years is now working for the police and another child has gone missing and brings up possible links between the two cases.
This book reminds me a lot of close to home by Cara Hunter and in the woods by Tana French. It's set in part of the UK where I live, which I always like to read about.
I enjoyed the pace and writing style. I also liked getting to know a more about the detective and her personal life.
There isn't much else to say, it's a solid police procedure with a twist I didn't see coming at the end
This book reminds me a lot of close to home by Cara Hunter and in the woods by Tana French. It's set in part of the UK where I live, which I always like to read about.
I enjoyed the pace and writing style. I also liked getting to know a more about the detective and her personal life.
There isn't much else to say, it's a solid police procedure with a twist I didn't see coming at the end
Read
March 20, 2018Geez!!! This book was unsettling before I even sat down to read it. Arriving in a box that played fairground music when it was opened (thanks Avon!) had me shivering. I mean, there’s something just so deliciously sinister and terrifying about fairgrounds and clowns …right? Well, if like me you enjoy being chilled to the bone with your reading, Hold My Hand ticks all the boxes and had me on edge from the very first page.
Jo is only eight when she see’s a young boy in a red football shirt being lead away by a clown at the local fairground. The only witness to the kidnapping, she feels guilt over the years at not raising the alarm sooner. Now thirty years later, she’s serving as a detective in the police force when old remains of a child are discovered – the only clue to their identity a red football shirt. Then another child disappears in similar circumstances and Jo is determined to find the link between the two cases and solve the case which has plagued her conscience for three decades.
MJ Ford captured my attention straight away with an intensely suspenseful prologue following the lead up to the kidnapping. Evoking the sights, smells and atmosphere of a day at the fairground as excitement turns into something dark, I was hooked very quickly.
The narrative then switches to thirty years later, where Jo is now a serving detective in the force where the remains are found. I really liked Jo, there’s vulnerability about her but also a foresight and intuitiveness which makes her investigating skills interesting- and I found myself frustrated on her behalf when her colleagues maybe didn’t listen or appreciate her as much as they should! I also liked the streak of empathy she had, meaning she didn’t always see things in black and white, which resulted in some thought provoking concepts. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting this and I really liked the personal detail to Jo’s character.
I had some suspicions about the kidnapper, but was wrong. Looking back, I think the author purposefully and subtly points in their direction and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it. However I really couldn’t have predicted some of the plot twists, which are both shocking yet disturbingly plausible, adding to the chilling nature of this book.
Hold Me Hand is a great mix of thriller and police procedural which gripped me throughout. I read it in huge 100 page chunks over a busy day, finding it hard to put down when I had to and eager for another dose when I had. Fast paced and shocking but with a distinctly authentic and human angle, it’s well worth an add to any crime/thriller fan’s bookshelves.
Jo is only eight when she see’s a young boy in a red football shirt being lead away by a clown at the local fairground. The only witness to the kidnapping, she feels guilt over the years at not raising the alarm sooner. Now thirty years later, she’s serving as a detective in the police force when old remains of a child are discovered – the only clue to their identity a red football shirt. Then another child disappears in similar circumstances and Jo is determined to find the link between the two cases and solve the case which has plagued her conscience for three decades.
MJ Ford captured my attention straight away with an intensely suspenseful prologue following the lead up to the kidnapping. Evoking the sights, smells and atmosphere of a day at the fairground as excitement turns into something dark, I was hooked very quickly.
The narrative then switches to thirty years later, where Jo is now a serving detective in the force where the remains are found. I really liked Jo, there’s vulnerability about her but also a foresight and intuitiveness which makes her investigating skills interesting- and I found myself frustrated on her behalf when her colleagues maybe didn’t listen or appreciate her as much as they should! I also liked the streak of empathy she had, meaning she didn’t always see things in black and white, which resulted in some thought provoking concepts. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting this and I really liked the personal detail to Jo’s character.
