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D.I. Grace Fisher #4
Wrong Way Home
A cold case leads DI Grace Fisher on the hunt for the most dangerous killer of her career - but after twenty-five years, can she really be sure she will get to the truth?
Wrong Way Home is a Sunday Times Crime Book of The Month. Mari Hannah says it's 'a classy, satisfying read, superbly put together' and Sarah Hilary calls Isabelle Grey's books 'compelling and compassionate'.
The same night a local hero saved two people from the burning Marineland resort in Southend, a young woman was raped and murdered minutes from the scene of the fire, the culmination of a series of brutal rapes in the town. The killer was never found.
Twenty-five years on, new DNA techniques have blown the cold case open. DI Grace Fisher relishes the prospect of finally catching the culprit, but when the evidence doesn't point to one clear suspect, she must reconstruct the original investigation.
Grace finds her investigation shadowed by a young true-crime podcaster backed by veteran crime reporter Ivo Sweatman. Pressure mounts and she knows that a cold-blooded killer is slowly being backed into a corner, and that a cornered predator is often the most dangerous of all...
Wrong Way Home is a Sunday Times Crime Book of The Month. Mari Hannah says it's 'a classy, satisfying read, superbly put together' and Sarah Hilary calls Isabelle Grey's books 'compelling and compassionate'.
The same night a local hero saved two people from the burning Marineland resort in Southend, a young woman was raped and murdered minutes from the scene of the fire, the culmination of a series of brutal rapes in the town. The killer was never found.
Twenty-five years on, new DNA techniques have blown the cold case open. DI Grace Fisher relishes the prospect of finally catching the culprit, but when the evidence doesn't point to one clear suspect, she must reconstruct the original investigation.
Grace finds her investigation shadowed by a young true-crime podcaster backed by veteran crime reporter Ivo Sweatman. Pressure mounts and she knows that a cold-blooded killer is slowly being backed into a corner, and that a cornered predator is often the most dangerous of all...
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
30 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Isabelle Grey
17 books103 followersI write the DI Grace Fisher series of crime novels, set in Colchester, Essex. 'The Special Girls', the third in the series, was a Sunday Times Crime Novel of the Month. The first three books in the series are 'Good Girls Don't Die', 'Shot Through the Heart' and 'The Special Girls. The murder detective's fourth investigation, 'Wrong Way Home', was a Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month.
Quercus also publish my novels of psychological suspense, 'Out of Sight' and the Amazon bestseller 'The Bad Mother', as well as historical fiction by my new writing persona, V.B. Grey.
As a screenwriter I've contributed episodes to such television crime dramas as 'The Bill', 'Wycliffe', 'Rosemary & Thyme' and 'Midsomer Murders' and, with Jimmy McGovern, an episode of the Bafta and International Emmy award-winning BBC series 'Accused'.
I enjoy writing crime and suspense because such gripping and tightly-woven stories offer a chance to explore how secrets come back to haunt us, the chilling emotions of why people kill, how love can go terrifyingly wrong, and the psychology of what we most fear.
I was born within the sound of Bow Bells in London's East End, grew up in Manchester, lived for ten years on what was once a tidal island at the edge of the Romney Marsh, and now live and work in north London.
Quercus also publish my novels of psychological suspense, 'Out of Sight' and the Amazon bestseller 'The Bad Mother', as well as historical fiction by my new writing persona, V.B. Grey.
As a screenwriter I've contributed episodes to such television crime dramas as 'The Bill', 'Wycliffe', 'Rosemary & Thyme' and 'Midsomer Murders' and, with Jimmy McGovern, an episode of the Bafta and International Emmy award-winning BBC series 'Accused'.
I enjoy writing crime and suspense because such gripping and tightly-woven stories offer a chance to explore how secrets come back to haunt us, the chilling emotions of why people kill, how love can go terrifyingly wrong, and the psychology of what we most fear.
I was born within the sound of Bow Bells in London's East End, grew up in Manchester, lived for ten years on what was once a tidal island at the edge of the Romney Marsh, and now live and work in north London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 29, 2018
This is a stunning addition to Isabelle Grey's Essex based DI Grace Fisher series. Improvements in DNA analysis has Grace Fisher reopen a chilling cold case from 1992, the rape and murder of 19 year old Heather Bowyer, after Deborah Shillingford's DNA analysis after her arrest suggested that the perpetrator is a close family member. Grace has no idea that this case will open a real can of worms, as the past refuses to stay buried with a number of present day murders, bringing with it grave dangers. Another interested party, the strange and obsessive true crime blogger, Freddie Craig, has been inspired to focus on the Heather Bowyer case because he was born in the same year as her murder and the Southend on Sea Marineland fire in which two people were heroically rescued at the same time. Tabloid journalist, Ivo Sweatman, started out as a naive and enthusiastic crime reporter around the same time, getting close to the now dead, corrupt DI Jupp who regarded the local area as his own personal fiefdom, running informants, fitting people up and reaping personal financial gains from criminal enterprises. The narrative gives the perspectives of Grace, Freddie and Ivo.
