Deadly Intent

DI Matthew Adams #3

by Sheryl Browne

Tormented to the edge of sanity …
Just when DI Matthew Adams thinks he’s left the past behind him, it comes back to haunt him once again; this time in the form of the Conner family.
Like Matthew, the Conners have lost a child in tragic circumstances – and they’ve also found themselves in the hands of one of the most depraved criminals to walk the streets: ‘Dead-eyed’ Charlie Roberts, a drug addicted low-life with a penchant for extreme violence.
Matthew’s greatest affinity lies with Daniel Conner, the brooding father who still blames himself for his youngest child’s death. But when Daniel’s wife and daughter are tortured and tormented by Roberts, can Matthew prevent him from completely ruining his own life for an act of revenge particularly when, once upon a time, that’s exactly what Matthew would have done too?

Genres: Crime

358 pages, ebook

First published September 5, 2017

About the author

Hi, I’m Sheryl Browne writing psychological thriller. My latest psychological thriller MY LOVING HUSBAND is published by fabulous BOOKOUTURE. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Romantic Novelists’ Association, I have several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where I completed my MA in Creative Writing. I live in Worcestershire with my partner and a variety of disabled dogs. According to readers of my thrillers, I also apparently make an excellent psychopath. ;) Follow my @Bookouture Mailing List and grab a FREE short: https://t.co/bIigwwALCs
𝘼 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝘼 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝘼 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡…
MY LOVING HUSBAND – Can I really trust the man I married?
Do I Really Know You? – She's the friend you trust with your life. But can she trust you with hers?
The Invite – Kaitlin has been looking forward to her engagement party for weeks, but as the champagne corks pop, her dream party soon becomes her worst nightmare…
The Liar's Child – I’ll do anything to protect my daughter…
My Husband's Girlfriend – She told my little boy a secret and now he’s gone…
The Second Wife – SHE MADE HER BED. YOU'LL LIE IN IT.
The Affair – You trusted her. You shouldn't have.
The Babysitter – She's perfect. Too Perfect.
After She's Gone – He's killed your child and kidnapped your wife. What would YOU do?
Sins of the Father - What if you’d been accused of one of the worst crimes imaginable?
Deadly Intent - Tormented to the edge of sanity …
The Rest of My Life - “You can’t run away from commitment forever … “ Two damaged hearts, a sizzling sexual connection. Can love find a way to bring Adam and Sienna together?
Learning to Love – Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely places …
Somebody to Love – Sigh with contentment, scream with frustration. At times you will weep.
Warrant for Love - Blackmail, lies, adultery, heartache. Three love stories wrapped up in one sexiliciously hilarious package.
A Little Bit of Madness – White Knight in Blue rescues The Harbour Rest Home.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel Connor, his wife Joanne and daughter Katya were being pushed apart by their grief. They didn’t know how to comfort each other – each felt guilty and held the weight of blame on their shoulders. Fifteen-year-old Katya was heading for disaster – Charlie Roberts; good looking, suave and a pull for the girls, was on the hunt with his mate Shawn; Katya and her best friend Hannah were in their sights. But Charlie was a drug dealer; evil, depraved and known for the violence he showed “his” girls. Shawn tagged along – after all the money was what it was all about…

DI Matthew Adams knew Roberts was bad – but they never seemed to be able to get him for anything. The smirk on Roberts’ face when he waltzed from the police station – once again – grated on Matthew. He knew he had to put him away before he killed someone. But would he succeed when Roberts managed to evade the law at every turn?

Deadly Intent by Sheryl Browne was fast-paced and gritty, with tension rippling throughout – especially the last half of the book. But the plotline was incredibly close to the first I read by this author, After She's Gone - the main difference being the “bad guys”. Same plot, different people was my thought as I read the book. Still an enjoyable read, but better being read as a stand-alone instead of in the series in my opinion. (less one star) Recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy to read and review.

[Karen Mace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 in the DI Matthew Adams series, but my first and won't be my last as I loved this fast paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout - and swearing a lot at the repulsive character Charlie!!

DI Matthew Adams gets involved in this case and has more in common with the family involved than he'd like as they have both lost young children. The Conner family are still all haunted by the tragedy that took their youngest from them, and life has been an uphill struggle and the after effects still follow them daily. When their eldest daughter gets mixed up in the seedier side of life through a crush she develops, then the whole family are set to be dragged in to a situation that turns into a terrifying ordeal.

