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Detective Natalie Ward #1
The Birthday
One hot summer's afternoon, five-year-old Ava Sawyer went to a party. She never came home ...
When five-year-old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a local garden centre, the police are bewildered by the lack of leads. That is until two years later, when Ava's body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party ...
Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that ended very badly.
Natalie soon discovers that Ava's mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she's sure Ava's father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she's not telling Natalie ...
Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn't come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?
When five-year-old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a local garden centre, the police are bewildered by the lack of leads. That is until two years later, when Ava's body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party ...
Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that ended very badly.
Natalie soon discovers that Ava's mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she's sure Ava's father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she's not telling Natalie ...
Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn't come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2018
8975 people are currently reading
7280 people want to read
About the author
Carol Wyer
37 books1,235 followersUSA Today bestselling author and winner of The People's Book Prize Award, Carol Wyer's crime novels have sold over one million copies and been translated into nine languages.
A move from humour to the 'dark side' in 2017, saw the introduction of popular DI Robyn Carter in Little Girl Lost and proved that Carol had found her true niche.
In 2021, An Eye For An Eye, the first in the DI Kate Young series, was chosen as a Kindle First Reads. It became the #1 bestselling book on Amazon UK and Australia. The third, A Life For A Life, is due out March 15th, 2022, but is available to preorder.
Carol has had articles published in national magazines 'Woman's Weekly', featured in 'Take A Break', 'Choice', 'Yours' and 'Woman's Own' magazines and written for the Huffington Post. She's also been interviewed on numerous radio shows and on BBC Breakfast television.
She currently lives on a windy hill in rural Staffordshire with her husband Mr. Grumpy who is very, very grumpy.
When not plotting devious murders, she can be found performing her comedy routine, Smile While You Still Have Teeth.
To learn more, go to www.carolwyer.co.uk, subscribe to her YouTube channel, or follow her on Twitter @carolewyer
A move from humour to the 'dark side' in 2017, saw the introduction of popular DI Robyn Carter in Little Girl Lost and proved that Carol had found her true niche.
In 2021, An Eye For An Eye, the first in the DI Kate Young series, was chosen as a Kindle First Reads. It became the #1 bestselling book on Amazon UK and Australia. The third, A Life For A Life, is due out March 15th, 2022, but is available to preorder.
Carol has had articles published in national magazines 'Woman's Weekly', featured in 'Take A Break', 'Choice', 'Yours' and 'Woman's Own' magazines and written for the Huffington Post. She's also been interviewed on numerous radio shows and on BBC Breakfast television.
She currently lives on a windy hill in rural Staffordshire with her husband Mr. Grumpy who is very, very grumpy.
When not plotting devious murders, she can be found performing her comedy routine, Smile While You Still Have Teeth.
To learn more, go to www.carolwyer.co.uk, subscribe to her YouTube channel, or follow her on Twitter @carolewyer
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 909 reviews
October 1, 2018
A birthday party, a yellow dress, a missing child....
Carol Wyer sure can suck you into an investigation.... I truly am the ultimate armchair detective (even though I generally read on my couch or in my bed)... some authors do a better job than others in drawing you into the story, making you feel part of it, and I think miss Wyer does an exceptional job of this... there is just something about her characters that breaks down the Barrier between the reader and the book....
When you drop your child off at a birthday party, you never think you will return and find her to have gone missing... five-year-old Ava went missing from her friend Harriet birthday party at a garden center... two years later her body is found, another girl goes missing, and is found in a replica yellow dress.... is someone killing off the children that attended that fateful birthday party? And if so why? Or is the connection a local dance studio?
This is the first book in the DI Natalie Ward series.... The investigation into these missing children has Natalie navigating her way through both parent and playground politics.... and when a third girl goes missing there is a time crunch to Saul the case before another child is killed... with a town full of suspects this was not an easy task... Natalie and I must have changed our minds at least 10 times, and the ultimate culprit.... did not see that coming!
This book was perfectly paste and kept me engaged throughout... The character development was stellar and left me wanting to know these characters better.... Natalie is a wife and mother to two teenaged boys, and is having a bit of a hard time juggling family life and her career... it will be really interesting to see how this develops throughout the series, can Natalie have it all? Does something need to give? And if so what?
Recommend to those of you who enjoy a good police procedural with some fabulous characters and a fresh investigation style...
*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy ***
Carol Wyer sure can suck you into an investigation.... I truly am the ultimate armchair detective (even though I generally read on my couch or in my bed)... some authors do a better job than others in drawing you into the story, making you feel part of it, and I think miss Wyer does an exceptional job of this... there is just something about her characters that breaks down the Barrier between the reader and the book....
When you drop your child off at a birthday party, you never think you will return and find her to have gone missing... five-year-old Ava went missing from her friend Harriet birthday party at a garden center... two years later her body is found, another girl goes missing, and is found in a replica yellow dress.... is someone killing off the children that attended that fateful birthday party? And if so why? Or is the connection a local dance studio?
This is the first book in the DI Natalie Ward series.... The investigation into these missing children has Natalie navigating her way through both parent and playground politics.... and when a third girl goes missing there is a time crunch to Saul the case before another child is killed... with a town full of suspects this was not an easy task... Natalie and I must have changed our minds at least 10 times, and the ultimate culprit.... did not see that coming!
This book was perfectly paste and kept me engaged throughout... The character development was stellar and left me wanting to know these characters better.... Natalie is a wife and mother to two teenaged boys, and is having a bit of a hard time juggling family life and her career... it will be really interesting to see how this develops throughout the series, can Natalie have it all? Does something need to give? And if so what?
Recommend to those of you who enjoy a good police procedural with some fabulous characters and a fresh investigation style...
*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy ***
September 3, 2019
A new series begins by the author Carol Wyer featuring Detective Natalie Ward. (I like the Ward bit! My surname)
A fiesty woman who has a past of not being fast enough in another series to save a child from a tragedy. This time it stays with her, drives her and could definitely interfere with her progress in this case if it weren’t for Michael. Her colleague, friend and one night of drunken mishap.
Being a DI is hard work, it’s time consuming and head consuming. When children are involved it’s difficult not to allow emotions to flare. And of course there’s no 9-5 job hours in this kind of work.
Late hours, a case that fills your every fibre, high priority and televised newsworthy interest that will fuel all parent is bound to take its toll on her own family life. Which it does.
A birthday party.
A child missing.
That’s the start of this very intense suspense. A reader will ride on the back of Natalie as she tries to find out who is responsible and what happened. You will feed off of her angst, her emotions and her dedication. But you may get frustrated over her not giving as much time to her home life, her husband, her children. Like I did. Although I understood it.
The author took me by surprise, the more I followed the procedure the more I felt like an investigator myself.
I’m really looking forward to book 2 now. Not only for another plot but to see what happens in Natalie’s private home life.
A fiesty woman who has a past of not being fast enough in another series to save a child from a tragedy. This time it stays with her, drives her and could definitely interfere with her progress in this case if it weren’t for Michael. Her colleague, friend and one night of drunken mishap.
Being a DI is hard work, it’s time consuming and head consuming. When children are involved it’s difficult not to allow emotions to flare. And of course there’s no 9-5 job hours in this kind of work.