I had some suspicions about the kidnapper, but was wrong. Looking back, I think the author purposefully and subtly points in their direction and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it. However I really couldn’t have predicted some of the plot twists, which are both shocking yet disturbingly plausible, adding to the chilling nature of this book.
Hold Me Hand is a great mix of thriller and police procedural which gripped me throughout. I read it in huge 100 page chunks over a busy day, finding it hard to put down when I had to and eager for another dose when I had. Fast paced and shocking but with a distinctly authentic and human angle, it’s well worth an add to any crime/thriller fan’s bookshelves.
March 25, 2018
Josie Masters was eight years old when she witnessed something terrible. Amid the blare of carnival music and the ring of laughter, she sees a young boy in a red shirt being led away by a clown, his face turned up in question, his life, which was moments ago so filled with excitement and gaiety, suddenly set on a different course entirely. And all because he took someone’s hand. Now thirty years later, Jo is a detective for Avon and Somerset police, tackling the challenges of the job alongside the trials that face her in her personal life. When the bones of a child are discovered in the grounds of a derelict house, they are found with the tatters of a red shirt. Do the bones belong to Dylan Jones? Have they finally found the poor boy? Or do they belong to another child? A child they do not even know is lost?
Jo is feisty and determined, dogged in her pursuit of the murderer, her razor-sharp instincts guiding her through the puzzle to the truth. Because she was the only witness to the kidnapping of Dylan Jones, she feels responsible somehow. The emotional scars she accrued that day still bother her now, they affect her choices and urge her to keep digging. I loved getting to know Jo. Some of the best fictional detectives are the ones that not only battling a professional conundrum but a personal one also and Jo’s is quite heart wrenching.
Some scenes were very upsetting in this book because they are a reminder of the threat that lies in the folds of life, the dangers that pursue children but I also think it’s this element that gives this book some of its power. As readers and as mothers and fathers, we’re rooting for Jo to find ‘the clown’ who is taking these kids, we’re hoping they can be found, alive and safe, we’re with her every step of the way. Hold My Hand completely gobbled up my day and I loved it! I don’t think I could have predicted that ending in a thousand years! Bravo, M.J. Ford!
Hold My Hand is a fast-paced, spine-tingling thriller of a high, high calibre. I really enjoyed this book and I almost can’t believe it’s a debut! The writing is wonderful, as is the story and characters! Definitely one to add to your “wish list!”
Chilling. Pacy. Brilliant.
Jo is feisty and determined, dogged in her pursuit of the murderer, her razor-sharp instincts guiding her through the puzzle to the truth. Because she was the only witness to the kidnapping of Dylan Jones, she feels responsible somehow. The emotional scars she accrued that day still bother her now, they affect her choices and urge her to keep digging. I loved getting to know Jo. Some of the best fictional detectives are the ones that not only battling a professional conundrum but a personal one also and Jo’s is quite heart wrenching.
Some scenes were very upsetting in this book because they are a reminder of the threat that lies in the folds of life, the dangers that pursue children but I also think it’s this element that gives this book some of its power. As readers and as mothers and fathers, we’re rooting for Jo to find ‘the clown’ who is taking these kids, we’re hoping they can be found, alive and safe, we’re with her every step of the way. Hold My Hand completely gobbled up my day and I loved it! I don’t think I could have predicted that ending in a thousand years! Bravo, M.J. Ford!
Hold My Hand is a fast-paced, spine-tingling thriller of a high, high calibre. I really enjoyed this book and I almost can’t believe it’s a debut! The writing is wonderful, as is the story and characters! Definitely one to add to your “wish list!”
Chilling. Pacy. Brilliant.
February 26, 2018
I love that Josie Masters isn't just your average detective but has her own struggles. She's coping with the end of relationship while wanting children and trying to get promoted, then has everything turn chaotic when a body is found, linked to a case she's scarily familiar with. And I didn't see that ending coming, totally gripping! The kind of crime book you just HAVE to finish.
