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Cathy Connolly #3
No Turning Back
Even perfect families have secrets . . .
Orla and Conor Quinn are the perfect power couple: smart, successful and glamorous. But then the unthinkable happens. Their only son, Tom, is the victim of a deliberate hit-and-run.
Detective Garda Cathy Connolly has just left Tom's parents when she is called to the discovery of another body, this time in Dillon's Park, not far from where Tom Quinn was found. What led shy student Lauren O'Reilly to apparently take her own life? She was a friend of Tom's and they both died on the same night - are their deaths connected and if so, how?
As Cathy delves deeper, she uncovers links to the Dark Web and a catalogue of cold cases, realising that those involved each have their own reasons for hiding things from the police. But events are about to get a lot more frightening . . .
Orla and Conor Quinn are the perfect power couple: smart, successful and glamorous. But then the unthinkable happens. Their only son, Tom, is the victim of a deliberate hit-and-run.
Detective Garda Cathy Connolly has just left Tom's parents when she is called to the discovery of another body, this time in Dillon's Park, not far from where Tom Quinn was found. What led shy student Lauren O'Reilly to apparently take her own life? She was a friend of Tom's and they both died on the same night - are their deaths connected and if so, how?
As Cathy delves deeper, she uncovers links to the Dark Web and a catalogue of cold cases, realising that those involved each have their own reasons for hiding things from the police. But events are about to get a lot more frightening . . .
448 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2018
37 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Sam Blake
12 books339 followersJoin Sam's Readers’ Club and get a free e-copy of her addictive thriller ‘High Pressure’! Info at www.samblakebooks.com
Sam Blake has been writing fiction since 1999 when her husband went sailing across the Atlantic for 8 weeks and she had an idea for a book.
Her debut novel 'Little Bones' (Bonnier 2016) was a runaway bestseller. Across all her books Sam has been an Eason No 1 bestseller an Irish Times No 1 and shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards (in the crime or teen categories) five times. 2023 saw her multiple award shortlisted YA debut Something Terrible Happened Last Night hit the shelves. In 2024 Something's About to Blow Up won Irish Teen/YA Book of the Year.
Moving away from police procedurals, now writing 'deliciously twisted' (Daily Mail) bestselling psychological thrillers, Sam's focus is on strong female characters and 'creating genuine page turners with metronomic timing.' (Sunday Business Post).
Sam is originally from St. Albans in Hertfordshire but has lived at the foot of the Wicklow mountains, for more years than she lived in the UK. Follow her on social @samblakebooks.
Visit www.samblakebooks.com for more!
Sam Blake has been writing fiction since 1999 when her husband went sailing across the Atlantic for 8 weeks and she had an idea for a book.
Her debut novel 'Little Bones' (Bonnier 2016) was a runaway bestseller. Across all her books Sam has been an Eason No 1 bestseller an Irish Times No 1 and shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards (in the crime or teen categories) five times. 2023 saw her multiple award shortlisted YA debut Something Terrible Happened Last Night hit the shelves. In 2024 Something's About to Blow Up won Irish Teen/YA Book of the Year.
Moving away from police procedurals, now writing 'deliciously twisted' (Daily Mail) bestselling psychological thrillers, Sam's focus is on strong female characters and 'creating genuine page turners with metronomic timing.' (Sunday Business Post).
Sam is originally from St. Albans in Hertfordshire but has lived at the foot of the Wicklow mountains, for more years than she lived in the UK. Follow her on social @samblakebooks.
Visit www.samblakebooks.com for more!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 6, 2021
"No Way Back" is the third in the Cat Connolly thriller series by the author Sam Blake - which is the pseudonym for Vanessa Fox O'Loughlin.
I hadn't read any books in the best selling series previously and looked forward to reading and joining what appeared to be very exciting and original set of crime thriller stories. I wasn't disappointed, this was a highly entertaining, gripping and with many a twist and turn along the way, excellent police procedural! I didn't feel I needed to read any of the others previously - other than for enjoyment - as any information you need to know to bring you up to date, is included in the story.
Successful power couple Orla and Conor Quinn's son, Tom, is the victim of a deliberate hit-and-run. Just as Detective Garda Cathy Connolly is leaving Tom's parents she is called to the discovery of another body - that of student Lauren O'Reilly - not far from where Tom was found. What led her to apparently take her own life and as a friend of Tom's and both dying on the same night, are the deaths connected? As Cathy delves into the cases she is led into the world of the Dark Web and a scary peeping tom scenario turning things a lot more frightening!
"No Way Back" is a very large book and will keep you entertained literally for days. I enjoyed Sam Blakes's writing, it's concise, easy to follow and has relatable and likeable characters that you soon connect with. I particularly liked Anna Lockharte and had so much empathy for her after learning about the tragic events in France. Detective Garda Cathy Connolly is an amazing criminal investigator, smart, fearless, passionate and a champion kickboxer to boot! The simmering 'will they, won't they' relationship with boss and mentor Dawson O'Rourke was very intriguing and I look forward to seeing how that all pans out in the next book.
This is a slow burning story but still moves along perfectly, keeping you constantly entertained and allows you to slowly put together the pieces of the mystery for yourself. Set in Ireland's dark underworld, not my usual area of reading - but still a truly captivating and interesting backdrop.
Although some of the internet/hacking terminology was a little beyond me, it didn't affect my love for the dramatic storyline and I especially liked reading the viewpoint from the unknown perpetrator between the chapters - it always adds an element of sinister excitement to the story.
I have every intention to read the next in this gritty series and to buy the previous books and I'm more than happy to recommend "No Way Back" and its talented author.
4 stars
I hadn't read any books in the best selling series previously and looked forward to reading and joining what appeared to be very exciting and original set of crime thriller stories. I wasn't disappointed, this was a highly entertaining, gripping and with many a twist and turn along the way, excellent police procedural! I didn't feel I needed to read any of the others previously - other than for enjoyment - as any information you need to know to bring you up to date, is included in the story.
Successful power couple Orla and Conor Quinn's son, Tom, is the victim of a deliberate hit-and-run. Just as Detective Garda Cathy Connolly is leaving Tom's parents she is called to the discovery of another body - that of student Lauren O'Reilly - not far from where Tom was found. What led her to apparently take her own life and as a friend of Tom's and both dying on the same night, are the deaths connected? As Cathy delves into the cases she is led into the world of the Dark Web and a scary peeping tom scenario turning things a lot more frightening!
"No Way Back" is a very large book and will keep you entertained literally for days. I enjoyed Sam Blakes's writing, it's concise, easy to follow and has relatable and likeable characters that you soon connect with. I particularly liked Anna Lockharte and had so much empathy for her after learning about the tragic events in France. Detective Garda Cathy Connolly is an amazing criminal investigator, smart, fearless, passionate and a champion kickboxer to boot! The simmering 'will they, won't they' relationship with boss and mentor Dawson O'Rourke was very intriguing and I look forward to seeing how that all pans out in the next book.
This is a slow burning story but still moves along perfectly, keeping you constantly entertained and allows you to slowly put together the pieces of the mystery for yourself. Set in Ireland's dark underworld, not my usual area of reading - but still a truly captivating and interesting backdrop.
Although some of the internet/hacking terminology was a little beyond me, it didn't affect my love for the dramatic storyline and I especially liked reading the viewpoint from the unknown perpetrator between the chapters - it always adds an element of sinister excitement to the story.
I have every intention to read the next in this gritty series and to buy the previous books and I'm more than happy to recommend "No Way Back" and its talented author.
