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Inspector Tom Reynolds #3
Das Tal der toten Mädchen
In einem idyllischen Tal im irischen Wicklow werden die Leichen fünf junger Frauen gefunden. Sie alle verschwanden innerhalb der letzten Jahre spurlos. Inspector Tom Reynolds steht vor dem bislang größten Rätsel seiner Karriere. Während er und sein Team versuchen, eine Verbindung zwischen den Opfern herzustellen, wird ein weiteres Mädchen als vermisst gemeldet. Alles deutet darauf hin, dass auch sie dem Serienmörder in die Hände fiel. Die Hoffnung, sie lebend zu finden, schwindet mit jeder Stunde...
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2017
216 people are currently reading
895 people want to read
About the author
Jo Spain
24 books1,179 followersJo Spain is the author of the bestselling Inspector Tom Reynolds series and several international No. 1 bestselling standalone novels. Her first book, With Our Blessing, was a finalist in the 2015 Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller.
Jo, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, writes TV screenplays full-time. Her first crime series was broadcast on RTE in 2018 and she's currently involved in a number of TV developments including adaptations of her own novels. In 2021, she co-wrote Harry Wild, starring Jane Seymour, with the Emmy award-winning David Logan (airing 2022).
Jo lives in Dublin with her husband and four young children. In her spare time (she has four children, there is no spare time really) she likes to read. Her favourite authors include Pierre Lemaitre, Jo Nesbo, Liane Moriarty, Fred Vargas and Jodi Picoult. She also watches TV obsessively.
Jo thinks up her plots on long runs in the woods. Her husband sleeps with one eye open.
Jo, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, writes TV screenplays full-time. Her first crime series was broadcast on RTE in 2018 and she's currently involved in a number of TV developments including adaptations of her own novels. In 2021, she co-wrote Harry Wild, starring Jane Seymour, with the Emmy award-winning David Logan (airing 2022).
Jo lives in Dublin with her husband and four young children. In her spare time (she has four children, there is no spare time really) she likes to read. Her favourite authors include Pierre Lemaitre, Jo Nesbo, Liane Moriarty, Fred Vargas and Jodi Picoult. She also watches TV obsessively.
Jo thinks up her plots on long runs in the woods. Her husband sleeps with one eye open.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
November 22, 2022
One sentence review: A solid af Irish police procedural *adds rest of series to cart*
SYNOPSIS
A young woman is missing and five buried women have just been found at a scenic park. Oh lawd!!! Not to fear, Inspector Tom Reynolds is on the case!!!
MY OPINION
Ight so I picked this off after DNFing All the Dangerous Things (lol) because I need a solid police procedural to get me back on track. And yes, this is my first Jo Spain novel and YES I did start the series at #3... you already know what it is. Anyways, this was solid and I can't wait to read more by Miss JoJo.
This has everything I like in a police procedural: much juicy case, POV from trapped victims, strong character development, and solid dry wit. Since I've come to terms with being a fan of romantic suspense procedurals (that's what I'm calling it), this also satisfied my itch with a lil will they/won't they storyline between secondary characters.
FYI: while the story is mostly told in third person limited from Tom Reynold's pov, there is some "jumping around" between characters' povs in the same scene. I know this kind of storytelling can really irk people, so you've be warned hoes!
As per usual I didn't care for was the fat shaming. We really don't need sh!t like: "...though a handsome man, was at least four stone overweight and on the tipping point of diabetes, heart disease and all other kinds of obesity-related illnesses." Major eye roll. Can mans solve crimes or nah??? What's interesting in this book is that Jo Spain pushes forth a "liberal agenda" (for lack of better words lol) by addressing misogyny, sexual assault, and domestic violence but yet missed the memo on not including fatphobic comments.
My other rich homie qualm was for a town with the population of 65, the ratio of murderer to non-murderer was like 3:5. I would be moving out of the area IMMEDIATELY. Also this review is short because my neighbour's dog won't stop barking and I can't concentrate. Swiss cheese brain issues.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, fast-paced, great character development, interesting sub-plots, much juicy case with suspense, solid dry wit
Cons: unnecessary fat-shaming, crime rates were off da charts in this small town LOL
SYNOPSIS
A young woman is missing and five buried women have just been found at a scenic park. Oh lawd!!! Not to fear, Inspector Tom Reynolds is on the case!!!