Late hours, a case that fills your every fibre, high priority and televised newsworthy interest that will fuel all parent is bound to take its toll on her own family life. Which it does.
A birthday party.
A child missing.
That’s the start of this very intense suspense. A reader will ride on the back of Natalie as she tries to find out who is responsible and what happened. You will feed off of her angst, her emotions and her dedication. But you may get frustrated over her not giving as much time to her home life, her husband, her children. Like I did. Although I understood it.
The author took me by surprise, the more I followed the procedure the more I felt like an investigator myself.
I’m really looking forward to book 2 now. Not only for another plot but to see what happens in Natalie’s private home life.
August 24, 2018
5 year old Ava Sawyer disappears at a birthday party held at a garden center. 2 years later her body is found in the grounds of the center still clad in her yellow party dress.
Then 7 year old Audrey Briggs, one of Ava’s classmates who was also present at the birthday party, is strangled to death, wearing almost an identical yellow dress Ava was wearing.
Are the two murders connected? Is someone targeting the children who attended that fateful birthday party? What is the murderer’s motive?
Matters get worse, when another girl goes missing.
Suspects are galore, with shaky alibis and plenty of motives and Detective Natalie Ward and her team are trying to follow every lead to uncover the truth and stop the culprit.
The Birthday was a well-written, fast-paced and thrilling read, full of surprises.
Thanks to Carol Wyer, Bookouture and the NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.
Then 7 year old Audrey Briggs, one of Ava’s classmates who was also present at the birthday party, is strangled to death, wearing almost an identical yellow dress Ava was wearing.
Are the two murders connected? Is someone targeting the children who attended that fateful birthday party? What is the murderer’s motive?
Matters get worse, when another girl goes missing.
Suspects are galore, with shaky alibis and plenty of motives and Detective Natalie Ward and her team are trying to follow every lead to uncover the truth and stop the culprit.
The Birthday was a well-written, fast-paced and thrilling read, full of surprises.
Thanks to Carol Wyer, Bookouture and the NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.
September 26, 2018
This is the first in a new series from Carol Wyer featuring DI Natalie Ward. Not long after she transferred to a new purpose built criminal investigation hub in north Staffordshire, the body of a young child is found during excavation work next to a garden and craft centre and Natalie is asked to head the investigation. The body was identified as that of five year old Ava Sawyer who disappeared from her friend Harriet's birthday party at the garden and craft centre two years ago. The following day another little girl who attended the birthday party is reported missing. A coincidence or something more sinister?
Natalie and her team spend many hours chasing leads, re-interviewing everyone involved in the original case, following up leads to the children's school and out of school activities but they soon become frustrated by the lack of leads. One of the reasons Natalie asked for a transfer to the new unit was to have a fresh start after a kidnapping case involving a young girl went wrong and haunts her still. She has two teenage children herself and often struggles with her work/life balance causing her to feel guilty when working late and putting stress on her marriage. This case is one of the toughest to crack and becomes a race against time to find the killer before another little girl dies. A well written, well paced thriller. Not sure that I was totally sold on the motive, but read it and see what you think.
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital copy to read
Natalie and her team spend many hours chasing leads, re-interviewing everyone involved in the original case, following up leads to the children's school and out of school activities but they soon become frustrated by the lack of leads. One of the reasons Natalie asked for a transfer to the new unit was to have a fresh start after a kidnapping case involving a young girl went wrong and haunts her still. She has two teenage children herself and often struggles with her work/life balance causing her to feel guilty when working late and putting stress on her marriage. This case is one of the toughest to crack and becomes a race against time to find the killer before another little girl dies. A well written, well paced thriller. Not sure that I was totally sold on the motive, but read it and see what you think.
With thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a digital copy to read
October 25, 2018
Yes I know I said I wouldn’t read another book about a child going missing, as this seems to be a popular genre this year. This book stood out to me screaming to be read and I could not resist!!!
This had a different angle from the “my child has done missing’ storyline. At a children’s birthday party Ava Sawyer goes missing from Uptown Craft Centre. Two years later her body is found but now more girls are disappearing!!
Wow this book drew me in and I was continually changing my mind as to who the culprit was. Loved the main character D.I Natalie Ward as she is a very believable and likeable character, trying to bring up a family and hold down a very stressful job. I look forward to reading more books in this new series and watch the characters develop!!
If you like a good mystery with a strong plot, that’s intriguing with believable characters then this is definitely the book for you
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
This had a different angle from the “my child has done missing’ storyline. At a children’s birthday party Ava Sawyer goes missing from Uptown Craft Centre. Two years later her body is found but now more girls are disappearing!!
Wow this book drew me in and I was continually changing my mind as to who the culprit was. Loved the main character D.I Natalie Ward as she is a very believable and likeable character, trying to bring up a family and hold down a very stressful job. I look forward to reading more books in this new series and watch the characters develop!!
If you like a good mystery with a strong plot, that’s intriguing with believable characters then this is definitely the book for you
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
October 20, 2018
One hot summer’s afternoon, five-year-old Ava Sawyer went to a party. She never came home…
Two years later, Ava’s body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party …
Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that still keeps her awake at night… Natalie is also suffering from nightmares and struggling with a tough marriage with David her husband who lost his job because of gambling problems, the long hours and her dedication to the job causes the marriage even more problems.
Natalie soon discovers that Ava’s mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she’s sure Ava’s father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she’s not telling Natalie …
Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn’t come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?
A new series from Carol Wyer, read some of her DI Robyn Carter books that are great, a new character and just a fraction behind the DI Robyn Carter books, but I am sure will get better as the character grows in the series.
A four star book to me, great story, builds to a fast pace in the last third of the book, but found it just a little slow through the middle, and just so many red herring characters to get your head around, but just loved the last chapter, this gave the book the clear four stars.
Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will keep you flying through the pages long into the night, especially the last few chapters, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Patricia Gibney, and Karin Slaughter.
Two years later, Ava’s body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party …
Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that still keeps her awake at night… Natalie is also suffering from nightmares and struggling with a tough marriage with David her husband who lost his job because of gambling problems, the long hours and her dedication to the job causes the marriage even more problems.
Natalie soon discovers that Ava’s mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she’s sure Ava’s father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she’s not telling Natalie …
Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn’t come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?
A new series from Carol Wyer, read some of her DI Robyn Carter books that are great, a new character and just a fraction behind the DI Robyn Carter books, but I am sure will get better as the character grows in the series.
A four star book to me, great story, builds to a fast pace in the last third of the book, but found it just a little slow through the middle, and just so many red herring characters to get your head around, but just loved the last chapter, this gave the book the clear four stars.
Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will keep you flying through the pages long into the night, especially the last few chapters, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Patricia Gibney, and Karin Slaughter.
April 19, 2020
A girl, Ava Sawyer, has been taken during a birthday party at Uptown Craft Centre and Farm. The last time someone saw her, she was going to the restroom. After an exhausting search and without new leads, her disappearance becomes a cold case. Two years later, her body is found buried in the same place where she vanished.
Natalie Ward, a detective with the Samford Police Force is the leading detective assigned to Ava's case. Natalie is still dealing with the disappearance of another girl. One that was found too late. She still blames herself for not being able to get to her on time. Seeing another young girl's body is bringing all those memories back. She wants to find the person who took Ava. Natalie with the help of her team, Lucy, Ian, Murray and detective Mike would do anything in their power to seek justice for Ava.