You really feel the despair that the family experiences throughout the book and circumstances seem set to tear them apart yet again. When DI Adams learns of their past it brings back his loss and you understand what drives him in doing all he can to put an end to Charlie Roberts and his horrifying legacy.

The author does a fabulous job of switching from the emotion felt by families who have lost loved ones, to that of a trail of destruction caused by a truly evil, crazy psycho and the whole story is a real rollercoaster ride for the reader!

Highly recommended!!

[Shell Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG what a series and what a cover I love it. Deadly Intent is the third book in the DI Matthew Adams series and boy Sheryl Browne has one dark and twisted imagination. And has written yet another unputdownable story. Which I devoured in one sitting.
In this story we catch up with Matthew where his past comes back to haunt him again this time with the conner family. The core of the story is about Daniel Conner, the brooding father who still blames himself for his youngest child’s death. With bad guy charlie Roberts who is a drug addict low life torturing his wife and daughter. He will certainly have you screaming with anger.
I loved the boating storyline which took me back to my younger days and enjoying a walk down the canal. And I have always wanted to live on a canal boat but after reading this I am not so sure!
I totally love Matthew he is a good honest guy and with get to know him more in this story with the memories that he has.
Sheryl is brilliant at grabbing your attention and keeping you there until the end this is certainly a page turner and everything is nicley wrapped up at the end.
This can be read has a standalone but I do recommend reading it has a series. It is too good not to miss. I cannot wait until the next Installment.
I highly recommend it giving it 4 stars.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is book 3 of the DI Matthew Adams series, I was able to read this as a standalone. Such a gripping emotional book with covers the loss of a child and a families way of dealing with it, along with secrets coming back whether they are wanted or not.

[Kaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheryl Browne really has a talent in bringing to life , one real dark and mind blowing psycho , evil personified is the villain in book 3 of the DI Matthew Adams series, this is another gripping page turner, we follow DI Adams as he races against time to save the Conner family , who are being held hostage by a vile drug dealer. who will do anything and inflict any amount of pain to get the answers he wants. I love how Sheryl Browne builds up the tension, her style of descriptive writing bringing characters to life, how she plays on your emotions, and can extract pure hatred for another human being. At times quite graphic in detail, Sheryl Browne has a pretty dark imagination, but it really adds to the impact of the story. Highly recommended, can’t wait for book 4.

[Joanna Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great to be back again with DI Matthew Adams. In the first two stories involving him, he was the focus and went through some dreadful experiences before justice was served.
This time he’s watching another psychopath, Charlie Roberts, a man who deals drugs and isn’t averse to putting people in hospital if they cross him. Quite by accident Charlie learns where he can get his hands on a whole lot of money and it will be like taking candy from a baby.
The Conner family are in a bad place. A tragic accident has claimed their younger daughter and the family are falling apart. Their boatyard has been sold and Daniel, blaming himself for the accident, is planning to leave his family. Jo loves Daniel, but can’t cope with the way he has shut himself off since the accident, unable to show any sort of emotion. Daughter Kayla already struggling with teenage issues, spends most of her time with her friend Hannah out clubbing. It’s there that fate brings her into contact with Charlie – a man she’s had a crush on for ages.
Sheryl winds up the tension as Charlie Roberts abducts the Conner family and subjects them to his cruelty in order to get them to sign over the money from the sale of the boatyard. But Daniel Conner is the ultimate hero. A man with a painful past, determined to survive anything in order to protect his family. As Charlie’s mental state deteriorates, it seems his partner Shawn is the only one capable of keeping the family from real harm. DI Adams is on their trail and determined to bring them both to justice. The question is will he get there in time to prevent a tragedy?
A fast paced read, an outstanding hero and Sheryl’s most evil character to date.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third of Sheryl Browne's DI Matthew Adams series. It was my first read in the series and the necessary backstory and information was presented seamlessly and painlessly into the narrative. I never felt like I was lost, and I certainly never felt like I was being spoonfed information either. I intend to hunt down the other two books as soon as I can.