MY OPINION
Ight so I picked this off after DNFing All the Dangerous Things (lol) because I need a solid police procedural to get me back on track. And yes, this is my first Jo Spain novel and YES I did start the series at #3... you already know what it is. Anyways, this was solid and I can't wait to read more by Miss JoJo.
This has everything I like in a police procedural: much juicy case, POV from trapped victims, strong character development, and solid dry wit. Since I've come to terms with being a fan of romantic suspense procedurals (that's what I'm calling it), this also satisfied my itch with a lil will they/won't they storyline between secondary characters.
FYI: while the story is mostly told in third person limited from Tom Reynold's pov, there is some "jumping around" between characters' povs in the same scene. I know this kind of storytelling can really irk people, so you've be warned hoes!
As per usual I didn't care for was the fat shaming. We really don't need sh!t like: "...though a handsome man, was at least four stone overweight and on the tipping point of diabetes, heart disease and all other kinds of obesity-related illnesses." Major eye roll. Can mans solve crimes or nah??? What's interesting in this book is that Jo Spain pushes forth a "liberal agenda" (for lack of better words lol) by addressing misogyny, sexual assault, and domestic violence but yet missed the memo on not including fatphobic comments.
My other rich homie qualm was for a town with the population of 65, the ratio of murderer to non-murderer was like 3:5. I would be moving out of the area IMMEDIATELY. Also this review is short because my neighbour's dog won't stop barking and I can't concentrate. Swiss cheese brain issues.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: well-written, fast-paced, great character development, interesting sub-plots, much juicy case with suspense, solid dry wit
Cons: unnecessary fat-shaming, crime rates were off da charts in this small town LOL
June 7, 2018
Jo Spain has written a wonderful third addition to the Inspector Tom Reynolds series set in Dublin and the surrounding areas. Fiona Holland has disappeared from her small rural village, and it is uncertain if she has left of her own free will or something far more sinister has happened to her. She has a wild reputation, a baby son with an unknown father, and parents adamant that she would not have left them or her baby willingly. A body has been discovered in the beautiful valley of Glendalough, and it soon becomes horrifyingly clear that there are five graves of young women in varying states of decomposition. However, none of them are Fiona. With high numbers of women going missing over the years, no-one is surprised that a serial killer has been preying on women, they just did not have the proof until now. Unsurprisingly, there is unprecedented levels of media attention, and Tom's new boss, Joe Kennedy, who replaced his friend, Sean McGuinness, is insecure, egoentric and manipulative, posing problems for the Murder Investigation team.
As the police look into the dead women it soon becomes clear that a number of common factors emerge such as violent partners, abuse, reputations of being wilful, and sexually promiscuous. The killer appears to have kept them alive for some time after abducting them prior to brutally strangling them. If the killer has taken Fiona, then it seems likely she is still alive. Their fears are confirmed when the killer gets in touch saying he has Fiona. They race to find any clues or evidence that might point them in the right direction. Sean's wife, June, in the throes of worsening dementia has Tom worried for her and his friend. Conscientious DS Laura Brennan still has strong feelings for DS Ray Lennon, which are reciprocated but she is unaware of this. In this most complex and intricate of cases, danger is everywhere around the diligent police team.
This is a cracking read from Jo Spain, it draws you in from the beginning and never lets go until you reach the unexpected ending. I love the recurring characters, the personal issues, the dilemmas, tragedy and developing romantic entanglements that they face, by now I feel as if I know them well. A great entertaining, absorbing and gripping police procedural that I so enjoyed reading.
As the police look into the dead women it soon becomes clear that a number of common factors emerge such as violent partners, abuse, reputations of being wilful, and sexually promiscuous. The killer appears to have kept them alive for some time after abducting them prior to brutally strangling them. If the killer has taken Fiona, then it seems likely she is still alive. Their fears are confirmed when the killer gets in touch saying he has Fiona. They race to find any clues or evidence that might point them in the right direction. Sean's wife, June, in the throes of worsening dementia has Tom worried for her and his friend. Conscientious DS Laura Brennan still has strong feelings for DS Ray Lennon, which are reciprocated but she is unaware of this. In this most complex and intricate of cases, danger is everywhere around the diligent police team.