4 stars
May 12, 2018
I have followed this series from the remarkably impressive launch of Detective Garda Cathy (“Cat”) Connolly onto the crime fiction landscape in Sam Blake’s arresting debut, Little Bones. After such a dynamic debut which introduced the feisty and spirited kickboxing champion, Cat, and juggled multiple plot strands narrated through multiple perspectives I was disappointed that the follow-up was a more plodding affair which had none of the vigour of the first. This third in the series makes for similarly laboured reading and in excess of four-hundred-pages it proved a slog to persevere until the rousing but very belated denouement.
No Turning Back opens with a bang with Detective Garda Cat Connolly of Dun Laoghaire station storming into the office of her superior and mentor, DI Declan O’Rourke, having been passed over for promotion to the newly created role of Forensic Profiler thanks to the Taoiseach’s nephew! In the midst of Cat’s fury the less than straightforward deaths of two students at Trinity College in the space of just a few hours in close proximity of each other propels her into a full-on caseload. Things become markedly more complicated when it transpires that both students are not only in the same year but studying the exact same subject. First of these is what appears to be the deliberate hit-and-run of gifted student, Tom Quinn, only son of the ultimate power couple, Orla and Conor Quinn, whilst out walking late at night. As ruthless businesswoman mother, Orla, struggles to comprehend what appears to be the wilful murder of her son with the car in question not only knocking down but reversing over Tom’s body, it is his father, Conor, whose agitation and less than helpful attitude shines through with a clear undercurrent of tension present in their palatial home. It is a mere few hours before the second discovery of shy farming lass and nineteen-year-old Lauren O’Reilly’s body at the bottom of an outcrop in Dillon’s Park hidden from the view of both overlooking houses and the road is discovered, with her chaotic landing, fear of water not to mention a bizarre message found on her person pointing towards having been pushed rather than jumped..
The narrative follows the investigation from the discovery of Tom’s body on Friday morning to the resounding conclusion on Thursday of the following week and is updated at certain stages throughout, with the specific date and time references given. With very few facts known and with post-mortem analysis, toxicology findings, recovery of CCTV, technical analysis of the paint flecks on Tom’s body and Lauren’s likely trajectory under scrutiny it means there is relatively little work for the police team in the first two days aside from a significant amount of conjecture on the part of Cat and O’Rourke. With the arrival of Sunday 7 a.m. circa the 150 page mark this pointless speculation on the basis of few substantiated facts becomes tiresome and is partly given over to the onerous backstory of Cat, which has little bearing on the unfolding focus of two students and their sudden deaths. Having read both of the previous novel this was unnecessary and given that it reads fine as a stand-alone it is unwarranted and merely acts as a drag of proceedings. In fact it is only at the halfway mark that the investigations begin to take shape with Garda Cat Connolly taking the lead in much of the campus and family focused investigation. Personally I found it a struggle to persevere with the real-time updates making for a painstakingly slow recounting in an admittedly tightly plotted novel.
Whilst I appreciate the accuracy of seeing the practicalities and frustrations of the wait for definitive facts in order to direct the focus it proved pretty mundane reading. As the novel increasingly hones in on the Quinn family and their complex dynamic with close friends, Ronan and Karen Delaney and Lauren’s predicament it does pick up the pace with Professor Lockharte’s CIA contact just one of the law enforcement agencies who are brought together in an attempt to head off a remarkably mobile killer with an audacious feat in the pipeline..
Narrated almost entirely in the third-person and focusing on Cathy and her part in the unfolding action, occasional chapters are presented from the perspective of Professor Anna Lockharte, course tutor for both Tom and Lauren with a troubled history of PTSD and panic attacks following the death of her sister in a terrorist incident and with an ambassadorial brother-in-law. A third perspective into the unfolding double investigation is marked in italics and tells of the frankly scary ambitions of the perpetrator and conveys his arrogance and contempt for those whose lives he meddles in with his money-spinning and illegal activities on the Dark Web as part of a hacking collective intent on notoriety.
With Cat injured at the end of the second novel and having been forced to take a year out from the competitive kickboxing circuit her personal focus is on retaking her crown in the upcoming National Kickboxing Championship, however as much of her contemplation is given over to her pining for her superior, DI O’Rourke, with whom she has shared occasional fleeting kisses but never progressed further. I did wonder where the fiesty and sassy Cat of book one had disappeared to during reading as the will they/won’t they speculation of Cat injected an element of romantic suspense. I found myself missing the antics of Cat’s all male housemates and her brothers who in previous novels added levity.
Although it appears that both Detective Garda Cat Connolly and DI Declan O’Rourke are both heading to pastures new with the potential of the recruitment by the Emergency Response Unit of Cat and O’Rourke’s promotion to Superintendent in Limerick, I doubt I will read more of this series. Once the backstory and pure conjecture of much of the first half was navigated from an entirely personal point of view I found the focus on the computer hacking across numerous countries and the logistics pretty dull. Much of that is to do with having difficulty relating on any practical level to the topic and aside from a high-octane denouement I found the content rather less than thrilling and having played a significant part in many recent crime fiction novels, as befitting its part in the modern world of crime, all rather familiar.
Full credit goes to Sam Blake however for obviously getting to grips with the specifics and conveying the formidable abilities of those who gets their kicks from computer hacking and think they are untouchable but neither bargain on human error or raw emotion. Topical stuff but however much I can appreciate the sheer destructive potential and its impact on everyday lives, it did not make for personally engaging reading. On the basis of the well-executed second half and the depth on hacking research I feel duty bound to give a 3 star rating.
With thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
No Turning Back opens with a bang with Detective Garda Cat Connolly of Dun Laoghaire station storming into the office of her superior and mentor, DI Declan O’Rourke, having been passed over for promotion to the newly created role of Forensic Profiler thanks to the Taoiseach’s nephew! In the midst of Cat’s fury the less than straightforward deaths of two students at Trinity College in the space of just a few hours in close proximity of each other propels her into a full-on caseload. Things become markedly more complicated when it transpires that both students are not only in the same year but studying the exact same subject. First of these is what appears to be the deliberate hit-and-run of gifted student, Tom Quinn, only son of the ultimate power couple, Orla and Conor Quinn, whilst out walking late at night. As ruthless businesswoman mother, Orla, struggles to comprehend what appears to be the wilful murder of her son with the car in question not only knocking down but reversing over Tom’s body, it is his father, Conor, whose agitation and less than helpful attitude shines through with a clear undercurrent of tension present in their palatial home. It is a mere few hours before the second discovery of shy farming lass and nineteen-year-old Lauren O’Reilly’s body at the bottom of an outcrop in Dillon’s Park hidden from the view of both overlooking houses and the road is discovered, with her chaotic landing, fear of water not to mention a bizarre message found on her person pointing towards having been pushed rather than jumped..
The narrative follows the investigation from the discovery of Tom’s body on Friday morning to the resounding conclusion on Thursday of the following week and is updated at certain stages throughout, with the specific date and time references given. With very few facts known and with post-mortem analysis, toxicology findings, recovery of CCTV, technical analysis of the paint flecks on Tom’s body and Lauren’s likely trajectory under scrutiny it means there is relatively little work for the police team in the first two days aside from a significant amount of conjecture on the part of Cat and O’Rourke. With the arrival of Sunday 7 a.m. circa the 150 page mark this pointless speculation on the basis of few substantiated facts becomes tiresome and is partly given over to the onerous backstory of Cat, which has little bearing on the unfolding focus of two students and their sudden deaths. Having read both of the previous novel this was unnecessary and given that it reads fine as a stand-alone it is unwarranted and merely acts as a drag of proceedings. In fact it is only at the halfway mark that the investigations begin to take shape with Garda Cat Connolly taking the lead in much of the campus and family focused investigation. Personally I found it a struggle to persevere with the real-time updates making for a painstakingly slow recounting in an admittedly tightly plotted novel.
