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The Devil's Cove Trilogy #2
Desperation Point
The inhabitants of Cornish coastal town Devil's Cove have been devastated by a series of shocking and disturbing events. Now crime writer Aaron Black has arrived in town with the intention of saving his flagging career by writing a true crime account. What he finds will not only throw the cove into jeopardy once more, but threaten the lives of every one involved.
Desperation Point is the second chilling instalment in The Cove trilogy.
Desperation Point is the second chilling instalment in The Cove trilogy.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2018
176 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Malcolm Richards
43 books105 followersMalcolm Richards crafts stories to keep you guessing from the edge of your seat. He is the author of several crime thrillers and mystery novels, including the PI Blake Hollow series, the award-nominated Devil’s Cove trilogy, and the Emily Swanson series. Many of his books are set in Cornwall, where he was born and raised.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Malcolm worked for many years in the special education sector, teaching and supporting children with complex needs. After living in London for two decades, he has now settled in the Somerset countryside with his partner and a cat named Sukey.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Malcolm worked for many years in the special education sector, teaching and supporting children with complex needs. After living in London for two decades, he has now settled in the Somerset countryside with his partner and a cat named Sukey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 8, 2024
Wow, what a great second book in this series! It had me gripped just as much as the first one and I just needed to know what happened. It was nice being introduced to new characters, even if they did die at some point in the book 😂 and even though Cal is a deranged, little psychopath of a child, I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for him because it’s not really his fault. I already can’t wait to start the last book in this trilogy and see what happens to Carrie and her family and the mysterious cult group of the Dawn Children. I like that these books are somewhat gruesome/graphic as I haven’t really experienced that much with reading 😯 Would defo recommend this series, it’s an easy read and very captivating 👌🏻🤓
January 14, 2019
Book 1 is about this mom taking her eye off of her son for a minute and him being gone. He was in the water and the next minute gone. She thought he had drowned and died. 7 years later he washed up on the beach alive. Come to find out a man in their neighborhood had been and was starving and beating him, had him caged like a animal turning into something he's not. Really intense book. But so good. Book 2 is what happens after that. I hope he writes a 3rd book would love to see what happens next...
May 13, 2022
Solid second entry in the Devil's Cove trilogy which continues the story of Cal, Carrie, Nat and the aftermath of Grady Spencer's terrible deeds as the community tries to recover. A new character, Aaron, enters the fold as an author looking to revive his career with a true-crime book about the prior events. The story moves quickly along, and the resolution nicely sets up the third and final entry. Glad to see there was no middle-book-of-trilogy lag here. Not quite as good as The Cove but good enough to make me look forward to the next one. 3.5 stars bumped to 4 for the likability factor.
February 11, 2020
This is book two of the Devil’s Cove trilogy and continues the dark events that happened in Porth an Jowl, Cornish for Devil’s Cove or Devil’s Gate. The aftermath of Spencer Grady’s sick and grisly crimes has finally been uncovered as Nat tried to rescue her foster mum’s cat and Carrie had been trying to find out where her son Cal had gone. The son she lost to Grady’s sick brainwashing and evil kidnapping and killing of small children, over the seven years he held her son captive within the same small village! It has been months since the events leading to the rescue of young Noah by his older brother and the death of Grady, but the village does not forget easily what role Carrie’s son played in events and blame him, even though he was a victim for seven years.
Carrie had her son Cal back for just a few short weeks and then lost him, to who knows where. It has been swept under the carpet by many, wanting normality to come back and hoping the tourists, which their village depends on, to make enough money to live on, will come back to spend their money. Into this small Cornish community comes crime writer Aaron Black, hoping to re-establish his writing career after his last Silky Murders novel didn’t get very good reviews, nor sell well and he was dropped by his agent. His has lost his only source of income and having heard of the events in the village, has decided to try and write a true crime drama book about Grady’s victims and his crimes. Unfortunately, no-one is really willing to speak to him about the whereabouts of Carrie or the family of Noah. He gets some assistance from Nat, the foster daughter of Rose, who lived right night door to Grady. He wants the story behind the victims and what drove Grady to carry out these sick crimes, but unless he can speak to Carrie especially, then his life will practically be over.