The book is very well written and I engaged with the characters and the story right away. The slimeball antagonist is a really skeezy creep and I spent pretty much the entire book wanting him to get his comeuppance in a spectacular manner.

The Connors have suffered so much tragedy and difficulty after the accidental death of their youngest daughter and everyone in the family are still reeling and raw and haven't found any kind of balance in their new family dynamic.

The psychological thriller (not really mystery) and procedural parts of the book are very well crafted and never ring false or feel set up. The dramatic tension ratchets up quickly and doesn't let up until the denouement, which was exciting and satisfying. There's also an epilogue which adds a bit of information and closure afterwards.

Just a really solid procedural thriller and I enjoyed it very much.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

[Sue Kitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Intent is book three in the DI Matthew Adams series and just as fantastic as the previous two, After She’s Gone and Sins of the Father. Sheryl Browne is now an author in my top 10 and look forward to the next in this brilliant series.

This book is so chock-a-block with thrills, chills and tension that at times I had to remind myself to breathe.

DI Matthew Adams gets involved in a case of family kidnapping and torture, that he can so easily relate to and he to vows to stop the vile and evil ‘Dead-eyed’ Charlie Roberts, a drug addicted low-life with a penchant for extreme violence.

Once again in this book I just loved Matthew and his wonderful family, this author has created a family that I feel I know and love and just love to read about the personal side of Matthew, his wife Becky, foster daughter Ashley and little Mia.

Deadly Intent is a brilliant book which can be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the first two first.

Very highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Choc Lit for providing a copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[M T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy

3.5 stars really.
The Connors Daniel and Joanne and their 15 year old daughter Katya are grieving after the death of their little girl. Daniel throws himself into work whilst Joanne finds solace in the bottom of a wine bottle. Without realizing they are neglecting Katya who is going off the rails with her best friend Hannah.

Enter Charlie a small time drug dealer with aspirations to become someone. He is cruel and violent and usually off his head on any kind of drug he has. He is aided by Shawn who is the muscle of the duo. Hannah and Katya are drawn to them with violent repercussions.

Although I hadn't read the previous books in this series it didn't spoil my enjoyment of it or make me feel I couldn't follow any of the plot.

This was a solid enjoyable thriller and I enjoyed the writer's style. I will go back and read the previous novels because I am very curious about DI Adams and the loss of his daughter.

[Andrew Maak · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled with this book for three main reasons.

Anachronistic language -the language of the book seemed very specifically 1980's with an overuse of the word 'cool' as well as other phrases that reminded me of old episodes of Only fools and horses. Top totty etc. (Unless it's set in the 80s of course, in which case disregard. That is not however the feeling that I got)

Characters - For me I found everyone to be a bit caricatured. The sulky teenage daughter and the narcissistic psychopath maintaining those traits even at points where it seemed unlikely. There were very few points where any character rang true, although I did particularly enjoy when the character Hannah assisted the police, whether they wanted her to or not.

Lack of plot tension - the main crime event doesn't occur until a good third of the way in. Furthermore, from that point until the resolution all that seems to happen is one character gets insulted, makes to attack the antagonist and then gets held back. This situation was repeated ad naseum.

All of the above may have been an issue with my expectation of the novel going in. The first third of the book seems to aim at being an exploration of a family's grief. If that is the case then it may be successful on that level.

Unfortunately I struggled to determine what the book was trying to be so couldn't recommend it.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Intent by Sheryl Browne.
Tormented to the edge of sanity …
Just when DI Matthew Adams thinks he’s left the past behind him, it comes back to haunt him once again; this time in the form of the Conner family.
Like Matthew, the Conners have lost a child in tragic circumstances – and they’ve also found themselves in the hands of one of the most depraved criminals to walk the streets: ‘Dead-eyed’ Charlie Roberts, a drug addicted low-life with a penchant for extreme violence.
Matthew’s greatest affinity lie...
A fantastic read. Love Mathew. Really didn't like Charlie at All. He was evil. Hopefully there is more to come. 5*. Tbc on fb.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.*

This is a harder book to review as I found that books 1 and 2 probably need to be read first to really get the most out of this and to understand certain parts about some of the characters. I know I would probably give it a better raiting if I had and I will at mark the first books as 'to read', then Im going to re-read this. The story was good and I was drawn into it, though with there being so many different narrator voices, it got a bit hard to follow and you probably have to read atleast the first 100 pages or else (like me) you will lose track of whos who. Still this was enjoyable and im looking forward to reading the whole series,