I can say I'm invested in this team. Natalie is an interesting character. She's dealing with a demanding job and also personal issues. Her marriage is on the rocks. Her husband, David has lost his job. Her kids are teenagers and her son is having issues adjusting in school. She is also keeping a secret from her husband.
I also liked Mike Sullivan who's in charge of the forensic unit. He seems to understand Natalie and support her. I also liked the rest of the characters. Lucy's girlfriend wants to get pregnant. PC Ian's girlfriend is having a baby. Murray is a good friend to Lucy but is not always pleasant to Ian.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
September 27, 2018
I am such a huge fan of Wyer’s work and when I heard she was starting a new crime series I couldn’t wait to start it. Something about her style of writing combined with her original and gripping storylines always sucks me in right away and this was no exception, it’s an extremely strong start to a new detective series that I cannot wait to read more of.
Oftentimes I find that the start of a series can be a bit tedious as the author is trying to not only introduce you to a whole new cast of characters but they’re also trying to pique your interest enough to make you want to continue on with the series as well. Nothing to worry about here, Wyer has effectively managed to hook me after just the one book, I warmed to Natalie immediately and there were enough hints about her past that I’m dying to learn more about. The glimpses into her home life were fairly brief but I am definitely interested in exploring that more and then the members of her team were also interesting as well. Let me put it this way, if I could’ve read the next book immediately I would’ve dropped everything and done just that.
The case was also intriguing, you have missing little girls and leads that keep turning into dead end after dead end and Wyer is such a great writer that you feel all the highs and lows right along with Natalie and her team. Per usual the plotting was intricate and well thought out and I never guessed what would happen next. It had the perfect balance between excitement and then slower moments where you learn more about the characters, I was gripped by it all and really cannot wait to see what Wyer has in store for Natalie next.
The Birthday in three words: Meticulous, Solid and Engaging.
Oftentimes I find that the start of a series can be a bit tedious as the author is trying to not only introduce you to a whole new cast of characters but they’re also trying to pique your interest enough to make you want to continue on with the series as well. Nothing to worry about here, Wyer has effectively managed to hook me after just the one book, I warmed to Natalie immediately and there were enough hints about her past that I’m dying to learn more about. The glimpses into her home life were fairly brief but I am definitely interested in exploring that more and then the members of her team were also interesting as well. Let me put it this way, if I could’ve read the next book immediately I would’ve dropped everything and done just that.
The case was also intriguing, you have missing little girls and leads that keep turning into dead end after dead end and Wyer is such a great writer that you feel all the highs and lows right along with Natalie and her team. Per usual the plotting was intricate and well thought out and I never guessed what would happen next. It had the perfect balance between excitement and then slower moments where you learn more about the characters, I was gripped by it all and really cannot wait to see what Wyer has in store for Natalie next.
The Birthday in three words: Meticulous, Solid and Engaging.
November 29, 2023
This is the first book in the Detective Natalie Ward Series.
Two years ago at a birthday party at an animal farm disappeared five-year-old Ava Sawyer. During some construction work, her body is found. Detective Natalie Ward leads the investigation.
Soon other girls from the same class are missing and their bodies are found. Who is the serial killer and why is he dressing all the girls in yellow dresses?
The book is a turn-pages story with twists and a very unexpected end. It was very hard to figure out who the real killer was.
Two years ago at a birthday party at an animal farm disappeared five-year-old Ava Sawyer. During some construction work, her body is found. Detective Natalie Ward leads the investigation.
Soon other girls from the same class are missing and their bodies are found. Who is the serial killer and why is he dressing all the girls in yellow dresses?
The book is a turn-pages story with twists and a very unexpected end. It was very hard to figure out who the real killer was.
August 26, 2018
YAY - a new detective series from Carol Wyer!! And it is so good!! I am a big fan of this author and couldn't wait to read this - and I am already looking forward to book 2 in the series.
New to the area we meet Detective Natalie Ward - mother of 2 teenagers. Her last case didn't end well and she has moved to a new station in the hopes of putting it all behind her. Her first case comes along when the body of a young girl is found buried on a building site. The body is identified as that of 5 year old Ava Sawyer who went missing from a birthday party 2 years ago. Natalie and her new team set out to find her killer when another girl who attended the same party goes missing, and then another. There are so many possible suspects for various reasons and it keeps you guessing right until the end.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series and getting to know Natalie and her team better. Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in now way biased.
New to the area we meet Detective Natalie Ward - mother of 2 teenagers. Her last case didn't end well and she has moved to a new station in the hopes of putting it all behind her. Her first case comes along when the body of a young girl is found buried on a building site. The body is identified as that of 5 year old Ava Sawyer who went missing from a birthday party 2 years ago. Natalie and her new team set out to find her killer when another girl who attended the same party goes missing, and then another. There are so many possible suspects for various reasons and it keeps you guessing right until the end.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series and getting to know Natalie and her team better. Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in now way biased.
September 17, 2018
You drop your child off at a birthday party for 5-6 year olds. There are 20 children in all. You never expect when you go back to pick up your child, that one is missing. The one missing is yours.
Ava Sawyer goes missing in 2015 from her friend Harriet's birthday party. Ava tends to be a emotional child that likes to sulk off when not given her way. Unfortunately this time she never comes back. Two long years go by with no other occurrences in this sleepy little town. Until Ava's body is found, then suddenly it is like the killer is awoken. Murder after murder happens, can DI Natalie Ward crack the case in time to stop the killings?
The facts: All are girls, all were at that birthday party, all go to Uptown Primary School and have attended Little Stars Dance Academy. That results in a lot of suspects.
This was my first novel by Carol Wyer and I was not disappointed. She was able to make me feel like we were in a race against time together to find the killer. As each devastating murder of a child happened I kept praying she would catch the killer soon. Unfortunately this is a very realistic story in this day and time but it was oh so good. The line that stuck in my mind was " She will be pretty forever." It sent chills down my spine but summed up the book perfectly. I look forward to reading the next book in this series and see what DI Natalie Ward has in store for us.
4 stars from me!
Thanks so much to Carol Wyer, Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC.
Ava Sawyer goes missing in 2015 from her friend Harriet's birthday party. Ava tends to be a emotional child that likes to sulk off when not given her way. Unfortunately this time she never comes back. Two long years go by with no other occurrences in this sleepy little town. Until Ava's body is found, then suddenly it is like the killer is awoken. Murder after murder happens, can DI Natalie Ward crack the case in time to stop the killings?
The facts: All are girls, all were at that birthday party, all go to Uptown Primary School and have attended Little Stars Dance Academy. That results in a lot of suspects.
This was my first novel by Carol Wyer and I was not disappointed. She was able to make me feel like we were in a race against time together to find the killer. As each devastating murder of a child happened I kept praying she would catch the killer soon. Unfortunately this is a very realistic story in this day and time but it was oh so good. The line that stuck in my mind was " She will be pretty forever." It sent chills down my spine but summed up the book perfectly. I look forward to reading the next book in this series and see what DI Natalie Ward has in store for us.
4 stars from me!
Thanks so much to Carol Wyer, Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC.