Matters from the first book are cleared up, from Grady’s mention of the farm and Cal returning to him from there. What is found there could be even more extreme in terms of crime and the future of a number of children, Cal included. There is much more happening in the vicinity of Devil’s Cove than anyone could imagine. The police haven’t managed to find Cal since he ran away from his mother and have basically given up looking. Carrie hasn’t managed her life very well since then and her relationship with her husband Dylan and daughter Melissa have become estranged and they are staying away from Carrie and the home where such violent things occurred. Black is now doing all he can to interview Carrie and has even taking to doing something illegal and even stalking her.
His actions will place him in grave danger and also put Carrie and her remaining family in danger. He doesn’t care who he hurts, he just wants to get a huge break in his career and maybe get back to his boyfriend, who he has broken away from, in a not too nice a manner! More extreme danger is coming to this Cornish community and its surroundings. More than anyone could possibly imagine and it is all somehow linked to Grady and the events he set in motion with Cal and his other victims. A fantastic, yet very dark, second instalment in this trilogy that just leaves you wondering what on earth the main characters are going to suffer next! It is not an easy read and may upset those with a delicate disposition. It is a tale of grisly crime, dark secrets, but also the perseverance of hope still poking through. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion above.
Carrie had her son Cal back for just a few short weeks and then lost him, to who knows where. It has been swept under the carpet by many, wanting normality to come back and hoping the tourists, which their village depends on, to make enough money to live on, will come back to spend their money. Into this small Cornish community comes crime writer Aaron Black, hoping to re-establish his writing career after his last Silky Murders novel didn’t get very good reviews, nor sell well and he was dropped by his agent. His has lost his only source of income and having heard of the events in the village, has decided to try and write a true crime drama book about Grady’s victims and his crimes. Unfortunately, no-one is really willing to speak to him about the whereabouts of Carrie or the family of Noah. He gets some assistance from Nat, the foster daughter of Rose, who lived right night door to Grady. He wants the story behind the victims and what drove Grady to carry out these sick crimes, but unless he can speak to Carrie especially, then his life will practically be over.
Matters from the first book are cleared up, from Grady’s mention of the farm and Cal returning to him from there. What is found there could be even more extreme in terms of crime and the future of a number of children, Cal included. There is much more happening in the vicinity of Devil’s Cove than anyone could imagine. The police haven’t managed to find Cal since he ran away from his mother and have basically given up looking. Carrie hasn’t managed her life very well since then and her relationship with her husband Dylan and daughter Melissa have become estranged and they are staying away from Carrie and the home where such violent things occurred. Black is now doing all he can to interview Carrie and has even taking to doing something illegal and even stalking her.
His actions will place him in grave danger and also put Carrie and her remaining family in danger. He doesn’t care who he hurts, he just wants to get a huge break in his career and maybe get back to his boyfriend, who he has broken away from, in a not too nice a manner! More extreme danger is coming to this Cornish community and its surroundings. More than anyone could possibly imagine and it is all somehow linked to Grady and the events he set in motion with Cal and his other victims. A fantastic, yet very dark, second instalment in this trilogy that just leaves you wondering what on earth the main characters are going to suffer next! It is not an easy read and may upset those with a delicate disposition. It is a tale of grisly crime, dark secrets, but also the perseverance of hope still poking through. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion above.
August 14, 2018
Malcolm Richards "gets" thrillers. He just has a natural knack to take the reader into the minds of his characters, even if it leaves one uncomfortable.
He just simply gets thrillers! Which means he does them perfectly right...
It would be better to read the first book in the series to understand the undertone in this book,but I think there are enough mentions of past events in this book to get to the gist of the story, so please plunge in.
Animals are being tortured and killed on isolated farms. A down on his luck writer wants to find the truth so he teams up with a troubled teen. She, after all, knows the people in this little town well. Then the animals are attacked and sure he is on the right track, the writer decides to follow his gut instinct. Deep into the badlands of the Cornish countryside. What he sees, when he manages to peek into a barn on a dark and snowy night changes his life forever.
Or not?
Are the human killings only starting now? Or are they just continuing from decades past?
It might be a good idea to leave the light on, like the little dinosaur a broken mother left on her doorstep, for the son who might come home...
I received an ARC of this book and try to review every book I read. This is excellent!
He just simply gets thrillers! Which means he does them perfectly right...