Grace and DS Blake Langley look at Deborah's brothers, planning to take DNA from Reece and Larry Nixon. However, Reece and his wife, Kirsty, burn to death in a arson attack on their home, with Larry relating that his brother was responsible and confessed to him, not wanting to face up to the repercussions of Heather's murder. Grace wants to delve deeper, unwilling to accept at face value the eminently believable account given by Larry. She wishes to pursue a number of rapes around the same period of time, where like Heather, one shoe was taken from the victim, she is convinced that the same perpetrator was behind all the cases. Her investigation reveals the deeply misogynistic attitudes of the police under DI Jupp, none of the women were taken seriously, and indeed were assumed to be asking for it. Grace's instincts tell her who she thinks is guilty, but it all happened a long time ago, will she able to secure the evidence to prove it? The case moves in unexpected directions as it appears many women disappeared in the area over the years, has someone been killing them with impunity, shielded by the police?
Isabelle Grey's crime series just gets better and better, her plotting is superb, and the tension and suspense was so high that I could not bear to stop reading until I had finished. Grace is a flawed but dogged character, willing to get help wherever she can get it, including sources that would threaten her professional career. Her personal life is a wreck, she desperately misses her relationship with Blake, thinking she has missed her chance when she suspects he is involved with the newest team member, DC Carolyn Bromfield. Her sister, Alison, thinks Grace should think of another career in the future, as the horrors of the job take their toll, but I cannot see Grace being anything other than a cop, it is what her life revolves around, and she is so good at it. A brilliant and entertaining read which I recommend highly to crime fiction aficionados! Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.
Grace and DS Blake Langley look at Deborah's brothers, planning to take DNA from Reece and Larry Nixon. However, Reece and his wife, Kirsty, burn to death in a arson attack on their home, with Larry relating that his brother was responsible and confessed to him, not wanting to face up to the repercussions of Heather's murder. Grace wants to delve deeper, unwilling to accept at face value the eminently believable account given by Larry. She wishes to pursue a number of rapes around the same period of time, where like Heather, one shoe was taken from the victim, she is convinced that the same perpetrator was behind all the cases. Her investigation reveals the deeply misogynistic attitudes of the police under DI Jupp, none of the women were taken seriously, and indeed were assumed to be asking for it. Grace's instincts tell her who she thinks is guilty, but it all happened a long time ago, will she able to secure the evidence to prove it? The case moves in unexpected directions as it appears many women disappeared in the area over the years, has someone been killing them with impunity, shielded by the police?
Isabelle Grey's crime series just gets better and better, her plotting is superb, and the tension and suspense was so high that I could not bear to stop reading until I had finished. Grace is a flawed but dogged character, willing to get help wherever she can get it, including sources that would threaten her professional career. Her personal life is a wreck, she desperately misses her relationship with Blake, thinking she has missed her chance when she suspects he is involved with the newest team member, DC Carolyn Bromfield. Her sister, Alison, thinks Grace should think of another career in the future, as the horrors of the job take their toll, but I cannot see Grace being anything other than a cop, it is what her life revolves around, and she is so good at it. A brilliant and entertaining read which I recommend highly to crime fiction aficionados! Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.
May 21, 2018
5☆ A Fast Paced read, with Juicy Twists.
Wow what a book. It seriously threw me and kept me guessing.
One thing I love about this book was that I love going to Southend on Sea and most of my Family are from ColChester so I could relate to the areas within the book.
Wrong Way Home, is a unique book, it's an action packed, crime thriller that contains juicy twists I didn't see coming.
What I loved was the detective side of this book. I learnt some things about DNA and how it can be used even when years ago they had no DNA profiling.
DI Grace Fisher has set her sights on catching a rapist/murderer of a cold case from 25years ago.
Grace believes that using new DNA Profiling she has new evidence to catch the killer.
However the only lead she had has just killed themselves!.... or have they.... was it suicide or something more sinister?
Ohh I loved it.
I loved Grace, she's one kick ass female detective who's intuition and gut instinct is ballsy and fierce.
She don't give up and gets things done.
I literally read Wrong Way Home in one night I couldn't put it down.
It was a compulsive read, that had me tuning page after page, the tension ramps up page by page until it's impossible to know who to trust.
The writing was fantastic and instantly drew me in. There was plenty of well thought-out characters and a juicy twisting plot made this the perfect Crime Thriller.
If you enjoy crime thrillers, that have a strong detective procedural, action packed romp with juicy twists, then you will want to read Wrong Way Home!