[Susan Duthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gripping thriller that holds your attention to the last page. It's in the style of Martina Cole, so plenty drugs and thugs. DI Matthew Adams also features in this story, his third outing. However he and his family are not the main characters. In this book we meet the dysfunctional family, the Connors, they are suffering due to the recent car crash which killed their young daughter Emma. Father Daniel, feels responsible and cannot show his emotions. Wife Jo, who hides her sorrow in the bottle. Daughter Kayla, who becomes a teenage rebel age 15, entering a deadly world of nightclubs and drugs. When danger threatens, can the family pull together and survive? Read on!

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf

Just when you think you’ve seen the face of ultimate evil… meet Charlie. Don’t be taken in by his surface good looks for beneath the cover of humanity lies a truly cruel and twisted soul who uses a layer of charm to hide his Deadly Intent.

In the third story of the DI Matthew Adams series we will meet Daniel and Joanne Conner, their daughter Kayla, the memory of the youngest member of the family Emma… and a young man so terrifying in his madness that it seems nothing is beyond his acts of terror and cruelty. While Deadly Intent focuses on the Conner family there are also memories and flashbacks to the horror that Matthew and his own family went through at the hands of madness. While I will always suggest going back to the beginning of any series, if you are unable to do that then this story could stand on its own – you’d obviously get more understanding of Matthew’s part and reactions and two damned good stories as well if you do decide to start at the first book in this series.

Charlie is an arrogant, drug dealing slime with the need to inflect pain and terror on others. He’s always managed to slip through the authorities hands and isn’t above tossing that in their faces at each opportunity. Kayla is unfortunately his perfect target. She’s already at that rebellious age, add to that a father who grieves in silence, a mother who is drowning herself in a liquor bottle and the memories of her little sister Emma and you’ll find a perfect storm ripe for Charlie to sweep in and reveal his evil self.

I’ve always believed that tragedy will do one of two things to a family, either draw and bind them together or rip them to shreds. Daniel and Jo are being torn apart while dragging their surviving daughter along with them. When Kayla looks to a young crush for the emotions she’s seeking she has no idea of what this young man is capable of or what he will put her family through.

Sheryl Browne has the ability of allowing us to see through the eyes of pure evil and come out the other side changed. Deadly Intent is not only a story of terror but of survival as well. Fast paced, chilling in its intensity for pain and suffering, frightening for the glimpse of madness and evil and in the end satisfying if left a bit on edge. For now we know that monsters exist hidden behind pretty faces and false smiles… so now who do we trust.

(and, yes, I’ve been purposefully vague on details for you need to read the lengths Charlie will go to for his own needs first hand and not in my words)

I would highly recommend Deadly Intent and the rest of this series to any reader who enjoys Suspense or Mystery, isn’t afraid to look evil in the eye and those who will always find the shivers of a really good mystery/suspense novel well worth the sleepless nights that will be the result.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series and I would advise that to get the best from it, normal series rules should apply; start from book one and read in order. Sometimes this does not matter as each series book should be complete within itself and, although this is true here for the main story, there is quite a bit of backstory and indeed baggage that goes along with Matthew Adams and his family, so I would advise you do read books one and two first. They are both great reads so, to be honest, why wouldn't you?
After the events of books one and two and what happened to Matthew, I really hoped for an easier life for him in this third outing. Luckily for my heart-rate, my wish was granted as Ms Browne instead inflicts all manner of horrors on a different family this time. Sadly, this new family had also already had its fair share of heartache but hey, someone's gotta get it! I'm just glad that Matthew et al had a bit of a break here.
In the firing line this time is the Conner family. Tragedy has already struck them with the death of their youngest child and instead of the family pulling together to support each other, they have drifted apart. Parents Daniel and Jo have lost the ability to communicate and older child Kayla has gone right off the rails and it is her behaviour that lets bad boy Charlie into their lives.
Oh my goodness, if you have read Ms Browne's previous books and thought the baddies in them were evil, you ain't seen nothing yet! In this book, she goes above and beyond to create the most evil character I have read for a fair while (and I read a LOT of this genre book). What a horrid person, and that is putting it mildly. Even just reading about him chilled me to the bone.
This also made the book a completely unputdownable page turner. Thank goodness I read it on a day of rest with nothing pressing that needed my attention. I simply had to get to the end, turning page after page of horrible, disturbing action, willing for a favourable outcome but a little bit scared at what could happen next.
Although shocking and also a little graphic at times, there is also a very clever plot. It's definitely not all about shock-tactics. Everything is cleverly worked out - the build up, the way that Charlie infiltrated the Conner family and also the Police investigation and how that proceeded. Ok so Matthew does take a little bit of a back seat compared to the first couple of books but he is not the target in this book and the part he plays is appropriate to that. Don't worry, we do see plenty of him and his family and colleagues along the way. No one is left out.
All in all another cracking book which has cemented this series and indeed this author firmly on my watch list. Thankfully, I have now all caught up so I will have time to recover before she puts me through it all again!