It would be better to read the first book in the series to understand the undertone in this book,but I think there are enough mentions of past events in this book to get to the gist of the story, so please plunge in.
Animals are being tortured and killed on isolated farms. A down on his luck writer wants to find the truth so he teams up with a troubled teen. She, after all, knows the people in this little town well. Then the animals are attacked and sure he is on the right track, the writer decides to follow his gut instinct. Deep into the badlands of the Cornish countryside. What he sees, when he manages to peek into a barn on a dark and snowy night changes his life forever.
Or not?
Are the human killings only starting now? Or are they just continuing from decades past?
It might be a good idea to leave the light on, like the little dinosaur a broken mother left on her doorstep, for the son who might come home...
I received an ARC of this book and try to review every book I read. This is excellent!
April 13, 2022
As good as book 1 was, this one was bad....just plain bad except for maybe the last 20 or so pages. I kept putting it down...nothing inspired me to continue reading. There is far too much drinking to forget...it was in book one too but it was among secondary characters and did not take main stage. I mean anyone having any difficulty in their life should descend into alcholism? It's understandable that Carrie would be messed up and need therapy, but I could not feel any pity for her at all. Nat handles her problems by stealing booze and drinking. Cal's character has changed rapidly, and it's hard to feel any compassion for him as he becomes the monster in the story. The ending is not an ending....I hate that so much. At least with book 1 there was a conclusion and you could choose to read book 2 or not. There is no choice if you want to find out what happens in this one. The author could have cut about 100 pages of drinking and feeling sorry for yourself in this story easily and made 2 and 3 into one book. I have book 3 already on my e-reader, so probably will finish the series, but unlikely to read anymore from this author.
June 28, 2019
second book of the series and continues the story of cal and his mother and his struggles its few months after the end of the first book. Where he went after he fled from his mother. I was a little disappointed with this book and felt that the author went from portraying Cal as a confuse young boy a traumitised victim of a an unspeakable act and turned him into a monster in a few chapters and few short weeks. By the end it was difficult to feel any empathy or sympathy for any of the characters with the exception of Melissa the young sister of Cal born into her family long after Cal disappearence and now blamed by Cal for taking his mothers love. Everyone else seemed to either have a chip on their shoulder or out to do what was best for them and who cares who gets hurt in the process. Cal is portrayed much less of vicitm he really is in this book and potrayed as a complete monster who does terrible terrible things because he not getting his own way or because he jealous of what others have.
August 13, 2018
NOT kindle unlimited, might have gotten this as an ARC or freebie book of some type, since have read most but not quite all of his book, especially all the individual/set of Emily Swanson Mysteries etc
The second terrifying chapter of the Devil's Cove series
Devil's Cove used to be a safe place to live. Until a serial killer was discovered hiding in its midst.
Now, as the Cornish community deals with the aftermath, Carrie must face the fact that her missing son may be implicated in the grisly crimes.
Meanwhile, mystery author Aaron Black is intent on saving his flagging career by writing a book about the murders. But he needs Carrie’s help and he’ll do anything to get it; even if it means endangering her family.
Because there’s more to the horrifying truth than anyone can imagine. And for Carrie, the real nightmare is only just beginning…
The Cove (The Cove Trilogy Book 1)
Desperation Point (The Devil's Cove Book 2)
The second terrifying chapter of the Devil's Cove series
Devil's Cove used to be a safe place to live. Until a serial killer was discovered hiding in its midst.
Now, as the Cornish community deals with the aftermath, Carrie must face the fact that her missing son may be implicated in the grisly crimes.
Meanwhile, mystery author Aaron Black is intent on saving his flagging career by writing a book about the murders. But he needs Carrie’s help and he’ll do anything to get it; even if it means endangering her family.
Because there’s more to the horrifying truth than anyone can imagine. And for Carrie, the real nightmare is only just beginning…
The Cove (The Cove Trilogy Book 1)
Desperation Point (The Devil's Cove Book 2)
August 10, 2019
Another Nail Biter
Once again, Malcolm Richards has written a story that hooks you from Page One and holds onto you until the Conclusion (that you'll never see coming). We continue to follow the characters from "The Cove," and meet new ones. Unanswered questions are revealed, and will blow you away. Malcolm crafts his tales so well, that it's near impossible to set the novel down. You have to know what's next, or your are certain you will burst. I always try to drag out the last fifty pages because I don't ever want any of his books to conclude. Good news is that now I can move on to "The Devil's Gate, " and then Emily Swanson is returning! Cheers to another amazing success!