Thank you to Random Things Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Wow what a book. It seriously threw me and kept me guessing.
One thing I love about this book was that I love going to Southend on Sea and most of my Family are from ColChester so I could relate to the areas within the book.
Wrong Way Home, is a unique book, it's an action packed, crime thriller that contains juicy twists I didn't see coming.
What I loved was the detective side of this book. I learnt some things about DNA and how it can be used even when years ago they had no DNA profiling.
DI Grace Fisher has set her sights on catching a rapist/murderer of a cold case from 25years ago.
Grace believes that using new DNA Profiling she has new evidence to catch the killer.
However the only lead she had has just killed themselves!.... or have they.... was it suicide or something more sinister?
Ohh I loved it.
I loved Grace, she's one kick ass female detective who's intuition and gut instinct is ballsy and fierce.
She don't give up and gets things done.
I literally read Wrong Way Home in one night I couldn't put it down.
It was a compulsive read, that had me tuning page after page, the tension ramps up page by page until it's impossible to know who to trust.
The writing was fantastic and instantly drew me in. There was plenty of well thought-out characters and a juicy twisting plot made this the perfect Crime Thriller.
If you enjoy crime thrillers, that have a strong detective procedural, action packed romp with juicy twists, then you will want to read Wrong Way Home!
Thank you to Random Things Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
November 12, 2019
On the same night that a local man rescued two young people from the burning Marineland resort in Southend, a young woman was raped and murdered a short distance away from the fire. The case of the murdered woman and other brutal rapes that occurred in the area were never solved. Now 25 years later, DI Grace Fisher, with the aid of new DNA techniques not available back then, opens this cold case, determined to catch the culprit. Evidence doesn’t point to one clear suspect and she is sent back to the original investigation. As she looks into it she finds that the Essex police force of the time was less than thorough in their investigation. Grace also finds that the podcasts Stories from the Fire that has been started by young journalist Freddie Craig is clouding matters. Will she be able to unravel the clues and catch the killer before anyone else gets hurt?
This is part of a series about Grace Fisher and, as often happens, I came into book 4 without having read the previous ones. It didn’t matter. This book can easily be read as a stand- alone. Grace is an interesting character and I took a liking to her straight away. She is smart and determined, but not without her flaws. In other words, she comes across as very real. I liked the interactions between her and Blake with whom she has had a relationship in the past and also her very human reactions with the young officer Carolyn.
The plot is cleverly worked out, the tension maintained throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed the process involved to catch the dangerous real killer. Recommended read for anyone who like a smart and engaging police procedural. It certainly made me want to keep turning pages. Makes me think I just might have to investigate a few more by this author with Grace Fisher as the main character. I’ll be interested to see what Grace gets up to next both in her professional and personal life.
This is part of a series about Grace Fisher and, as often happens, I came into book 4 without having read the previous ones. It didn’t matter. This book can easily be read as a stand- alone. Grace is an interesting character and I took a liking to her straight away. She is smart and determined, but not without her flaws. In other words, she comes across as very real. I liked the interactions between her and Blake with whom she has had a relationship in the past and also her very human reactions with the young officer Carolyn.
The plot is cleverly worked out, the tension maintained throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed the process involved to catch the dangerous real killer. Recommended read for anyone who like a smart and engaging police procedural. It certainly made me want to keep turning pages. Makes me think I just might have to investigate a few more by this author with Grace Fisher as the main character. I’ll be interested to see what Grace gets up to next both in her professional and personal life.
May 23, 2018
How did I not know about this series?!
Wrong Way Home is the fourth instalment in the DI Grace Fisher series, a wee detail I didn’t actually know when I signed up for the blog tour. So once again, I find myself breaking my own rule of never starting a series anywhere else but with book one. Luckily, for me, this reads perfectly well as a stand-alone. There may have been a few tiny references to things I didn’t know anything about but as far as background goes, I’d say Isabelle Grey does a great job of hooking new readers without making them feel they are missing out on a truckload of information.
I came to the conclusion a little while ago that I actually really like reading stories about cold case investigations and this one was truly as gripping as gripping can be! Twenty-five years ago, a huge fire and the murder of a nineteen year old girl rocked the community of Southend. The killer was never caught but now, new DNA evidence may just bring DI Grace Fisher and her team a little closer to finding out what happened that night. But after all this time, is the killer still even alive? And if by chance there were any witnesses, how much do they even still remember?
On that same fateful night, Freddie Craig was born. He seems to feel there is some sort of cosmic connection between his birth and the death of the young woman all those years ago. Through a series of podcasts, he sets out on his own investigation into the murder and the mind of a rapist and murderer. Local reporter Ivo Steadman is happy to help out this budding journalist but things quickly turn rather creepy.