March 11, 2018
Ok, I’ll get my complaint out of the way first so I can move on to the positives! This book was not what I was expecting. I don’t know if I’ve maybe read too many thrillers lately but this one just didn’t seem to stand up to other books in the genre that I’ve read in recent weeks. It wasn’t really as creepy as I expected it to be and I was able to guess one of the twists very early on.
HOWEVER! For a debut thriller, this is still very good! Although I guessed one twist, the main one still came as a shock for me. The ending actually turned the whole book around and improved my rating of the book as a whole.
While at first, I didn’t feel much of a connection with the main character, she did grow on me; I began to understand her motivations and I liked that she was a product of everything she’d experienced, flaws and all. I was a little confused that she would have been allowed to work on a case in which she had such a personal interest – but then I’m not familiar with how things like that work. Maybe I’m just nit-picking!
I really liked the circus connections (surprise surprise), though I would have liked it if more had been made of this. The setting seemed to be one of convenience and wasn’t utilised to its full extent, in my opinion. However, the unadorned writing style worked really well for the story and, towards the end, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!
So, a mixed bag of a book but one that, thanks to its strong ending, I enjoyed overall!
HOWEVER! For a debut thriller, this is still very good! Although I guessed one twist, the main one still came as a shock for me. The ending actually turned the whole book around and improved my rating of the book as a whole.
While at first, I didn’t feel much of a connection with the main character, she did grow on me; I began to understand her motivations and I liked that she was a product of everything she’d experienced, flaws and all. I was a little confused that she would have been allowed to work on a case in which she had such a personal interest – but then I’m not familiar with how things like that work. Maybe I’m just nit-picking!
I really liked the circus connections (surprise surprise), though I would have liked it if more had been made of this. The setting seemed to be one of convenience and wasn’t utilised to its full extent, in my opinion. However, the unadorned writing style worked really well for the story and, towards the end, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!
So, a mixed bag of a book but one that, thanks to its strong ending, I enjoyed overall!
January 10, 2024
Wow this book was really good, it was intense, had twists and turns, unpredictable and was really creepy at points too which was unexpected from this style of book. I tore through it in two session and the only reason it didn’t get 5 stars was I found some of the characters motives to be a bit far fetched. What the antagonist did was extremely dark for a long period of time and I don’t feel that there was enough explanation into their motives for doing what they did. You would need to be really messed up in the head for that and it didn’t feel entirely believable given the switch in character, as such the ending did feel a bit rushed and there felt like there was some plot holes which hadn’t been filled in at the end, making it all feel a bit unrealistic, sort of the thing you would see on a CSI episode and felt it would have worked better if there was a bit more to the ending. However, in saying that I still thought it was a really good read and would recommend!
March 16, 2018
When an 8 year old Josie Masters sees a young Dylan Jones, wearing a red football shirt being led away with a clown at a fair when she is a child, she tries to let people know but it is too late and he disappears.
30 years later Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of a child's body is found with the scraps of a red shirt and it looks as though Dylan has finally been found.
Then another child disappears, apparently also taken by a clown.
This is a fast paced crime thriller which twists and turns all over the place and the final few chapters meant I couldn't put it down. The ending is actually quite scary and Josie is a well written and believable character. A great debut novel!
30 years later Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of a child's body is found with the scraps of a red shirt and it looks as though Dylan has finally been found.
Then another child disappears, apparently also taken by a clown.
This is a fast paced crime thriller which twists and turns all over the place and the final few chapters meant I couldn't put it down. The ending is actually quite scary and Josie is a well written and believable character. A great debut novel!
March 11, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed Hold My Hand. Started it on Saturday afternoon and finished it on Sunday. It had me hooked from the start. I found the characters to be likeable and believable. Jo, the main character is strong and knows what she wants without being annoying like some lead characters can be. Some flood plot twists along the way and an enthralling read from start to finish.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.