Once again, Malcolm Richards has written a story that hooks you from Page One and holds onto you until the Conclusion (that you'll never see coming). We continue to follow the characters from "The Cove," and meet new ones. Unanswered questions are revealed, and will blow you away. Malcolm crafts his tales so well, that it's near impossible to set the novel down. You have to know what's next, or your are certain you will burst. I always try to drag out the last fifty pages because I don't ever want any of his books to conclude. Good news is that now I can move on to "The Devil's Gate, " and then Emily Swanson is returning! Cheers to another amazing success!
January 1, 2025
Desperation Point
Malcolm Richards
Brilliantly written (make sure nobody's watching)!
Wow! I'm at a loss for words. May I never find myself in a situation like this! I would not know what to do!
Accurately described emotions, feelings and decisions about situations that could actually happen in real life. I know the main characters by now and must know how and if these horrors will end.
This is a must-read for anyone interested in human nature and spine-chilling suspense!
Malcolm Richards
Brilliantly written (make sure nobody's watching)!
Wow! I'm at a loss for words. May I never find myself in a situation like this! I would not know what to do!
Accurately described emotions, feelings and decisions about situations that could actually happen in real life. I know the main characters by now and must know how and if these horrors will end.
This is a must-read for anyone interested in human nature and spine-chilling suspense!
June 28, 2023
Black on a cliff edge
The second of the three part Malcolm Richards Cornish "Spencer Grady" terror tale. This time we find out a little more about Spencer's background along with discovering how Cal became intertwined in his life. Cal, Carrie and Nat again are pitched into a tale that jumps from one cliff edged thrill to another. A stranger visits Devils Cove and starts asking questions that no one wants to answer. Nat sees this as a way to earn some money to get away. What follows is a truly gruesome tale. Brilliantly written by Malcolm Richards you are torn between the battle for Cal's soul and the law. Couldn't stop reading it. Great thriller writing.
The second of the three part Malcolm Richards Cornish "Spencer Grady" terror tale. This time we find out a little more about Spencer's background along with discovering how Cal became intertwined in his life. Cal, Carrie and Nat again are pitched into a tale that jumps from one cliff edged thrill to another. A stranger visits Devils Cove and starts asking questions that no one wants to answer. Nat sees this as a way to earn some money to get away. What follows is a truly gruesome tale. Brilliantly written by Malcolm Richards you are torn between the battle for Cal's soul and the law. Couldn't stop reading it. Great thriller writing.
June 3, 2020
Book two finds Cal hiding out with a dangerous cult. Meanwhile, his mother is trying to put her life back together. It seems impossible to her when she is filled with such longing to find her son, all the while wondering if he has been too damaged and brainwashed to ever fit back into society, let alone the rest of her family.
The cult leader decides the time is ripe to put his diabolical plan in action, and for that he must completely break Cal's tenuous ties to his mother, and to being human.
Lots of bloodshed in this book, and I can't imagine #3 will have any less gore and death.
The cult leader decides the time is ripe to put his diabolical plan in action, and for that he must completely break Cal's tenuous ties to his mother, and to being human.
Lots of bloodshed in this book, and I can't imagine #3 will have any less gore and death.
March 9, 2021
Carrie's anguish and horrendous experience at the hands of a murderous psychopath has led to her descent into apathy and alcohol indulgence. Her family life is in tatters. Her son has vanished into the blue Aaron Black is a writer whose ambition to write a bestseller about the murderous psychopath of Devil's Cove leads him into death defying situations He and Carrie have the same goal - to find her son. What will it entail and what awaits them. The fast paced action and suspense was rivetting.
February 6, 2023
Short, fast-moving thriller with quite a bit of blood, gore, and death along the way. The characters aren't particularly likeable, especially the author who ended up being the main character, and Carrie, who continued to make a zillion more stupid decisions, like she did in the first book. But, they were sympathetic enough to care about, and that made the book work. Like the first book in the series, it ends on something that can only be called the next book's beginning.