From corruption, to murder, to dysfunctional families, this story offers a lot of juicy stuff to sink your teeth into. What struck me the most though, is how Isabelle Grey never loses track of the victims in all of this. How events have affected them, how they’re dealing (or not dealing) with things. It added an extra layer you don’t always find in this genre, which I found just as absorbing as the actual investigation.
Wrong Way Home is a deeply compelling and engrossing crime fiction story. I really enjoyed my first introduction to DI Grace Fisher, although I must say that for a super investigator, she often seemed to jump to conclusions without any proof concerning more private matters and there was one colleague I felt quite bad for. She and her team work incredibly well together on the whole though, complimenting each other and all the while talking things through. The investigation wasn’t at all as straightforward as I thought it would be when I first started reading. Many times, I was convinced I had the whole thing figured out, only to be proven wrong.
This is a thrilling, compelling and utterly addictive story that I found pretty hard to put down. I’m incredibly glad I discovered this series now and I’m determined to catch up on the previous three books as soon as I can. Even though I really need another series like a hole in the tooth, I’ll gladly make some space on the shelf for this one!
Wrong Way Home is the fourth instalment in the DI Grace Fisher series, a wee detail I didn’t actually know when I signed up for the blog tour. So once again, I find myself breaking my own rule of never starting a series anywhere else but with book one. Luckily, for me, this reads perfectly well as a stand-alone. There may have been a few tiny references to things I didn’t know anything about but as far as background goes, I’d say Isabelle Grey does a great job of hooking new readers without making them feel they are missing out on a truckload of information.
I came to the conclusion a little while ago that I actually really like reading stories about cold case investigations and this one was truly as gripping as gripping can be! Twenty-five years ago, a huge fire and the murder of a nineteen year old girl rocked the community of Southend. The killer was never caught but now, new DNA evidence may just bring DI Grace Fisher and her team a little closer to finding out what happened that night. But after all this time, is the killer still even alive? And if by chance there were any witnesses, how much do they even still remember?
On that same fateful night, Freddie Craig was born. He seems to feel there is some sort of cosmic connection between his birth and the death of the young woman all those years ago. Through a series of podcasts, he sets out on his own investigation into the murder and the mind of a rapist and murderer. Local reporter Ivo Steadman is happy to help out this budding journalist but things quickly turn rather creepy.
From corruption, to murder, to dysfunctional families, this story offers a lot of juicy stuff to sink your teeth into. What struck me the most though, is how Isabelle Grey never loses track of the victims in all of this. How events have affected them, how they’re dealing (or not dealing) with things. It added an extra layer you don’t always find in this genre, which I found just as absorbing as the actual investigation.
Wrong Way Home is a deeply compelling and engrossing crime fiction story. I really enjoyed my first introduction to DI Grace Fisher, although I must say that for a super investigator, she often seemed to jump to conclusions without any proof concerning more private matters and there was one colleague I felt quite bad for. She and her team work incredibly well together on the whole though, complimenting each other and all the while talking things through. The investigation wasn’t at all as straightforward as I thought it would be when I first started reading. Many times, I was convinced I had the whole thing figured out, only to be proven wrong.
This is a thrilling, compelling and utterly addictive story that I found pretty hard to put down. I’m incredibly glad I discovered this series now and I’m determined to catch up on the previous three books as soon as I can. Even though I really need another series like a hole in the tooth, I’ll gladly make some space on the shelf for this one!
June 17, 2018
I’m a fan of this series mainly because of it’s main protagonist, Grace Fisher, who is beautifully authentic and reliably flawed.
This story was also highly addictive, a mystery with a huge dose of family drama and Grace will have her work cut out for her untangling a web of deceit that goes back years…
What I love most about these is the beautiful plotting that keeps things unexpected, the exploration of relationships and the wonderfully immersive settings. The popular podcast theme is back here too and very well done, as one character, Freddie, tries to make a name for himself.
Overall this was highly readable as ever and a really really great story told wonderfully well.
Recommended. This one and as a series.
This story was also highly addictive, a mystery with a huge dose of family drama and Grace will have her work cut out for her untangling a web of deceit that goes back years…
What I love most about these is the beautiful plotting that keeps things unexpected, the exploration of relationships and the wonderfully immersive settings. The popular podcast theme is back here too and very well done, as one character, Freddie, tries to make a name for himself.
Overall this was highly readable as ever and a really really great story told wonderfully well.
Recommended. This one and as a series.
October 23, 2023
Not a bad read, quite slow throughout but picked up by the end. Its book 4 of a series but that didn't matter, may read the others in due course.
May 10, 2018
NetGalley
Member Review
Read an Excerpt
Wrong Way Home
With thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
I love the DI Grace Fisher series and was excited to read the fourth book in this series.