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

[Rachel (Rae) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though it's the third book in a series I would still class this story as a standalone. I haven't read any of the previous books however I felt comfortable reading Deadly Intent without feeling any confusion over not having started the series at the beginning. Events from Matthew's past are mentioned so I did get that crucial bit of background information which helped me to understand his character better. Although as with any series it is probably better starting with book one.

Now Deadly Intent is a thriller but the opening chapters especially have an emotional pull as we are introduced to the characters. You can feel Daniel and Jo's loss and pain and how it has completely torn their world apart along with how this has all put strain on their family including Kayla. This group of characters are well written and I definitely felt for there situation and it was only going to go and get a whole lot worse. Matthew has also suffered a loss and you see him still trying to come to terms with that. He is committed to his job and made for an engaging character.

With viewpoints from multiple people I think this gave the story a really rounded feel as you got see things play out from various perspectives. It's a story about survival against one seriously twisted individual and it makes for a dark and gripping read.

There is violence so if you prefer something that maybe skims the details then it may be best to avoid. However if you prefer a grittier style story then this could be perfect, it's hard to read at times but definitely packs a punch emotionally. My heart was in my mouth on occasion with events spiraling out of control and the tension just increased throughout. I didn't want to put the book down so I ended up reading quite late into the night just so I could see how it would all end.

Tense, dark and gripping!

With thanks to Brook Cottage Books & Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Diane Hogg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Intent by Sheryl Browne is the third instalment in the DI Matthew Adams series, Sheryl doesn’t disappoint I sank my teeth into the book, my eyes were mesmerised as I voraciously turned the pages with ‘Deadly Intent’.

Sheryl doesn’t concentrate on DI Adams but centres upon the Connor family who have also lost a child due to tragic circumstances. Daniel is lost unable to express his feelings and blames himself for his daughters death, Jo has immersed herself in an alcohol fuelled stupor to blot out the pain and Kayla has virtually been left to her own devices, becoming an unruly teenager hell bent on gaining the attention of Charlie Roberts the local drug dealing low-life. Family life takes a turn for the worse, how much more can a family take and will they survive?

Sheryl unfolds the story at a steady pace, reeling you in little by little, leaving you gasping for breath wondering how can a person be so sadistic and vile, who can survive treatment of utter distain at the hands of another, I fought to keep my emotions in check over Charlie Roberts, he made my blood turn cold at his heartless nature and several times I wanted to grab him, tear him from the pages and save everyone from his torturous ways.

I can safely say I would give Sheryl a full five stars for Deadly Intent, I became so embroiled in the plot that time flew, the more I turned the pages the bigger my eyes became, the shock and awe of such a harrowing ordeal left me breathless but unable to stop reading.

I would like to thank Choc Lit, Sheryl Browne and Debbie for the opportunity to be part of the blog tour for Deadly Intent in exchange for an honest review.