March 3, 2018
Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com
Wow. What a crazy good read! I did not guess the ending to this one at all. When Josie is a little girl she goes to the town carnival with her brother. While there, she plays one of the carnival games while a little boy in a red football shirt watches on wishing he could win. She gives him her last turn after winning the game herself. Later on that evening, Josie sees the little boy walking away with a tall clown. It turns out she witnessed a kidnapping. Years later, Josie is a police officer who stumbles onto a case where a red football shirt is found with bones. She automatically remembers the little boy who was taken all those years ago. But could it be the boy she saw? As Josie and her team dig deeper and work on the case, they start tying the pieces of other cases together with it and Josie soon realizes that the whole thing is close to home that she expected. A heart-stopping thriller that keeps going and going.
Thank you to Netgalley, M.J. Ford and Avon for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. What a crazy good read! I did not guess the ending to this one at all. When Josie is a little girl she goes to the town carnival with her brother. While there, she plays one of the carnival games while a little boy in a red football shirt watches on wishing he could win. She gives him her last turn after winning the game herself. Later on that evening, Josie sees the little boy walking away with a tall clown. It turns out she witnessed a kidnapping. Years later, Josie is a police officer who stumbles onto a case where a red football shirt is found with bones. She automatically remembers the little boy who was taken all those years ago. But could it be the boy she saw? As Josie and her team dig deeper and work on the case, they start tying the pieces of other cases together with it and Josie soon realizes that the whole thing is close to home that she expected. A heart-stopping thriller that keeps going and going.
Thank you to Netgalley, M.J. Ford and Avon for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2018
Thank you to netgalley for my copy of this book. Wow!! I finished this book today and I'm blown away. It's been a while since I read a crime based thriller the last one I read the caller by Christ carter being at Christmas time, however I thoroughly enjoyed and devoured it. The story is based around Josie who is a detective and is going through a few difficulties in life, she is a great detective and really takes her job seriously I also enjoyed the retired co worker Larry or harry freeman im sure it was he seemed very fatherly and caring towards the families he dealt with. The opening pages draw you straight in, Josie is eight years old and goes to the circus with her brother where she meets a boy called Dylan who is a year younger than her, a little while later at the circus she witnesses Dylan walking away with his kidnapper.. then 30 so years later Josie is called to an old building where a body of a child has been uncovered and they believe it's Dylan who was kidnapped that fateful day at the circus, immediately I was drawn in by different emotions as a mother of three young children I can only imagine the despair and desperation you would feel if your child was abducted, I wanted to know what had happened to Dylan and why he was abducted. The story certainly doesn't disappoint and it takes you on a rollercoaster ride of different emotions until the breath taking twist at the end. I'm so glad I decided to try this book it was fantastic and a gripping addictive read.
April 19, 2019
Josie has carried much guilt as she failed to save a child taken by a clown at the fair years ago Josie is now a Police Officer in Bath. A child's remains are found. Could it be the missing child?
I felt the plot was tight characters were true to life some more likeable than others. The writing was good and kept me gripped.
Retired Police Detective Harry Freeman who was involved in original investigation has a part
Some of the lines of investigation go nowhere but ultimately Josie solves the case. I would recommend and will move on with next book in series.
I felt the plot was tight characters were true to life some more likeable than others. The writing was good and kept me gripped.
Retired Police Detective Harry Freeman who was involved in original investigation has a part
Some of the lines of investigation go nowhere but ultimately Josie solves the case. I would recommend and will move on with next book in series.
July 27, 2020
Crime story, roller coaster ride ! Keep you guessing till the end !
February 26, 2018
Many years ago when only a child, Josie was at the fair and watched as a young boy was led off by a clown. That boy, Dylan, was never seen again and to the present day no one know what happened to him. Fast forward thirty years and the remains of a child which date from around the same time as Dylan disappeared have been discovered. Josie / Jo is now working as a police officer and this discovery stirs up all sorts of emotions within her including the guilt that she did nothing on that fateful night. She didn't cry out, she didn't tell anyone. She just let it happen. Because of her prior involvement in the case she is not allowed to investigate but she does get herself seconded onto a neighbouring force's case of another missing child. As this new investigation begins, certain parallels between it and the old cold case start to emerge. Could this be the work of the same person? And, more importantly, will they be able to catch the perpetrator in time to save this child?