Grace was thrilled when she was allowed to investigate the murder of Heather Bowyer. In 1992 Heather was on a night out with friends in Southend. One minute Heather was walkingwith her friends to the train station the next minute she was gone. She was later found dead after being viciously raped. However the murder of Heather was over shadowed by the fire at the Marineland resort which destroyed the building. The two teenage boys who accidently started the fire with a cigarette were saved by the quick thinking of taxi driver Larry Nixon.
In the present day Deborah Shillingford was arrested for drink driving. After her DNA was taken there was a familial link found to the Heather Bowyer case. Deborah had two brothers Reece and Larry and her father Owen was still alive.
Grace and her ex lover Sergeant Blake Langley went to see Reece for a DNA test, The Nixon children had not seen each other for years after the death of their mother Theresa. Reece was reluctant to speak to Grace but provided a DNA swab. Hours later Grace was shocked to find that Reece and his wife had died in a house fire, before the fire Reece rang Larry to confess he killed Heather. Larry rushed to Reece's house to speak to him but found the house on fire. Larry tried to save his brother as he did in 1992 but his brother and sister in law were already dead.
Although the case of Heather Bowyer had been solved she found it hard to believe Larry was not involved. Then Grace and her team discover a number of rapes from the same period, the criminal took one stiletto from each victim like in Heather's case. Grace decides to arrest Larry and the case quickly unravels.
Meanwhile unemployed journalist turned true crime blogger Freddie Craig is also looking into the murder of Heather. Freddie was born on the same night of the murder of Heather and the Marineland fire. He has always felt an infinity to the cases and decides to investigate himself. As Freddie's blog Tales of the Fire becomes popular he feels he has to up the anti and get into the mind of the killer. After interviewing a friend of Heather on his blog he was found murdered.
Wow, this was another excellent read from Isabelle Grey. Wrong Way Home was fast paced, the story was very twisty turny with many different strands to unravel. I was little annoyed with Grace because she obviously cared about Blake. However the relationship broke down because she was reluctant to tell him about journalist Ivo Sweatman who occasionally helped her in investigations. I was glad to read about cynical ex Fleet Street hack Ivo who still feels he has atone for his sins. I was most intrigued about by blogger Freddie who I think may of had a dark side himself.
I recommend this book and I look forward to book 5.
Member Review
Read an Excerpt
Wrong Way Home
With thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
I love the DI Grace Fisher series and was excited to read the fourth book in this series.
Grace was thrilled when she was allowed to investigate the murder of Heather Bowyer. In 1992 Heather was on a night out with friends in Southend. One minute Heather was walkingwith her friends to the train station the next minute she was gone. She was later found dead after being viciously raped. However the murder of Heather was over shadowed by the fire at the Marineland resort which destroyed the building. The two teenage boys who accidently started the fire with a cigarette were saved by the quick thinking of taxi driver Larry Nixon.
In the present day Deborah Shillingford was arrested for drink driving. After her DNA was taken there was a familial link found to the Heather Bowyer case. Deborah had two brothers Reece and Larry and her father Owen was still alive.
Grace and her ex lover Sergeant Blake Langley went to see Reece for a DNA test, The Nixon children had not seen each other for years after the death of their mother Theresa. Reece was reluctant to speak to Grace but provided a DNA swab. Hours later Grace was shocked to find that Reece and his wife had died in a house fire, before the fire Reece rang Larry to confess he killed Heather. Larry rushed to Reece's house to speak to him but found the house on fire. Larry tried to save his brother as he did in 1992 but his brother and sister in law were already dead.
Although the case of Heather Bowyer had been solved she found it hard to believe Larry was not involved. Then Grace and her team discover a number of rapes from the same period, the criminal took one stiletto from each victim like in Heather's case. Grace decides to arrest Larry and the case quickly unravels.
Meanwhile unemployed journalist turned true crime blogger Freddie Craig is also looking into the murder of Heather. Freddie was born on the same night of the murder of Heather and the Marineland fire. He has always felt an infinity to the cases and decides to investigate himself. As Freddie's blog Tales of the Fire becomes popular he feels he has to up the anti and get into the mind of the killer. After interviewing a friend of Heather on his blog he was found murdered.
Wow, this was another excellent read from Isabelle Grey. Wrong Way Home was fast paced, the story was very twisty turny with many different strands to unravel. I was little annoyed with Grace because she obviously cared about Blake. However the relationship broke down because she was reluctant to tell him about journalist Ivo Sweatman who occasionally helped her in investigations. I was glad to read about cynical ex Fleet Street hack Ivo who still feels he has atone for his sins. I was most intrigued about by blogger Freddie who I think may of had a dark side himself.
I recommend this book and I look forward to book 5.
