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Georgina McKenzie #3
The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows
Europe is in the grip of an extreme Arctic blast and at the mercy of a killer, who leaves no trace. His weapons of choice are razor-sharp icicles. This is Jack Frost.
Now a fully qualified criminologist, Georgina McKenzie is called upon by the Dutch police to profile this cunning and brutal murderer. Are they looking for a hit man or a frenzied serial-killer? Could there be a link to a cold missing persons’ case that George had worked with Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen – two abducted toddlers he could never quite give up on?
The hunt for Jack Frost sparks a dangerous, heart-rending journey through the toughest neighbourhoods in Europe, where refugees and Roma gypsies scratch a living on the edge of society. Walking into the dark, violent world of a trans-national trafficking ring, can George outrun death to shed light on two terrible mysteries?
Now a fully qualified criminologist, Georgina McKenzie is called upon by the Dutch police to profile this cunning and brutal murderer. Are they looking for a hit man or a frenzied serial-killer? Could there be a link to a cold missing persons’ case that George had worked with Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen – two abducted toddlers he could never quite give up on?
The hunt for Jack Frost sparks a dangerous, heart-rending journey through the toughest neighbourhoods in Europe, where refugees and Roma gypsies scratch a living on the edge of society. Walking into the dark, violent world of a trans-national trafficking ring, can George outrun death to shed light on two terrible mysteries?
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2015
79 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Marnie Riches
21 books137 followersMarnie Riches grew up on a rough estate in Manchester. She learned her way out of the ghetto, all the way to Cambridge University, where she gained a Masters degree in German & Dutch. She has been a punk, a trainee rock star, a pretend artist, a property developer and professional fundraiser. Previously a children's author, now, she writes gritty, fast-paced crime fiction.
Marnie Riches is the author of the award-winning, best-selling George McKenzie series, starting with "The Girl Who Wouldn't Die", published in the UK by Avon/HarperCollins and special editions by The Word Factor-e in the US. She is also the author of best-selling, critically acclaimed Manchester gangland thrillers, "Born Bad" and "The Cover-Up" as featured in CBS documentary, "Written in Blood".
In her spare time, Marnie likes to spin, travel, drink and eat all the things (especially if combined with travel) paint portraits, sniff expensive leather shoes and renovate old houses. She also adores flowers.
Marnie Riches is the author of the award-winning, best-selling George McKenzie series, starting with "The Girl Who Wouldn't Die", published in the UK by Avon/HarperCollins and special editions by The Word Factor-e in the US. She is also the author of best-selling, critically acclaimed Manchester gangland thrillers, "Born Bad" and "The Cover-Up" as featured in CBS documentary, "Written in Blood".
In her spare time, Marnie likes to spin, travel, drink and eat all the things (especially if combined with travel) paint portraits, sniff expensive leather shoes and renovate old houses. She also adores flowers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 22, 2016
The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is the third book in the Georgina MacKenzie series. I would highly recommend reading in order so that the reader can fully appreciate George's background and her complex relationship with Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen.
I have to admit I struggled with the relationship between George and Paul in the previous two books. I don't know whether I have just come to terms with it or not but for me it just felt right in this one.
The story like the previous two is set in London and Amsterdam which I absolutely love.
Even though the whole series is quite dark, for me The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows takes it to a whole other level.
The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows takes the reader on a thrilling ride with plenty of twists and turns. There is so much going off what with Jack Frost and missing children that the reader can't help but be gripped by the whole storyline.
I have enjoyed all three books in this series but with out a doubt for me, The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is my favourite one. It ticks all the boxes and more in what I would expect out of a crime thriller and has left me hungry for more.
It does say in the book description that this is the final in the trilogy, I'm really hoping that this isn't true as this has been a highly enjoyable series which I'm just not ready for it to end.
Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, Avon for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit I struggled with the relationship between George and Paul in the previous two books. I don't know whether I have just come to terms with it or not but for me it just felt right in this one.
The story like the previous two is set in London and Amsterdam which I absolutely love.
Even though the whole series is quite dark, for me The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows takes it to a whole other level.
The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows takes the reader on a thrilling ride with plenty of twists and turns. There is so much going off what with Jack Frost and missing children that the reader can't help but be gripped by the whole storyline.
I have enjoyed all three books in this series but with out a doubt for me, The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is my favourite one. It ticks all the boxes and more in what I would expect out of a crime thriller and has left me hungry for more.
It does say in the book description that this is the final in the trilogy, I'm really hoping that this isn't true as this has been a highly enjoyable series which I'm just not ready for it to end.
Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, Avon for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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April 1, 2016Edgy, gritty, clever and fascinating. George McKenzie, the criminologist and main character in The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows, is a breath of fresh air. When so many female characters in Crime fiction are scared or vulnerable or put upon, George is feisty, she speaks her mind, she knows her stuff and she knows what she wants. This isn't the sort of crime novel I normally read (although I do enjoy a Scandi Noir dvd boxed set) and I've obviously been missing out. I loved the European setting, the Dutch detective/love interest, the abducted children mystery, the Roma connection, the Jack Frost killer and George's tempestuous home life back in London with her brilliant Auntie Sharon and her scrounging, sofa-bound mother. This is a big, vivid, vibrant novel unlike anything I've read before and I predict big things for Marnie Riches.
April 2, 2016
They call him Jack Frost! His weapon of choice is a razor sharp icicle. By the time his victims' bodies are found, the weapon has melted.
Georgina MacKenzie is a newly qualified criminologist and works on a contract basis with the Dutch police. Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen has sent a message to Georgie, asking for her help in profiling this killer. George isn't too happy ... she and van den Bergen has had an off and on relationship and right now it's off.
Their investigation leads them to poverty-stricken neighborhoods, as well as where trafficking takes place on a daily basis.
This is the 3rd of the series. I have to confess I have not read the first two and I feel like I was thrown in the middle of a storm and have no idea where I am. I think I would have enjoyed this one a whole lot more than I did if I'd had the others read.
I did not like the Chief Inspector. He came across as bitter, stubborn, demanding, and at times he acted worse than a 2-year-old. I did not connect with George at all. The beginning of the book seemed to ramble here and there and was difficult to follow. And the ending did not make sense to me.
This was hard to rate .. I decided on 3.5 Stars.
My thanks to the author / HarperCollins UK, Avon / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Georgina MacKenzie is a newly qualified criminologist and works on a contract basis with the Dutch police. Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen has sent a message to Georgie, asking for her help in profiling this killer. George isn't too happy ... she and van den Bergen has had an off and on relationship and right now it's off.
Their investigation leads them to poverty-stricken neighborhoods, as well as where trafficking takes place on a daily basis.
This is the 3rd of the series. I have to confess I have not read the first two and I feel like I was thrown in the middle of a storm and have no idea where I am. I think I would have enjoyed this one a whole lot more than I did if I'd had the others read.
I did not like the Chief Inspector. He came across as bitter, stubborn, demanding, and at times he acted worse than a 2-year-old. I did not connect with George at all. The beginning of the book seemed to ramble here and there and was difficult to follow. And the ending did not make sense to me.
This was hard to rate .. I decided on 3.5 Stars.
My thanks to the author / HarperCollins UK, Avon / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
March 30, 2016
Well, well, well. 'The Girl Who' series continues and it's another consistently feisty one, just like it's heroine.
The story is set two years later from the incident with the psychotic Butcher in Book Two, and not only is Georgina McKenzie back as a trained criminologist she’s now managed to involve her whole family in this case. They make a formidable team - and you wouldn’t want to cross them, that’s for sure!
Their origins and quirky family background helps to lift the oppressive plot of child trafficking, kidnap, and the appearance of a cold-hearted killer called Jack Frost, who settles his scores armed only with an icicle. This murder weapon leaves no clues as to his identity for the authorities, as no finger prints or witnesses remain.
Georgina McKenzie’s expertise stretches only so far, especially as her efforts are being concentrated on making Paul van de Bergen suffer for his non-committal in their relationship. But although he desperately needs George’s mind to help further his existing case, at the front of his own mind is his pregnant daughter, who is the same age as George, making him realise just how odd a crinkled detective and a fresh-faced criminologist must look when they’re together.
Now, not only does this character ‘Jack Frost’ feature heavily, the storyline follows a young couple’s ups and downs in the media spotlight when their two toddlers go missing from their back yard. Like the adverse weather conditions, the plot becomes weighty under several heavy layers until it’s hard to discriminate between the good and the bad guys in a complex investigation stretching between London, Cambridge, and Amsterdam. The inclusion of the three very different locations of this series keeps the flow moving rapidly – it’s never settles, not even for a second, a bit like George’s erratic life and the constant threat to it.
The Girl Who series wouldn’t be the same without its shady characters crawling out of the woodwork, including The Duke, a low life enjoying a high position of power and literally getting away with breaking every moral code you could think of. There are feuds and a long distance relationship to mend (mainly George’s), and deadly confrontations that’ll knock your socks off.
While this may not be my favourite plot of the series (but still a damned fine one, I would add), it is delivered with more precision and barbed wit than all of them put together. Where many people fail, Marnie Riches excels: the magnificent feat of drawing a colourful personality, a distinct odour, or misshapen appearance of one of her creations with only a few choice words has more impact than any photographic still.
I bet I’m not the only one hoping that George will in return in the future. Although the immediate case is wrapped up the rather warped ending has left the door somewhat ajar ...
Enticingly gritty crime and as pacy as hell. It's another 5/5 from me.
(My thanks to the publishers, Harper Collins – Avon Books – for providing a digital copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
The story is set two years later from the incident with the psychotic Butcher in Book Two, and not only is Georgina McKenzie back as a trained criminologist she’s now managed to involve her whole family in this case. They make a formidable team - and you wouldn’t want to cross them, that’s for sure!
Their origins and quirky family background helps to lift the oppressive plot of child trafficking, kidnap, and the appearance of a cold-hearted killer called Jack Frost, who settles his scores armed only with an icicle. This murder weapon leaves no clues as to his identity for the authorities, as no finger prints or witnesses remain.
Georgina McKenzie’s expertise stretches only so far, especially as her efforts are being concentrated on making Paul van de Bergen suffer for his non-committal in their relationship. But although he desperately needs George’s mind to help further his existing case, at the front of his own mind is his pregnant daughter, who is the same age as George, making him realise just how odd a crinkled detective and a fresh-faced criminologist must look when they’re together.
Now, not only does this character ‘Jack Frost’ feature heavily, the storyline follows a young couple’s ups and downs in the media spotlight when their two toddlers go missing from their back yard. Like the adverse weather conditions, the plot becomes weighty under several heavy layers until it’s hard to discriminate between the good and the bad guys in a complex investigation stretching between London, Cambridge, and Amsterdam. The inclusion of the three very different locations of this series keeps the flow moving rapidly – it’s never settles, not even for a second, a bit like George’s erratic life and the constant threat to it.
The Girl Who series wouldn’t be the same without its shady characters crawling out of the woodwork, including The Duke, a low life enjoying a high position of power and literally getting away with breaking every moral code you could think of. There are feuds and a long distance relationship to mend (mainly George’s), and deadly confrontations that’ll knock your socks off.
While this may not be my favourite plot of the series (but still a damned fine one, I would add), it is delivered with more precision and barbed wit than all of them put together. Where many people fail, Marnie Riches excels: the magnificent feat of drawing a colourful personality, a distinct odour, or misshapen appearance of one of her creations with only a few choice words has more impact than any photographic still.
I bet I’m not the only one hoping that George will in return in the future. Although the immediate case is wrapped up the rather warped ending has left the door somewhat ajar ...
Enticingly gritty crime and as pacy as hell. It's another 5/5 from me.
(My thanks to the publishers, Harper Collins – Avon Books – for providing a digital copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
October 23, 2016
I set this book aside having read the first part about 54% of the book. I found I was upset by the subject matter, the abduction of two young children and paedophile rings.
However, I had read the first two books with real pleasure so when I was able to finish this one in prompt fashion I pressed on.
Familiar characters return but the stars are Georgina McKenzie and Dutch police inspector Van Den Burgen and their on off relationship.
The book seems to focus on families. Mostly the relationships of parent to child. How that bond can be stretched and broken but remains in for good or ill even beyond separation and even death.
The plot is complicated and as in previous books some aspects are new and very creative while other parts don't work so well.
Certainly the dark side of crime and human nature is played out and there is little room for sentimentality and happy endings. Marnie Riches style might not appeal to all readers but to those who have followed her writing in this engaging series they will continue to be blown away by the novels tension and the personification of evil.
As a fan I enjoy the threat of violence, the harsh realities of life and the authentic voice that fills each page. It is good to be challenged as a reader and follow an author who pushes a genre where others just repeat and follow a safer formula.
However, I had read the first two books with real pleasure so when I was able to finish this one in prompt fashion I pressed on.
Familiar characters return but the stars are Georgina McKenzie and Dutch police inspector Van Den Burgen and their on off relationship.
The book seems to focus on families. Mostly the relationships of parent to child. How that bond can be stretched and broken but remains in for good or ill even beyond separation and even death.
The plot is complicated and as in previous books some aspects are new and very creative while other parts don't work so well.
Certainly the dark side of crime and human nature is played out and there is little room for sentimentality and happy endings. Marnie Riches style might not appeal to all readers but to those who have followed her writing in this engaging series they will continue to be blown away by the novels tension and the personification of evil.
As a fan I enjoy the threat of violence, the harsh realities of life and the authentic voice that fills each page. It is good to be challenged as a reader and follow an author who pushes a genre where others just repeat and follow a safer formula.