Trigger warning for animal torture and killings, described in a fair amount of detail in at least one case.
Trigger warning for animal torture and killings, described in a fair amount of detail in at least one case.
May 30, 2019
I absolutely love this series. The suspense, the characters and the way Richards writes all makes for a great read.
Leading on from The Cove, I loved getting sucked into the life of Cal and how he tries to return to the person he used to be.
A really gripping story that will have you turning pages and the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end.
Leading on from The Cove, I loved getting sucked into the life of Cal and how he tries to return to the person he used to be.
A really gripping story that will have you turning pages and the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end.
August 15, 2018
A great continuation of the Cove series. It’s a very exciting crime thriller. It kept me interested from start to finish. Very entertaining. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this review
August 27, 2018
Read The Cove (The Cove Trilogy Book 1) first to get the full background to the characters and events in this 2nd book. Desperation Point is a fast paced thriller that exposes the potential dark side in all of us.
October 14, 2018
The Cove & Desperation Point
Fascinating books. Could hardly put them down. Hope this is not the end of Carrie, Cal and all the other characters. Amazing author. Keep writing, I’ll keep reading.
Fascinating books. Could hardly put them down. Hope this is not the end of Carrie, Cal and all the other characters. Amazing author. Keep writing, I’ll keep reading.
December 3, 2018
Unforgettable
A mothers love, a young boys hope, an authors dream. As a mother, I was scared and hopeful.
As a reader, I couldn’t put it down.
This book is different and scary. The human mind and emotions can be so twisted. Can they ever come back?
A mothers love, a young boys hope, an authors dream. As a mother, I was scared and hopeful.
As a reader, I couldn’t put it down.
This book is different and scary. The human mind and emotions can be so twisted. Can they ever come back?
December 7, 2018
Fantastic sequel
Even more nail biting than the first in the series I was completely drawn into this book and rooting for Aaron to survive and Nat and Carrie .Will there be a third book I wonder, I hope so .
Even more nail biting than the first in the series I was completely drawn into this book and rooting for Aaron to survive and Nat and Carrie .Will there be a third book I wonder, I hope so .
January 16, 2019
Fantastic start to finish
This book had me engrossed from the start just like the first book, I want to read more about Cal and Carrie, amazing book. Well done, you had me after the first paragraph
This book had me engrossed from the start just like the first book, I want to read more about Cal and Carrie, amazing book. Well done, you had me after the first paragraph
February 27, 2019
A work of art!.. I could not stop turning the pages.. and malcolm your Dear Reader at the end.. please do not give up writing.. because when I'm having my fatigue days with psoriatic arthritis and dont want to get out of bed, I need books like yours to keep me going....
March 4, 2019
Gripping
I was this book until my eyes hurt the need to know what happens next was so strong I read the book in record time would highly recommend this two part to anyone who loves the suspense of what next.
I was this book until my eyes hurt the need to know what happens next was so strong I read the book in record time would highly recommend this two part to anyone who loves the suspense of what next.
May 12, 2020
WTF?
Readable, as you want to see what happens next, but was wondering if it’s meant for young people as the writing is so simplistic, a teen horror? Trashy, but horribly gory without motive, usually there’s a point in a murder story.. weak.
Readable, as you want to see what happens next, but was wondering if it’s meant for young people as the writing is so simplistic, a teen horror? Trashy, but horribly gory without motive, usually there’s a point in a murder story.. weak.
January 21, 2021
An amazing second book. A serial killer, a possible connection of Carrie’s son There is so much suspense that you are hooked from the start. You try to guess what will happen next, impossible. Enjoy.
August 17, 2018
I really enjoyed the first book, but this was too gruesome for me.
October 5, 2018
Read The Cove first so you have a good understanding of everything happening. All I can say is WOW! Best book series I have read in a long time. But...... I really want a book 3!
November 18, 2018
Couldn’t stop reading
Kept me captivated from the beginning to the end left possibly for a devils cove three? ? ? ? I hope so
Kept me captivated from the beginning to the end left possibly for a devils cove three? ? ? ? I hope so
December 8, 2018
Awesome!
A gripping read, it was very hard to put it down. I can highly recommend the two books in this series
A gripping read, it was very hard to put it down. I can highly recommend the two books in this series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews