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Detective Rachel Hart #2
What He Did
Your husband’s car crash wasn’t an accident…
Maddy Shaw learns the life-shattering news in the most horrific way: live on air. As the shaky phone recording pans over the terrible crash, she recognises her husband Simon’s car in the wreckage… He is critically injured, and she rushes to his side.
Detective Rachel Hart knows how it feels to have a loved one’s life hanging in the balance, and hurries to support her friend. Maddy is distraught about her husband’s accident, and Rachel decides to investigate. It’s not her case, but if she can give her friend answers, she will. But she soon realises Simon didn’t crash because he was distracted, or because a tyre blew. Someone made this happen. Someone who wants Simon dead…
After the discovery of a threatening letter buried in Simon’s diary, Maddy has to ask how well she knew her husband. Then a new victim is found – an old friend of Simon’s, a man he hasn’t seen in years. It seems a dark secret from their past has finally come to light… The killer has a list of targets, and they are dying one by one.
Rachel must race against time to protect her friend and find the murderer, before another life is taken. But however fast she runs, it seems the killer is always one step ahead. And Maddy must decide if she wants the truth – even if it puts her in the killer’s path…
A twisty and breath-taking thriller for fans of Rachel Abbott, Cara Hunter and Angela Marsons.
Maddy Shaw learns the life-shattering news in the most horrific way: live on air. As the shaky phone recording pans over the terrible crash, she recognises her husband Simon’s car in the wreckage… He is critically injured, and she rushes to his side.
Detective Rachel Hart knows how it feels to have a loved one’s life hanging in the balance, and hurries to support her friend. Maddy is distraught about her husband’s accident, and Rachel decides to investigate. It’s not her case, but if she can give her friend answers, she will. But she soon realises Simon didn’t crash because he was distracted, or because a tyre blew. Someone made this happen. Someone who wants Simon dead…
After the discovery of a threatening letter buried in Simon’s diary, Maddy has to ask how well she knew her husband. Then a new victim is found – an old friend of Simon’s, a man he hasn’t seen in years. It seems a dark secret from their past has finally come to light… The killer has a list of targets, and they are dying one by one.
Rachel must race against time to protect her friend and find the murderer, before another life is taken. But however fast she runs, it seems the killer is always one step ahead. And Maddy must decide if she wants the truth – even if it puts her in the killer’s path…
A twisty and breath-taking thriller for fans of Rachel Abbott, Cara Hunter and Angela Marsons.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2019
312 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
October 16, 2019
Maddy is a newsreader. She's on-air covering the news when pictures of a road traffic accident comes in. Maddy recognizes the car, her husband Simon was driving it. Simon is put in a drug induced coma to try and aid his recovery. DCI Rachel Hart is in charge of investigating the crash. Was it drive error or something more sinister that caused the accident? Rachel also has a new man on the scene. But will she let him get close this time?
Although it's a little predictable at times, this is still a very good read. It's also shaping up to be a terrific series. There are skeletons in every cupboard and it seems Simon has a few. As he is in a coma, he can't answer the questions both Rachel and Maddy have for him. During the investigation they find a threatening letter that had other peoples names on it that Simon used to have links to. Theres a story within a story that brings the past and the present together. We also meet Tim, a lawyer and Rachel's new man friend. Hes trying to break down Rachel's barriers, ut will he succeed? Rachel's twin sister Ruth is also in this book, we met her in the first book. Ruth has some mental health issues that stem from her childhood. She lives in residential care. Some parts of this story are a bit obvious but that did not stop me from enjoying this book. Theres also a cliffhanger ending. Cant wait to read the next book in this police procedural series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author J.G. Roberts for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
Although it's a little predictable at times, this is still a very good read. It's also shaping up to be a terrific series. There are skeletons in every cupboard and it seems Simon has a few. As he is in a coma, he can't answer the questions both Rachel and Maddy have for him. During the investigation they find a threatening letter that had other peoples names on it that Simon used to have links to. Theres a story within a story that brings the past and the present together. We also meet Tim, a lawyer and Rachel's new man friend. Hes trying to break down Rachel's barriers, ut will he succeed? Rachel's twin sister Ruth is also in this book, we met her in the first book. Ruth has some mental health issues that stem from her childhood. She lives in residential care. Some parts of this story are a bit obvious but that did not stop me from enjoying this book. Theres also a cliffhanger ending. Cant wait to read the next book in this police procedural series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author J.G. Roberts for my ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 2, 2019
I haven’t read Book 1 in the series but there’s enough info in Book 2 to be brought up to speed and so can easily be read as a stand alone
The premise for this book sounded intriguing, live on air Maddy reports a terrible car crash, she learns while speaking that the car involved is her husbands, Simon!....and so the story then unfolds re wether this is in fact an accident or more likely a deliberate act and if so why
Enter Detective Rachel Hart to try and solve the mystery and also to try and solve some of her own life problems!
The ensuing story was then quite basically ( imo ) told and had some irritating characters, the worst being Siena ( Maddy and Simon’s daughter ) who at 22 has to sleep with her Mum after the ‘ love of her life’ has chosen a new girlfriend, I mean I felt some sympathy but she was at times pathetic for her age
The actual bones of the story are quite disturbing and what is happening to Simon ( and others ) is something Detective Hart takes on with determination
However the non urgent tone of the book’s writing style plus the near ridiculous ending meant this in a near non ending sea of great and good books made it an averagely ok read
5/10
3 Stars
June 1, 2020
Detective Rachel Hart gets a call from her good friend, Maddy. Maddy's husband, Simon, has been involved in a horrific car crash and is critically injured.
Although not her case, Rachel decides to investigate .. and finds that someone on a motorbike caused the crash. Upon watching all the tapes, that someone fired a bullet into Simon's car, causing the accident.
During the ongoing investigation, Maddy begins to have doubts about her husband. He took out a second mortgage on their home by forging her signature. She's also found a threatening letter to Simon with a list of names of the back of the note.
Giving this information to Rachel, the detective finds that the names belong to friends from the past.... and one of those names recently died. And then there's another death ..another of the names that can be scratched off the list. And yet another ....
What is their connection? Is Simon even who his wife thinks he is? Does he have secrets so deep, so dark that they rip the very fabric of their relationship?
A solidly written plot with deftly drawn characters and loads of action makes this a real page turner. Rachel is an ideal serial character and I like how the author has blended both her professional and personal lives. There is a slight cliff-hanger, making me whet my appetite to start book 3 in this series.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Although not her case, Rachel decides to investigate .. and finds that someone on a motorbike caused the crash. Upon watching all the tapes, that someone fired a bullet into Simon's car, causing the accident.
During the ongoing investigation, Maddy begins to have doubts about her husband. He took out a second mortgage on their home by forging her signature. She's also found a threatening letter to Simon with a list of names of the back of the note.
Giving this information to Rachel, the detective finds that the names belong to friends from the past.... and one of those names recently died. And then there's another death ..another of the names that can be scratched off the list. And yet another ....
What is their connection? Is Simon even who his wife thinks he is? Does he have secrets so deep, so dark that they rip the very fabric of their relationship?
A solidly written plot with deftly drawn characters and loads of action makes this a real page turner. Rachel is an ideal serial character and I like how the author has blended both her professional and personal lives. There is a slight cliff-hanger, making me whet my appetite to start book 3 in this series.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
October 23, 2019
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
I first met Detective Rachel Hart in the first book of this series, Little Girl Missing. Just like before, Rachel takes on another chilling case.
Maddy Shaw is doing her regular newscast. As she begins reporting, images begin showing up on the video screen. She freezes and all of the color drains from her face. It is the worst thing she could have ever imagined. She is reporting of a life-threatening car wreck and it doesn't take her but a minute to recognize that the car belongs to her husband Simon. She races to the hospital to sit vigil at his bedside.