May 19, 2018
Isabelle Grey is an author I’ve heard lots about but have never read, though why I have no idea! I absolutely loved Wrong Way Home. It’s a fantastic, fast paced and twisty read that I absolutely raced through, finding it very hard to put down.
The book involves investigating a cold case and describes new police investigation techniques which I found really fascinating! I especially enjoyed learning more about how new DNA technology can help to solve cases as I haven’t read much about that.
Grace was my favourite character in the book. I loved her determination and drive to try and solve the murder, despite some opposition from other officers. She is a cop with a conscience as she really cares about the outcome of the case and how it affects the others that are involved.
The case seems to move forward at quite a fast pace. There are always new developments happening, just when I though I understood who had done it there was another twist and the story went off in a different direction which definetly kept me on my toes! This was one of those books that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and wanted to try and snatch a few seconds to read more at any possibility. I couldn’t stop thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it, trying to figure out how it was going to end.
This is the first book by Isabelle Grey that I have read and it definitely won’t e the last. I am excited to read more from her in the future and have already bought the other books in this series to read.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater and Quercus books for my copy of the book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
If you are looking for a new, gripping crime series you should definitely try this series.
The book involves investigating a cold case and describes new police investigation techniques which I found really fascinating! I especially enjoyed learning more about how new DNA technology can help to solve cases as I haven’t read much about that.
Grace was my favourite character in the book. I loved her determination and drive to try and solve the murder, despite some opposition from other officers. She is a cop with a conscience as she really cares about the outcome of the case and how it affects the others that are involved.
The case seems to move forward at quite a fast pace. There are always new developments happening, just when I though I understood who had done it there was another twist and the story went off in a different direction which definetly kept me on my toes! This was one of those books that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough and wanted to try and snatch a few seconds to read more at any possibility. I couldn’t stop thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it, trying to figure out how it was going to end.
This is the first book by Isabelle Grey that I have read and it definitely won’t e the last. I am excited to read more from her in the future and have already bought the other books in this series to read.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater and Quercus books for my copy of the book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
If you are looking for a new, gripping crime series you should definitely try this series.
did-not-finish
November 19, 2019A podcast thriller with far too little podcast. And not that much thriller either, come to think of it.
April 25, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Quercus Books for an advance copy of Wrong Way Home, the fourth novel to feature DI Grace Fisher of Essex Police Major Crime.
Grace has been investigating the unsolved rape and murder of Heather Bowyer in 1992 and now, thanks to new forensic techniques, she has identified familial DNA which she hopes will lead to the perpetrator. Coincidentally, aspiring journalist Freddie Craig is also looking into Heather's case and enlists the help of Fleet Street journalist Ivo Sweatman.
I thoroughly enjoyed Wrong Way Home which is a multi-stranded read that turns the procedural norms upside down. It starts with a narrow suspect field, two brothers, and widens in scope to encompass more and more crimes as the novel progresses. It held me engrossed from start to finish so I read it in one sitting, desperate to know what was coming next. It is one of the best books I have read this year and I read a lot.
The novel is told from Grace's point of view, interspersed with excerpts from Freddie's podcast and Ivo's take on events. This works well as it doesn't lose sight of the narrative thread and offers a wider perspective and different interpretations of the "facts". I really enjoy a good police procedural and this is an excellent example, showing not just the difficulty in pressing charges but the costs, politics and egos involved in a major investigation. It makes for fascinating reading. Ivo and Freddie's involvement gives the reader the other side of the coin showing the pressure on journalists in these social media times, again it's fascinating and informative.
At its heart, however, the novel is a very good read with a strong plot. There are surprises along the way but mostly it has a momentum that pulls the reader along for the ride. It builds on a strong start and keeps going in the same vein to reach a satisfying conclusion.
Ms Grey does not ignore the personal either with both Grace and Ivo having to do some soul searching and re-assessment. They are both very honest in this and it just adds to the interest and enjoyment.
The Wrong Way Home is a very complete novel which covers many bases so I have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent read.
Grace has been investigating the unsolved rape and murder of Heather Bowyer in 1992 and now, thanks to new forensic techniques, she has identified familial DNA which she hopes will lead to the perpetrator. Coincidentally, aspiring journalist Freddie Craig is also looking into Heather's case and enlists the help of Fleet Street journalist Ivo Sweatman.
I thoroughly enjoyed Wrong Way Home which is a multi-stranded read that turns the procedural norms upside down. It starts with a narrow suspect field, two brothers, and widens in scope to encompass more and more crimes as the novel progresses. It held me engrossed from start to finish so I read it in one sitting, desperate to know what was coming next. It is one of the best books I have read this year and I read a lot.