This is a cracking read from Jo Spain, it draws you in from the beginning and never lets go until you reach the unexpected ending. I love the recurring characters, the personal issues, the dilemmas, tragedy and developing romantic entanglements that they face, by now I feel as if I know them well. A great entertaining, absorbing and gripping police procedural that I so enjoyed reading.
September 9, 2018
I loved reading every page of Sleeping Beauties. Jo Spain certainly has now become one of favourite authors, and I am now following her closely on goodreads and Twitter as I really don't want to miss her next book. I think most of us women have been there in a relationship with a man who is violent or know of a friend who has had a violent boyfriend or husband. I know I have been in a violent relationship with a boyfriend in my teenage years, just like Fiona in this story. I thought in my teens my boyfriend would changed just like Fiona Holland did, but unfortunately a violent man never changes. In Sleeping Beauties to matters worse here Fiona Holland is missing and the police are searching for her. The police draw many conclusions about as to where Fiona could be. I love reading about how the police have to carry out an investigation when a body is found and about their personal life . I particularly liked reading about Sean McGuinness who was up until very recently a Chief Superintendent of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations until his wife June had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Tom Reynolds with Detective Sergeant Ray Lennon are sent to a scene in the woodland where a young woman's body has been found where they expecting it to be missing Fiona. The pathologist Moya Cambers will have to do the brave task of doing a full post-mortem to determine the cause of death and the exact period of death. While the police is searching the area of the woodlands a grim discovery is made when five graves are found for five bodies. It appears that Fiona Holland is still very clearly missing, and now five graves have been found, it seems that quite frightening enough there's a serial killer operating in Ireland. I really grade Sleeping Beauties as an urgent read.
January 9, 2022
This is the third book in the Inspector Tom Reynolds series by author Jo Spain. Yet another enjoyable police procedural and perhaps the best in the series so far.
Fiona Holland is missing and an urgent search is laid on and rumours are spreading like wildfire. Fiona is a woman with a disreputable reputation, Was she abducted, or has she run away?
The following week an horrifying discovery is made in the woods in the valley of Glendalough. Five graves containing the bodies of young women who disappeared in recent years. This is going to be a tough case for D.I. Tom Reynolds and his team, a vicious serial killer, who preys on vulnerable women, keeps them captive before heartlessly killing them.
The hunt for Fiona Holland suddenly got even more serious with time running out.
In my opinion this was the best in the series so far, a gruesome serial killer who needs to be stopped before more innocent women are murdered. A well paced plot that keeps the suspense growing throughout.
Fiona Holland is missing and an urgent search is laid on and rumours are spreading like wildfire. Fiona is a woman with a disreputable reputation, Was she abducted, or has she run away?
The following week an horrifying discovery is made in the woods in the valley of Glendalough. Five graves containing the bodies of young women who disappeared in recent years. This is going to be a tough case for D.I. Tom Reynolds and his team, a vicious serial killer, who preys on vulnerable women, keeps them captive before heartlessly killing them.
The hunt for Fiona Holland suddenly got even more serious with time running out.
In my opinion this was the best in the series so far, a gruesome serial killer who needs to be stopped before more innocent women are murdered. A well paced plot that keeps the suspense growing throughout.
April 28, 2019
It had been a while since I'd read any crime fiction, but my aunt kindly sent me a copy of this book so I decided to give it a go.
Basically it's about a serial killer on the loose in Ireland, a scheming individual who abducts troubled young women and keeps them captive for a while before murdering them. The police investigation is led by the very capable Inspector Tom Reynolds and his resourceful team of detectives. Fiona Holland, the latest victim, was kidnapped a few days ago and Reynolds knows that time is running out if they have any hope of finding her alive.
Thankfully, we don't get many serial killers in Ireland, so it's quite fascinating to imagine what the scenario would be like. Spain conjures a believable, suspenseful story out of this sordid business, peeling away the layers of the investigation until the murderer is revealed. If you've read a lot of crime fiction you mind it a familiar tale, but there are a few surprises along the way. I also liked how she addresses the whole blame culture surrounding the victims - the notion that some of the women had it coming to them due to the life they led is turned on its head. It might not win many points for originality, but Sleeping Beauties is an absorbing and intelligently-written thriller.