Meanwhile, Maddy is devastated by the fact that she is sitting in a hospital, waiting yet again. The other time, it was due to her daughter. She nearly took her own life. Maddy suddenly panics. She is hoping that her daughter does not hear about it on TV or via social media. At first she thinks she has no one to call, but remembers a detective who stood by her during and after her daughter's crisis, Rachel Hart.
Rachel drops everything to get to Maddy's daughter, prepare her and bring her to the hospital. That is the friend in her. However, the cop in her immediately goes to work. She discreetly asks a coworker to start an investigation. As things slowly unravel, Rachel begins to see that this was no ordinary car accident. Before long, Rachel clearly sees that Simon's car crash was foul play.As Maddy begins to go through Simon's things, she finds a threatening letter. This letter leads credence to Rachel's suspicions.
What a fast-paced, thrilling story! It is not only extremely time sensitive for Rachel to find out who caused Simon's crash, she also has to try and stop other connected murders from occurring, keep Simon alive, all while being there for Maddy and their daughter.
I couldn't put this book down. It was written so very well. It touched on some sensitive subjects for sure, but they were handled quite well. Rachel is a no-holds barred detective and I cannot wait to see her solve her next case.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
I first met Detective Rachel Hart in the first book of this series, Little Girl Missing. Just like before, Rachel takes on another chilling case.
Maddy Shaw is doing her regular newscast. As she begins reporting, images begin showing up on the video screen. She freezes and all of the color drains from her face. It is the worst thing she could have ever imagined. She is reporting of a life-threatening car wreck and it doesn't take her but a minute to recognize that the car belongs to her husband Simon. She races to the hospital to sit vigil at his bedside.
Meanwhile, Maddy is devastated by the fact that she is sitting in a hospital, waiting yet again. The other time, it was due to her daughter. She nearly took her own life. Maddy suddenly panics. She is hoping that her daughter does not hear about it on TV or via social media. At first she thinks she has no one to call, but remembers a detective who stood by her during and after her daughter's crisis, Rachel Hart.
Rachel drops everything to get to Maddy's daughter, prepare her and bring her to the hospital. That is the friend in her. However, the cop in her immediately goes to work. She discreetly asks a coworker to start an investigation. As things slowly unravel, Rachel begins to see that this was no ordinary car accident. Before long, Rachel clearly sees that Simon's car crash was foul play.As Maddy begins to go through Simon's things, she finds a threatening letter. This letter leads credence to Rachel's suspicions.
What a fast-paced, thrilling story! It is not only extremely time sensitive for Rachel to find out who caused Simon's crash, she also has to try and stop other connected murders from occurring, keep Simon alive, all while being there for Maddy and their daughter.
I couldn't put this book down. It was written so very well. It touched on some sensitive subjects for sure, but they were handled quite well. Rachel is a no-holds barred detective and I cannot wait to see her solve her next case.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
October 21, 2019
This is a great series and the second book has provided more of the backstory of Detective Rachel Hart’s life.
Rachel starts to look into a near fatal car crash when she finds out it’s the husband of someone she knows.
It soon comes to light that this was no accident and there is link to a recent death in the area.
Rachel offers support to her friend, Maddy, and her daughter but when the investigation reveals something dark from the past she has to hold things back from them.
The investigation takes some unexpected turns and I really liked the way the story came together.
This is a gripping crime thriller that had me hooked from the first few pages.
After that ending, I will definitely be reading the next book in the series....
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Rachel starts to look into a near fatal car crash when she finds out it’s the husband of someone she knows.
It soon comes to light that this was no accident and there is link to a recent death in the area.
Rachel offers support to her friend, Maddy, and her daughter but when the investigation reveals something dark from the past she has to hold things back from them.
The investigation takes some unexpected turns and I really liked the way the story came together.
This is a gripping crime thriller that had me hooked from the first few pages.
After that ending, I will definitely be reading the next book in the series....
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
March 10, 2020
What He Did is a super, twist packed installment to the Detective Rachel Hart series! I loved the last book - Little Girl Missing and was eager to see what the author had in store for her readers this time! And it was brilliant! Although the book might seem to start in a bit of a slow manner, it picks up pace quickly and the twists are simply great! Especially that last line - it was creepy and has left me wondering what the next case will entail. I can't wait!
When Maggie Shaw learns of her husband's accident on live TV, her whole world is turned upside down. Maggie & Simon were only just about recovering from their only child's suicide attempt. So when Maggie turns to help from her only friend Rachel Hart, she knows Rachel being a detective will see things to the end and find out what really happened to Simon. Desperate to help Rachel in her inquiry, when Maggie discovers an anonymous threatening note in her husband's diary she doesn't know who would hate her loving husband so much & why. Maggie always assumed Simon and she had a transparent marriage and no secrets from each other. Battered & bruised, Simon lying in a coma puts the Shaw's unity to test. When another former professional footballer is found brutally murdered, Rachel knows that there is a vicious killer loose who will not stop killing until they are stopped. Finding the link between the victims leads Rachel to discover shocking truths that may just make her a target for the killer.
I loved Rachel and admired her drive in Book 1. She was relentless in pursuing the killer. This story, however, she was more into delegation and getting the work done while she concentrated on her personal life & helping out a friend. The characters of this book are great and well fleshed out, especially new characters like Maddy & Siena. The plot is amazing with me being super impressed with those shocking twists in the end. The book ended with a cliffhanger, so I will definitely be returning to this brilliant series and see what life has next in store for Rachel.
Thank You, NetGalley, Bookouture & J.G. Roberts for an arc!
When Maggie Shaw learns of her husband's accident on live TV, her whole world is turned upside down. Maggie & Simon were only just about recovering from their only child's suicide attempt. So when Maggie turns to help from her only friend Rachel Hart, she knows Rachel being a detective will see things to the end and find out what really happened to Simon. Desperate to help Rachel in her inquiry, when Maggie discovers an anonymous threatening note in her husband's diary she doesn't know who would hate her loving husband so much & why. Maggie always assumed Simon and she had a transparent marriage and no secrets from each other. Battered & bruised, Simon lying in a coma puts the Shaw's unity to test. When another former professional footballer is found brutally murdered, Rachel knows that there is a vicious killer loose who will not stop killing until they are stopped. Finding the link between the victims leads Rachel to discover shocking truths that may just make her a target for the killer.
I loved Rachel and admired her drive in Book 1. She was relentless in pursuing the killer. This story, however, she was more into delegation and getting the work done while she concentrated on her personal life & helping out a friend. The characters of this book are great and well fleshed out, especially new characters like Maddy & Siena. The plot is amazing with me being super impressed with those shocking twists in the end. The book ended with a cliffhanger, so I will definitely be returning to this brilliant series and see what life has next in store for Rachel.
Thank You, NetGalley, Bookouture & J.G. Roberts for an arc!
October 22, 2019
This is a fast-paced crime thriller, the second in the series featuring DCI Rachel Hart, and I have some mixed feelings, especially about the cliffhanger ending and some unresolved issues. I assume that's the tag for book 3. I don't know about your reading habits, but mine are such that by the time it comes out, I will have totally forgotten my urgent need to know and may no longer even care. That being said, this is a decent detective novel though quite predictable once we learn what's really going on.
The novel starts with a car wreck. The critically injured man, Simon Shaw, is the husband of one of Rachel's friends. Maddy Shaw, a newscaster on "News 24/7, just happened to be on-air when the bulletin came across. She didn't want their 22-year-old daughter, Siena, to hear it on the television because Siena had recently suffered a suicide attempt after her boyfriend dumped her, so Rachel goes to be with Siena while Maddy breaks the news. It gets even worse for the family, however, when it's discovered that the car accident may have actually been attempted murder. And even more revelations follow -- Simon hadn't exactly been entirely truthful with his wife and had been hiding a big, bad secret from his youthful footballer days. When other dead men turn up, all related to the incident that also involved Simon, DCI Hart knows she has a complex situation on her hands. The detectives are on the hunt for the killer, but it may be someone who they don't expect. It seems that revenge may just be a dish best served cold. NO SPOILERS.