Whilst I appreciate the accuracy of seeing the practicalities and frustrations of the wait for definitive facts in order to direct the focus it proved pretty mundane reading. As the novel increasingly hones in on the Quinn family and their complex dynamic with close friends, Ronan and Karen Delaney and Lauren’s predicament it does pick up the pace with Professor Lockharte’s CIA contact just one of the law enforcement agencies who are brought together in an attempt to head off a remarkably mobile killer with an audacious feat in the pipeline..
Narrated almost entirely in the third-person and focusing on Cathy and her part in the unfolding action, occasional chapters are presented from the perspective of Professor Anna Lockharte, course tutor for both Tom and Lauren with a troubled history of PTSD and panic attacks following the death of her sister in a terrorist incident and with an ambassadorial brother-in-law. A third perspective into the unfolding double investigation is marked in italics and tells of the frankly scary ambitions of the perpetrator and conveys his arrogance and contempt for those whose lives he meddles in with his money-spinning and illegal activities on the Dark Web as part of a hacking collective intent on notoriety.
With Cat injured at the end of the second novel and having been forced to take a year out from the competitive kickboxing circuit her personal focus is on retaking her crown in the upcoming National Kickboxing Championship, however as much of her contemplation is given over to her pining for her superior, DI O’Rourke, with whom she has shared occasional fleeting kisses but never progressed further. I did wonder where the fiesty and sassy Cat of book one had disappeared to during reading as the will they/won’t they speculation of Cat injected an element of romantic suspense. I found myself missing the antics of Cat’s all male housemates and her brothers who in previous novels added levity.
Although it appears that both Detective Garda Cat Connolly and DI Declan O’Rourke are both heading to pastures new with the potential of the recruitment by the Emergency Response Unit of Cat and O’Rourke’s promotion to Superintendent in Limerick, I doubt I will read more of this series. Once the backstory and pure conjecture of much of the first half was navigated from an entirely personal point of view I found the focus on the computer hacking across numerous countries and the logistics pretty dull. Much of that is to do with having difficulty relating on any practical level to the topic and aside from a high-octane denouement I found the content rather less than thrilling and having played a significant part in many recent crime fiction novels, as befitting its part in the modern world of crime, all rather familiar.
Full credit goes to Sam Blake however for obviously getting to grips with the specifics and conveying the formidable abilities of those who gets their kicks from computer hacking and think they are untouchable but neither bargain on human error or raw emotion. Topical stuff but however much I can appreciate the sheer destructive potential and its impact on everyday lives, it did not make for personally engaging reading. On the basis of the well-executed second half and the depth on hacking research I feel duty bound to give a 3 star rating.
With thanks to Readers First who provided me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
October 13, 2018
Three and a half stars.
Orla and Conor Quinn have everything it seems. They are smart, successful and glamorous. But then their world is shattered when their only son Tom dies, a victim of a hit and run. But is it an accident or is there more to the story? Detective Garda Cathy Connolly is brought in to investigate. Soon she finds herself investigating not just one death but two as a woman is found at the bottom of a cliff in Dillon’s Park. Like Tom, the young woman, Lauren O’Reilly is also a student at Trinity College. Two deaths in such a short space of time and in a similar area seems more than just co-incidence to Cathy. How are these deaths connected? As Cathy and the team delve into the situation further they uncover links to the dark web and to other cold cases. As they investigate, events turn even more frightening.
Most of this story is told in the third person, letting the reader learn more about Cathy and her role in the investigation. But a few chapters are told in the first person, in the voice of the perpetrator of the crimes. Although I see the point of these chapters, I felt very uncomfortable being in the perpetrator’s head. It does however, give a good insight into this total disregard and contempt for human life and his own narcissism and feelings of self-entitlement to do as he pleases and to who he pleases.
The story is interesting, though I did feel it dragged on a bit at times, particularly as back story about Cathy was brought in. For those, like me, who had not read the earlier two books about Cat Connolly it does provide some idea of who she is and what her life has been like. Just not sure the reader needed as much of it though. Given all we hear these days about computer hacking and people infiltrating sites and privacy situations, it gives quite a scary picture of what can happen and how vulnerable people can be. This is an interesting read, tense at times that it just falls prey to information overload at some points.
Orla and Conor Quinn have everything it seems. They are smart, successful and glamorous. But then their world is shattered when their only son Tom dies, a victim of a hit and run. But is it an accident or is there more to the story? Detective Garda Cathy Connolly is brought in to investigate. Soon she finds herself investigating not just one death but two as a woman is found at the bottom of a cliff in Dillon’s Park. Like Tom, the young woman, Lauren O’Reilly is also a student at Trinity College. Two deaths in such a short space of time and in a similar area seems more than just co-incidence to Cathy. How are these deaths connected? As Cathy and the team delve into the situation further they uncover links to the dark web and to other cold cases. As they investigate, events turn even more frightening.
Most of this story is told in the third person, letting the reader learn more about Cathy and her role in the investigation. But a few chapters are told in the first person, in the voice of the perpetrator of the crimes. Although I see the point of these chapters, I felt very uncomfortable being in the perpetrator’s head. It does however, give a good insight into this total disregard and contempt for human life and his own narcissism and feelings of self-entitlement to do as he pleases and to who he pleases.
The story is interesting, though I did feel it dragged on a bit at times, particularly as back story about Cathy was brought in. For those, like me, who had not read the earlier two books about Cat Connolly it does provide some idea of who she is and what her life has been like. Just not sure the reader needed as much of it though. Given all we hear these days about computer hacking and people infiltrating sites and privacy situations, it gives quite a scary picture of what can happen and how vulnerable people can be. This is an interesting read, tense at times that it just falls prey to information overload at some points.
May 25, 2018
No Turning Back is the third book in the Cathy Connolly series. I think you might possibly get away with reading this as a stand-alone but why would you want to? Read all three, as I have done and I’m sure you’ll agree with me that this latest one is the best one yet.
Young Tom Quinn is found dead in the road from what looks to be a hit-and-run. His parents are obviously devastated but something isn’t quite right in the Quinn household. Then Tom’s classmate, Lauren, is also found dead at the bottom of a cliff from an apparent suicide. Are these two events connected somehow? O’Rourke, Cathy and the rest of the team have their work cut out for them because these two families may look like they have it all but they’re all hiding secrets they desperately don’t want to reveal.
There are multiple exciting layers running throughout this story. Not only are there the investigations into the deaths of Tom and Lauren, we also get teasing glimpses of an unknown character seemingly plotting terrorist attacks. Meanwhile, Cathy is also getting increasingly confused about her relationship with O’Rourke while also wondering about her future and where the next step in her career might be. Things are definitely changing.
This is a well-plotted, compelling and tense addition to the series with an explosive and action-packed conclusion. The investigation spreads far and wide and held my attention from start to finish. However that was mostly due to a professor with an intriguing background and connections in the CIA. With many twists along the way, it is a suspenseful book that will keep you hooked and will make you think twice about modern technology. Although I must admit that some of that technical stuff went right over my head, I will definitely not forget to cover up the cameras on all my devices. Just in case.
No Turning Back wraps up this trilogy nicely and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s in no way an ending, but it does promise a new and exciting change for Cathy Connolly and it will be interesting to see where Sam Blake takes Cathy and this series next.
Young Tom Quinn is found dead in the road from what looks to be a hit-and-run. His parents are obviously devastated but something isn’t quite right in the Quinn household. Then Tom’s classmate, Lauren, is also found dead at the bottom of a cliff from an apparent suicide. Are these two events connected somehow? O’Rourke, Cathy and the rest of the team have their work cut out for them because these two families may look like they have it all but they’re all hiding secrets they desperately don’t want to reveal.
There are multiple exciting layers running throughout this story. Not only are there the investigations into the deaths of Tom and Lauren, we also get teasing glimpses of an unknown character seemingly plotting terrorist attacks. Meanwhile, Cathy is also getting increasingly confused about her relationship with O’Rourke while also wondering about her future and where the next step in her career might be. Things are definitely changing.