The novel is told from Grace's point of view, interspersed with excerpts from Freddie's podcast and Ivo's take on events. This works well as it doesn't lose sight of the narrative thread and offers a wider perspective and different interpretations of the "facts". I really enjoy a good police procedural and this is an excellent example, showing not just the difficulty in pressing charges but the costs, politics and egos involved in a major investigation. It makes for fascinating reading. Ivo and Freddie's involvement gives the reader the other side of the coin showing the pressure on journalists in these social media times, again it's fascinating and informative.
At its heart, however, the novel is a very good read with a strong plot. There are surprises along the way but mostly it has a momentum that pulls the reader along for the ride. It builds on a strong start and keeps going in the same vein to reach a satisfying conclusion.
Ms Grey does not ignore the personal either with both Grace and Ivo having to do some soul searching and re-assessment. They are both very honest in this and it just adds to the interest and enjoyment.
The Wrong Way Home is a very complete novel which covers many bases so I have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent read.
May 6, 2018
Loved the book. Loved the character of DI Fisher. Reads well as a stand alone but must admit to buying the other three in the series when I finished this. Looking forward to the next. Highly recommend.
January 21, 2019
Ok read, storyline slow up until the last quarter of the book
June 17, 2018
DI Grace Fisher and her team return for a fourth outing. This time she's investigating a cold case where a young woman was raped and murdered 25 years ago. Partial DNA is retested and this brings the Nixon family to her attention. She begins to find links to other rapes, missing girls and police corruption. This was another thrilling ride from Grey and she's fast become an author I look forward to reading. I did spot who the killer was in the opening chapter but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel.
December 12, 2019
This had me hooked right from the get go! I read it as a stand alone and will definitely go back and read the others. Great story!
April 14, 2018
Grace Fisher is a fantastic detective and I have loved her from the moment I read the first book she starred in. She is not perfect, but she recognizes this and just works with what she can. She is compassionate and just all round kick ass.
I love any good crime thriller but I adore ones with strong female leads and this is absolutely one of the best out there. Can highly recommend!
I love any good crime thriller but I adore ones with strong female leads and this is absolutely one of the best out there. Can highly recommend!
September 6, 2019
Living about an hour and a half away from where this book is sited ad the fact my partner was born there, made it a lot more interesting for me. Set in Southend and the local area, it tells of a cold case that is re-opened by detective Inspector Grace Fisher. Joining her on the journey is Blake a sergeant who is also a love interest, and a young new arrival Carolyn. The story has a trail to follow as we find out about a corrupt 'dead' police officer, a family who could do anything outside the law and get away with it because of the now-dead corrupt officer.
A young want-to-be-journalist who was born on the night that the re-opened rape and murder took place, has a podcast and is now looking into the same crime that was previously forgotten by the police. He has an older journalist keeping an eye on him, and they both get closer to death than they want as they delve into the past. Ivo (the senior journalist) has a friendship with DI Grace Fisher, but Ivo is hiding his own secret from that time.
The author makes a great job of keeping the reader turning the pages, keeping the pace of the book steady. There is no 'highlight', as the whole book has the same intriguing gripping feel.
Wrong Way Home
A young want-to-be-journalist who was born on the night that the re-opened rape and murder took place, has a podcast and is now looking into the same crime that was previously forgotten by the police. He has an older journalist keeping an eye on him, and they both get closer to death than they want as they delve into the past. Ivo (the senior journalist) has a friendship with DI Grace Fisher, but Ivo is hiding his own secret from that time.
The author makes a great job of keeping the reader turning the pages, keeping the pace of the book steady. There is no 'highlight', as the whole book has the same intriguing gripping feel.
Wrong Way Home
April 17, 2019
I found the start of the book gripping, with a lot of promise. However, the middle section was completely predictable, obvious and written in quite a tedious style. When I reached the end of a chapter I wasn't desperate to start the next. (Please note that reading Peter James has ruined my enjoyment of reading books that don't quite match up!)
Then around page 300 the story suddenly became more exciting; there was some action which made me eager to read the end. I only wish this pace had been kept up throughout the story.
This is the first DI Grace Fisher book I have read but I didn't particularly identify with the character. I think the book will be of particular interest to people who live in Essex as there is a lot of local information and description of Essex towns. I did find myself singing 'Love is a Stranger' by the Eurythmics as I walked up the street this morning so the book must have made some impression on me!
Then around page 300 the story suddenly became more exciting; there was some action which made me eager to read the end. I only wish this pace had been kept up throughout the story.
This is the first DI Grace Fisher book I have read but I didn't particularly identify with the character. I think the book will be of particular interest to people who live in Essex as there is a lot of local information and description of Essex towns. I did find myself singing 'Love is a Stranger' by the Eurythmics as I walked up the street this morning so the book must have made some impression on me!