I am not quite sure how to describe this book. It's partly a police procedural but is has a psychological thriller bent. It's also very plot driven rather than character driven, although the characterisation is, on the whole, good.
Throughout reading, I kept changing my mind on what I thought about Jo. I admired her guts and tenacity but, at the same time, she was a tad whiny and poor me, which I didn't like so much. I also wasn't quite sold on the arc regarding her relationship with her ex but I guess it did have some reason for inclusion. I think I probably liked the old retired cop Harry best of all. He came across as completely credible; haunted by the one he didn't solve and desperate to make amends.
As with all books of this type, there were the obligatory twists, turns, dead-ends and red herrings to be found. All were on the whole credible and did their job of obscuring the truth enough for me so that I was completely baffled until just before all was revealed. Even then I only had an inkling that I might have been right.
As with all authors that are new to me, I took a peak at his profile and was a bit taken aback to find that this is actually his debut novel. Never would have guessed that from the way it is plotted and written. Well done indeed. Now though I am wondering whether this may be the start of a series. I can't see any evidence of this other than my own thoughts and feelings after finishing. It feels to me that the characters have been defined too well to be in a stand alone. They have too much backstory to just leave them now and I for one would be interested in where the author takes them next.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
I am not quite sure how to describe this book. It's partly a police procedural but is has a psychological thriller bent. It's also very plot driven rather than character driven, although the characterisation is, on the whole, good.
Throughout reading, I kept changing my mind on what I thought about Jo. I admired her guts and tenacity but, at the same time, she was a tad whiny and poor me, which I didn't like so much. I also wasn't quite sold on the arc regarding her relationship with her ex but I guess it did have some reason for inclusion. I think I probably liked the old retired cop Harry best of all. He came across as completely credible; haunted by the one he didn't solve and desperate to make amends.
As with all books of this type, there were the obligatory twists, turns, dead-ends and red herrings to be found. All were on the whole credible and did their job of obscuring the truth enough for me so that I was completely baffled until just before all was revealed. Even then I only had an inkling that I might have been right.
As with all authors that are new to me, I took a peak at his profile and was a bit taken aback to find that this is actually his debut novel. Never would have guessed that from the way it is plotted and written. Well done indeed. Now though I am wondering whether this may be the start of a series. I can't see any evidence of this other than my own thoughts and feelings after finishing. It feels to me that the characters have been defined too well to be in a stand alone. They have too much backstory to just leave them now and I for one would be interested in where the author takes them next.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
February 23, 2018
Josie Masters witnessed the abduction of a child when she was 8 years old and it has always haunted her. 30 years later, Josie is working as a DS in the Avon & Somerset police force when another child goes missing.
The actual plot was engaging, it kept me reading 'just one more chapter', and I thought it was well thought out and well written. The characters, although some were rather typical of the genre, were generally fairly believable. There were a couple of "duh" moments where a character does something you just know is going to be disastrous. One criticism I have is that I felt the "I'm-almost-40-single-with-no-kids-so-my-life-is-rubbish-compared-to-others" attitude of the main character, which was alluded to quite a few times during the book, added nothing to the character or to the plot as far as I can see. In fact, it got a bit irritating.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers, Avon Books UK, for the opportunity to review an ARC.
The actual plot was engaging, it kept me reading 'just one more chapter', and I thought it was well thought out and well written. The characters, although some were rather typical of the genre, were generally fairly believable. There were a couple of "duh" moments where a character does something you just know is going to be disastrous. One criticism I have is that I felt the "I'm-almost-40-single-with-no-kids-so-my-life-is-rubbish-compared-to-others" attitude of the main character, which was alluded to quite a few times during the book, added nothing to the character or to the plot as far as I can see. In fact, it got a bit irritating.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers, Avon Books UK, for the opportunity to review an ARC.
May 9, 2022
My kind of book, a strong female detective, a good story line and and a twist at the end. Hope there are more from this author.
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