This is a complicated story with lots of background and deals with an historic event. There are lots of characters to keep track of and a great deal of leg work in the investigation. In addition, Rachel's personal life becomes more of a focus as she gets to know Tim, her fledgling defense lawyer boyfriend, a bit better. I admit, I have a hard time when characters have all this emotional baggage they can't unload, but hopefully Rachel can get it together and move on from her feelings about her own past and her twin sister, Ruth. But I doubt it! I don't think Ruth will let her!
I do believe you would want to read the first book in this series first in order to get a handle on Rachel Hart, but perhaps enough is relayed in this narrative to catch you up without doing so. I've read both books now, and it's likely I'll go ahead and sign on for #3. I'm a sucker for female detectives though there's a part of me that wonders how some of these messed up women get to their positions. Sorry, but surely there could be a few that don't have so many mental issues or horrid pasts or skeletons in their closets? But, I digress. This was a solid follow-up though the plot wasn't especially unusual and with the loose ends, I'm not sure how things end up for the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.
The novel starts with a car wreck. The critically injured man, Simon Shaw, is the husband of one of Rachel's friends. Maddy Shaw, a newscaster on "News 24/7, just happened to be on-air when the bulletin came across. She didn't want their 22-year-old daughter, Siena, to hear it on the television because Siena had recently suffered a suicide attempt after her boyfriend dumped her, so Rachel goes to be with Siena while Maddy breaks the news. It gets even worse for the family, however, when it's discovered that the car accident may have actually been attempted murder. And even more revelations follow -- Simon hadn't exactly been entirely truthful with his wife and had been hiding a big, bad secret from his youthful footballer days. When other dead men turn up, all related to the incident that also involved Simon, DCI Hart knows she has a complex situation on her hands. The detectives are on the hunt for the killer, but it may be someone who they don't expect. It seems that revenge may just be a dish best served cold. NO SPOILERS.
This is a complicated story with lots of background and deals with an historic event. There are lots of characters to keep track of and a great deal of leg work in the investigation. In addition, Rachel's personal life becomes more of a focus as she gets to know Tim, her fledgling defense lawyer boyfriend, a bit better. I admit, I have a hard time when characters have all this emotional baggage they can't unload, but hopefully Rachel can get it together and move on from her feelings about her own past and her twin sister, Ruth. But I doubt it! I don't think Ruth will let her!
I do believe you would want to read the first book in this series first in order to get a handle on Rachel Hart, but perhaps enough is relayed in this narrative to catch you up without doing so. I've read both books now, and it's likely I'll go ahead and sign on for #3. I'm a sucker for female detectives though there's a part of me that wonders how some of these messed up women get to their positions. Sorry, but surely there could be a few that don't have so many mental issues or horrid pasts or skeletons in their closets? But, I digress. This was a solid follow-up though the plot wasn't especially unusual and with the loose ends, I'm not sure how things end up for the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.
October 21, 2019
Quite a different police procedural, it had friendship at the backdrop of it. It wasn't clinical like the other books in this genre, the personal aspects written were more interesting.
It started gently with a family of 3, where the father Simon was hiding a secrets, daughter Siena was coming out of a bad break-up and attempted suicide, and the mother Maddy trying to look after her family. Simon had a near fatal road accident, Maddy called DI Rachel Hart to help. Their lives had crossed previously at the nursing home where Rachel's twin sister was residing. More deaths occured, Rachel investigated, trying to find the links and motive.
My second book by JG Roberts, and I enjoyed it completely. I took quite a bit of time to savor the words. Relationships were explored, family dynamics were shown. Rachel's twin sister Ruth and boyfriend Tim were the added surprises. I had a feeling book 3 would be explosive.
It was not easy being the boss, and Rachel had to work hard to keep a balance. Minor disgruntled attitude of her team made it real. But every investigation has hardwork of the team members. This had hours of legwork and careful analysis to reach to the conclusion. The ending was kind of predictable, but it was the journey which held me gripped to my kindle.
Now I want book 3, I have a strange feeling about some characters in this book. I need to know if my instincts are spot-on.
It started gently with a family of 3, where the father Simon was hiding a secrets, daughter Siena was coming out of a bad break-up and attempted suicide, and the mother Maddy trying to look after her family. Simon had a near fatal road accident, Maddy called DI Rachel Hart to help. Their lives had crossed previously at the nursing home where Rachel's twin sister was residing. More deaths occured, Rachel investigated, trying to find the links and motive.
My second book by JG Roberts, and I enjoyed it completely. I took quite a bit of time to savor the words. Relationships were explored, family dynamics were shown. Rachel's twin sister Ruth and boyfriend Tim were the added surprises. I had a feeling book 3 would be explosive.
It was not easy being the boss, and Rachel had to work hard to keep a balance. Minor disgruntled attitude of her team made it real. But every investigation has hardwork of the team members. This had hours of legwork and careful analysis to reach to the conclusion. The ending was kind of predictable, but it was the journey which held me gripped to my kindle.
Now I want book 3, I have a strange feeling about some characters in this book. I need to know if my instincts are spot-on.
November 4, 2019
The second book to feature DCI Rachel Hart but my first, WHAT HE DID is a fast-paced thriller and police procedural with a difference. I like that you can pick up this book without having read the first one
"Little Girl Missing"
(though admittedly, it has been on my TBR list even longer) as there is enough backstory to bring you up to speed so therefore it can be read as a standalone. But having read this one, I now want to read
"Little Girl Missing"
even more!
The story opens with a Prologue with a seemingly quiet man who keeps largely to himself tending to the plants in the Botanical Gardens. He is approached by an attractive foreign woman he notices sketching, asking for his opinions of her drawings. The man, Neil Edison, has little confidence when it comes to social situations but he soon finds himself conversing comfortably with this beautiful woman. As she turns the pages of her sketchbook to show her him her other drawings, the nib of one of her pens catches on Neil's hand. His body is found later that week in his flat and his death is reported as a suicide having long suffered from depression.
We are then introduced to the Shaw family - father Simon, ex-football player now manager who it seems has been hiding secrets, daughter Siena who is in a depressive slump after being dumped by the love of her life and then attempted suicide...and then there is mother Maddy, who is trying to keep it all together and look after her family whilst juggling a career as a news presenter with network News 24/7. The family are affluent enough to comfortable but even that is not enough to keep tragedy from their door.
Simon and Maddy go to work as usual one Monday morning, with Simon leaving earlier to beat the rush hour into London. By the time Maddy makes it onto the motorway, she's wishing she'd left at the same time as traffic is at a standstill with an apparent car accident further ahead, making her late for make-up before going on air at midday. Maddy and her co-presenter Tim go live as the begin with the road traffic accident that held commuters up that morning. Reading from the auto-cue, Maddy stops mid-sentence as photos from the accident go live, recognising the inverted Jaguar her husband Simon left for work in that morning. Speechless with her producer screeching in her earpiece, Maddy is immobilised as Tim takes over the report and Maddy is lead from the set. All she can manage is to say that the car was Simon's. The network immediately arrange for a taxi to take her to Charing Cross Hospital where Simon rushed to.
Upon arrival, Maddy soon learns that Simon is critically injured and has been placed in an induced coma to allow any brain swelling from the head injury he sustained to decrease which will then aid his recovery. With no one she could really call on for support, she remembers the kindness of one woman she met in another hospital, and decides to call on her to help break the news to Siena.
Rachel Hart met Maddy in the psychiatric care home her twin sister Ruth is a permanent resident of after Siena's suicide attempt. She had given her her card and said to call her anytime should she need her. So when Rachel receives Maddy's call, she doesn't hesitate to be of assistance. She drops everything to go to Siena to break the news, prepare her and then drive her the 35 miles to the hospital to sit with her mother by her father's bedside.