[Anne Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheryl Browne writes the most wonderful psychological thrillers. It’s not always my favourite genre, I rarely commit to a series, and I’m often a rather delicate flower who’s not too keen on blood, mayhem and violence – but there’s something about Sheryl’s writing that keeps me coming back for more. Deadly Intent – the third DI Matthew Adams thriller, but totally readable as a standalone – was published for kindle and other e-book platforms on the Death by Choc Lit imprint on September 6th. It’s definitely for 18+ readers, with graphic violence and bad language, and not really my kind of book at all – but I loved every moment…

I’ve tried to work out exactly what it is about Sheryl’s thrillers that makes me such an unexpected fan. First of all, there’s the wonderful story-telling – she grabs you by the throat and pulls you right into the middle of the action, so that you feel every emotion her characters feel and really care what happens to them. Her characters are real – whether the poor families in the midst of all the turmoil, or the evil bastards who are putting them through it. Her research is excellent – I’m sure she has no personal experience of drug-fuelled gangland violence, but – my goodness – she brings it to vivid life. Her ability to crank up the tension to an unbearable level – then pile on a little more – is second to none. But she handles tenderness and empathy so well too – the family moments, and the interaction between the two grieving fathers towards the book’s close, are quite wonderfully handled. There aren’t many thriller writers who can keep me reading, heart in mouth and pulse racing, into the early hours. An excellent read, as always – and highly recommended.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadly Intent by author Sheryl Browne is another case for DI Matthew Adams. This case will have a connection to DI Adams due to the Conner family having lost a young child in an auto accident. The father, Daniel Connors is haunted by the death of little Emma during an accident. He can not express the depth of his hurt to his wife, Jo. As the time goes on Jo feels not only the grief of losing her child, but resentment that Daniel seems to be going quietly along as if nothing has happened. She begins drinking more than she should and so Kayla the fifteen year old daughter gets left with no support between the shouting and unkindness of her parents.
Kayla decides to find a life of her own and is attracted to a local guy which frequents a club. This will prove to be a disaster for Kayla and her parents! In Kayla’s youthful innocence and troubled spirit, she does not realize Charlie is violently cruel and cares for no one but himself. The story is a page turner that you can not stop until the ending. Trouble for the Connors is very intense. I could imagine this book becoming a movie, it has all the components to keep your interest for a fast paced suspenseful drama! (** Graphic Violence & language)

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fan of Sheryl’s books so I went into this optimistically. Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed.

It begins as a fairly gentle story about a fairly dysfunctional family who have suffered the loss of their young daughter Emma .. Mum, Dad & sister all have reason to blame themselves for her death in their opinion & all deal with it in their own way. Daniel has deep-seated issues lingering from childhood which mean he is devoid of showing emotion, Jo leans towards the bottle & Kayla aged 15 goes off the rails loitering n nightclubs & mixing with unsavoury characters.

It’s her meeting with Charlie the local low-life drug dealer that ramps the pace up & turns this into a suspenseful edge of your seat thriller .. one throw away comment regarding her father’s money turns into a living nightmare.

How far will psychopath Charlie go & will Daniel be able to protect his family. I’m not sure how Sheryl gets into the minds of the villains in order to portray how hideously evil they can be .. this takes you on a drug fuelled journey of mania, yet again she has produced a ‘baddie’ who I dislike with venom. Loss, betrayal, love, hope, fear, anger a myriad of emotions are in this book .. enjoy every page!

[Coco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Detective Inspector Matthew Adams series and the author, Sheryl Browne, has once again delivered a compulsive read, though maybe not night-time reading if you're particularly sensitive.

After their youngest daughter dies in a road accident, Daniel and Jo Connor are so inconsolable that they're unable to even comfort each other in their grief. Their older daughter, Kayla, is also mourning the loss of her little sister and feels excluded from her parents. The family is completely falling apart. Kayla meets Charlie Roberts, a psychopathic drug addict, who discovers that the family have recently sold their boat yard.

DI Matthew Adams is on the trail of Charlie Roberts who has kidnapped the Connor family in an attempt to steal the proceeds from their boat yard sale. Time is running out for the Connor family, as Charlie Roberts will do anything to get his hands on their money and they are now in mortal danger from his excessive, drug crazed greed.