Basically it's about a serial killer on the loose in Ireland, a scheming individual who abducts troubled young women and keeps them captive for a while before murdering them. The police investigation is led by the very capable Inspector Tom Reynolds and his resourceful team of detectives. Fiona Holland, the latest victim, was kidnapped a few days ago and Reynolds knows that time is running out if they have any hope of finding her alive.
Thankfully, we don't get many serial killers in Ireland, so it's quite fascinating to imagine what the scenario would be like. Spain conjures a believable, suspenseful story out of this sordid business, peeling away the layers of the investigation until the murderer is revealed. If you've read a lot of crime fiction you mind it a familiar tale, but there are a few surprises along the way. I also liked how she addresses the whole blame culture surrounding the victims - the notion that some of the women had it coming to them due to the life they led is turned on its head. It might not win many points for originality, but Sleeping Beauties is an absorbing and intelligently-written thriller.
September 13, 2022
Tom Reynolds in this installment faces a complicated case since the victims of a serial killer are discovered!
He has to manage to work with his new boss and also support his former boss and long time friend who resigned to support his wife because of her medical condition!
In the midst of it all Ray and Laura are a light note because of their developing feelings for each other!
Well written and intriguing Sleeping Beauties is an excellent addition to the Tom Reynolds series!
He has to manage to work with his new boss and also support his former boss and long time friend who resigned to support his wife because of her medical condition!
In the midst of it all Ray and Laura are a light note because of their developing feelings for each other!
Well written and intriguing Sleeping Beauties is an excellent addition to the Tom Reynolds series!
September 9, 2018
Inspector Tom Reynolds #3
Somebody had cleared the earth of its natural layer and sewn their own flowers. In five places, five graves. A young woman, Fiona Holland, has gone missing from a small fishing village. Fiona had a wild reputation. Was she abducted? Or had she just ran away?
Inspector Tom Reynolds, DS Ray Lennon, DS Laura Brennon and the team are back. The story is interspersed with the first person accounts of the five women who were killed. This book covers sexual abuse and violence against women. Fiona Holland has gone missing and when the police search for her in the woodlands, they find the graves with the bodies of five women. The women had a few things in common; the same flowers were put on the top of each grave, they had also been given the same gift and they all had a certain reputation. Fiona's body was not among the dead.
What I love most about this police procedural is that we are not bombarded by the technicalities. The book does throw up the prejudices that hopefully died out years ago. The plot line has been well thought out. The pace is well set in this gripping police procedural. I was hooked from the beginning.
Somebody had cleared the earth of its natural layer and sewn their own flowers. In five places, five graves. A young woman, Fiona Holland, has gone missing from a small fishing village. Fiona had a wild reputation. Was she abducted? Or had she just ran away?
Inspector Tom Reynolds, DS Ray Lennon, DS Laura Brennon and the team are back. The story is interspersed with the first person accounts of the five women who were killed. This book covers sexual abuse and violence against women. Fiona Holland has gone missing and when the police search for her in the woodlands, they find the graves with the bodies of five women. The women had a few things in common; the same flowers were put on the top of each grave, they had also been given the same gift and they all had a certain reputation. Fiona's body was not among the dead.
What I love most about this police procedural is that we are not bombarded by the technicalities. The book does throw up the prejudices that hopefully died out years ago. The plot line has been well thought out. The pace is well set in this gripping police procedural. I was hooked from the beginning.
March 18, 2020
Third in the series and brilliant as usual.
These characters are starting to feel like friends now and the mystery/crime story is very good.
More. more, more please...!
There is quite a lot of grit and sadness in this book and yet I found it strangely comforting.
Great story, great characters.
These characters are starting to feel like friends now and the mystery/crime story is very good.
More. more, more please...!
There is quite a lot of grit and sadness in this book and yet I found it strangely comforting.
Great story, great characters.
July 22, 2019
A young woman has been reported missing. It’s uncertain whether Fiona Holland decided to leave of her own accord or whether it’s something else entirely. Her mother and sister are certain she wouldn’t have left her baby but in the small rural community Fiona had a reputation.