While the accident is technically not her case, Rachel offers to do a little digging tasking her DI to make some discreet enquiries. It soon comes to light that the accident was anything but when they discover a bullet lodged into driver's seat and as Simon was a resident of their jurisdiction, Rachel and her team began investigations into what really happened. A search of Maddy's house uncovers a threatening letter and list of names of people Simon once had links to during his football playing career.
Then a priest is found murdered in a quiet village, stabbed in the neck in the confessional. When news of his death is aired, Maddy recognises it at once and makes the connection to the suicide she reported on a week or so ago. Simon, Neil and Ray (the murdered priest) were on the same team who played football together some twenty four years ago. Maddy is frantic upon discovering the link and contacts Rachel with the information. Suddenly, Simon's accident takes on a sinister turn when linked with the two deaths. But there was another two names on that list in Simon's study. Can Rachel and her team find them in time before there are any more deaths?
Meanwhile, the team are also acting on a hunch that Siena's ex - Rob Turnbull, a sergeant in the army - may have had something to do with Simon's accident and travel to Wales, where is on a three day manoeuvre, to bring him in for questioning. But when they arrive they discover that Rob left soon after arrival, leaving his mate to cover for him. So where was he now and did he have something to do with Simon's accident after all?
We also meet Bella, a young Portuguese agency nurse who worked for a time at the hospital Siena was in after her suicide attempt and is now on the ward in Charing Cross where Simon now is receiving care after his accident that wasn't. Bella has her own sad story of an alcoholic mother who practically abandoned her, leaving her to be brought up by her grandmother Vevo, who is now terminally ill with cancer. She converses via email with her best friend Beca regularly for updates on Vevo before she must return to Portugal and her dying grandmother, the only parent she has really known.
Bella's story is soon woven into Maddy's to reveal a dark and disturbing secret that is set to turn everything on its head...and Maddy's world upside down.
A spotlight is also shown on Rachel's personal life as she gets to know Tim, a lawyer she has met through the course of her work, and though she draws the line at dating fellow coppers she sees no harm in stepping out with Tim. However Rachel has trust issues and fears and tends to push suitors away when they start to get too close, whilst carrying a baggage load of history. But is Tim all that he appears? To me he seemed a little manipulative and while Rachel found herself getting too close for comfort, Tim offered no resistance when suggesting he meet her sister Ruth. But Rachel and Ruth have their own shared past which is both painful and heartbreaking. Can Rachel move on from that and find happiness? And will it be with Tim?
WHAT HE DID is a different type of police procedural where the focus is more on the other characters rather than Rachel and her team. It made it seem more like psychological tale of suspense where the police are secondary to the main story...and I kind of liked it. We still got to know Rachel and her foibles as well as her strengths as a police officer tasked with leading an investigation. But at the same time it was more than that. What makes it so different is that friendship is in play as a backdrop to the main story involving Rachel, Maddy and even Siena.
A complex story that is both compelling and intriguing, WHAT HE DID is fast paced and action packed with no holds barred that will leave you wanting more! If this book is anything to go by, the first one as well as the rest of the series is one that is not to be missed and I look forward to plenty more like it.
I really loved WHAT HE DID and devoured it in almost one sitting...but for the need to feed hubby. I don't care if the story is predictable - it's the ride I come here for! And boy, what a ride! Although I am still left with a few questions about the goings on in Rachel's personal life, I hope to see them resolved in future releases. I need to know if my instincts are correct...
Definitely recommended to lovers of psychological thrillers who love their books fast paced with short snappy chapters, WHAT HE DID is one not to be missed!
I would like to thank #JGRoberts, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhatHeDid in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
The story opens with a Prologue with a seemingly quiet man who keeps largely to himself tending to the plants in the Botanical Gardens. He is approached by an attractive foreign woman he notices sketching, asking for his opinions of her drawings. The man, Neil Edison, has little confidence when it comes to social situations but he soon finds himself conversing comfortably with this beautiful woman. As she turns the pages of her sketchbook to show her him her other drawings, the nib of one of her pens catches on Neil's hand. His body is found later that week in his flat and his death is reported as a suicide having long suffered from depression.
We are then introduced to the Shaw family - father Simon, ex-football player now manager who it seems has been hiding secrets, daughter Siena who is in a depressive slump after being dumped by the love of her life and then attempted suicide...and then there is mother Maddy, who is trying to keep it all together and look after her family whilst juggling a career as a news presenter with network News 24/7. The family are affluent enough to comfortable but even that is not enough to keep tragedy from their door.
Simon and Maddy go to work as usual one Monday morning, with Simon leaving earlier to beat the rush hour into London. By the time Maddy makes it onto the motorway, she's wishing she'd left at the same time as traffic is at a standstill with an apparent car accident further ahead, making her late for make-up before going on air at midday. Maddy and her co-presenter Tim go live as the begin with the road traffic accident that held commuters up that morning. Reading from the auto-cue, Maddy stops mid-sentence as photos from the accident go live, recognising the inverted Jaguar her husband Simon left for work in that morning. Speechless with her producer screeching in her earpiece, Maddy is immobilised as Tim takes over the report and Maddy is lead from the set. All she can manage is to say that the car was Simon's. The network immediately arrange for a taxi to take her to Charing Cross Hospital where Simon rushed to.
Upon arrival, Maddy soon learns that Simon is critically injured and has been placed in an induced coma to allow any brain swelling from the head injury he sustained to decrease which will then aid his recovery. With no one she could really call on for support, she remembers the kindness of one woman she met in another hospital, and decides to call on her to help break the news to Siena.
Rachel Hart met Maddy in the psychiatric care home her twin sister Ruth is a permanent resident of after Siena's suicide attempt. She had given her her card and said to call her anytime should she need her. So when Rachel receives Maddy's call, she doesn't hesitate to be of assistance. She drops everything to go to Siena to break the news, prepare her and then drive her the 35 miles to the hospital to sit with her mother by her father's bedside.
While the accident is technically not her case, Rachel offers to do a little digging tasking her DI to make some discreet enquiries. It soon comes to light that the accident was anything but when they discover a bullet lodged into driver's seat and as Simon was a resident of their jurisdiction, Rachel and her team began investigations into what really happened. A search of Maddy's house uncovers a threatening letter and list of names of people Simon once had links to during his football playing career.
Then a priest is found murdered in a quiet village, stabbed in the neck in the confessional. When news of his death is aired, Maddy recognises it at once and makes the connection to the suicide she reported on a week or so ago. Simon, Neil and Ray (the murdered priest) were on the same team who played football together some twenty four years ago. Maddy is frantic upon discovering the link and contacts Rachel with the information. Suddenly, Simon's accident takes on a sinister turn when linked with the two deaths. But there was another two names on that list in Simon's study. Can Rachel and her team find them in time before there are any more deaths?
Meanwhile, the team are also acting on a hunch that Siena's ex - Rob Turnbull, a sergeant in the army - may have had something to do with Simon's accident and travel to Wales, where is on a three day manoeuvre, to bring him in for questioning. But when they arrive they discover that Rob left soon after arrival, leaving his mate to cover for him. So where was he now and did he have something to do with Simon's accident after all?
We also meet Bella, a young Portuguese agency nurse who worked for a time at the hospital Siena was in after her suicide attempt and is now on the ward in Charing Cross where Simon now is receiving care after his accident that wasn't. Bella has her own sad story of an alcoholic mother who practically abandoned her, leaving her to be brought up by her grandmother Vevo, who is now terminally ill with cancer. She converses via email with her best friend Beca regularly for updates on Vevo before she must return to Portugal and her dying grandmother, the only parent she has really known.