September 26, 2018
A five-year-old girl goes missing at a birthday party. There are no leads, until her body is discovered two years later. Shortly after the discovery, other girls who attended the same party go missing. A new detective is especially interested in solving this case, since her last missing child case did not end well.
The first book in a new crime fiction series. Detective Natalie Ward is lead investigator of the case. She's a wife and mother dealing with her own family issues, but incredibly dedicated to her position as detective. Natalie is not perfect, but she is smart, tough, and determined. Great traits in a female protagonist. She clearly has more to her backstory, and, hopefully, that unfolds more as the series progresses.
An intriguing mystery that kept me guessing. This is the first book I have read by Carol Wyer, and I look forward to reading more in this series. Clever, gripping, and suspenseful.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The first book in a new crime fiction series. Detective Natalie Ward is lead investigator of the case. She's a wife and mother dealing with her own family issues, but incredibly dedicated to her position as detective. Natalie is not perfect, but she is smart, tough, and determined. Great traits in a female protagonist. She clearly has more to her backstory, and, hopefully, that unfolds more as the series progresses.
An intriguing mystery that kept me guessing. This is the first book I have read by Carol Wyer, and I look forward to reading more in this series. Clever, gripping, and suspenseful.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2019
A Fast-paced, nerve wracking storyline with a refreshing cast of characters!
Elsa’s heart bashed against her ribcage as her breathing quickened. She’d been defusing an argument between the two boys who’d been fighting over the dinosaur during the party. One had accused the other of cheating at Pin the Tail on the Donkey. She hadn’t seen the girl slip out of the barn. She was in charge and she hadn’t seen Ava Sawyer leave. She must have miscounted earlier. Elsa swallowed hard. This was her fault. A child had gone into the centre unaccompanied and not returned. She might still be lost somewhere in the vast centre. She fervently hoped so. The alternative was unthinkable.
Janet went to search the toilets in case the child was trapped inside a cubicle, or ill. The remaining children lost interest in Ava’s absence and gradually became restless, kicking at stones and grumbling at being kept from the ponies. Elsa felt the tension mounting again. She had no option other than to let Guy lead the first couple of children – Harriet and her best friend, Rainey Kilburn – off on a pony ride while she kept an eye on the others. Janet raced back, concern on her face, and shook her head. She was accompanied by two of the craft centre’s staff.
‘Nobody there. Ted and Kristin haven’t seen her either.’
‘What does Ava look like?’ Elsa asked Audrey.
‘She was wearing a yellow dress. She has glasses.’
She remembered the child: doll-like with a porcelain complexion, long, blonde hair and in a lemon dress that hung on her skinny frame. She’d not seemed at ease with the others and held back when they were playing games, as if she didn’t feel she belonged.
She spoke quietly to Janet. ‘Alert all the staff. Shut the centre and put out a call on the public address system.’ Even as she uttered the words, she had a sinking feeling it was going to be fruitless. Ava had been gone for a full forty minutes, and if somebody had come across her, they’d have accompanied her to the tills, or taken her to a member of staff. Elsa looked around at the faces in front of her and willed the girl to be found with every fibre of her being.
‘Has she gone home?’ asked Audrey.
‘I don’t think so,’ said Elsa. ‘I think she’s still here.’ As she spoke, parents approached the yard with smiles on their faces and her heart lurched again. She recognised the woman with the same delicate features as her daughter. Ava’s mother had arrived.
********
The Birthday by Carol Wyer is the first book in the Detective Natalie Ward series.
This grabbed my attention and held it from beginning to end! I really enjoyed the characters as they are genuine and engaging and I loved the way Detective Natalie Ward and her team worked together as there was less of the extraneous negativity, jealousy, etc. among the four member team and I found it refreshing. Natalie had a bad experience with a previous case which I don't want to give away but it had a direct impact on Natalie that I found interesting and genuine, giving her another layer of humanity.
The storyline is quick paced, realistic, and full of unexpected turns, making it impossible to put down! This is not your usual missing child case. I loved this book!
I've already pre-ordered the next book in this series, Last Lullaby, that will be released in December 2018 and I can't wait to read it!
Elsa’s heart bashed against her ribcage as her breathing quickened. She’d been defusing an argument between the two boys who’d been fighting over the dinosaur during the party. One had accused the other of cheating at Pin the Tail on the Donkey. She hadn’t seen the girl slip out of the barn. She was in charge and she hadn’t seen Ava Sawyer leave. She must have miscounted earlier. Elsa swallowed hard. This was her fault. A child had gone into the centre unaccompanied and not returned. She might still be lost somewhere in the vast centre. She fervently hoped so. The alternative was unthinkable.
Janet went to search the toilets in case the child was trapped inside a cubicle, or ill. The remaining children lost interest in Ava’s absence and gradually became restless, kicking at stones and grumbling at being kept from the ponies. Elsa felt the tension mounting again. She had no option other than to let Guy lead the first couple of children – Harriet and her best friend, Rainey Kilburn – off on a pony ride while she kept an eye on the others. Janet raced back, concern on her face, and shook her head. She was accompanied by two of the craft centre’s staff.
‘Nobody there. Ted and Kristin haven’t seen her either.’
‘What does Ava look like?’ Elsa asked Audrey.
‘She was wearing a yellow dress. She has glasses.’
She remembered the child: doll-like with a porcelain complexion, long, blonde hair and in a lemon dress that hung on her skinny frame. She’d not seemed at ease with the others and held back when they were playing games, as if she didn’t feel she belonged.
She spoke quietly to Janet. ‘Alert all the staff. Shut the centre and put out a call on the public address system.’ Even as she uttered the words, she had a sinking feeling it was going to be fruitless. Ava had been gone for a full forty minutes, and if somebody had come across her, they’d have accompanied her to the tills, or taken her to a member of staff. Elsa looked around at the faces in front of her and willed the girl to be found with every fibre of her being.
‘Has she gone home?’ asked Audrey.
‘I don’t think so,’ said Elsa. ‘I think she’s still here.’ As she spoke, parents approached the yard with smiles on their faces and her heart lurched again. She recognised the woman with the same delicate features as her daughter. Ava’s mother had arrived.
********
The Birthday by Carol Wyer is the first book in the Detective Natalie Ward series.
This grabbed my attention and held it from beginning to end! I really enjoyed the characters as they are genuine and engaging and I loved the way Detective Natalie Ward and her team worked together as there was less of the extraneous negativity, jealousy, etc. among the four member team and I found it refreshing. Natalie had a bad experience with a previous case which I don't want to give away but it had a direct impact on Natalie that I found interesting and genuine, giving her another layer of humanity.
The storyline is quick paced, realistic, and full of unexpected turns, making it impossible to put down! This is not your usual missing child case. I loved this book!
I've already pre-ordered the next book in this series, Last Lullaby, that will be released in December 2018 and I can't wait to read it!
October 5, 2018
Detective Natalie Ward has moved to a new station in hopes of forgetting her old case where she and her team were not able to save a 13 year old. Her first case comes along when the body of 5 year old Ava Sawyer was found who went missing 2 years back from a birthday party. Natalie and her team are trying to find the killer when two more girls who attended the party ends up missing , now instead of a cold case it's a race against time to find the killer and save the girls.