This is a well-plotted, compelling and tense addition to the series with an explosive and action-packed conclusion. The investigation spreads far and wide and held my attention from start to finish. However that was mostly due to a professor with an intriguing background and connections in the CIA. With many twists along the way, it is a suspenseful book that will keep you hooked and will make you think twice about modern technology. Although I must admit that some of that technical stuff went right over my head, I will definitely not forget to cover up the cameras on all my devices. Just in case.
No Turning Back wraps up this trilogy nicely and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s in no way an ending, but it does promise a new and exciting change for Cathy Connolly and it will be interesting to see where Sam Blake takes Cathy and this series next.
June 1, 2018
‘Even perfect families have secrets . . .’
I am thrilled to bring you all my review of No Turning Back, the latest novel in the Cat Connolly series from Sam Blake.
Just released with Bonnier Zaffre Publishing, Sam Blake takes the reader on a heart-pounding race against time and a journey into the world of the Dark Web. An excellent follow up to the previous two books in the series.
I have read, reviewed and thoroughly enjoyed the two previous books in the Cathy Connolly series, Little Bones and In Deep Water, so I was thrilled to pick up a copy of No Turning Back, the latest addition to this exciting thriller series.
Cat Connolly is a kick-boxing champion and a Detective Garda officer. A pure professional at everything she does, Cat takes her kick-boxing training very seriously, in the gym at the dawn and dusky hours of the day, as she trains hard in preparation for the forthcoming National Championship competition.
Cat is also studying for her Masters and is intent on a position as a Profiler within the force, a job she has had her eye on for quite some time. Cat studies extremely hard, but unfortunately her ambitions are thwarted when she is informed by her colleague (and dare I say love interest!!), her boss, O’ Rourke, that she did not get the profiling role. Disgusted, upset and angry, Cat is frustrated as her future dissolves in front of her, but Cat isn’t allowed to wallow for long as the discovery of a body, following a suspected hit-and-run, is soon known to be that of Tom Quinn, the only son of power-house couple Orla and Conor Quinn.
Cat is on the scene, as evidence is gathered in the immediate aftermath of the incident, evidence that immediately throws up suspicions of it ever being an accident.
And things are about to get even more complicated, when the body of student, Lauren O’ Reilly, is found nearby under equally suspicious circumstances.
Cat and her colleagues soon discover that both Lauren and Tom were students in Trinity College together and were friends. A coincidence??
Sam Blake has masterfully crafted the art of suspense in No Turning Back. With a very informative insight into the fascinating world of the Dark Web, paranoia began to set in! How safe are we really online? Who is watching us? Who is tracking our online footprint? Scary practices are investigated throughout the book, where technology is behind some very terrifying and alarming acts.
In writing this novel, Sam Blake ensured that all procedural technicalities were accurate and precise, making No Turning Back a very authentic and believable read. It is a very up-to-the-minute novel, featuring terrorism and the internet, and portraying how terrifying the world can really be.
Cat Connolly’s character is fabulous. I’ve been a fan of hers from the get-go. Her strength and determination to succeed is so admirable, yet there is also a very human side to Cat. Her relationship with her boss, colleague, confidante and friend, O’ Rourke, has a very tender side to it. Their lives are complicated and we never really get to see the full story behind O’ Rourke. As a reader, it’s almost frustrating watching the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ moments, but understandable at the same time. The Cat Connolly Series is not a romance. The snippets we see between O’ Rourke and Cat are enough for us to use our imaginations and have a little hope for a future for the two of them.
No Turning Back takes the reader on a global journey where the world wide web has no boundaries. We travel to France, London and the US where we witness the cross-policing of the different agencies and we are exposed to the evilness that lurks in the dark, dark world of the web. There are two victims in this story, whose deaths need to be explained and Sam Blake wraps it all up in a very neat package with this fast-paced page-turner that grabs your undivided attention from the very first page.
Exciting. Breathtaking. Thrilling.
I am thrilled to bring you all my review of No Turning Back, the latest novel in the Cat Connolly series from Sam Blake.
Just released with Bonnier Zaffre Publishing, Sam Blake takes the reader on a heart-pounding race against time and a journey into the world of the Dark Web. An excellent follow up to the previous two books in the series.
I have read, reviewed and thoroughly enjoyed the two previous books in the Cathy Connolly series, Little Bones and In Deep Water, so I was thrilled to pick up a copy of No Turning Back, the latest addition to this exciting thriller series.
Cat Connolly is a kick-boxing champion and a Detective Garda officer. A pure professional at everything she does, Cat takes her kick-boxing training very seriously, in the gym at the dawn and dusky hours of the day, as she trains hard in preparation for the forthcoming National Championship competition.
Cat is also studying for her Masters and is intent on a position as a Profiler within the force, a job she has had her eye on for quite some time. Cat studies extremely hard, but unfortunately her ambitions are thwarted when she is informed by her colleague (and dare I say love interest!!), her boss, O’ Rourke, that she did not get the profiling role. Disgusted, upset and angry, Cat is frustrated as her future dissolves in front of her, but Cat isn’t allowed to wallow for long as the discovery of a body, following a suspected hit-and-run, is soon known to be that of Tom Quinn, the only son of power-house couple Orla and Conor Quinn.
Cat is on the scene, as evidence is gathered in the immediate aftermath of the incident, evidence that immediately throws up suspicions of it ever being an accident.
And things are about to get even more complicated, when the body of student, Lauren O’ Reilly, is found nearby under equally suspicious circumstances.
Cat and her colleagues soon discover that both Lauren and Tom were students in Trinity College together and were friends. A coincidence??
Sam Blake has masterfully crafted the art of suspense in No Turning Back. With a very informative insight into the fascinating world of the Dark Web, paranoia began to set in! How safe are we really online? Who is watching us? Who is tracking our online footprint? Scary practices are investigated throughout the book, where technology is behind some very terrifying and alarming acts.
In writing this novel, Sam Blake ensured that all procedural technicalities were accurate and precise, making No Turning Back a very authentic and believable read. It is a very up-to-the-minute novel, featuring terrorism and the internet, and portraying how terrifying the world can really be.
Cat Connolly’s character is fabulous. I’ve been a fan of hers from the get-go. Her strength and determination to succeed is so admirable, yet there is also a very human side to Cat. Her relationship with her boss, colleague, confidante and friend, O’ Rourke, has a very tender side to it. Their lives are complicated and we never really get to see the full story behind O’ Rourke. As a reader, it’s almost frustrating watching the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ moments, but understandable at the same time. The Cat Connolly Series is not a romance. The snippets we see between O’ Rourke and Cat are enough for us to use our imaginations and have a little hope for a future for the two of them.
No Turning Back takes the reader on a global journey where the world wide web has no boundaries. We travel to France, London and the US where we witness the cross-policing of the different agencies and we are exposed to the evilness that lurks in the dark, dark world of the web. There are two victims in this story, whose deaths need to be explained and Sam Blake wraps it all up in a very neat package with this fast-paced page-turner that grabs your undivided attention from the very first page.
Exciting. Breathtaking. Thrilling.
September 10, 2018
Gah, I’m too invested in the personal lives of these detectives, as I’m itching to read book 4 now. Roll on publication date.
I love the Irish setting, the complex characters and the scary dark web backdrop in this book. Each book has such a different theme and that keeps this series fresh and interesting.
I love the Irish setting, the complex characters and the scary dark web backdrop in this book. Each book has such a different theme and that keeps this series fresh and interesting.
April 10, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for an advance copy of No Turning Back, the third novel to feature Detective Garda Cathy Connolly.