Bella's story is soon woven into Maddy's to reveal a dark and disturbing secret that is set to turn everything on its head...and Maddy's world upside down.
A spotlight is also shown on Rachel's personal life as she gets to know Tim, a lawyer she has met through the course of her work, and though she draws the line at dating fellow coppers she sees no harm in stepping out with Tim. However Rachel has trust issues and fears and tends to push suitors away when they start to get too close, whilst carrying a baggage load of history. But is Tim all that he appears? To me he seemed a little manipulative and while Rachel found herself getting too close for comfort, Tim offered no resistance when suggesting he meet her sister Ruth. But Rachel and Ruth have their own shared past which is both painful and heartbreaking. Can Rachel move on from that and find happiness? And will it be with Tim?
WHAT HE DID is a different type of police procedural where the focus is more on the other characters rather than Rachel and her team. It made it seem more like psychological tale of suspense where the police are secondary to the main story...and I kind of liked it. We still got to know Rachel and her foibles as well as her strengths as a police officer tasked with leading an investigation. But at the same time it was more than that. What makes it so different is that friendship is in play as a backdrop to the main story involving Rachel, Maddy and even Siena.
A complex story that is both compelling and intriguing, WHAT HE DID is fast paced and action packed with no holds barred that will leave you wanting more! If this book is anything to go by, the first one as well as the rest of the series is one that is not to be missed and I look forward to plenty more like it.
I really loved WHAT HE DID and devoured it in almost one sitting...but for the need to feed hubby. I don't care if the story is predictable - it's the ride I come here for! And boy, what a ride! Although I am still left with a few questions about the goings on in Rachel's personal life, I hope to see them resolved in future releases. I need to know if my instincts are correct...
Definitely recommended to lovers of psychological thrillers who love their books fast paced with short snappy chapters, WHAT HE DID is one not to be missed!
I would like to thank #JGRoberts, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhatHeDid in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
November 2, 2019
When Maddy's husband Simon is badly injured in a car crash she turns to her friend Detective Rachel Hart. Something doesn't seem quite right & dash cam view of it shows that it might not have been an accident after all. At first things seem to point to Maddy's daughter's boyfriend. Simon's last conversation with him had been somewhat threatening. When a priest is found murdered in the confessional & a suicide may not be all it seems the link is made to Simon- they were all part of an up & coming football team many years ago. What happened & is someone wanting revenge even after so many years?
I enjoyed the first in this series & this book was even better. The story was well plotted & the characters were interesting & believable. I'm already looking forward to the next one.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
I enjoyed the first in this series & this book was even better. The story was well plotted & the characters were interesting & believable. I'm already looking forward to the next one.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
September 25, 2020
What He Did (Detective Rachel Hart Book 2)
by J.G. Roberts
Pub Date : 22 Oct 2019
302 pages
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Description:
Your husband’s car crash wasn’t an accident…Maddy Shaw learns the life-shattering news in the most horrific way: live on air. As the shaky mobile phone recording pans over the terrible crash, she recognises her husband Simon’s car in the wreckage… He is critically injured, and she rushes to his side.Detective Rachel Hart hurries to support her friend Maddy, and decides to investigate. It’s not her case, but she knows how it feels to have a loved one’s life hanging in the balance, and if she can give her friend answers, she will. But when she watches the footage, she sees a motorbike chasing the car at a dangerous speed. Simon didn’t crash because he was distracted, or because a tyre blew. Someone made this happen. Someone who wants Simon dead…After the discovery of a threatening letter, buried in Simon’s diary, Maddy has to ask how well she knew her husband. Then a new victim is found – an old friend of Simon’s, a man he hasn’t seen in years. It seems a dark secret from their past has finally come to light… Is Maddy’s whole life built on a lie?Can Rachel find the murderer and protect her friend, before time runs out? And will Maddy ever forgive her if the truth about Simon destroys everything she thought she knew?
📘📕MY REVIEW 📕📘
Wow..... What he did is a masterpiece with many twists and turns . J. G. Roberts drew me in so much that I refused to put this book down until I read the last page. What an amazing very well written story. I loved it so much that i honestly never wanted it to end. What he did is an expertly crafted story .The plot is suspenseful and thrilling at all times. It really is a roller coaster of a ride.All of the characters were very well developed, and done in such a way you really care about most of them. I started and finished this book all in one day. This is the second book I have read by this author and it was even better than the first. It Caught my attention from the very first page and i could not turn the pages fast enough. I read mystery,crime & psychological thrillers all the time and this one kept me guessing right to the end. The plot is well done and fast paced. The ending was really good . The first thing that drew me to pick this novel up was the author, and then I read the blurb and was intrigued. I would recommend this book to all mystery and thriller lovers. Definitely looking forward to the next Rachel Hart book. The side story into Rachel is just as good as the main story . In each book we have got bits and pieces of what happened to Rachel and her twin sister when they were children. Please write faster J.G. Roberts. Many thanks to the Publisher , the Author , and NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own.
♥️ About the Author ♥️
Julia Roberts was born in Nottingham in 1956 and shortly afterwards, in 1957, contracted the deadly disease Poliomyelitis, more commonly known as Polio. After a five month stay quarantined in hospital she was discharged on Christmas Eve with her left leg in a calliper. Thanks to extensive physiotherapy, swimming lessons, and persistent parents, who wanted their daughter to be able to walk through her life unaided, Julia was out of her calliper by the age of 3.
It was at primary school that Julia's creative and performance abilities began to shine through. Having started ballet classes at the age of three, again to help with strengthening her left leg, she was unable to attend for two years due to the death of her grandma and her mother's ill health. Julia recommenced dancing lessons across multiple styles at the age of 9, and also began elocution lessons. She was very successful in the Nottingham Speech and Drama festivals and also in a variety of dancing competitions. At the age of ten she wrote her first play which was performed by fellow classmates at Jesse Gray School, and buoyed by that success she entered a short story writing competition, with her creation The Foundling, and was awarded second place.
Despite the challenges of a weak leg, Julia had decided that she wanted to become a professional dancer. Summer Seasons, pantomimes, a Caribbean cruise, and a stint at a theatre in Barcelona followed before Julia hung up her dancing shoes and moved into television. Initially she hit the screen as a TV extra before gaining small acting roles in TV shows such as Citizen Smith and many television commercials. In addition to her on screen parts, Julia also secured a recording contract in the early 1980s with a band called Jools and The Fools.
As the 1980s fitness boom gripped the nation, Julia began teaching fitness classes to supplement her income before becoming one of the original hostesses on the game show The Price is Right in 1983. After 2 series of the show, Julia had a production of her own...her son, Daniel. He was followed 13 months later by her daughter, Sophie, which led her to take a short career break.
During this time, Julia decided to try her hand at television presenting, landing herself the role of chat show host for her local channel in Croydon. One of the shows she presented weekly was entitled Palace Chatback and this led her to become an avid Crystal Palace supporter. She also produced and presented features about her team for Sky Sports.
In 1993, she auditioned to become a presenter for a shopping channel called QVC and, having been offered the job, was one of the first faces to launch the channel on 1st October the same year. Julia has worked there ever since whilst continuing presenting roles for Sky Sports and several corporate productions.
Throughout her career, Julia has always wanted to write a book but, as a working mum, was time-starved. She kept her hand in writing for magazines and newspapers, and eventually started her first book - a memoir entitled One Hundred Lengths of the Pool - in 2011. The concept was a little different from a standard memoir, with Julia using the numbers of each of the chapters to relate to moments from her life.
Having battled against Polio as a young child, Julia had a new health challenge to face as, in April 2012, she was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia. CML as it more commonly known is a rare type of blood cancer which affects only 600 people per year in the UK. Julia responded well to the early stages of her treatment but in November 2012, her BCR/ABL results showed an increase in the levels of the disease. It was a frightening time for Julia as she feared she may have developed a mutation of CML called T3151 which is resistant to any currently available drug therapy. Fortunately, an increased dosage of her treatment drug, Imatinib, brought these elevated levels of the disease down and they have continued to reduce. It was in April 2015 that Julia received the news that there is now no recordable level of the disease in her body, although she has to remain on medication for at least two more years.