March 28, 2016
I really love this series following the life of Georgina criminologist and chief inspector Paul van den Bergen. And this third one didn't fail io deliver . I found myself really feeling the fragile relationship between them and sympathising with Georgina .
The abduction of two young children leads to devastating consequences and crime from London to Amsterdam . The ending left me hoping that Marne riches is set for another book in this series .. Fab book Marnie
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc
The abduction of two young children leads to devastating consequences and crime from London to Amsterdam . The ending left me hoping that Marne riches is set for another book in this series .. Fab book Marnie
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc
March 19, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and HaperCollins UK for an advance copy of The Girl Who Walked In The Shadows, Ms Riches' third instalment in her police procedural series featuring criminal profiler, Dr George MacKenzie and Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen of the Amsterdam police.
George has finally gained her PhD and is scraping a living doing offender research for the Home Office while she works on her other research into child trafficking. She is not speaking to van den Bergen because he won't commit to their personal relationship but gives in to his requests for help on a murder case when it appears to have links to child trafficking and paedophilia. The case takes on an international dimension as the victim was killed with an icicle in his neck and similar deaths are discovered in London and Berlin. The investigation is intercut with the back story of Piet and Gabi Deenen and their kidnapped children which eventually merges with the investigation in an unexpected and amazing way.
I really like this series and The Girl Who Walked In The Shadows is another worthy addition. Ms Riches has a way of writing that draws you in to the narrative and keeps you hooked. I lost a couple of hours, just reading with no breaks, I was so absorbed. The plot is clever with plenty of twists and a bit of a cliffhanger at the end - I'm frustrated at the wait for the next instalment - but despite this there is enough resolution to the plot to satisfy most readers. I admire Ms Riches' inventiveness and imagination, although the disappearance of the Deenen children and their parents' suffering is very reminiscent of the Madeline McCann case.
George MacKenzie is not, however, a character who will appeal to all readers as, emotionally, she is more like a teenager than a Doctor of Criminology. She is aggressively confrontational and has very little empathy in her dealings with van den Bergen and yet she will move heaven and earth to help those she judges need helping, just don't ask her to do touchy-feely. Van den Bergen is not dissimilar except he shuts off rather than getting confrontational. George's family life is chaotic with Auntie Shaz doing her best to to bring a little function into the dysfunction but it all seems very realistic and grounded in the slightly farfetchedness of the plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Girl Who Walked in The Shadows and have no hesitation in recommending it as a great read.
George has finally gained her PhD and is scraping a living doing offender research for the Home Office while she works on her other research into child trafficking. She is not speaking to van den Bergen because he won't commit to their personal relationship but gives in to his requests for help on a murder case when it appears to have links to child trafficking and paedophilia. The case takes on an international dimension as the victim was killed with an icicle in his neck and similar deaths are discovered in London and Berlin. The investigation is intercut with the back story of Piet and Gabi Deenen and their kidnapped children which eventually merges with the investigation in an unexpected and amazing way.
I really like this series and The Girl Who Walked In The Shadows is another worthy addition. Ms Riches has a way of writing that draws you in to the narrative and keeps you hooked. I lost a couple of hours, just reading with no breaks, I was so absorbed. The plot is clever with plenty of twists and a bit of a cliffhanger at the end - I'm frustrated at the wait for the next instalment - but despite this there is enough resolution to the plot to satisfy most readers. I admire Ms Riches' inventiveness and imagination, although the disappearance of the Deenen children and their parents' suffering is very reminiscent of the Madeline McCann case.
George MacKenzie is not, however, a character who will appeal to all readers as, emotionally, she is more like a teenager than a Doctor of Criminology. She is aggressively confrontational and has very little empathy in her dealings with van den Bergen and yet she will move heaven and earth to help those she judges need helping, just don't ask her to do touchy-feely. Van den Bergen is not dissimilar except he shuts off rather than getting confrontational. George's family life is chaotic with Auntie Shaz doing her best to to bring a little function into the dysfunction but it all seems very realistic and grounded in the slightly farfetchedness of the plot.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Girl Who Walked in The Shadows and have no hesitation in recommending it as a great read.
August 7, 2016
This is the third book in the Georgina MacKenzie series, and although you could read it as a standalone I would recommend you read The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die and The Girl Who Broke The Rules first, as the characters evolve over the three books and they are really worth reading if you love a good crime thriller with plenty of grit.
The story picks up two years after The Girl Who Broke The Rules and Georgie is back, feisty and outspoken as ever, her relationship with Chief Inspector Paul Van den Bergen continues even though they are barely on speaking terms! With Europe in the grips of an extreme Arctic blast, there’s a new killer on the loose named Jack Frost whose weapon of choice is a razor sharp icicle (I kid you not). As George and Paul begin to investigate, they realise the case could be connected to a cold missing person’s case of Two abducted children. As the hunt for Jack Frost gains momentum George and Van Den Bergen find themselves trawling the toughest neighbourhoods in Europe, where refugees and Roma gypsies scratch a living on the edge of society where they find themselves thrown into the dark, violent world of a trans-national trafficking ring,
I love the way George has evolved as a character over the three books, she sometime comes across as immature and mouthy, she’s got attitude and she certainly knows how to “kick ass” when the need arises. Her relationship with Van Den Bergen adds a touch of humour to a very dark tale, as George becomes frustrated with his reluctance to be part of her life and his reasons for keeping her at arms length. As the investigation gains momentum so do the twist and turns, the novel is well paced with multiple threads that all fit together perfectly come the last chapter.
This is a very tense crime thriller that covers many different issues, murder, pedophillia, and trafficking, so at times makes for a disturbing and very dark read. Marnie Riches writes in a way that captures the reader from the first chapter, it’s very well crafted, gritty and realistic. I would highly recommend The Girl Who Walked In The Shadows to lovers of crime fiction. One small negative this book is billed as the last in the series, I hope this isn’t the case, as I would love to read more books about George
The story picks up two years after The Girl Who Broke The Rules and Georgie is back, feisty and outspoken as ever, her relationship with Chief Inspector Paul Van den Bergen continues even though they are barely on speaking terms! With Europe in the grips of an extreme Arctic blast, there’s a new killer on the loose named Jack Frost whose weapon of choice is a razor sharp icicle (I kid you not). As George and Paul begin to investigate, they realise the case could be connected to a cold missing person’s case of Two abducted children. As the hunt for Jack Frost gains momentum George and Van Den Bergen find themselves trawling the toughest neighbourhoods in Europe, where refugees and Roma gypsies scratch a living on the edge of society where they find themselves thrown into the dark, violent world of a trans-national trafficking ring,
I love the way George has evolved as a character over the three books, she sometime comes across as immature and mouthy, she’s got attitude and she certainly knows how to “kick ass” when the need arises. Her relationship with Van Den Bergen adds a touch of humour to a very dark tale, as George becomes frustrated with his reluctance to be part of her life and his reasons for keeping her at arms length. As the investigation gains momentum so do the twist and turns, the novel is well paced with multiple threads that all fit together perfectly come the last chapter.