The team are stretched with two deaths on the one night. Student Tom Quinn is the victim of a hit and run and his friend Lauren O'Reilly jumps to her death not far from his home. As the team investigate the circumstances surrounding these two deaths get murkier and murkier.
I enjoyed No Turning Back which is filled with twists, turns and the very modern backdrop of computer hacking. It would be easy to pick holes in the plotting - everyone involved, except the gardai, has some kind of secret which does not paint them in a favourable light - but the slow uncovering of these secrets makes for a good read so it doesn't matter overly much.
The capabilities of computer hackers and what is required to combat them is truly scary. There isn't much in the novel that hasn't been publicised before but when it all comes together in one novel it really makes you think twice about switching on, never mind logging on. As a result of this theme there is a fair amount technical detail in the novel, most of which went over my head.
It's all change at the station with Cathy thinking of moving on and her boss and unrequited love, O'Rourke, moving to Limerick for a promotion. There is fair amount about these changes and their relationship in the novel but it's an ongoing situation so we'll have to wait until the next novel to see how it pans out and if Cathy wins the National Kickboxing Championship as the novel spends a lot of time with her training.
No Turning Back is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
The team are stretched with two deaths on the one night. Student Tom Quinn is the victim of a hit and run and his friend Lauren O'Reilly jumps to her death not far from his home. As the team investigate the circumstances surrounding these two deaths get murkier and murkier.
I enjoyed No Turning Back which is filled with twists, turns and the very modern backdrop of computer hacking. It would be easy to pick holes in the plotting - everyone involved, except the gardai, has some kind of secret which does not paint them in a favourable light - but the slow uncovering of these secrets makes for a good read so it doesn't matter overly much.
The capabilities of computer hackers and what is required to combat them is truly scary. There isn't much in the novel that hasn't been publicised before but when it all comes together in one novel it really makes you think twice about switching on, never mind logging on. As a result of this theme there is a fair amount technical detail in the novel, most of which went over my head.
It's all change at the station with Cathy thinking of moving on and her boss and unrequited love, O'Rourke, moving to Limerick for a promotion. There is fair amount about these changes and their relationship in the novel but it's an ongoing situation so we'll have to wait until the next novel to see how it pans out and if Cathy wins the National Kickboxing Championship as the novel spends a lot of time with her training.
No Turning Back is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
May 4, 2018
Sam Blake is the pseudonym for Vanessa Fox O' Loughlin. This is my first book that I have read by Sam Blake. I was so gripped from the first page that now Sam Blake has become one of my favourite authors. The paperback No Turning Back is a crime thriller packed that has now leaped into one my favourite novels. I loved reading the police procedural. Two students at Trinity College have been found dead. Lauren O'Reilly was on the way to meet someone. This part made my stomach churn. Lauren is found dead face down on a jagged rock. The question Detective Cathy Connolly want to find out is was Lauren pushed off the cliff or was it just an accident and she fell. The second student to be killed is Tom Quinn who was an only son who had been deliberately ran over in a hit and run. Could Tom and Lauren been seeing each other? Detective Cathy Connolly investigation ask the college who were Tom and Lauren's friends. Even I was turning the pages eager to know who their friends were or enemies. To all crime readers No Turning Back was one the best crime stories that I have read, with a little twist that's why I very highly recommend reading No Turning Back.
September 6, 2020
I thought this was the second installment in the Cathy Connolly series. I had read the first and although it was promising, I wanted to see if her next would be better, tighter, whether Cathy Connolly, a Garda Detective in Dublin, would mature.
I was so pleased that I enjoyed this book so much more than the first. The storyline is intricate, a true "thriller." It begins with the portrayal of a young woman, having found out that someone was secretly filming her in her dorm room, being lured out to meet someone she hopes will help her. But instead she winds up dead, one of two victims that night. And it turns out both victims knew each other at Trinity College Dublin.
Cathy Connolly is called in to investigate under the supervision of D.I. Dawson O'Rourke, for whom she carries a secret torch. A few chapters in, we meet a sinister character (is he the murderer?), a computer hacker whose actions are written in italics; like Cathy we are privy to this character's actions and thoughts but mainly the book is written in the third person. Which heightens the tensions--we know in the end it is going to be a showdown between the hacker and Cathy but how and when? And then the plot twists and twists. The CIA are involved, the Surete is involved and the London Met is involved. Something is going on that is way bigger than these two murders. But how?
As I said, I thought I was reading the second of the three Cathy Connolly books so I was surprised that there were several events referred to that I didn't remember from the first book. The fact that there is a second book explains this. Still, I think this book makes an excellent stand-alone thriller. You don't really have to know anything about the other books to appreciate the storyline and to enjoy Cathy.
My main regret was that the story ended; there were so many other things I wanted to know about the peripheral characters. Blake really does a good job of fleshing out all of the characters, not just the main ones. I really do hope she writes another Connolly!
I was so pleased that I enjoyed this book so much more than the first. The storyline is intricate, a true "thriller." It begins with the portrayal of a young woman, having found out that someone was secretly filming her in her dorm room, being lured out to meet someone she hopes will help her. But instead she winds up dead, one of two victims that night. And it turns out both victims knew each other at Trinity College Dublin.
Cathy Connolly is called in to investigate under the supervision of D.I. Dawson O'Rourke, for whom she carries a secret torch. A few chapters in, we meet a sinister character (is he the murderer?), a computer hacker whose actions are written in italics; like Cathy we are privy to this character's actions and thoughts but mainly the book is written in the third person. Which heightens the tensions--we know in the end it is going to be a showdown between the hacker and Cathy but how and when? And then the plot twists and twists. The CIA are involved, the Surete is involved and the London Met is involved. Something is going on that is way bigger than these two murders. But how?
As I said, I thought I was reading the second of the three Cathy Connolly books so I was surprised that there were several events referred to that I didn't remember from the first book. The fact that there is a second book explains this. Still, I think this book makes an excellent stand-alone thriller. You don't really have to know anything about the other books to appreciate the storyline and to enjoy Cathy.
My main regret was that the story ended; there were so many other things I wanted to know about the peripheral characters. Blake really does a good job of fleshing out all of the characters, not just the main ones. I really do hope she writes another Connolly!
August 30, 2018
I do like Cat. For anyone who’s not read Sam Blake, Cat is our hero. She’s got a knack for landing in the middle of trouble, she kick boxes like a superhero and she pretty much lives for her job. She’s also got the unnerving capacity of getting brainwaves mid case, where suddenly it all becomes mysteriously clear and she saves the day. Yes, in some ways she’s a cliche, Catwoman meets Mel Gibson.... but I don’t care. I like her.
AND (spoiler alert!!!) they FINALLY KISSED. Cat snogs O’Rourke. The most frustrating “urst” has been (partially) resolved. Phew. I can admit to an overriding sense of relief. That took WAYYY too long.
Anyway, general comments. The book was good without being great. The plot was interesting enough, but l keep reading because I like the characters, not because I need to know who dunnit. Blake’s plots are cinematic, featuring action movie suspense and a final climax where (inevitably) Cat gets to kick someone. Ha. Definitely fun, but not the book of the year.
AND (spoiler alert!!!) they FINALLY KISSED. Cat snogs O’Rourke. The most frustrating “urst” has been (partially) resolved. Phew. I can admit to an overriding sense of relief. That took WAYYY too long.
Anyway, general comments. The book was good without being great. The plot was interesting enough, but l keep reading because I like the characters, not because I need to know who dunnit. Blake’s plots are cinematic, featuring action movie suspense and a final climax where (inevitably) Cat gets to kick someone. Ha. Definitely fun, but not the book of the year.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2020
Cat is raging at not getting the job of her dreams at the start of the book. As she trains for an upcoming competition she takes her frustration out in the gym. Along side this she is part of the team attempting to resolve how a young student has died, a hit and run victim. And then another body is found who is a class mate....is there a connection. This novel has a number of threads running at the same time: internet hacking, blackmail and broken relationships. The ending tailed off for me.