Detective Inspector Tom Reynolds and his team are called to Glendalough, a popular tourist spot in the Wicklow Mountains National Park, where a body has been found. It’s not long before it’s clearly visible to those working the scene, this wasn’t the only grave. There were five more clearly visible when Tom realised what they were looking at. It seemed a serial killer had been, and possible may still be, operating in Ireland.
None of the bodies are that of Fiona Holland and the race is on to find her, hopefully alive. Five families were going to receive the worst news. Tom fervently hoped there wouldn’t be any more but for now he had to focus his team on identifying the remains already uncovered.
The talk of a serial killer prompts massive amount of attention from the media and, added to that, Tom’s job isn’t being helped by Joe Kennedy, Sean McGuinness’ replacement. Tom, Shaun and their wives are longtime friends and the two men had a good working relationship. Joe Kennedy however, is insecure, more concerned with appearances and has a tendency to be manipulative to the point of hindering the team.
There appear to be several commonalities between the victims, including abuse from violent partners and a certain reputation for what was seen as indiscriminate and casual behaviour—mostly from intolerant and misogynistic locals with outdated standards. The women are humanised by flashback snippets of their lives and how they were taken. That combined with the police procedural and the personal and sometimes distressing life events of the recurring characters gives an appealing balance to the narrative.
As with all the stories so far in this series, pertinent issues are addressed. In Sleeping Beauties it’s sexual and physical abuse and, the idea that because of their lifestyle, some women ‘get what they deserve.’
Jo Spain has created another well plotted, fully rounded and compelling story with several surprises along the way. The police procedural and characters are realistic and, as always, Aoife McMahon’s narration is excellent.
Detective Inspector Tom Reynolds and his team are called to Glendalough, a popular tourist spot in the Wicklow Mountains National Park, where a body has been found. It’s not long before it’s clearly visible to those working the scene, this wasn’t the only grave. There were five more clearly visible when Tom realised what they were looking at. It seemed a serial killer had been, and possible may still be, operating in Ireland.
None of the bodies are that of Fiona Holland and the race is on to find her, hopefully alive. Five families were going to receive the worst news. Tom fervently hoped there wouldn’t be any more but for now he had to focus his team on identifying the remains already uncovered.
The talk of a serial killer prompts massive amount of attention from the media and, added to that, Tom’s job isn’t being helped by Joe Kennedy, Sean McGuinness’ replacement. Tom, Shaun and their wives are longtime friends and the two men had a good working relationship. Joe Kennedy however, is insecure, more concerned with appearances and has a tendency to be manipulative to the point of hindering the team.
There appear to be several commonalities between the victims, including abuse from violent partners and a certain reputation for what was seen as indiscriminate and casual behaviour—mostly from intolerant and misogynistic locals with outdated standards. The women are humanised by flashback snippets of their lives and how they were taken. That combined with the police procedural and the personal and sometimes distressing life events of the recurring characters gives an appealing balance to the narrative.
As with all the stories so far in this series, pertinent issues are addressed. In Sleeping Beauties it’s sexual and physical abuse and, the idea that because of their lifestyle, some women ‘get what they deserve.’
Jo Spain has created another well plotted, fully rounded and compelling story with several surprises along the way. The police procedural and characters are realistic and, as always, Aoife McMahon’s narration is excellent.
June 30, 2022
Jo Spains böcker blir bara bättre och bättre!!!
July 14, 2019
Read this captivating book in one day.
Centred around the disappearance of a number of women,Inspector Reynolds and his team endeavour to find the culprit among a host of well plotted red herrings.
Centred around the disappearance of a number of women,Inspector Reynolds and his team endeavour to find the culprit among a host of well plotted red herrings.
October 23, 2020
An enjoyable third outing with Inspector Reynolds. As usual, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Great characters, excellent storytelling.
April 21, 2018
Sleeping Beauties is a tale filled with Human Drama..
Missing girls, Police, and families have all been touched by the complexities of murder and madness.
This novel is brilliant. It has an emotional edge as well as a serial killer who is quite different from other fictional killers.
I loved it it was a book that I read in one sitting and is a book of two halves.
It has a real life pace, and the drama does not relent. It has twists and red herrings and then there is THAT ENDING that simply stuns.
Amazing
Missing girls, Police, and families have all been touched by the complexities of murder and madness.