The Birthday by Carol Wyer is the first book in Detective Natalie Ward’s series and with so many suspects , plenty of motives , it’s an intriguing mystery that kept me guessing till the very end.Detective Natalie Ward is a very likable , strong character lead and am definitely looking forward to reading the next one in this series.
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
The Birthday by Carol Wyer is the first book in Detective Natalie Ward’s series and with so many suspects , plenty of motives , it’s an intriguing mystery that kept me guessing till the very end.Detective Natalie Ward is a very likable , strong character lead and am definitely looking forward to reading the next one in this series.
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
August 15, 2018
I received a free e-copy of The Birthday by Carol Wyer from NetGalley for my honest review.
An intense, heart pounding, edge of your seat thriller that had me pulled in from the very first page. A little girl at a birthday party, who is wearing a yellow dress is missing. Two years later they find the little girl but now other girls that were at the same birthday party are turning up dead. The original investigating officer in the case retired, so the the case falls to DI Natalie Ward. DI Natalie Ward is determined to find the killer. Highly recommend this book.
An intense, heart pounding, edge of your seat thriller that had me pulled in from the very first page. A little girl at a birthday party, who is wearing a yellow dress is missing. Two years later they find the little girl but now other girls that were at the same birthday party are turning up dead. The original investigating officer in the case retired, so the the case falls to DI Natalie Ward. DI Natalie Ward is determined to find the killer. Highly recommend this book.
September 26, 2018
'The Birthday' is the first book in bestselling and award-winning author Carol Wyer's DI Natalie Ward series set in and around Staffordshire. The fundamentals of the story surround the disappearance of young Ava Sawyer whilst she was attending a birthday party at the local garden centre. At five years old she's hardly fit to be out alone. When her body is discovered two years later, DI Natalie Ward and her team are called in to investigate. Then Andrey Briggs, Ava's classmate and another attendee at the party is found murdered. Can the police work out who had the motive, means and opportunity to carry out the crimes before another innocent life is cruelly snatched away?
My favourite aspect of this book was that the motive was shrouded in mystery from the very beginning. I mean, who would be so evil as to hurt these pure and innocent children? That's what the investigators, headed up by DI Ward, need to find out. There are a few unpredictable twists and surprises, but the tale is pretty much a straighforward police procedural, with the police identifying, investigating and eliminating possible suspects as the story develops. The narrative moves forward in a relatively pedestrian fashion for much of the book, but towards the end, Wyer ratchets up the tension letting the reader know a resolution is in sight! The common sense and sheer determination of the team to get this brutal predator and perpetrator off the streets really is admirable, and although it felt at some points as though the victims may never get justice, the team are optimistic and resilient to the end - This felt authentic, I can imagine real police work being frustrating like this, too.
Although the books concept is nothing new, I thoroughly enjoyed this. There was something incredibly compelling about it, and I found it impossible to put down! Being a huge fan of all things CSI, the forensics throughout appealed to me and made me appreciate the book even more. Told primarily from Natalie's perspective, with some chapters included which although not confirmed seem to me to be murderers background and formative years, with a view to showing exactly how they became who they now are. I found this set-up so interesting and two perspectives were easy to follow. Natalie Ward, like most investigators portrayed in literature, is damaged by her past failures. She definitely has a lot on her plate and professionally she is tenacious, likeable and intelligent. I look forward to her character evolving in the upcoming books.
Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
My favourite aspect of this book was that the motive was shrouded in mystery from the very beginning. I mean, who would be so evil as to hurt these pure and innocent children? That's what the investigators, headed up by DI Ward, need to find out. There are a few unpredictable twists and surprises, but the tale is pretty much a straighforward police procedural, with the police identifying, investigating and eliminating possible suspects as the story develops. The narrative moves forward in a relatively pedestrian fashion for much of the book, but towards the end, Wyer ratchets up the tension letting the reader know a resolution is in sight! The common sense and sheer determination of the team to get this brutal predator and perpetrator off the streets really is admirable, and although it felt at some points as though the victims may never get justice, the team are optimistic and resilient to the end - This felt authentic, I can imagine real police work being frustrating like this, too.
Although the books concept is nothing new, I thoroughly enjoyed this. There was something incredibly compelling about it, and I found it impossible to put down! Being a huge fan of all things CSI, the forensics throughout appealed to me and made me appreciate the book even more. Told primarily from Natalie's perspective, with some chapters included which although not confirmed seem to me to be murderers background and formative years, with a view to showing exactly how they became who they now are. I found this set-up so interesting and two perspectives were easy to follow. Natalie Ward, like most investigators portrayed in literature, is damaged by her past failures. She definitely has a lot on her plate and professionally she is tenacious, likeable and intelligent. I look forward to her character evolving in the upcoming books.
Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
April 10, 2023
This is the first book in the Natalie Ward series. The characters were short of even being okay and the plot, that sounded good on the blub about the book, went almost no where close to any of it. The police investigation and the action of the other characters was another issue. Would the police really even begin to think "natural causes" as the cause of death if a child's body is found buried behind a garden center? I don't think so. I was put off in the first few pages after reading through a long and boring discussion about the teen who had bought expensive trainers to help his self-esteem. What did that have to do with the "price of peaches in Georgia"? Or the lesbian couple that wanted to have a baby and was discussed in long details? The two ladies in question had absolutely nothing to do with the story at all except that they lived in the village. Way too many contradictions, ridiculous red herrings and wooden dialogue. I really had high hoped for this one. Oh well...on to something else.
October 25, 2018
Yes I know I said I wouldn’t read another book about a child going missing, as this seems to be a popular genre this year. This book stood out to me screaming to be read and I could not resist!!!
This had a different angle from the “my child has done missing’ storyline. At a children’s birthday party Ava Sawyer goes missing from Uptown Craft Centre. Two years later her body is found but now more girls are disappearing!!
Wow this book drew me in and I was continually changing my mind as to who the culprit was. Loved the main character D.I Natalie Ward as she is a very believable and likeable character, trying to bring up a family and hold down a very stressful job. I look forward to reading more books in this new series and watch the characters develop!!
If you like a good mystery with a strong plot, that’s intriguing with believable characters then this is definitely the book for you
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
This had a different angle from the “my child has done missing’ storyline. At a children’s birthday party Ava Sawyer goes missing from Uptown Craft Centre. Two years later her body is found but now more girls are disappearing!!
Wow this book drew me in and I was continually changing my mind as to who the culprit was. Loved the main character D.I Natalie Ward as she is a very believable and likeable character, trying to bring up a family and hold down a very stressful job. I look forward to reading more books in this new series and watch the characters develop!!
If you like a good mystery with a strong plot, that’s intriguing with believable characters then this is definitely the book for you
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
November 9, 2018
THE BIRTHDAY (Detective Natalie Ward #1) is a new crime fiction series from author Carol Wyer, featuring Detective Natalie Ward.
A five-year-old girl, Ava Sawyer goes missing at a birthday party held at a local garden center. She never came home!
The police have no leads, until her body is discovered two years later. Shortly after the discovery, another little girl, Audrey Briggs who attended the same party goes missing. Audrey also attended that party ...
Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that ended very badly.
Natalie soon discovers that there are discrepancies in the alibis given by Ava's mother and father as well as Elsa, the owner of the garden center holding back information! Why?
Were Ava and Audrey killed by someone close to home? Then the worse nightmare happens… another little girl from the party doesn't come home from her ballet lesson.