August 28, 2018
I love being late to a series and binge reading them all in a row BUT then you are left with wanting the next and it’s not there yet! Lol I like this series a lot and love the characters, especially Cat. She’s unique and very bad ass! If you like a strong female lead in a police procedural then these are for you!
August 6, 2021
This was my favourite of this trilogy. I thought the main character was better at her job and the cases kept you guessing.
April 20, 2018
#NoTurningBack #NetGalley What I love about a good detective novel is gritty lead characters whom I can warm to, a great plot with lots of twists and turns that I don't see coming and lots of action instead of pages and pages of background descriptions - and this book ticked all my boxes. I loved the main character Cat and especially her relationship with O'Rourke. The plot was exciting and kept me turning the pages to find out more. This was the third book in this series and having not read the first two, it didn't really matter. There were references to what I presumed happened in the first two, for example Cat being shot and the explosion but there was enough detail given to fill in the background without wondering what on earth was going on. There is obviously going to be further books and it will be great to see how Cat and O'Rourke's relationship develops or not but I would have liked to have known in this book whether Cat got the ERU job and whether she won the kick boxing title.
May 20, 2024
I really enjoyed the first book in this series. I didn’t like the second as much but this is better than the second. There are plenty of twists and turns. It’s set in Dublin where I live and I enjoyed the local descriptions. The story moves at a good pace and I enjoyed the ending.
April 11, 2018
A great novel!
Full of twists and turns, it will keep you on the edge of your seat. Or in my case, up at night telling myself I would read just one more chapter. And then I had finished the book.
Absolutely fantastic!
Full of twists and turns, it will keep you on the edge of your seat. Or in my case, up at night telling myself I would read just one more chapter. And then I had finished the book.
Absolutely fantastic!
February 5, 2020
I really liked this one. A gripping story all the way through.
May 22, 2018
Orla and Conor Quinn are a highly successful, powerful and glamorous couple whose lives are torn apart when their only child, nineteen-year-old university student Tom, is found dead, the victim of a deliberate hit-and run. Then, as Detective Garda Cat Connolly is leaving his parents’ home she is called to the discovery of another body, found on the rocks, not far from where Tom was killed. This victim is Lauren O’Reilly, a friend and fellow student of Tom who had, apparently, committed suicide. Is it just a coincidence that both young people died on the same night or are their deaths in some way linked? As Cat and the team of detectives investigate both deaths they uncover various strands which point to links with the Dark Web, as well as with some cold cases.
I found this an immediately engaging police procedural story and thought that the slow build up to the complexity of the plot was handled well. It seemed that most of the characters had secrets which led the detectives down many blind alleys, leading to multiple twists and turns as the story progressed. However, these were exposed in ways which felt, for the most part, reasonably convincing. Although I did guess the outcome quite early on, there was an interesting twist at the end which did catch me by surprise! I think that the slow-burn of the early stages of the investigation, followed by a quite dramatic acceleration in the later stages, was probably a reasonably accurate reflection of how many crimes are eventually solved. The Dark Web and computer hacking were central to the developing story and the exposure of the insidious nature of these themes made for some disturbing reading – I defy anyone who reads this book not to become paranoid about covering their webcam when they aren’t using it!
I thought that the characters, even the more minor ones, were mostly well developed and credible. I found Cat, a determined and passionate investigator, quite an endearing character and loved the fact that she was also a champion kick-boxer in her spare time! Her relationship with Detective Inspector Dawson O’Rourke, her married boss and mentor, was a complex one because it included a powerful romantic element which led to a certain tension in most of their interactions. The “will they, won’t they” scenarios certainly added an extra dimension to the development of the story, although I must admit that there were moments when I found it hard to reconcile Cat’s confident, rather feisty persona with her apparent dependence on her attachment to her boss!
Another character I found particularly appealing was Anna Lockharte, the university professor who was course tutor to Tom and Lauren but was also suffering from PTSD following her sister’s death during a terrorist attack in Paris. Some of the narrative is presented from her perspective, a device which certainly added interest as well as introducing some links to the complex, ongoing investigation. A rather more disturbing strand to the narrative were the occasional, italicised chapters which offered insights into the psychology and motives of the amoral computer hacker, whose activities are central to the story.
Most of the action takes place in Ireland but the move to London for the dramatic conclusion, as well as strands which included France and America, added an interesting extra dimension to the story-telling.
This is the third book in the Cat Connolly series and, although it would probably have felt more satisfying had I read the previous two, if only to gain more insight into how the close personal, as well as professional, relationship between Cat and Dawson had come about, there were certainly enough clues about the back story to make it easy and enjoyable to read as a stand-alone story. The strength of the character development and the quality of the writing are certainly factors which would encourage me to read the next book in the series.
With thanks to Readers First and Zaffre for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this an immediately engaging police procedural story and thought that the slow build up to the complexity of the plot was handled well. It seemed that most of the characters had secrets which led the detectives down many blind alleys, leading to multiple twists and turns as the story progressed. However, these were exposed in ways which felt, for the most part, reasonably convincing. Although I did guess the outcome quite early on, there was an interesting twist at the end which did catch me by surprise! I think that the slow-burn of the early stages of the investigation, followed by a quite dramatic acceleration in the later stages, was probably a reasonably accurate reflection of how many crimes are eventually solved. The Dark Web and computer hacking were central to the developing story and the exposure of the insidious nature of these themes made for some disturbing reading – I defy anyone who reads this book not to become paranoid about covering their webcam when they aren’t using it!
I thought that the characters, even the more minor ones, were mostly well developed and credible. I found Cat, a determined and passionate investigator, quite an endearing character and loved the fact that she was also a champion kick-boxer in her spare time! Her relationship with Detective Inspector Dawson O’Rourke, her married boss and mentor, was a complex one because it included a powerful romantic element which led to a certain tension in most of their interactions. The “will they, won’t they” scenarios certainly added an extra dimension to the development of the story, although I must admit that there were moments when I found it hard to reconcile Cat’s confident, rather feisty persona with her apparent dependence on her attachment to her boss!
Another character I found particularly appealing was Anna Lockharte, the university professor who was course tutor to Tom and Lauren but was also suffering from PTSD following her sister’s death during a terrorist attack in Paris. Some of the narrative is presented from her perspective, a device which certainly added interest as well as introducing some links to the complex, ongoing investigation. A rather more disturbing strand to the narrative were the occasional, italicised chapters which offered insights into the psychology and motives of the amoral computer hacker, whose activities are central to the story.
Most of the action takes place in Ireland but the move to London for the dramatic conclusion, as well as strands which included France and America, added an interesting extra dimension to the story-telling.
This is the third book in the Cat Connolly series and, although it would probably have felt more satisfying had I read the previous two, if only to gain more insight into how the close personal, as well as professional, relationship between Cat and Dawson had come about, there were certainly enough clues about the back story to make it easy and enjoyable to read as a stand-alone story. The strength of the character development and the quality of the writing are certainly factors which would encourage me to read the next book in the series.
With thanks to Readers First and Zaffre for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2018
Set in Dublin, No Turning Back, attempts to give us an insight in to the working of the Garda from the perspective of a very determined young officer - Cat Connolly. Nothing wrong with that except the nicknames they have for each other and the details of interpersonal relationships all feels a little superficial. This may be because this is clearly a few books in to a series (I checked - this is the third book chronicling the events in the life and career of Cat Connolly) and so we are expected to already know the important people in her life. It does work as a stand alone book though, even if the events of previous cases do seep in on a fairly regular basis.