Highly Recommended

[Sue Purbrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadly Intent really comes into its own during the second half when author Sheryl Browne drags us along on a horrendous journey, in a claustrophobic, confined space, that at any moment could go horribly wrong. She delves into the dynamics of relationships: an estranged couple, pushed apart by tragedy; a ‘friendship’ based on blackmail, manipulation and distrust; and the frightening interactions between a drugged up psychopath and his prisoners. She brings all these interactions alive which made me feel I was really there. She does dialogue so well and manages to sustain the suspense. I continue to adore DI Matthew Adams (this is the third in a series), a decent, uncomplicated policeman who’s caring and empathetic. I’m pleased Sheryl didn't feel it necessary for him to have a huge major flaw. Her other characters, however, are much more complex and I hated it when I actually started rooting for one of the ‘baddies’! A great read if, like me, you enjoy psychological thrillers. Recommended.

[Best Crime Books & More · Rating 4 out of 5]

This third book in the series features more of the victim with Matthew Adams featuring more in the background, however it totally worked and I loved this book as much as the other two! Daniel and Joanne Connor are the focus of this book as they struggle to maintain their lives following the death of their daughter. Their eldest daughter Kayla is struggling with her parents and living in the shadow of their grief so starts acting out and that includes mixing with some unsavory characters.

Charlie Roberts comes onto the scene and he is well known as a drug dealer and Matthew has his eye on him. When Kayla then goes missing Daniel and Jo are brought together in a very dangerous situation but they are both determined to fight for survival. Although Matthew featured less in this book the main characters were interesting and the book kept me glued to it for hours. Although this wasn't maybe as exciting as the last book it was still an excellent read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. An author I will certainly be reading more of in the future.

[Nikki Bywater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faced with the tragedy of losing their five year old daughter, Daniel and Joanne’s relationship is falling apart. Daniel keeps his feelings to himself, and Joanne is reaching for the bottle. Their teenage daughter Kayla is heading to go off the rails, and when she meet Charlie, a cokehead and all round not so nice character, she is about to lead the family into more danger.

This is a lot different from all the other Sheryl Browne books I have read, this is a psychological thriller, and it will have you gripped from the very start, with a really nasty psychopath of a villain, and the agony, pain, and torment of a family who have already gone through so much. Making this is superb plot leading up to an explosive conclusion.

[Julie Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book so far on this series!
I really like the character DI Adams and whilst the first two books centred around him, this one focuses on a different family that's in trouble.
Their lives have something in common with the Adams' family and it brings them together in the end.
Daniel and his wife are struggling to cope with their lives and their teenage daughter makes matters ten times worse by getting involved with a drug dealing low-life called Charlie. He really made my blood boil at times!
I highly recommend this book if you like gritty crime thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Death by Choc Lit for sending me a copy to read and review.

[Betty Melton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. it started out kind of slow. After I got into it I was really rooting for the main characters. The only critisim I found was it was hard to keep up with what was happening.. one sentence would be with several characters and with no warning we were into different characters. Had to keep stopping and re grouping to get into the flow again. Just felt there should be a little bit more distinction between events. The characters themselves were very believable. Some you really hated and some you were totally in their corner. Very true to life and attention grabbing
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.

[Martha Brindley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read by this author but book 3 in the series. I found it pulled me in from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat. Daniel Connors is haunted by his daughter's death and his wife is drinking to blot out the pain. His 15 year old daughter is increasingly left to her own devices and meets up with a local man in a club. She fails to realise quite how dangerous her new friend really is. Trouble is right on the Connor's doorstep. I would recommend reading this book. It is a very interesting plot and well written. Thank you Net Galley for my copy.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah I really am at odds with this book. Absolutely loved the first 2 books in this series however this book is really difficult to rate. As a stand-alone I would have easily given it 5 stars but as part of a series it lacked the key element of Matthew Adams who hardly featured in the book. Shame as the author is clearly very talented and could have developed her detective so much more. A good read but left me disappointed

[Els · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very beautifull, raw, gripping story. The writing style was very fluent en I so felt for the poor family. I could
have killed Charlie myself. I could not stop reading. It was a very heartfelt and emotional book with also starring
an utter and sadistic bastard. It all felt even more dangerous because of where he kept them hostage.
I loved it form the first word till the last one

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Matthew Adams is on the trail of another psychopath! How much can one man take!! I. LOVE. DI. ADAMS!! Thank you to Sheryl Browne for pulling me into another fabulous novel, in a genre I do not usually read. Captivating, thrilling and heart pounding journey for the Conner family. I highly recommend this novel, as well as the previous two.