Throughout her battle with CML she has continued working full-time at QVC, attempting to keep normality in her life. She signed a publishing deal with Preface Publishing for her book One Hundred Lengths of the Pool and that was a sell-out success on QVC. As a result of the publicity surrounding her book she was approached by the British Polio Fellowship and asked to become an ambassador for the charity which she readily agreed to. In conjunction with QVC, British Polio and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Julia organised a charity swimming gala where she set herself the challenge of swimming one hundred lengths of the pool while other participants took part in fun races and games. A percentage of the profits from her first book went to polio charities and a similar percentage of her latest book will go to Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.
Following the launch of her first book, Julia needed a well-deserved break and booked a holiday to Mauritius. Her children, now adults, had bought her a notebook with words on the cover that read Hold on people... I'm having an Idea. On the first morning of her holiday, Julia had just that - the idea for her first novel.
Over the course of the ten days she was in Mauritius, she scribbled copious notes, thoughts and ideas. When she arrived home, she started writing.
Life's a Beach is part one of the Liberty Sands trilogy. Julia has already started writing book two, If He Really Loved Me... , which she hopes to finish in the Autumn.
#WhatHeDid #NetGalley
What He Did: A totally gripping crime thriller (Detective Rachel Hart Book 2)
by J.G. Roberts
Pub Date : 22 Oct 2019
302 pages
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Description:
Your husband’s car crash wasn’t an accident…Maddy Shaw learns the life-shattering news in the most horrific way: live on air. As the shaky mobile phone recording pans over the terrible crash, she recognises her husband Simon’s car in the wreckage… He is critically injured, and she rushes to his side.Detective Rachel Hart hurries to support her friend Maddy, and decides to investigate. It’s not her case, but she knows how it feels to have a loved one’s life hanging in the balance, and if she can give her friend answers, she will. But when she watches the footage, she sees a motorbike chasing the car at a dangerous speed. Simon didn’t crash because he was distracted, or because a tyre blew. Someone made this happen. Someone who wants Simon dead…After the discovery of a threatening letter, buried in Simon’s diary, Maddy has to ask how well she knew her husband. Then a new victim is found – an old friend of Simon’s, a man he hasn’t seen in years. It seems a dark secret from their past has finally come to light… Is Maddy’s whole life built on a lie?Can Rachel find the murderer and protect her friend, before time runs out? And will Maddy ever forgive her if the truth about Simon destroys everything she thought she knew?
📘📕MY REVIEW 📕📘
Wow..... What he did is a masterpiece with many twists and turns . J. G. Roberts drew me in so much that I refused to put this book down until I read the last page. What an amazing very well written story. I loved it so much that i honestly never wanted it to end. What he did is an expertly crafted story .The plot is suspenseful and thrilling at all times. It really is a roller coaster of a ride.All of the characters were very well developed, and done in such a way you really care about most of them. I started and finished this book all in one day. This is the second book I have read by this author and it was even better than the first. It Caught my attention from the very first page and i could not turn the pages fast enough. I read mystery,crime & psychological thrillers all the time and this one kept me guessing right to the end. The plot is well done and fast paced. The ending was really good . The first thing that drew me to pick this novel up was the author, and then I read the blurb and was intrigued. I would recommend this book to all mystery and thriller lovers. Definitely looking forward to the next Rachel Hart book. The side story into Rachel is just as good as the main story . In each book we have got bits and pieces of what happened to Rachel and her twin sister when they were children. Please write faster J.G. Roberts. Many thanks to the Publisher , the Author , and NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own.
♥️ About the Author ♥️
Julia Roberts was born in Nottingham in 1956 and shortly afterwards, in 1957, contracted the deadly disease Poliomyelitis, more commonly known as Polio. After a five month stay quarantined in hospital she was discharged on Christmas Eve with her left leg in a calliper. Thanks to extensive physiotherapy, swimming lessons, and persistent parents, who wanted their daughter to be able to walk through her life unaided, Julia was out of her calliper by the age of 3.
It was at primary school that Julia's creative and performance abilities began to shine through. Having started ballet classes at the age of three, again to help with strengthening her left leg, she was unable to attend for two years due to the death of her grandma and her mother's ill health. Julia recommenced dancing lessons across multiple styles at the age of 9, and also began elocution lessons. She was very successful in the Nottingham Speech and Drama festivals and also in a variety of dancing competitions. At the age of ten she wrote her first play which was performed by fellow classmates at Jesse Gray School, and buoyed by that success she entered a short story writing competition, with her creation The Foundling, and was awarded second place.
Despite the challenges of a weak leg, Julia had decided that she wanted to become a professional dancer. Summer Seasons, pantomimes, a Caribbean cruise, and a stint at a theatre in Barcelona followed before Julia hung up her dancing shoes and moved into television. Initially she hit the screen as a TV extra before gaining small acting roles in TV shows such as Citizen Smith and many television commercials. In addition to her on screen parts, Julia also secured a recording contract in the early 1980s with a band called Jools and The Fools.
As the 1980s fitness boom gripped the nation, Julia began teaching fitness classes to supplement her income before becoming one of the original hostesses on the game show The Price is Right in 1983. After 2 series of the show, Julia had a production of her own...her son, Daniel. He was followed 13 months later by her daughter, Sophie, which led her to take a short career break.
During this time, Julia decided to try her hand at television presenting, landing herself the role of chat show host for her local channel in Croydon. One of the shows she presented weekly was entitled Palace Chatback and this led her to become an avid Crystal Palace supporter. She also produced and presented features about her team for Sky Sports.
In 1993, she auditioned to become a presenter for a shopping channel called QVC and, having been offered the job, was one of the first faces to launch the channel on 1st October the same year. Julia has worked there ever since whilst continuing presenting roles for Sky Sports and several corporate productions.
Throughout her career, Julia has always wanted to write a book but, as a working mum, was time-starved. She kept her hand in writing for magazines and newspapers, and eventually started her first book - a memoir entitled One Hundred Lengths of the Pool - in 2011. The concept was a little different from a standard memoir, with Julia using the numbers of each of the chapters to relate to moments from her life.
Having battled against Polio as a young child, Julia had a new health challenge to face as, in April 2012, she was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia. CML as it more commonly known is a rare type of blood cancer which affects only 600 people per year in the UK. Julia responded well to the early stages of her treatment but in November 2012, her BCR/ABL results showed an increase in the levels of the disease. It was a frightening time for Julia as she feared she may have developed a mutation of CML called T3151 which is resistant to any currently available drug therapy. Fortunately, an increased dosage of her treatment drug, Imatinib, brought these elevated levels of the disease down and they have continued to reduce. It was in April 2015 that Julia received the news that there is now no recordable level of the disease in her body, although she has to remain on medication for at least two more years.
Throughout her battle with CML she has continued working full-time at QVC, attempting to keep normality in her life. She signed a publishing deal with Preface Publishing for her book One Hundred Lengths of the Pool and that was a sell-out success on QVC. As a result of the publicity surrounding her book she was approached by the British Polio Fellowship and asked to become an ambassador for the charity which she readily agreed to. In conjunction with QVC, British Polio and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Julia organised a charity swimming gala where she set herself the challenge of swimming one hundred lengths of the pool while other participants took part in fun races and games. A percentage of the profits from her first book went to polio charities and a similar percentage of her latest book will go to Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.
Following the launch of her first book, Julia needed a well-deserved break and booked a holiday to Mauritius. Her children, now adults, had bought her a notebook with words on the cover that read Hold on people... I'm having an Idea. On the first morning of her holiday, Julia had just that - the idea for her first novel.