This is a very tense crime thriller that covers many different issues, murder, pedophillia, and trafficking, so at times makes for a disturbing and very dark read. Marnie Riches writes in a way that captures the reader from the first chapter, it’s very well crafted, gritty and realistic. I would highly recommend The Girl Who Walked In The Shadows to lovers of crime fiction. One small negative this book is billed as the last in the series, I hope this isn’t the case, as I would love to read more books about George
March 31, 2016
I thought this was a smart, complex and intriguing book. It has an unusual heroine, George (short for Georgina) who has qualified as a criminologist. She is undertaking research on abuse and gets called in by Paul, an Amsterdam detective with whom she is involved, to profile a killer. The story is located in Amsterdam, London and briefly in Berlin. A number of similar murders have occurred in these three cities where the victims have been paedophiles, or part of a huge criminal ring involved in child sex abduction and traffiking.
Piet and Gabi have their two children abducted and face a mauling from the media, public and the police, similar to some real life cases. George connects with academics who have been researching the world of traffiking and child abductions. Fingers point to a legendary criminal kingpin. This is a very dangerous and twisted trail that George and Paul follow. George's family is threatened and further murders occur. Ghosts from the past enter George's life and cause mayhem.
George pays a heavy price for walking in such a murky and horrific underworld. Her up and down relationship with Paul stabilises by the end. The novel was terrific and full of suspense. I am going to go back to the beginning and read the others in the series. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC via netgalley.
Piet and Gabi have their two children abducted and face a mauling from the media, public and the police, similar to some real life cases. George connects with academics who have been researching the world of traffiking and child abductions. Fingers point to a legendary criminal kingpin. This is a very dangerous and twisted trail that George and Paul follow. George's family is threatened and further murders occur. Ghosts from the past enter George's life and cause mayhem.
George pays a heavy price for walking in such a murky and horrific underworld. Her up and down relationship with Paul stabilises by the end. The novel was terrific and full of suspense. I am going to go back to the beginning and read the others in the series. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC via netgalley.
March 22, 2016
The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is the final book in the Georgina MacKenzie series, although I am hoping there might be just one more. I highly recommend that you read them from the beginning as there is a lot of personal and family background.
In The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows I found the first part of the story all over the place and it took me awhile for it to settle down and get on with the plot which was never the case in the first two books.
As usual I love the dynamics between Georgina MacKenzie and Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen although in this book it was a pretty stormy and argumentative.
Piet and Gabi Deenen were two very complex and interesting characters and in the beginning I really disliked Gabi and the abusive way she spoke to her husband Piet, but I did eventually warm to her a bit and was happy with the outcome eventually.
The second half of the book was when things really started to happen and the pace picked up with some nice twists and turns.
I was left with too many unanswered questions for me to give this book a 5* but it definitely is a 4* for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, Avon for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
In The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows I found the first part of the story all over the place and it took me awhile for it to settle down and get on with the plot which was never the case in the first two books.
As usual I love the dynamics between Georgina MacKenzie and Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen although in this book it was a pretty stormy and argumentative.
Piet and Gabi Deenen were two very complex and interesting characters and in the beginning I really disliked Gabi and the abusive way she spoke to her husband Piet, but I did eventually warm to her a bit and was happy with the outcome eventually.
The second half of the book was when things really started to happen and the pace picked up with some nice twists and turns.
I was left with too many unanswered questions for me to give this book a 5* but it definitely is a 4* for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, Avon for this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2016
Visit the locations of the book here: the Girl who walked in the shadows
Jack Frost gets about - this is one trail he goes on, a murder spree across London, Amsterdam and Berlin. Together with the disappearance of two English children from their garden in Amsterdam makes this a very international affair and the locations add to the complexity of the web that both investigations create
George is able to navigate this web even more ably now as a trained criminologist the setting is set for a wintery arctic chill across Europe with both the weather and eerie atmosphere plus the child like name of the killer only adds to the overall creepy nature and disturbing thoughts which spring up in between locations and chapters!
Missing children is never an easy topic to explore and as the investigation descends into a trawl into many of the darkest shadows Europe has ever seen - its sex trade, red light areas and the bleakest of them all - Child trafficking and all that that implies.
Suffice to say some of the locations mentioned are fictional. The rest are only used fictitiously.
Jack Frost gets about - this is one trail he goes on, a murder spree across London, Amsterdam and Berlin. Together with the disappearance of two English children from their garden in Amsterdam makes this a very international affair and the locations add to the complexity of the web that both investigations create
George is able to navigate this web even more ably now as a trained criminologist the setting is set for a wintery arctic chill across Europe with both the weather and eerie atmosphere plus the child like name of the killer only adds to the overall creepy nature and disturbing thoughts which spring up in between locations and chapters!
Missing children is never an easy topic to explore and as the investigation descends into a trawl into many of the darkest shadows Europe has ever seen - its sex trade, red light areas and the bleakest of them all - Child trafficking and all that that implies.
Suffice to say some of the locations mentioned are fictional. The rest are only used fictitiously.
December 27, 2017
The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is book 3 in the George McKenzie series and I've been putting off reading it as I wanted to stretch out the series. I thought this was the final instalment but I'm delighted to see that George McKenzie is returning in 2018 in The Girl Who Had No Fear. Thinking this was the end of the series, I thought this was an amazing send-off for this gritty, edgy heroine we have come to know and love.
George returns to join forces with Dutch detective Paul Van den Bergen when a killer known as Jack Frost starts targeting people across Europe. With perhaps the BEST murder weapon EVER, Jack Frost's victims appear to be random when in fact they are selected as chillingly as the weapon he uses.
What is so clever about this instalment is the dual storyline: the story of Piet and Gabi Deenan whose two beautiful blonde children disappeared from their own back garden. With Gabi using her PR contacts to keep the case in the front of people's minds, the public turned on the Deenans and then Piet and Gabi turned on each other. The only thing keeping them together is the search for their children and the secrets they now share...
After the events of The Girl Who Broke The Rules, I thought Van den Bergen would have finally accepted his feelings for George. He might have done, had his daughter not announced her pregnancy. Paul is about to become a grandfather and George is his daughter's age so you could feel the age gap rearing its head on every page as if it was a character in the story itself. Age is just a number but Van den Bergen is one stubborn SOB; as stubborn as he is, George is nothing if not persistent.
I felt as if I got to know George's family more in this book and I loved how they all packed up and went with her to Amsterdam. As much as I dislike George's mother, Letitia, I did feel sorry for her at times but she has finally got the attention she craves, just not in the way she wants it.