This novel is brilliant. It has an emotional edge as well as a serial killer who is quite different from other fictional killers.
I loved it it was a book that I read in one sitting and is a book of two halves.
It has a real life pace, and the drama does not relent. It has twists and red herrings and then there is THAT ENDING that simply stuns.
Amazing
August 11, 2021
Adequate murder mystery set in Ireland. Multiple victims, multiple suspects. If you like your police procedurals with a wee bit o' developing romance, check this book out.
A detective does something so idiotic I nearly tossed the book--but otherwise it was a decent escape from reality.
VERDICT: ~3 stars. In spite of some danger, it leaned towards the "cozy" mystery genre.
A detective does something so idiotic I nearly tossed the book--but otherwise it was a decent escape from reality.
VERDICT: ~3 stars. In spite of some danger, it leaned towards the "cozy" mystery genre.
February 12, 2022
Ich mag die Reihe wirklich sehr, da die Charaktere wirklich zu 99% alle sympathisch sind!
Ich hoffe wirklich, dass die restlichen Bände auch noch bei uns erscheinen.
Oder ich muss tatsächlich mal anfangen das Krimi/Thriller Genre in englisch zu lesen.
Hab ich mich bis jetzt noch nicht so rangetraut.
Ich hoffe wirklich, dass die restlichen Bände auch noch bei uns erscheinen.
Oder ich muss tatsächlich mal anfangen das Krimi/Thriller Genre in englisch zu lesen.
Hab ich mich bis jetzt noch nicht so rangetraut.
March 11, 2019
Excellent mystery with many twists and turns to keep you guessing. Not a hard core thriller, has some relationship scenes, and is overall a nice, relaxing whodunnit.
October 11, 2025
کتابهای کارآگاهی از کتابهای محبوب من در ژانر جنایی نیستن. اما این مجموعه کارآگاه تام رینولدز جزو معدود کارآگاهیهاییه که دوسش دارم و بهجای اینکه زیادهگویی پرحجم داشته باشه، جذابیت داره.
داستانهای این مجموعه در ایرلند رخ میده و فرهنگ و بافت اروپایی ایرلند توش مشهوده و بهجز دنبال کردن مسیر پرونده، با زندگی شخصی و روابط شخصیتها هم آشنا میشیم.
موضوع این جلد حساس و قشنگ بود. دختران دردسرساز بدمام شهر یا روستای کوچیک که عملکرد پلیس محلی به دلیل شایعات و شناخت پیشین، ضعیفتر بوده و حالا کارآگاههای دوبلین ماجرا رو دنبال و راز جنایت رو کشف میکنن.
قتل زنان و تفکرات سنتیتر درباره رفتار زنان موضوعیه که برای ما ملموسه و روند پیگیری پرونده ریتم مناسبی داشت و از خوندنش لذت بردم.
داستانهای این مجموعه در ایرلند رخ میده و فرهنگ و بافت اروپایی ایرلند توش مشهوده و بهجز دنبال کردن مسیر پرونده، با زندگی شخصی و روابط شخصیتها هم آشنا میشیم.
موضوع این جلد حساس و قشنگ بود. دختران دردسرساز بدمام شهر یا روستای کوچیک که عملکرد پلیس محلی به دلیل شایعات و شناخت پیشین، ضعیفتر بوده و حالا کارآگاههای دوبلین ماجرا رو دنبال و راز جنایت رو کشف میکنن.
قتل زنان و تفکرات سنتیتر درباره رفتار زنان موضوعیه که برای ما ملموسه و روند پیگیری پرونده ریتم مناسبی داشت و از خوندنش لذت بردم.
September 28, 2017
Sleeping Beauties is the third in a series to feature DI Tom Reynolds and I thought it was just brilliant. I have read the other two books and although I wouldn't say it's essential to have read them first, I would recommend it because they are so good.
Jo Spain has achieved a perfect balance for me in this book between the actual case, the dynamics between Tom and his team and the victims' stories. The chapters from the women's points of view really added to the story for me as they weren't then just faceless victims but felt like more rounded people.