Over the course of the ten days she was in Mauritius, she scribbled copious notes, thoughts and ideas. When she arrived home, she started writing.
Life's a Beach is part one of the Liberty Sands trilogy. Julia has already started writing book two, If He Really Loved Me... , which she hopes to finish in the Autumn.
#WhatHeDid #NetGalley
What He Did: A totally gripping crime thriller (Detective Rachel Hart Book 2)
October 27, 2019
]When a woman approaches a man working in the greenhouses of the botanical gardens in South West London, it seems harmless but it is anything but.
What begins as a pretty typical day for the Shaw family soon turns into a day that will dramatically change their lives. Maddie is a TV newsreader with the first Breaking News she has to read out, that of the motorway been closed because of a traffic accident. When she has time to glance at the pictures that are being shown she recognises the badly damaged car as that of her husband Simon. Simon has been rushed to hospital where after surgery he has been put into an induced coma to hopefully recover. While Simon lays oblivious to what is going on his past is rapidly catching up with him. He is the lucky one, his friends and colleagues from another life are not being so fortunate.
Detective Rachel Hart is a personal friend of Maddie and tries on the quiet to find out more about the accident her husband has been in. It soon turns into a case she is asked to head as dots begin to link together from what had been thought of as other random deaths. This develops into a brilliant storyline that I hadn’t even second-guessed at. Something that at times has been quite topical in news, but not to this extent.
There is also a secondary storyline, which I believe began to unfold in the first book of this series that revolves around Detective Rachel Hart. I enjoyed this side of the story just as much. I really liked Rachel who at times struggled with how much she could tell Maddie and how much she had to keep just to the investigation. So much I hadn’t seen coming, a lot like real life in that respect. The last few chapters were tremendously exciting in every way possible. Very much looking forward to the next book in this series.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
What begins as a pretty typical day for the Shaw family soon turns into a day that will dramatically change their lives. Maddie is a TV newsreader with the first Breaking News she has to read out, that of the motorway been closed because of a traffic accident. When she has time to glance at the pictures that are being shown she recognises the badly damaged car as that of her husband Simon. Simon has been rushed to hospital where after surgery he has been put into an induced coma to hopefully recover. While Simon lays oblivious to what is going on his past is rapidly catching up with him. He is the lucky one, his friends and colleagues from another life are not being so fortunate.
Detective Rachel Hart is a personal friend of Maddie and tries on the quiet to find out more about the accident her husband has been in. It soon turns into a case she is asked to head as dots begin to link together from what had been thought of as other random deaths. This develops into a brilliant storyline that I hadn’t even second-guessed at. Something that at times has been quite topical in news, but not to this extent.
There is also a secondary storyline, which I believe began to unfold in the first book of this series that revolves around Detective Rachel Hart. I enjoyed this side of the story just as much. I really liked Rachel who at times struggled with how much she could tell Maddie and how much she had to keep just to the investigation. So much I hadn’t seen coming, a lot like real life in that respect. The last few chapters were tremendously exciting in every way possible. Very much looking forward to the next book in this series.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
November 3, 2019
What He Did is the second in the police procedural series featuring Detective Rachel Hart. Having missed the first book in the series - Little Girl Missing - I was happy to jump straight in and read this independently without any issues as the author, J. G. Roberts provided enough background to allow me to feel comfortable with the characters and setting. Rachel Hart made a caring, determined detective with plenty of inner reserve and I would have gladly had her on my team.
This novel was a fantastic, electrifying and solid domestic thriller and I really warmed to Rachel from the outset. It was well-balanced and it had me glued to the pages as I was desperate to know the outcome of the story.
DCI Hart decides to investigate the mysterious circumstances when her friend Maddy Shaw learns that her husband Simon has been critically injured in a car crash. Although it isn't her case, if she can give her friend any answers, she will. But she soon realises that it was no accident and someone out there wants Simon dead…
The attention-grabbing plot was very cleverly written, being gripping and suspenseful but not unbelievable. Each individual had a defined role in the story as Rachel embarked on an exciting and exhilarating mission to help her friend. I found myself really rooting for her to succeed and all of the time the tension was being ratcheted up a notch as the author, Julia Roberts hit me with some captivating misdirection and planted a few red herrings. The writing flowed effortlessly with a swift pace to it as What He Did delved into a world of secrets, threats and menace.
All in all, a brilliant, nail-biting and highly recommended crime-thriller.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
This novel was a fantastic, electrifying and solid domestic thriller and I really warmed to Rachel from the outset. It was well-balanced and it had me glued to the pages as I was desperate to know the outcome of the story.
DCI Hart decides to investigate the mysterious circumstances when her friend Maddy Shaw learns that her husband Simon has been critically injured in a car crash. Although it isn't her case, if she can give her friend any answers, she will. But she soon realises that it was no accident and someone out there wants Simon dead…
The attention-grabbing plot was very cleverly written, being gripping and suspenseful but not unbelievable. Each individual had a defined role in the story as Rachel embarked on an exciting and exhilarating mission to help her friend. I found myself really rooting for her to succeed and all of the time the tension was being ratcheted up a notch as the author, Julia Roberts hit me with some captivating misdirection and planted a few red herrings. The writing flowed effortlessly with a swift pace to it as What He Did delved into a world of secrets, threats and menace.
All in all, a brilliant, nail-biting and highly recommended crime-thriller.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
October 22, 2019
Wow what a striking prologue!! I love a cracking prologue to totally set the scene for a crime thriller and What He Did is no different!
Oh bejeezus!!!! What stories was I unravelling??! The more I read the more I was drawn in…What secrets was Simon keeping? The more Rachel dug, the more of that skeleton she found but would she find the full body so to speak?!
Now I mentioned the prologue but the chase to the end what brilliant and then what came after left me wanting more! What a cliffhanger to be left on!!
I haven’t read the first in the series Little Girl Missing (which is buried on my kindle somewhere) but I didn’t feel I’d missed out too much on any of the characters’ stories. This lack of reading needs be rectified though! I thoroughly enjoyed following the investigation trying to second guess what going to happen.
Oh bejeezus!!!! What stories was I unravelling??! The more I read the more I was drawn in…What secrets was Simon keeping? The more Rachel dug, the more of that skeleton she found but would she find the full body so to speak?!
Now I mentioned the prologue but the chase to the end what brilliant and then what came after left me wanting more! What a cliffhanger to be left on!!
I haven’t read the first in the series Little Girl Missing (which is buried on my kindle somewhere) but I didn’t feel I’d missed out too much on any of the characters’ stories. This lack of reading needs be rectified though! I thoroughly enjoyed following the investigation trying to second guess what going to happen.
October 25, 2019
I did not read part one yet due to being too busy when it was published. You know the feeling probably : too many books, too little time, but one thing has become very clear after finishing this book : I am even more looking forward to reading it.
What can I say about this one? Well, that is very simple. I was taken in by the fluent writing style, dragged away by the intrigueing story and misled by the great storytelling. I thought that I had figured it out what was what. Nope, not the case. 🙂
The police should be your best friend, but best friends should stand by you, shouldn’t they? When fail to do their job not once but twice, it’s time to do what you feel you have to do in order to serve justice.
In my opinion this was a brilliant story. More of this, please. 5 stars
Thank you, J.G. Roberts and Bookouture (via Netgalley)
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
What can I say about this one? Well, that is very simple. I was taken in by the fluent writing style, dragged away by the intrigueing story and misled by the great storytelling. I thought that I had figured it out what was what. Nope, not the case. 🙂
The police should be your best friend, but best friends should stand by you, shouldn’t they? When fail to do their job not once but twice, it’s time to do what you feel you have to do in order to serve justice.
In my opinion this was a brilliant story. More of this, please. 5 stars
Thank you, J.G. Roberts and Bookouture (via Netgalley)
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
October 6, 2019
What he did by J.G Roberts that I read was amazing book so far..