I really love this series; it's gritty, punchy, daring and fast-paced with a heroine who's tougher than old boots yet as comfortable in her own skin as an old pair of slippers. I think this would make a brilliant TV series as a type of scandi-style police-procedural drama we often see on TV these days. If we can't bring George to the big (or small) screen, you can bring her onto your kindle and relive her jaw-dropping escapades over and over again. These books are going on my must-read-again series list.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
George returns to join forces with Dutch detective Paul Van den Bergen when a killer known as Jack Frost starts targeting people across Europe. With perhaps the BEST murder weapon EVER, Jack Frost's victims appear to be random when in fact they are selected as chillingly as the weapon he uses.
What is so clever about this instalment is the dual storyline: the story of Piet and Gabi Deenan whose two beautiful blonde children disappeared from their own back garden. With Gabi using her PR contacts to keep the case in the front of people's minds, the public turned on the Deenans and then Piet and Gabi turned on each other. The only thing keeping them together is the search for their children and the secrets they now share...
After the events of The Girl Who Broke The Rules, I thought Van den Bergen would have finally accepted his feelings for George. He might have done, had his daughter not announced her pregnancy. Paul is about to become a grandfather and George is his daughter's age so you could feel the age gap rearing its head on every page as if it was a character in the story itself. Age is just a number but Van den Bergen is one stubborn SOB; as stubborn as he is, George is nothing if not persistent.
I felt as if I got to know George's family more in this book and I loved how they all packed up and went with her to Amsterdam. As much as I dislike George's mother, Letitia, I did feel sorry for her at times but she has finally got the attention she craves, just not in the way she wants it.
I really love this series; it's gritty, punchy, daring and fast-paced with a heroine who's tougher than old boots yet as comfortable in her own skin as an old pair of slippers. I think this would make a brilliant TV series as a type of scandi-style police-procedural drama we often see on TV these days. If we can't bring George to the big (or small) screen, you can bring her onto your kindle and relive her jaw-dropping escapades over and over again. These books are going on my must-read-again series list.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
March 31, 2016
I would like to thank Net Galley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC of ‘The Girl Who Walked in The Shadows’ in exchange for my review.
This is the third book in Marnie Riches’ series featuring cleanliness obsessed protagonist Georgina McKenzie. With action flitting between London, Cambridge and Amsterdam, the fast paced story begins up with a nameless homeless man hunting down and attacking a man in a secluded London street. There is no clearly motive for the attack and his weapon of choice is seemingly one of opportunity, provided by the arctic weather conditions which are gripping Northern Europe and which also provide a perfect method of disposal of the weapon too.
George is now a fully qualified criminologist, conducting a study into human trafficking and child abuse, with a potential link to Roma children and abductions in Europe. She is hoping to convert it into a published paper before her rival, Dobkin from UCL can publish his own, very similar, study. It is two years since the action which occurred in book two and her relationship with Chief Inspector Paul Van den Bergen is very much hanging in the balance, with the veteran detective unable to accept that he can give George everything that she needs due to their age difference, and George too stubborn to let him go. Her personal life at home is being plagued by balancing her demanding mother, an errant father who now wants to make amends and a homeless woman who keeps demanding money from George and her well-meaning Aunt Sharon.
Van den Bergen has his own issues. With his nemesis Kamphuis promoted to Commissioner and Hasselblad now Chief of Police, his professional life is as complicated and miserable as his personal one. Faced with a mysterious death of an unidentified male in the freezing streets of Amsterdam with no sign of the murder weapon, it appears he cannot catch a break. When, during his investigation, it becomes clear that this is much more than just a drug deal gone south and that human trafficking and child abuse may be involved, he reaches out to George for help. She is hesitant to get involved initially but does give him one vital clue. A report on the murder in London by the mystery killer now being given the moniker Jack Frost due to his unusual choice of murder weapon. With such striking similarities between that murder, Van den Bergen’s investigation and the strange deaths of two men at the hands of an unknown assailant tagged ‘Krampus’, (their bodies are found by the Polar Bear enclosure in a closed Berlin Zoo which is quite fitting given the sub-zero temperatures), George and Van den Bergen are finally reunited, their search for the truth taking them on a difficult and unexpected journey.
Interspersed with the murder investigations is the case of two young children, abducted from a suburb of Amsterdam during a brief moment of inattention by their stressed out father. He is devastated, a shell of a man given to wallowing in his pyjamas and bursting into tears while their mother seems outwardly unaffected as she conducts a one-woman publicity and public relations exercise to find her missing children. Initially the case is treated as a straight forward child abduction case, but soon the finger of suspicion points firmly at their parents. Why is the mother so cool about the whole situation? Did the Deenens have something to do with their children’s disappearance? And how does this all fit in with the series of murders plaguing the three cities. As the links between the stories unfurl, George is forced to face to people from her past that she had hoped to never see again. Danny Spencer and ‘The Duke.’
I have not read either of the first two books and was probably at a slight disadvantage because of it as I had to understand the complex links between the characters and the back story as to the relationship between George and Van den Bergen. That said, the writing was such that I was able to put the pieces together pretty quickly, with enough recap to give me the flavour of what had gone before without risking distancing readers more ‘in the know’.
The relationship between George and VDB was well written and completely believable in terms of a relationship spanning a large age gap as well as a large geographical one. I also enjoyed the way in which the supporting characters of Elvis and Marie and the gap that seems to exist between them and VDB which was exacerbated by his preoccupation with the job, his relationships with his daughter and George and grievous injury he had received. His lack of understanding of what was making them tick was extremely well observed. As for the Deenens, the cold and composed Gabi and the devastated and weak, Piet, the way in which they are written and the reactions of those around them due to the way they are portrayed in the media is so reminiscent of what you see almost every day. The trolling, the judgment, the impact it has on their slowly unravelling lives. It makes what happens later in the book all the more shocking and yet somehow understandable.
The pacing of this book was fast, the action easily linking from one city and location to the next. The story is gripping, heart wrenching, frustrating and intriguing in equal measure and I loved the fluid writing style, the way in which the prose captured the essence of the dark and cold winter and how this mirrored the dark nature of the story itself. It is not an easy subject to tackle; child abduction, human trafficking and murder, and yet it is extremely well handled. You are left with a mixture of pity and yet anger at the Deenens but still feel a certain amount of compassion for the situation they ultimately end up in. The conclusion to the investigation is somewhat surprising and yet satisfying, although you may be left feeling ‘The Duke’ has still to receive his dues, and the ultimate conclusion is just shocking enough to make you wonder whether there may just be another story in there somewhere, even just a little teeny tiny one.
I don’t believe any fans of the series would be disappointed with this novel. I certainly wasn’t and have immediately purchased the first two to see what I have missed. (I always do things the wrong way round – you’d think I’d learn.) I highly recommend this book. It is a great thriller with a number of complex and yet completely believable and accessible twists. I can’t wait to see what comes next. 5*
This is the third book in Marnie Riches’ series featuring cleanliness obsessed protagonist Georgina McKenzie. With action flitting between London, Cambridge and Amsterdam, the fast paced story begins up with a nameless homeless man hunting down and attacking a man in a secluded London street. There is no clearly motive for the attack and his weapon of choice is seemingly one of opportunity, provided by the arctic weather conditions which are gripping Northern Europe and which also provide a perfect method of disposal of the weapon too.