There are a couple of intertwined tales going on here. You have the hit and run murder of a young man with distinguished parents, the discovery of a young girls body on the cliffe which may or may not be misadventure and a nice slice of cyber crime and a devolution on to the Dark Web. Unfortunately this does lead to things becoming very muddy with no real separation of the threads and I did find myself becoming a little confused as to how all the characters linked together and how this was supposed to gel together in to one tale.
Couple this with regular asides in to Cat's private life and her emotional attachment to a superior officer. Then the seemingly pointless introduction of a professor at Trinity College - I am still not entirely sure what point this character served apart from to link the Garda to the CIA to expose the cybercimes being perpetrated under their noses. Quite a lot of page space is devoted to this character as well so I think that their may have been editing decisions made with the overall plot trajectory that now make her feel superfluous to some extent.
There is a decent plot buried amongst some of the faff and flannel in the narrative. Certainly the ultimate denouement was fairly unexpected and the way at which the reveal is made shows that it is the slow plodding of procedure that gets results and not maverick intuition. Tension, however, is hard to come by. Just as it starts to build in one area of the investigation the next chapter will sidle off in to Cat's private life or to one of the other strands of the crimes being explained and it all fizzles out.
Not one of my favourite books of the genre but certainly not one of the worst I have read. It is pretty much middle of the road and does provide a modicum of entertainment; just not enough to make me want to read Cat Connolly's back story or be too invested in where she moves on to next.
There are a couple of intertwined tales going on here. You have the hit and run murder of a young man with distinguished parents, the discovery of a young girls body on the cliffe which may or may not be misadventure and a nice slice of cyber crime and a devolution on to the Dark Web. Unfortunately this does lead to things becoming very muddy with no real separation of the threads and I did find myself becoming a little confused as to how all the characters linked together and how this was supposed to gel together in to one tale.
Couple this with regular asides in to Cat's private life and her emotional attachment to a superior officer. Then the seemingly pointless introduction of a professor at Trinity College - I am still not entirely sure what point this character served apart from to link the Garda to the CIA to expose the cybercimes being perpetrated under their noses. Quite a lot of page space is devoted to this character as well so I think that their may have been editing decisions made with the overall plot trajectory that now make her feel superfluous to some extent.
There is a decent plot buried amongst some of the faff and flannel in the narrative. Certainly the ultimate denouement was fairly unexpected and the way at which the reveal is made shows that it is the slow plodding of procedure that gets results and not maverick intuition. Tension, however, is hard to come by. Just as it starts to build in one area of the investigation the next chapter will sidle off in to Cat's private life or to one of the other strands of the crimes being explained and it all fizzles out.
Not one of my favourite books of the genre but certainly not one of the worst I have read. It is pretty much middle of the road and does provide a modicum of entertainment; just not enough to make me want to read Cat Connolly's back story or be too invested in where she moves on to next.
June 7, 2018
This was my first Sam Blake book and I've ordered the other books too after finishing this one. It didn't really matter that I hadn't read the previous books as with crime novels it tends to be a different case each book anyway. In No Turning Back I got to meet Cat Connolly and O'Rourke and was instantly intrigued by both. I just knew I was going to have to go and read the previous books just to find out more about these two characters and their history.
The book starts with Cat not getting the promotion she'd gone for and she's pretty angry about the whole thing. She's also back in full-on kickboxing training and to top it off, there's not one but two dead bodies.
I loved how this story flowed providing enough backstory so that I knew that characters as well as moving the book forward at an adequate pace. The story really picked up and the action was great once I was about a third of the way through.
I loved how the themes in this book were so relatable and it really did make me think about webcams and the dangers of hackers.
We get a few different points of view in the book as well. We have Cat, Anna, and the killer. It's a great way to build suspense and add to the story and I really didn't see a lot of the stuff at the end coming. From about halfway through things really started happening and the link between the two bodies started to come together. There were a lot of surprises and a few twists along the way and I really do hope that a fourth book will be released because I need to know what happens next for Cat and O'Rourke.
For me this book was more than just a crime novel, it has a bit of everything and I thoroughly enjoyed the slight romance, will they or won't they, bit that was included. It made the characters feel real and more alive in my mind. By the end of the book they became like friends and acquaintances that you know even though they were only from a book.
The writing was excellent, the plot and structure was flawless, and I could picture every scene in my mind as I read.
Overall, I am happy to give this book five stars and look forward to reading more from Sam Blake.
The book starts with Cat not getting the promotion she'd gone for and she's pretty angry about the whole thing. She's also back in full-on kickboxing training and to top it off, there's not one but two dead bodies.
I loved how this story flowed providing enough backstory so that I knew that characters as well as moving the book forward at an adequate pace. The story really picked up and the action was great once I was about a third of the way through.
I loved how the themes in this book were so relatable and it really did make me think about webcams and the dangers of hackers.
We get a few different points of view in the book as well. We have Cat, Anna, and the killer. It's a great way to build suspense and add to the story and I really didn't see a lot of the stuff at the end coming. From about halfway through things really started happening and the link between the two bodies started to come together. There were a lot of surprises and a few twists along the way and I really do hope that a fourth book will be released because I need to know what happens next for Cat and O'Rourke.
For me this book was more than just a crime novel, it has a bit of everything and I thoroughly enjoyed the slight romance, will they or won't they, bit that was included. It made the characters feel real and more alive in my mind. By the end of the book they became like friends and acquaintances that you know even though they were only from a book.
The writing was excellent, the plot and structure was flawless, and I could picture every scene in my mind as I read.
Overall, I am happy to give this book five stars and look forward to reading more from Sam Blake.
July 5, 2024
When Det Garda Cathy Connolly investigates the deliberate hit-and-run of a university student followed by an apparent suicide of another student in the same course, she becomes embroiled in a sleazy internet porn ring on the dark web. As the case unfolds and an international anti-terrorist lecturer is targeted, it seems like the shadowy hackers have even more sinister ambitions.
Phew, this police procedural had a lot of interlinking moving parts so it was hard to guess how all the players fitted into the overlapping schemes—it was all clear by the end, though. There were some nice tense moments but I thought the final showdown was a little overblown—it was unnecessarily overly sensational on top of an already gripping unfolding drama. I hope there’ll be more in this series, as we finally got some movement on Cathy and her boss, O’Rourke’s glacially slow-burn romance and it would be great to see how Cathy and O’Rourke’s career moves shape up. 🎧 Stellar Irish voice actor Aoife McMahon did another superb job!
Phew, this police procedural had a lot of interlinking moving parts so it was hard to guess how all the players fitted into the overlapping schemes—it was all clear by the end, though. There were some nice tense moments but I thought the final showdown was a little overblown—it was unnecessarily overly sensational on top of an already gripping unfolding drama. I hope there’ll be more in this series, as we finally got some movement on Cathy and her boss, O’Rourke’s glacially slow-burn romance and it would be great to see how Cathy and O’Rourke’s career moves shape up. 🎧 Stellar Irish voice actor Aoife McMahon did another superb job!
October 9, 2018
2.5 stars rounded up. Having enjoyed the first two books in the series I found this one quite disappointing. There appeared to be an awful lot of padding by way of the gym workouts and the will they/won’t they romance element. Having warmed to Cats character in the first two I felt this novel took a more superficial view and started to feel a bit cliched, there was an awful lot of repetition too. The plot was an interesting premise but I thought it was was thinner than it should have been and very quickly resolved - more focus on developing the plot, with more complexity to it and less on her gym visits, her sense of entitlement about her career progression (without a lot of substance behind her to justify her opinion of herself it seems) and mooning over her DI would have improved the novel hugely.
All in all I’m not sure I’d rush to read another in this series if I thought it was a similar one again.
All in all I’m not sure I’d rush to read another in this series if I thought it was a similar one again.