I couldn’t believe that a woman got hurt by some man..terrible! Detective Rachel Hart finding the hope get the woman justice but, it’s too late at least they both safe for now...
I hope the next series that Rachel is going to find her twin sister whose she got missing...Hope she found soon!
Can’t wait to read this book again!
Thank you to JG Roberts, the publisher, NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review
I couldn’t believe that a woman got hurt by some man..terrible! Detective Rachel Hart finding the hope get the woman justice but, it’s too late at least they both safe for now...
I hope the next series that Rachel is going to find her twin sister whose she got missing...Hope she found soon!
Can’t wait to read this book again!
Thank you to JG Roberts, the publisher, NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review
May 15, 2021
WHAT HE DID
by J. G. Roberts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Maddy Shaw is reading the news live on air, reporting about a serious crash, when she realises the car involved is her husband, Simon’s.
Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Hart rushes to support her friend, and unofficially investigates the crash. Shaky mobile phone footage indicates the crash may have been anything other than an accident, and Maddy’s husband may still be in danger. When the attempt on Simon’s life is connected to a recent death, old secrets begin to surface, which could shatter his marriage, his family, and their lives, completely.
This is book two in the DCI Rachel Hart series, and while it stands up very well as a novel in its own right, I found that reading its predecessor first, allowed for better character understanding and context. This was another book with so many twists that I’m now in a neck collar, and J. G. Roberts will be getting a call from my physio. The art of misdirection was well and truly evident throughout, and I honestly did not see the end coming.
I’m liking Rachael and her trusty DI, Graham Wilson, more and more as the series progresses. There was just the right amount of back story and character development, to enrich the story while not overwhelming it with unnecessary details. The supporting cast were likeable (or not), and believable, allowing the story to flow evenly.
Overall, I think What He Did is an improvement on a very good book one and look forward to reading book three, Why She Died, soon.
by J. G. Roberts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Maddy Shaw is reading the news live on air, reporting about a serious crash, when she realises the car involved is her husband, Simon’s.
Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Hart rushes to support her friend, and unofficially investigates the crash. Shaky mobile phone footage indicates the crash may have been anything other than an accident, and Maddy’s husband may still be in danger. When the attempt on Simon’s life is connected to a recent death, old secrets begin to surface, which could shatter his marriage, his family, and their lives, completely.
This is book two in the DCI Rachel Hart series, and while it stands up very well as a novel in its own right, I found that reading its predecessor first, allowed for better character understanding and context. This was another book with so many twists that I’m now in a neck collar, and J. G. Roberts will be getting a call from my physio. The art of misdirection was well and truly evident throughout, and I honestly did not see the end coming.
I’m liking Rachael and her trusty DI, Graham Wilson, more and more as the series progresses. There was just the right amount of back story and character development, to enrich the story while not overwhelming it with unnecessary details. The supporting cast were likeable (or not), and believable, allowing the story to flow evenly.
Overall, I think What He Did is an improvement on a very good book one and look forward to reading book three, Why She Died, soon.
May 2, 2020
This was such a good read, it kept me in my toes right to the end.
It is the second book in the Rachel Hart series, and we get a better insight into her previous life and her family.
The story opens with with her friend’s husband being involved in an RTA and whilst at first it appears to be about road rage, events take a sinister turn, and Rachel discovers there’s more to it. After the discovery of a threatening letter, and a friend of Simons is found dead, Rachel has her work cut out to try and piece it together.
She also has a new man who is good for her I think, and hopefully we will see more of him in future books.
All this keeps the pages turning and the excitement building, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It is the second book in the Rachel Hart series, and we get a better insight into her previous life and her family.
The story opens with with her friend’s husband being involved in an RTA and whilst at first it appears to be about road rage, events take a sinister turn, and Rachel discovers there’s more to it. After the discovery of a threatening letter, and a friend of Simons is found dead, Rachel has her work cut out to try and piece it together.
She also has a new man who is good for her I think, and hopefully we will see more of him in future books.
All this keeps the pages turning and the excitement building, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.
February 28, 2020
The second book in the Detective Rachel Hart series reads well as a standalone. There is sufficient backstory on the main protagonist, for this story be enjoyed without reading book one. DCI Rachel Hart is a dedicated and successful police officer, her emotional life is damaged by past experiences, which give her commitment and guilt issues.
The plot for this story is cleverly constructed, multi-layered, it introduces lots of characters, seemingly unconnected. The crimes are many, and escalating, as Rachel has to negotiate difficulties and loyalties in her personal and professional lives. The twists, keep you guessing. It seems solvable, until the end when you realise you only solved part of the puzzle.
All appears satisfactorily resolved until the story ends with an emotional personal tragedy for Rachel and a raises a question over who she can trust.
An excellent police procedural detective story, with a complex female lead detective and a well-thought plot, looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The plot for this story is cleverly constructed, multi-layered, it introduces lots of characters, seemingly unconnected. The crimes are many, and escalating, as Rachel has to negotiate difficulties and loyalties in her personal and professional lives. The twists, keep you guessing. It seems solvable, until the end when you realise you only solved part of the puzzle.
All appears satisfactorily resolved until the story ends with an emotional personal tragedy for Rachel and a raises a question over who she can trust.
An excellent police procedural detective story, with a complex female lead detective and a well-thought plot, looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
December 16, 2021
I read the authors first book Little Girl Missing and loved it. This novel, the second in the series was just as great too.
I found the start of this a little confusing as I’d assumed it would be the same format as the previous but the case was given to Rachel as the crime progressed. This however didn’t spoil the book for me.
I found the storylines and how they linked together really good and well written. I’ll definitely be reading the authors third book of the series.
I found the start of this a little confusing as I’d assumed it would be the same format as the previous but the case was given to Rachel as the crime progressed. This however didn’t spoil the book for me.
I found the storylines and how they linked together really good and well written. I’ll definitely be reading the authors third book of the series.
May 11, 2020
Loved it
Great detective story from J.G. Roberts. Fast flowing storyline, thought I had worked it out pretty quickly but I was so wrong. Loved it, pre ordered the next one due out next week. Can't wait
Great detective story from J.G. Roberts. Fast flowing storyline, thought I had worked it out pretty quickly but I was so wrong. Loved it, pre ordered the next one due out next week. Can't wait
August 17, 2024
I read Little Girl Missing and had a hard time getting into it until about half way through ...but this one caught my attention pretty quick and kept it finished it in about a day ...cant wait to start the next one.....keep up the great writing
January 31, 2025
3.5*
I really enjoyed the first part of the book (4.5*) but found the ending rushed & disappointing (3*). I read Little Girl Missing first, but probably won't bother with Book 3 when it comes out.
I really enjoyed the first part of the book (4.5*) but found the ending rushed & disappointing (3*). I read Little Girl Missing first, but probably won't bother with Book 3 when it comes out.
July 6, 2025
Gripping
I've really gotten into the Rachel Hart series and would highly recommend reading them in order. I thought I'd sussed the plot but was wrong. There are so many twists and the ending is fab.
I've really gotten into the Rachel Hart series and would highly recommend reading them in order. I thought I'd sussed the plot but was wrong. There are so many twists and the ending is fab.
June 20, 2020
Fantastic
I really enjoyed reading this book and hope to read the others in this series. They are very well written and I couldn't stop reading till reached the end
I really enjoyed reading this book and hope to read the others in this series. They are very well written and I couldn't stop reading till reached the end
August 27, 2020
5stars. Great story teller. Very intelligently written . Highly recommend reading.
April 26, 2021
Loved this book, it was a page turner, highly recommend the series.
July 31, 2023
So many twists and turns, really enjoying these books at the moment. Can't put the book down.
August 8, 2023
Really enjoyed but research should have been done more on Portugal. Living here I picked up on mistakes.
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