The book rattles along at a fair pace and it's the kind of book where just when I had decided it was time to stop reading at the end of the next chapter, I found I couldn't as I just had to know what happened next. As well as trying (and failing!) to work out who the killer could be and what their motives might be, I was really interested in the way the team worked together - or not, in case of the new boss - to try to solve the crimes. The relationships between them, though not a major part of the book, were developed really well throughout the book, particularly some of the personal relationships. There were some very poignant scenes, sensitively portrayed, between Tom and his ex-boss Sean, whose wife was suffering from dementia.
I found this to be an excellent addition to the Tom Reynolds series and I really do hope we meet him and his team again. Sleeping Beauties is an atmospheric mystery, well-plotted, where the darkness of the crimes contrasts perfectly with the beauty of the Irish landscape. It is full of unexpected twists and turns which will take you by surprise from the beginning of the book to the end.
Jo Spain has achieved a perfect balance for me in this book between the actual case, the dynamics between Tom and his team and the victims' stories. The chapters from the women's points of view really added to the story for me as they weren't then just faceless victims but felt like more rounded people.
The book rattles along at a fair pace and it's the kind of book where just when I had decided it was time to stop reading at the end of the next chapter, I found I couldn't as I just had to know what happened next. As well as trying (and failing!) to work out who the killer could be and what their motives might be, I was really interested in the way the team worked together - or not, in case of the new boss - to try to solve the crimes. The relationships between them, though not a major part of the book, were developed really well throughout the book, particularly some of the personal relationships. There were some very poignant scenes, sensitively portrayed, between Tom and his ex-boss Sean, whose wife was suffering from dementia.
I found this to be an excellent addition to the Tom Reynolds series and I really do hope we meet him and his team again. Sleeping Beauties is an atmospheric mystery, well-plotted, where the darkness of the crimes contrasts perfectly with the beauty of the Irish landscape. It is full of unexpected twists and turns which will take you by surprise from the beginning of the book to the end.
August 25, 2020
Four stars for this crime novel. I’m not usually a fan of Irish books as I tend to pick holes but this book married a great location with a quality story and stayed authentic throughout. The author avoids Irish cliches and produced a suitably twisted storyline with down to earth, likeable characters.
February 17, 2018
I
Love
Jo
Spain!!
Great book. Love the altogether human characters written into an intriguing and engaging plot line. It’s not a Booker prize winner but it’s a good read. Can’t wait until my next Jo Spain book comes in!
Love
Jo
Spain!!
Great book. Love the altogether human characters written into an intriguing and engaging plot line. It’s not a Booker prize winner but it’s a good read. Can’t wait until my next Jo Spain book comes in!
November 1, 2018
We visited many sites in Ireland this year including Glendalough, and this book brought back so many memories. A well-written crime thriller with understandable and believable characters. It shows the author’s love for Ireland and her people.
May 10, 2019
I love reading irish authors. we have some level of talent. I love how Jo uses the proper name of the Gardi. Tom Reynolds and his team are great. The crimes are fantastic and it gets you gripped, can't wait to start book 4
January 26, 2020
I read this book within a couple of days. It was so good that it was hard to put down. It was as great as a suspense-thriller movie - but in written form where you are left reeling at the twists & turns. Brilliant writer, thoroughly enjoyed this
April 21, 2020
so happy to have recently discovered jo spain, though some of her titles need to be ordered from the UK in the midst of a COVID-19 worldwide epidemic. the character arcs develop at a fast clip, and the books are concurrently grisly, suspenseful, and... tender.
June 16, 2020
I continue to love this series! The only problem is that they don't come fast enough! Not sure what else to say here: great characters, well-developed plot, great side stories, mostly "clean" reading (not entirely, but mostly). I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment...
June 20, 2020
Really into Jo Spain's Ireland. She is quickly becoming a go to writer for me. Her characters are well-drawn, and the central conceit of this novel was really exciting to read. Highly recommend her work. On to the next Tom Reynolds book!
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September 15, 2020
I absolutely love this series! I hope there are many, many more books to come. The cases are wonderfully plotted and I love getting to know a little about Tom's personal life- his wife, Louise, is awesome. And Ray and Laura... those two! Can't wait for the next installment!
October 9, 2020
Jo Spain can be favorably compared to Elizabeth George for her complex plotting, well-drawn characters, unexpectedly delicious details (where do these plants grow?) and marvelous side stories. I look forward to more.
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