April 11, 2021
really gripping and interesting to read, i don’t usually read this genre but this book was very good. Great police procedure involved which was nice to see as some books really lack that.
A successful couples son, Tom, is involved in a hit and run but it’s deliberate. Shortly after there is another body found, Lauren, and the defective has to evaluate wheather the deaths are linked or not.
Cathy, the investigator was a great character and really interesting to read i loved how fearless and powerful she was aswell as the slow burn relationship with her boss Dawson.
The book is narrated almost entirely in third person which i quite enjoy and the writing really lets you unravel and understand things yourself. I liked the hacking and dark web story line even though i struggled to understand some of it. I love sam blake’s writing and how easy it is to understand, i definitely recommend!
A successful couples son, Tom, is involved in a hit and run but it’s deliberate. Shortly after there is another body found, Lauren, and the defective has to evaluate wheather the deaths are linked or not.
Cathy, the investigator was a great character and really interesting to read i loved how fearless and powerful she was aswell as the slow burn relationship with her boss Dawson.
The book is narrated almost entirely in third person which i quite enjoy and the writing really lets you unravel and understand things yourself. I liked the hacking and dark web story line even though i struggled to understand some of it. I love sam blake’s writing and how easy it is to understand, i definitely recommend!
May 17, 2018
A student is killed in a hit and run and the following day a friend of his is also found murdered. Detective Garda Cathy Connolly is on the case to find out if they're accidents, suicides or murder. Can she figure it all out and the link to the Dark Web in time.
This was a really good thriller. I love this kind of story and this was one of the better ones I've read. There was lots of drama and intrigue. The plot is clever and detailed but an easy story to follow. It's not the first in the series but can be read without reading the others which I do now want to read. The ending was really good and a brilliant twist.
I really like Cathy she's determined and smart but easily relatable. I loved the developing relationship between her and O'Rourke.
This was a really good thriller. I love this kind of story and this was one of the better ones I've read. There was lots of drama and intrigue. The plot is clever and detailed but an easy story to follow. It's not the first in the series but can be read without reading the others which I do now want to read. The ending was really good and a brilliant twist.
I really like Cathy she's determined and smart but easily relatable. I loved the developing relationship between her and O'Rourke.
May 1, 2020
I found this book really hard to read, I found myself rereading sentences which was frustrating as I really wanted to enjoy this story. Unfortunately I decided to give it up half way through as I believe you shouldn’t waste your time reading something that you’re not enjoying. I also think with regards to this story is that you should read the previous books. There is a lot of reference to the past books which can be confusing. The beginning is fairly slow paced, you want to the story to hurry up and get to some gritty scenes, but I guess the author is laying the foundations down for the characters. So to summarise this wasn’t for me however I’m sure there are many others who will really love it.
August 12, 2020
Two bodies are found in Co Dublin, both of them second-year students on the same degree course in Trinity College Dublin. One died after going over a cliff, the other was deliberately run over on the road. The connections between the two gradually become apparent, as do those between the family of the dead young man (Tom) and their good friends for whom Tom worked from time to time. A college professor who taught both students is also on alert as it appears that someone tried to hack her computers and is now following her. Meanwhile, both Detective Garda Cathy Connolly and DI Dawson O'Rourke are facing potentially big changes in their lives.
August 8, 2023
I will have to stop coming late to these series of books. I have to seek out the first two in this series although I already gleaned a bit about them from backstory references.
This is a very well plotted book that keeps the reader glued to the page. The characters are believable and the case proceeds with speed and authenticity.
The Irish elements ring very true with colloquialisms that show good research.
It is great to find another writer who brings the detective novel to Ireland much as Tana French did in her early books.
I look forward to more from Sam even if Kit is a bit too much of a superwoman and the author over describes scenes and people at times.
This is a very well plotted book that keeps the reader glued to the page. The characters are believable and the case proceeds with speed and authenticity.
The Irish elements ring very true with colloquialisms that show good research.
It is great to find another writer who brings the detective novel to Ireland much as Tana French did in her early books.
I look forward to more from Sam even if Kit is a bit too much of a superwoman and the author over describes scenes and people at times.
November 9, 2025
I’ve just finished this and honestly, I’m disappointed. It tries far too hard to be twisty but ends up feeling like a jumbled mess. There’s way too much going on: terrorism, family drama, dark web stuff, affairs and unnecessary romantic angst.
Instead of a sharp, focused investigation, it kept veering off into emotional side plots that dragged the pace down.
The “big twists” are obvious long before they land, and by the end it feels like the story’s tripping over itself.
It had potential, but it needed a tighter plot and fewer distractions. If you like thrillers that actually stay on the case, this one might test your patience.
Instead of a sharp, focused investigation, it kept veering off into emotional side plots that dragged the pace down.
The “big twists” are obvious long before they land, and by the end it feels like the story’s tripping over itself.
It had potential, but it needed a tighter plot and fewer distractions. If you like thrillers that actually stay on the case, this one might test your patience.
February 7, 2021
'No Turning Back' is the third in the Cathy Connolly trilogy. I've raced through this series, having only started on the first book, 'Little Bones' earlier this week.
Cathy or Cat is a Detective constable in the Garda Siochana, the Irish police service and is mainly based at the station out in Dun Laoghire, Dublin. Cat has proved herself to be both an accomplished and successful officer and has recently returned to the job after an injury, sustained while on duty, lead to her being off work for some time.
Cat is surrounded by a strong supportive circle, including her family, her coach McIntyre (she is a professional kickboxer) and colleagues. She relies on these people to keep her grounded and also out of trouble as her temper can lead her into some dangerous situations.
In 'No Turning Back' , Cat and co, are investigating two very suspicious deaths - one is the victim of a hit & run, while the other may have committed suicide, but the circumstances seem dodgy to the Garda.
Although I read the stories in order, I do not think that reading the stories as standalong would take from your enjoyment or understanding as all the information that we know to know is provided in the story.
Cathy or Cat is a Detective constable in the Garda Siochana, the Irish police service and is mainly based at the station out in Dun Laoghire, Dublin. Cat has proved herself to be both an accomplished and successful officer and has recently returned to the job after an injury, sustained while on duty, lead to her being off work for some time.
Cat is surrounded by a strong supportive circle, including her family, her coach McIntyre (she is a professional kickboxer) and colleagues. She relies on these people to keep her grounded and also out of trouble as her temper can lead her into some dangerous situations.
In 'No Turning Back' , Cat and co, are investigating two very suspicious deaths - one is the victim of a hit & run, while the other may have committed suicide, but the circumstances seem dodgy to the Garda.
Although I read the stories in order, I do not think that reading the stories as standalong would take from your enjoyment or understanding as all the information that we know to know is provided in the story.
May 14, 2018
I really liked this. I haven't read anything by Sam Blake before, but I will catch up on the previous books on the strength of this.
A university student is found dead after a hit and run. Shortly afterwards the body of another university student is found on the coastal rocks after an apparent suicide.
The hit and run victim is the son of an influential couple. The suicide victim parents live on a farm in rural Ireland. What links them?
The Garda Detective Cathy Connolly investigates and uncovers links to the Dark Web. Is this revenge porn or something more sinister? More cold cases are uncovered, not just in Ireland. Not everyone is being open about their involvement in this, can Cathy uncover the truth in time?
A university student is found dead after a hit and run. Shortly afterwards the body of another university student is found on the coastal rocks after an apparent suicide.
The hit and run victim is the son of an influential couple. The suicide victim parents live on a farm in rural Ireland. What links them?
The Garda Detective Cathy Connolly investigates and uncovers links to the Dark Web. Is this revenge porn or something more sinister? More cold cases are uncovered, not just in Ireland. Not everyone is being open about their involvement in this, can Cathy uncover the truth in time?
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