October 24, 2019
A good read particularly if you know Southend on sea
An easy to follow story with some unexpected turns. Good insight into police work and cooperation between media and police. No real surprises.
An easy to follow story with some unexpected turns. Good insight into police work and cooperation between media and police. No real surprises.
May 27, 2018
This was an enthralling book which I enjoyed reading. The story gripped me from the start.I like DI Fisher and the crime reporter Ivo Sweatman who have helped each other in the past although some meetings they have tried to have in places where they wouldn't bump into colleagues. This was a roller coaster of a ride opening doors on a 25 year old unsolved murder and bringing other things into the open and questions being asked. A brilliant book in many ways, just love this series.
Thank you Net galley for a chance to read an advance copy
Thank you Net galley for a chance to read an advance copy
July 6, 2018
First of Isabelle Grey's books I have read. Not bad but I found some of her personal hang-ups distracting and unnecessary and introduction of her sister added nothing to the story. I might have better understood if I had read some of her previous books so, to me, it was irritating that I did not know about her "history" especially her relationships with two of the main characters. As a stand alone novel therefore it was frustrating. There were also some lose ends which I would like to have seen concluded.
Overall however, quite good and I might be tempted to read another of her books.
Overall however, quite good and I might be tempted to read another of her books.
June 8, 2018
Wrong Way Home is a nail biting, edge of your seat thriller that is action packed. It is about a 25 yr old murder case that may finally be solved thanks to advancements with DNA.
The storyline was well thought out and easy to follow. I had to devour this book in one sitting. Will definitely be reading more from this author.
Thankyou to NetGalley, the publishers and Isabelle Grey for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.
The storyline was well thought out and easy to follow. I had to devour this book in one sitting. Will definitely be reading more from this author.
Thankyou to NetGalley, the publishers and Isabelle Grey for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.
July 10, 2018
I struggled a little with this book. I didn't realise that it was book 4 of a series, which isn't a bad thing as I didn't feel as though I was missing anything from previous books and was able to follow the characters really well. It was a little cliche with the SIO being in a relationship with a fellow office, jealousy issues etc. But otherwise a well written and enjoyable read with a storyline that kept me guessing and likeable and believable characters.
October 15, 2018
The fourth in Isabelle Grey’s DI GRACE FISHER THRILLERS series is a smoothly written, intricately plotted affair that kept me engrossed from beginning to end and makes a feature of how DNA isn’t a magic bullet for cold cases although I could have done without the will-they-won’t-they romance with Blake (which has never convinced me) and Grey did try too hard to deflect attention from the most obvious suspect, which for me made it predictable.
June 4, 2019
I enjoyed this easy-read crime story. Not so much a whodunnit, but atale of likeable and realistic officers closing the net on the purpetrator of a cold case which has been resurrected. The book was made all the more enjoyable for being set in Southend on Sea - a place I know well. Characters were well drawn and you can see why Grey is such a prolific and successful screenwriter for many TV dramas. Good.
September 23, 2020
Audiobook.
Police Procedurals are my comfort food and this one is set in my stamping ground when I was a young blade so I was all over this. Loved every minute of it. Consumed it over two days
at around 6+ hours per day.
All that is required here is to listen and not try and be too clever. If you can do that you’d enjoy this. There is nothing profound and no big words just a slowly unfolding story that you cannot second guess. Brilliant
Police Procedurals are my comfort food and this one is set in my stamping ground when I was a young blade so I was all over this. Loved every minute of it. Consumed it over two days
at around 6+ hours per day.
All that is required here is to listen and not try and be too clever. If you can do that you’d enjoy this. There is nothing profound and no big words just a slowly unfolding story that you cannot second guess. Brilliant
May 14, 2018
Interesting storyline. Wasn't sure who the perpetrator was until towards the end. The use of DNA made for an interesting storyline but I found the flashes to the podcasts a bit annoying until their place in the story was revealed
June 12, 2018
Brilliant book could not put it down and when I had finished it thought when is the next one out.
Really love the D I Grace Fisher series and have recommended t to several of my friends
Really love the D I Grace Fisher series and have recommended t to several of my friends
July 1, 2018
Stayed up all night
Although the story got off to a slow start once I was hooked I couldn't stop reading until I reached the end!! A very satisfying read.
Although the story got off to a slow start once I was hooked I couldn't stop reading until I reached the end!! A very satisfying read.
July 15, 2018
3.5 stars. Solid police procedural. Had the added bonus of being set in the town where I grew up!
July 12, 2018
Vee
Found this a bit slow at first, then really enjoyed it. Quite a few strands running through which were good, and well thought out. Will read more of these books
Found this a bit slow at first, then really enjoyed it. Quite a few strands running through which were good, and well thought out. Will read more of these books
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