Natalie must stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken!
The Birthday is a fast-paced mystery story. I liked Detective Natalie Ward, and I look forward to learning more about her in the series. I was glued to the book to learn the identity of the killer. Did I figure it out? No. I was surprised when the killer was revealed …not who I would have expected!
I am already looking forward to starting Last Lullaby book 2, from a promising new series.
Many thanks to Carol Wyer, and Bookouture via NetGalley, for my digital copy.
A five-year-old girl, Ava Sawyer goes missing at a birthday party held at a local garden center. She never came home!
The police have no leads, until her body is discovered two years later. Shortly after the discovery, another little girl, Audrey Briggs who attended the same party goes missing. Audrey also attended that party ...
Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that ended very badly.
Natalie soon discovers that there are discrepancies in the alibis given by Ava's mother and father as well as Elsa, the owner of the garden center holding back information! Why?
Were Ava and Audrey killed by someone close to home? Then the worse nightmare happens… another little girl from the party doesn't come home from her ballet lesson.
Natalie must stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken!
The Birthday is a fast-paced mystery story. I liked Detective Natalie Ward, and I look forward to learning more about her in the series. I was glued to the book to learn the identity of the killer. Did I figure it out? No. I was surprised when the killer was revealed …not who I would have expected!
I am already looking forward to starting Last Lullaby book 2, from a promising new series.
Many thanks to Carol Wyer, and Bookouture via NetGalley, for my digital copy.
December 12, 2018
Rather boring to me. I enjoy a bit more suspense, mystery and thrill. This book just didn't do it.
January 1, 2019
3.75 stars for the crime mystery
Good suspense, but very tragic.
Trigger warning: the victims are small children.
Well-written; maybe slightly anticlimactic toward the end or I expected ‘lauder’ justice.
I don’t see any possible romance. Likable heroine, but with totally real and, IMO, unromantic private life.
My rating is only for mystery part, looking forward to the 2nd book, which comes out early December.
KU! :-)))
Unfortunately only this book/this series, and not the other thriller series by this author DI Robyn Carter Series
Maybe some day… ;-)
Good suspense, but very tragic.
Trigger warning: the victims are small children.
Well-written; maybe slightly anticlimactic toward the end or I expected ‘lauder’ justice.
I don’t see any possible romance. Likable heroine, but with totally real and, IMO, unromantic private life.
My rating is only for mystery part, looking forward to the 2nd book, which comes out early December.
KU! :-)))
Unfortunately only this book/this series, and not the other thriller series by this author DI Robyn Carter Series
Maybe some day… ;-)
November 27, 2018
I LOVED The Birthday! I try to keep away from missing murdered children plots but I’m so glad I didn’t miss this one!
Crazy, intense, heart pounding, twisted book with a lot of emotions running wild and high. I love DI Natalie and her determination to solve these cases. She reminded me of Olivia Bensen.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Side note..I knew this would be amazing because it’s publisher by Bookouture:)
Thank you #Netgalley, the author and publisher for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Crazy, intense, heart pounding, twisted book with a lot of emotions running wild and high. I love DI Natalie and her determination to solve these cases. She reminded me of Olivia Bensen.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Side note..I knew this would be amazing because it’s publisher by Bookouture:)
Thank you #Netgalley, the author and publisher for my free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 22, 2019
I'm so divided on whether to give this a 3 or 4 star rating that I could probably fill a review with just that internal debate!
The Birthday is a British police procedural - one of my mainstay genres -that centers around a missing child; when she's finally found, a chain reaction begins that DI Natalie Ward is determined to halt in its tracks.
So! The writing itself is fairly middle of the road - it's a certain voice that seems relatively common in particularly the British police series; straightforward, matter of fact, mostly short, simple sentences that make for nice easy reading. We've got a team of police to work alongside our DI, and while she's still with her husband, it's clear our protagonist has a rocky home life. The central mystery centers on missing and (spoilers?)murdered children, but it's not in any way overly detailed - I didn't find it distressing.
That might sound like I'm damning with faint praise, but honestly, I LIKE standard British procedurals. They're calming. And this does exactly what it promises, which is to deliver a solid mystery and keep the reader entertained for the duration. I think, had the ending not meant some iffy timelines and psychology, that this would be getting that four stars - as it is, this is a three star that genuinely means "I liked it" - and I'll absolutely be coming back for the next one.
The Birthday is a British police procedural - one of my mainstay genres -that centers around a missing child; when she's finally found, a chain reaction begins that DI Natalie Ward is determined to halt in its tracks.
So! The writing itself is fairly middle of the road - it's a certain voice that seems relatively common in particularly the British police series; straightforward, matter of fact, mostly short, simple sentences that make for nice easy reading. We've got a team of police to work alongside our DI, and while she's still with her husband, it's clear our protagonist has a rocky home life. The central mystery centers on missing and (spoilers?)murdered children, but it's not in any way overly detailed - I didn't find it distressing.
That might sound like I'm damning with faint praise, but honestly, I LIKE standard British procedurals. They're calming. And this does exactly what it promises, which is to deliver a solid mystery and keep the reader entertained for the duration. I think, had the ending not meant some iffy timelines and psychology, that this would be getting that four stars - as it is, this is a three star that genuinely means "I liked it" - and I'll absolutely be coming back for the next one.
September 6, 2018
Ok, so its official--Carol Wyer is a must-read for me!! I love her DI Robyn Carter series, so I was thrilled to see that she started a new one. Judging by the first book, I know I'm going to love this series as well.
This one begins with a birthday party for kids when a young girl goes missing, she's never found. Flash forward two years and the bones of a child is discovered. This starts a new killing spree that sees children being killed. In comes a new detective in the area, Natalie Ward, that heads the investigation. Not only is she dealing with personal problems but, she also feels she has to prove to herself that she can solve this before more children are killed. I liked the character of Natalie. She's tough but isn't perfect. I really enjoy Carol's writing. Its feels like watching an episode of a crime series. Her books are solid as far as thrillers go. I can't wait to see more of Natalie in the future.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one begins with a birthday party for kids when a young girl goes missing, she's never found. Flash forward two years and the bones of a child is discovered. This starts a new killing spree that sees children being killed. In comes a new detective in the area, Natalie Ward, that heads the investigation. Not only is she dealing with personal problems but, she also feels she has to prove to herself that she can solve this before more children are killed. I liked the character of Natalie. She's tough but isn't perfect. I really enjoy Carol's writing. Its feels like watching an episode of a crime series. Her books are solid as far as thrillers go. I can't wait to see more of Natalie in the future.
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2018
Having been a massive fan of Carol Wyer’s other series centred around Robin Carter, I was slightly wary about her tackling a new crime fiction police procedural. Not because of her writing, which I knew would be brilliant, but because of meeting new characters and wondering if I’d even like them after becoming so invested in Robin and her team.
Silly me.
Five year old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a garden centre. Despite an intensive investigation, Ava is not found. Two years later, builders find her body. DI Natalie Ward and her team are given the case but just when they think they are dealing with a cold case, another girl who attended that same birthday party goes missing. Coincidence? If so, why now? Is the same person responsible? Are these two events connected in any way or not?