George is now a fully qualified criminologist, conducting a study into human trafficking and child abuse, with a potential link to Roma children and abductions in Europe. She is hoping to convert it into a published paper before her rival, Dobkin from UCL can publish his own, very similar, study. It is two years since the action which occurred in book two and her relationship with Chief Inspector Paul Van den Bergen is very much hanging in the balance, with the veteran detective unable to accept that he can give George everything that she needs due to their age difference, and George too stubborn to let him go. Her personal life at home is being plagued by balancing her demanding mother, an errant father who now wants to make amends and a homeless woman who keeps demanding money from George and her well-meaning Aunt Sharon.
Van den Bergen has his own issues. With his nemesis Kamphuis promoted to Commissioner and Hasselblad now Chief of Police, his professional life is as complicated and miserable as his personal one. Faced with a mysterious death of an unidentified male in the freezing streets of Amsterdam with no sign of the murder weapon, it appears he cannot catch a break. When, during his investigation, it becomes clear that this is much more than just a drug deal gone south and that human trafficking and child abuse may be involved, he reaches out to George for help. She is hesitant to get involved initially but does give him one vital clue. A report on the murder in London by the mystery killer now being given the moniker Jack Frost due to his unusual choice of murder weapon. With such striking similarities between that murder, Van den Bergen’s investigation and the strange deaths of two men at the hands of an unknown assailant tagged ‘Krampus’, (their bodies are found by the Polar Bear enclosure in a closed Berlin Zoo which is quite fitting given the sub-zero temperatures), George and Van den Bergen are finally reunited, their search for the truth taking them on a difficult and unexpected journey.
Interspersed with the murder investigations is the case of two young children, abducted from a suburb of Amsterdam during a brief moment of inattention by their stressed out father. He is devastated, a shell of a man given to wallowing in his pyjamas and bursting into tears while their mother seems outwardly unaffected as she conducts a one-woman publicity and public relations exercise to find her missing children. Initially the case is treated as a straight forward child abduction case, but soon the finger of suspicion points firmly at their parents. Why is the mother so cool about the whole situation? Did the Deenens have something to do with their children’s disappearance? And how does this all fit in with the series of murders plaguing the three cities. As the links between the stories unfurl, George is forced to face to people from her past that she had hoped to never see again. Danny Spencer and ‘The Duke.’
I have not read either of the first two books and was probably at a slight disadvantage because of it as I had to understand the complex links between the characters and the back story as to the relationship between George and Van den Bergen. That said, the writing was such that I was able to put the pieces together pretty quickly, with enough recap to give me the flavour of what had gone before without risking distancing readers more ‘in the know’.
The relationship between George and VDB was well written and completely believable in terms of a relationship spanning a large age gap as well as a large geographical one. I also enjoyed the way in which the supporting characters of Elvis and Marie and the gap that seems to exist between them and VDB which was exacerbated by his preoccupation with the job, his relationships with his daughter and George and grievous injury he had received. His lack of understanding of what was making them tick was extremely well observed. As for the Deenens, the cold and composed Gabi and the devastated and weak, Piet, the way in which they are written and the reactions of those around them due to the way they are portrayed in the media is so reminiscent of what you see almost every day. The trolling, the judgment, the impact it has on their slowly unravelling lives. It makes what happens later in the book all the more shocking and yet somehow understandable.
The pacing of this book was fast, the action easily linking from one city and location to the next. The story is gripping, heart wrenching, frustrating and intriguing in equal measure and I loved the fluid writing style, the way in which the prose captured the essence of the dark and cold winter and how this mirrored the dark nature of the story itself. It is not an easy subject to tackle; child abduction, human trafficking and murder, and yet it is extremely well handled. You are left with a mixture of pity and yet anger at the Deenens but still feel a certain amount of compassion for the situation they ultimately end up in. The conclusion to the investigation is somewhat surprising and yet satisfying, although you may be left feeling ‘The Duke’ has still to receive his dues, and the ultimate conclusion is just shocking enough to make you wonder whether there may just be another story in there somewhere, even just a little teeny tiny one.
I don’t believe any fans of the series would be disappointed with this novel. I certainly wasn’t and have immediately purchased the first two to see what I have missed. (I always do things the wrong way round – you’d think I’d learn.) I highly recommend this book. It is a great thriller with a number of complex and yet completely believable and accessible twists. I can’t wait to see what comes next. 5*
January 2, 2018
A absolutely fantastic read.
Georgina mckenzie and chief inspector paul van den bergen are on a case. A body has been found. There is no murder weapon. What and who did it? Will there be more bodies?
I love this series. Absolutely fantastic. Highly recommended. 5*.
Georgina mckenzie and chief inspector paul van den bergen are on a case. A body has been found. There is no murder weapon. What and who did it? Will there be more bodies?
I love this series. Absolutely fantastic. Highly recommended. 5*.
April 4, 2016
Very close to being a 5 star book, because there's so much that's good about it and it's such an 'enjoyable' read. I put 'enjoyable' in quotes, because I'm not entirely sure that one can fully enjoy a book so dark, one that is written to illustrate hideous and vile crimes, that are fictional but very much rooted in fact.
I'd never judge a book by its typos - there are too many links in the chain to justify this. I was slightly more concerned by the incorrect use of homophones - 'naval' for 'navel', 'heroine' for 'heroin' and 'take the wrap' for 'take the rap'. I'd expect these to be picked up in editing and review. but not a reason to deduct a star.
The strengths of this book are many. It is impossible not to adore George. Not because she is 'adorable' but because she is real and unpretentious. Fiercely intelligent and true to her underclass roots, she is fervent and motivated highly by her passion to fight injustice. She's my type of woman - utterly unbothered by the material fripperies that patriarchal society label as 'feminine', and yet there is no way you could label her as gender fluid or any of that right on trendy nonsense. She's passionate about her work and about her man, tenacious and uncompromising.
There are some other great characterisations. Letitia and Auntie Sharon come together as a great Sister Act. Perhaps Letitia is tending to a caricature but she's so real. We learn more about Marie, although I'm not sure we're any nearer to understanding, especially her personal hygiene. And then there's Paul. I can't decide about him. He's depicted as decrepit and a 'silver Fox', but he's about my age, not yet 50, and it's odd that George calls him 'Old Man' and talks about his ageing body. It's not about the age gap - I know, I'm in an age gap relationship.
I suppose I didn't opt for the full 5 stars because I felt that we were asked to suspend our credibility just a little too much. Not because of the awfulness of the crimes, which I can believe - even the extent to which the Jack Frost killer became that seeming sociopath.
No, what bothers me, and, in retrospect, is a flaw in the previous two books is the amount of coincidence and the levels of connection. I don't want to say too much for fear of plot spoilers, but it just seems odd that van den Bergen and George are always investigating people who, it turns out, are already known to them - and not in the usual meaning of 'known to the police'. And, again without plot spoilers, the baddies in this are closely connected to baddies in the previous two episodes.
Don't let that paragraph put you off reading this, because it is so well written. Excellent descriptions of people, including quite peripheral characters (which, nevertheless, don't dwell on superfluous detail), of places, of the weather (a necessarily fictional extremely cold winter, this decade!). of action, of aspects of procedure - especially the bits that seem quite minor or dull but hold the key that unlocks the solution.
The device of George as a criminologist is clever, too. She's neither a trained police officer nor an outsider. Like Ruth Dugdall's Cate Austin, a probation officer, George has legitimate access to police information, but is not tied by the hierarchy, politics, and, arguably, accountability of the police service, and is free to think laterally. It's a very complex book, and perhaps some readers may feel some aspects were skimmed over (arguably, the Roma aspect).
It's also relatively long for a series book of this genre. The first half contains a lot of layer-by-layer building, including some flashbacks to the previous year. I took several evenings to cover these. Then the pace accelerated, and I found the second half un-put-downable, and ended up pushing myself to read on too long into the night. I had to, it was compelling, but I suspect this means I miss out on some of the sheer pleasure from the writing, and probably isn't that good for my health.
Ironically, despite my criticism of connections to previous episodes, it would work well as a standalone, but, unless you're in a holiday cottage or dependent on your local library, I would strongly urge you to read the books in order, because, taken together, the trilogy is definitely a 5 star read.
I'd never judge a book by its typos - there are too many links in the chain to justify this. I was slightly more concerned by the incorrect use of homophones - 'naval' for 'navel', 'heroine' for 'heroin' and 'take the wrap' for 'take the rap'. I'd expect these to be picked up in editing and review. but not a reason to deduct a star.
The strengths of this book are many. It is impossible not to adore George. Not because she is 'adorable' but because she is real and unpretentious. Fiercely intelligent and true to her underclass roots, she is fervent and motivated highly by her passion to fight injustice. She's my type of woman - utterly unbothered by the material fripperies that patriarchal society label as 'feminine', and yet there is no way you could label her as gender fluid or any of that right on trendy nonsense. She's passionate about her work and about her man, tenacious and uncompromising.
There are some other great characterisations. Letitia and Auntie Sharon come together as a great Sister Act. Perhaps Letitia is tending to a caricature but she's so real. We learn more about Marie, although I'm not sure we're any nearer to understanding, especially her personal hygiene. And then there's Paul. I can't decide about him. He's depicted as decrepit and a 'silver Fox', but he's about my age, not yet 50, and it's odd that George calls him 'Old Man' and talks about his ageing body. It's not about the age gap - I know, I'm in an age gap relationship.
I suppose I didn't opt for the full 5 stars because I felt that we were asked to suspend our credibility just a little too much. Not because of the awfulness of the crimes, which I can believe - even the extent to which the Jack Frost killer became that seeming sociopath.
No, what bothers me, and, in retrospect, is a flaw in the previous two books is the amount of coincidence and the levels of connection. I don't want to say too much for fear of plot spoilers, but it just seems odd that van den Bergen and George are always investigating people who, it turns out, are already known to them - and not in the usual meaning of 'known to the police'. And, again without plot spoilers, the baddies in this are closely connected to baddies in the previous two episodes.
Don't let that paragraph put you off reading this, because it is so well written. Excellent descriptions of people, including quite peripheral characters (which, nevertheless, don't dwell on superfluous detail), of places, of the weather (a necessarily fictional extremely cold winter, this decade!). of action, of aspects of procedure - especially the bits that seem quite minor or dull but hold the key that unlocks the solution.
The device of George as a criminologist is clever, too. She's neither a trained police officer nor an outsider. Like Ruth Dugdall's Cate Austin, a probation officer, George has legitimate access to police information, but is not tied by the hierarchy, politics, and, arguably, accountability of the police service, and is free to think laterally. It's a very complex book, and perhaps some readers may feel some aspects were skimmed over (arguably, the Roma aspect).
It's also relatively long for a series book of this genre. The first half contains a lot of layer-by-layer building, including some flashbacks to the previous year. I took several evenings to cover these. Then the pace accelerated, and I found the second half un-put-downable, and ended up pushing myself to read on too long into the night. I had to, it was compelling, but I suspect this means I miss out on some of the sheer pleasure from the writing, and probably isn't that good for my health.
Ironically, despite my criticism of connections to previous episodes, it would work well as a standalone, but, unless you're in a holiday cottage or dependent on your local library, I would strongly urge you to read the books in order, because, taken together, the trilogy is definitely a 5 star read.
April 6, 2016
George McKenzie is back in The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows, the third book in The Girl Who series by Marnie Riches and I have been waiting patiently (honest) for the chance to read this one.
Housekeeping first…it is entirely possible to read and enjoy The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows as a stand alone book. There are links to the previous titles (The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die and The Girl Who Broke The Rules) and there may be some small spoilers for new readers who go back to read the earlier titles after reading Shadows. However, new readers will not be disadvantaged as the author ensures recurring characters or past events are reintroduced during the narrative.
Right let’s get down to it…The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is an intensely dark read. Brutal murders, child abduction and powerful criminal gangs all make for a wonderfully gritty reading experience. George and her partner, Amsterdam cop Paul van den Bergen, seem to be facing their biggest challenge yet.
Their attempts to track down a serial killer who leaves no forensic evidence at the crime scenes are failing at every turn. Van den Bergen’s bosses are demanding results yet there are no tangible leads for the police to follow. Van den Bergen is also haunted by his inability to make any progress with investigations into a double kidnapping of two young children – the children’s mother (a PR expert) has ensured the abduction has been all over the media – and the pressure is on van den Bergen to trace the missing toddlers. Could George’s studies into child abuse and connections to travellers yield any clues?
In addition to the pressures of these cases is the combustible nature of van den Bergen’s relationship with George. The two are seemingly determined to push each other away on a regular basis, however, they will have to overcome the problems of the tempestuous nature of their relationship to form an effective investigative team.
The story is nicely split between England and Amsterdam again and I enjoyed that the supporting cast (George’s family and van den Bergen’s team) got very prominent roles to play. The narrative jumps timelines and we switch between George, van den Bergen, the killer and other key players as the story demands. Normally I don’t fare well when books switch time periods (as I am a skim reader) but I didn’t have any issues in keeping track of events within Shadows. I actually really enjoyed how some events were teased, the author had revealed the outcome/aftermath of a situation, but left the reader wondering what had transpired to reach that point.
Marnie Riches is tackling some deeply emotive issues in this book and there are some nasty and unexpected twists along the way. I loved how the various plot threads started to come together as I reached the final third of the story and I think I practically inhaled the finale which left me crying out for more.