Natalie Ward is a wife, a mother and a detective inspector. With so many balls to juggle, it’s easy to see why not everything is all sunshine and flowers in her life. Leading an investigation into missing children is always hard but for Natalie even more so, as she’s still suffering effects from a previous investigation that ended badly. Determined not to make the same mistakes again, she’s incredibly meticulous and working long hours to stop another child from being taken. But the culprit is on a mission and the clock is ticking.
A new team of detectives to get acquainted with then and I must say, this one works really well again. There’s enough diversity, determination and banter to give you a good feel of the team dynamics. These characters completely won me over and I really look forward to getting to know them all better.
With The Birthday, Carol Wyer once again delivers all the goodness I’ve come to expect from her. There are a few chapters delving into the background of the culprit that lead you to that point of almost, but not quite, sympathising with them. Chapters that will have you looking for clues, trying to figure things out before the big reveal. The investigation is incredibly gripping, albeit frustrating for the detectives, and I was left guessing until the end as to the identity of Ava’s killer. Not that I didn’t have a list of suspects as long as my arm but I was hit with dead end after dead end and true to form, got it utterly wrong. On top of that, the heartbreaking moments when families need to be informed. The devastation, the various ways people deal with the grief … it almost made me quite emotional.
It seems everything Carol Wyer touches turns to gold. She most definitely knows how to write an addictive and tense page-turner and this one is no different. Compelling from the first page, this will have you hooked in a heartbeat. The DI Natalie Ward is a fantastic start to what I’m sure will be an exciting new series. Will Natalie ever find the perfect balance between her job and her private life? And what other crimes will be coming her way? I can’t wait to find out!
Silly me.
Five year old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a garden centre. Despite an intensive investigation, Ava is not found. Two years later, builders find her body. DI Natalie Ward and her team are given the case but just when they think they are dealing with a cold case, another girl who attended that same birthday party goes missing. Coincidence? If so, why now? Is the same person responsible? Are these two events connected in any way or not?
Natalie Ward is a wife, a mother and a detective inspector. With so many balls to juggle, it’s easy to see why not everything is all sunshine and flowers in her life. Leading an investigation into missing children is always hard but for Natalie even more so, as she’s still suffering effects from a previous investigation that ended badly. Determined not to make the same mistakes again, she’s incredibly meticulous and working long hours to stop another child from being taken. But the culprit is on a mission and the clock is ticking.
A new team of detectives to get acquainted with then and I must say, this one works really well again. There’s enough diversity, determination and banter to give you a good feel of the team dynamics. These characters completely won me over and I really look forward to getting to know them all better.
With The Birthday, Carol Wyer once again delivers all the goodness I’ve come to expect from her. There are a few chapters delving into the background of the culprit that lead you to that point of almost, but not quite, sympathising with them. Chapters that will have you looking for clues, trying to figure things out before the big reveal. The investigation is incredibly gripping, albeit frustrating for the detectives, and I was left guessing until the end as to the identity of Ava’s killer. Not that I didn’t have a list of suspects as long as my arm but I was hit with dead end after dead end and true to form, got it utterly wrong. On top of that, the heartbreaking moments when families need to be informed. The devastation, the various ways people deal with the grief … it almost made me quite emotional.
It seems everything Carol Wyer touches turns to gold. She most definitely knows how to write an addictive and tense page-turner and this one is no different. Compelling from the first page, this will have you hooked in a heartbeat. The DI Natalie Ward is a fantastic start to what I’m sure will be an exciting new series. Will Natalie ever find the perfect balance between her job and her private life? And what other crimes will be coming her way? I can’t wait to find out!
July 18, 2018
Having felt that Carol Wyer’s Robyn Carter series was already starting to stagnate, I was excited to see that she was releasing a new book, The Birthday, featuring a brand-new character in DI Natalie Ward.
Natalie is a complicated character with a history, and the baggage of an unsolved case and an affair with a fellow colleague. I struggled to empathise with her at times, and also found the scenes of her home life to be dull. I was more interested in the main story of the child abductions and didn’t care enough about her husband (seemingly nor does she to cheat on him) to enjoy those scenes at home.
It might seem silly but one of the issues I had with this story was the use of outdated names for children born after 2010. I won’t list them all but even the surnames felt off too. Add in the fact that the majority of places mentioned are fictional and the story just lost some impact because of that and some believability. As said it might seem silly but it did detract from the story a little bit for me.
The Birthday is an emotional read, dealing as it does with child abduction and murder. I enjoyed following along with the case, however in reality I feel there would be a hell of a lot more police involved than just Natalie and a few of her team once more than one child turns up murdered. Where the story fell down in my opinion was the lack of suspects. Sometimes in crime fiction you get those characters who are just thrown in to move the story along with predictable reasons why it should have been them but it then of course turns out that it wasn’t. When the overall reveal arrived I felt disappointed because even though I never fully suspected this character, I just was left thinking ‘oh is that it’ and the reasonings behind it all just felt silly and the psychiatric explanations didn’t wash with me either. Overall The Birthday, whilst gripping in places unfortunately was not the best story that I felt it could be, nor was it as strong as Carol Wyer’s previous crime stories.
Natalie is a complicated character with a history, and the baggage of an unsolved case and an affair with a fellow colleague. I struggled to empathise with her at times, and also found the scenes of her home life to be dull. I was more interested in the main story of the child abductions and didn’t care enough about her husband (seemingly nor does she to cheat on him) to enjoy those scenes at home.
It might seem silly but one of the issues I had with this story was the use of outdated names for children born after 2010. I won’t list them all but even the surnames felt off too. Add in the fact that the majority of places mentioned are fictional and the story just lost some impact because of that and some believability. As said it might seem silly but it did detract from the story a little bit for me.
The Birthday is an emotional read, dealing as it does with child abduction and murder. I enjoyed following along with the case, however in reality I feel there would be a hell of a lot more police involved than just Natalie and a few of her team once more than one child turns up murdered. Where the story fell down in my opinion was the lack of suspects. Sometimes in crime fiction you get those characters who are just thrown in to move the story along with predictable reasons why it should have been them but it then of course turns out that it wasn’t. When the overall reveal arrived I felt disappointed because even though I never fully suspected this character, I just was left thinking ‘oh is that it’ and the reasonings behind it all just felt silly and the psychiatric explanations didn’t wash with me either. Overall The Birthday, whilst gripping in places unfortunately was not the best story that I felt it could be, nor was it as strong as Carol Wyer’s previous crime stories.
September 3, 2018
Sadly, this book did nothing for me. Detective Natalie Ward is one of those characters that is flawed. She has personal issues that a little bit creep into her work life; yet she does try her hardest to find that balance. I wanted to point this out as I do like "flawed" characters. It shows they are vulnerable and can make them more relatable as well. Which Natalie was for me. Yet, my issue was not with her but more about the story as a whole package.
The story was uninteresting with most of the other characters being just as uninteresting. Even the voice of the killer was muted down. Thus the storyline dragged on and on. It was hard for me to keep finding interest in this book. However, I was determined to finish it as I wanted to see how it would end. Which, I was left unsatisfied by the ending. This is the worst. To read a whole book; only to come to the ending and be left unsatisfied. Plus, I can't really remember any of the other characters names in the story. I will not be continuing this series.
The story was uninteresting with most of the other characters being just as uninteresting. Even the voice of the killer was muted down. Thus the storyline dragged on and on. It was hard for me to keep finding interest in this book. However, I was determined to finish it as I wanted to see how it would end. Which, I was left unsatisfied by the ending. This is the worst. To read a whole book; only to come to the ending and be left unsatisfied. Plus, I can't really remember any of the other characters names in the story. I will not be continuing this series.
September 26, 2018
Carol Wyer has done it again!! After Robyn Carter, she has come out with another brilliant main character, Detective Natalie Ward. Carol's investigative writing is as superlative in this book as her others.
The story starts with the disappearance of a child Ava Sawyer from an outdoor birthday party in 2015 whose bones are found 2 years later. And soon other children start disappearing, and their bodies are found wearing yellow party dresses. Detective Natalie is called in along with her team of Mike, Lucy, Ian, and Murray. The investigation begins...
This was a solid plot with definitive investigation using both forensics and follow-up of clues. Natalie was well developed as main character, she had her own personal problems with an out of work house husband and two teenagers. She was both vulnerable and strong. But nothing deterred her from the path of finding out the murderer.
The book read fast, 2 hours from start to finish, the plot was crisp. The team had a cohesiveness which is generally seen in people who have worked together on difficult cases. Natalie and Mike, Natalie and Lucy, all had equal role in trying to bring justice.
I wasn't analyzing the book or trying to guess the murderer, I was busy following up the way Natalie worked. And I was mighty impressed with her. The credit goes to Carol for etching this strong and intelligent detective. By the end of the book, I was longing to get to book 2. Sadly enough that was yet to be written.
The story starts with the disappearance of a child Ava Sawyer from an outdoor birthday party in 2015 whose bones are found 2 years later. And soon other children start disappearing, and their bodies are found wearing yellow party dresses. Detective Natalie is called in along with her team of Mike, Lucy, Ian, and Murray. The investigation begins...
This was a solid plot with definitive investigation using both forensics and follow-up of clues. Natalie was well developed as main character, she had her own personal problems with an out of work house husband and two teenagers. She was both vulnerable and strong. But nothing deterred her from the path of finding out the murderer.
The book read fast, 2 hours from start to finish, the plot was crisp. The team had a cohesiveness which is generally seen in people who have worked together on difficult cases. Natalie and Mike, Natalie and Lucy, all had equal role in trying to bring justice.
I wasn't analyzing the book or trying to guess the murderer, I was busy following up the way Natalie worked. And I was mighty impressed with her. The credit goes to Carol for etching this strong and intelligent detective. By the end of the book, I was longing to get to book 2. Sadly enough that was yet to be written.
October 26, 2019
3.5 fearful stars
This was my first read from Carol Wyer and features Detective Natalie Ward. I must admit that it has been on my Kindle for quite a while, but I decided to read it on a recent flight. This was the perfect thriller to keep me occupied for a few hours!
Doesn’t every parent have a fear of your child going missing? Such is the case at the beginning of this book when 5-year-old Ava goes missing at a birthday party. There were not any easy clues and it takes two years before Ava’s body is found. Soon there is another little girl missing and she was also at that party. What on earth is going on? Detective Natalie Ward is trying to get to the bottom of this and it’s a twisted tale indeed.
I enjoyed the hunt in this one and the painstaking effort to eliminate one person after another. Can the detective solve the case before another girl ends up missing?
This was my first read from Carol Wyer and features Detective Natalie Ward. I must admit that it has been on my Kindle for quite a while, but I decided to read it on a recent flight. This was the perfect thriller to keep me occupied for a few hours!
Doesn’t every parent have a fear of your child going missing? Such is the case at the beginning of this book when 5-year-old Ava goes missing at a birthday party. There were not any easy clues and it takes two years before Ava’s body is found. Soon there is another little girl missing and she was also at that party. What on earth is going on? Detective Natalie Ward is trying to get to the bottom of this and it’s a twisted tale indeed.
I enjoyed the hunt in this one and the painstaking effort to eliminate one person after another. Can the detective solve the case before another girl ends up missing?
September 26, 2018
The Birthday by Carol Wyer is the 1st in the new Natalie Ward detective series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis:
DI Natalie Ward and her team are trying to find a serial killer who seems fixated on little girls who had attended a birthday party at a garden center two years ago. At that party, 5-year old Ava Sawyer went missing, and her body has just been found during renovations to that lot. Shortly after they discover Ava, the team is called to another area of town, where the body of Audrey Briggs is found. Although the body is fresh, it seems too much of a coincidence that Audrey had also attended that birthday party two years ago, and they were both wearing yellow dresses. Is the killer targeting girls who attended that party? Why now? There weren’t too many leads two years ago, but perhaps now they will have better luck, before anyone else dies. But Natalie is worried about tunnel vision. She is trying to make sure every avenue is explored, because she knows what can happen if the search is too narrow. She is not convinced the deaths are related to the birthday. But each person that they investigate seem to have airtight alibis, and although the list of suspects keeps growing, no one seems to be the perpetrator.
Meanwhile, Natalie is trying to keep her home life going. Her husband had gambling problems, and their finances are not where they should be to raise two teenagers, especially when her husband lost his job. Although he is free-lancing, money is tight, and arguments arise over Natalie’s promotion, because she is often too busy to handle day-to-day issues with the children. She can only do so much.
My Opinions:
This is the first book I have read by Carol Wyer, but it will not be the last. This looks like it will be a good series.
I like how the author shows Natalie as a strong female detective, but also a woman who is trying to juggle her job and her home life. I also like the way the author is developing the characters of not just Natalie, but also her team members.
This was a fast-paced, easy read, and I am definitely looking forward to the next one in this series.
For a more complete review of this book and others, please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis:
DI Natalie Ward and her team are trying to find a serial killer who seems fixated on little girls who had attended a birthday party at a garden center two years ago. At that party, 5-year old Ava Sawyer went missing, and her body has just been found during renovations to that lot. Shortly after they discover Ava, the team is called to another area of town, where the body of Audrey Briggs is found. Although the body is fresh, it seems too much of a coincidence that Audrey had also attended that birthday party two years ago, and they were both wearing yellow dresses. Is the killer targeting girls who attended that party? Why now? There weren’t too many leads two years ago, but perhaps now they will have better luck, before anyone else dies. But Natalie is worried about tunnel vision. She is trying to make sure every avenue is explored, because she knows what can happen if the search is too narrow. She is not convinced the deaths are related to the birthday. But each person that they investigate seem to have airtight alibis, and although the list of suspects keeps growing, no one seems to be the perpetrator.
Meanwhile, Natalie is trying to keep her home life going. Her husband had gambling problems, and their finances are not where they should be to raise two teenagers, especially when her husband lost his job. Although he is free-lancing, money is tight, and arguments arise over Natalie’s promotion, because she is often too busy to handle day-to-day issues with the children. She can only do so much.
My Opinions:
This is the first book I have read by Carol Wyer, but it will not be the last. This looks like it will be a good series.
I like how the author shows Natalie as a strong female detective, but also a woman who is trying to juggle her job and her home life. I also like the way the author is developing the characters of not just Natalie, but also her team members.
This was a fast-paced, easy read, and I am definitely looking forward to the next one in this series.
For a more complete review of this book and others, please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
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