Dark, brutal and brilliant. The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is exactly the kind of story that I love to read. Marnie Riches has crafted a series which I cannot recommend enough. A review score of 5/5 was guaranteed when I put down the book and realised that I had been holding my breath as I read the last pages.
Housekeeping first…it is entirely possible to read and enjoy The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows as a stand alone book. There are links to the previous titles (The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die and The Girl Who Broke The Rules) and there may be some small spoilers for new readers who go back to read the earlier titles after reading Shadows. However, new readers will not be disadvantaged as the author ensures recurring characters or past events are reintroduced during the narrative.
Right let’s get down to it…The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is an intensely dark read. Brutal murders, child abduction and powerful criminal gangs all make for a wonderfully gritty reading experience. George and her partner, Amsterdam cop Paul van den Bergen, seem to be facing their biggest challenge yet.
Their attempts to track down a serial killer who leaves no forensic evidence at the crime scenes are failing at every turn. Van den Bergen’s bosses are demanding results yet there are no tangible leads for the police to follow. Van den Bergen is also haunted by his inability to make any progress with investigations into a double kidnapping of two young children – the children’s mother (a PR expert) has ensured the abduction has been all over the media – and the pressure is on van den Bergen to trace the missing toddlers. Could George’s studies into child abuse and connections to travellers yield any clues?
In addition to the pressures of these cases is the combustible nature of van den Bergen’s relationship with George. The two are seemingly determined to push each other away on a regular basis, however, they will have to overcome the problems of the tempestuous nature of their relationship to form an effective investigative team.
The story is nicely split between England and Amsterdam again and I enjoyed that the supporting cast (George’s family and van den Bergen’s team) got very prominent roles to play. The narrative jumps timelines and we switch between George, van den Bergen, the killer and other key players as the story demands. Normally I don’t fare well when books switch time periods (as I am a skim reader) but I didn’t have any issues in keeping track of events within Shadows. I actually really enjoyed how some events were teased, the author had revealed the outcome/aftermath of a situation, but left the reader wondering what had transpired to reach that point.
Marnie Riches is tackling some deeply emotive issues in this book and there are some nasty and unexpected twists along the way. I loved how the various plot threads started to come together as I reached the final third of the story and I think I practically inhaled the finale which left me crying out for more.
Dark, brutal and brilliant. The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows is exactly the kind of story that I love to read. Marnie Riches has crafted a series which I cannot recommend enough. A review score of 5/5 was guaranteed when I put down the book and realised that I had been holding my breath as I read the last pages.
April 1, 2016
Thanks to Helena Sheffield from HarperCollins UK, Avon Books and Maze , I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.....
Georgina (George) MacKenzie and Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen are back for their final thriller in this fantastic trilogy. This book opens 2 years on from The Girl Who Broke The Rules and where we encountered a maniac sociopath who was known as The Butcher.
Europe is in the grip of an extreme Arctic blast and George is now a fully qualified criminologist and is called upon by the Dutch police to profile this cunning and brutal murderer. As the body count rises are they looking for a hit man or a frenzied serial-killer?? This is a killer who leaves no trace where his choice of weapons are razor-sharp icicles. He goes by the name of Jack Frost. Could there also be a link to a cold missing persons’ case that George had worked on previously with Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen which involved two abducted toddlers that he could never quite give up on?
WOW, WOW, WOW!!! What a novel The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows was, I didn't think Marnie Riches could top her success with her previous two novels of The Girl Who Wouldn't Die & The Girl Who Broke The Rules but once again how wrong was I? It was absolutely fantastic. I even had to slow down reading it as I didn't want it to end. The story does cover alot of subjects and situations which we're all too familiar with on a daily basis, from child abductions, human trafficking, violence to paedophilia, whether it's on the news or in the papers, this story was near enough to real life. It is a pretty gritty book and there were parts I did squirm through so it's definitely not for the fainthearted. I didn't just like it, I LOVED it and it definitely didn't disappoint. I had my suspicions and thought that I'd worked out who the killer and kidnapper was but was completely wrong when it was revealed. This was a spine-chilling, pulse pounding and in parts a heart-thumping rollercoaster ride. I know that this book will stick in my memory longer than most because of the subject matter that was involved. I really loved the whole series and I'm REALLY hoping that this is not the very last time we've heard from George MacKenzie and Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen......
I've said this in my previous reviews that Marnie Riches is definitely an author to watch and I definitely mean it. It's hard to believe that Marnie has written this trilogy of novels in less than a year which is an amazing achievement and I'm been honest here by saying that this book will definitely be in my Top 10 Reads of 2016.
I'd HIGHLY recommend ALL three of these novels especially if you're a fan of Jo Nesbo and Steig Larsson. The Girl Who Wouldn't Die is only £2.99 & The Girl Who Broke The Rules is £1.49 respectively on Kindle at the moment so grab it while you can, you won't be disappointed so don't say I never told you so!!!
Georgina (George) MacKenzie and Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen are back for their final thriller in this fantastic trilogy. This book opens 2 years on from The Girl Who Broke The Rules and where we encountered a maniac sociopath who was known as The Butcher.
Europe is in the grip of an extreme Arctic blast and George is now a fully qualified criminologist and is called upon by the Dutch police to profile this cunning and brutal murderer. As the body count rises are they looking for a hit man or a frenzied serial-killer?? This is a killer who leaves no trace where his choice of weapons are razor-sharp icicles. He goes by the name of Jack Frost. Could there also be a link to a cold missing persons’ case that George had worked on previously with Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen which involved two abducted toddlers that he could never quite give up on?
WOW, WOW, WOW!!! What a novel The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows was, I didn't think Marnie Riches could top her success with her previous two novels of The Girl Who Wouldn't Die & The Girl Who Broke The Rules but once again how wrong was I? It was absolutely fantastic. I even had to slow down reading it as I didn't want it to end. The story does cover alot of subjects and situations which we're all too familiar with on a daily basis, from child abductions, human trafficking, violence to paedophilia, whether it's on the news or in the papers, this story was near enough to real life. It is a pretty gritty book and there were parts I did squirm through so it's definitely not for the fainthearted. I didn't just like it, I LOVED it and it definitely didn't disappoint. I had my suspicions and thought that I'd worked out who the killer and kidnapper was but was completely wrong when it was revealed. This was a spine-chilling, pulse pounding and in parts a heart-thumping rollercoaster ride. I know that this book will stick in my memory longer than most because of the subject matter that was involved. I really loved the whole series and I'm REALLY hoping that this is not the very last time we've heard from George MacKenzie and Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen......
I've said this in my previous reviews that Marnie Riches is definitely an author to watch and I definitely mean it. It's hard to believe that Marnie has written this trilogy of novels in less than a year which is an amazing achievement and I'm been honest here by saying that this book will definitely be in my Top 10 Reads of 2016.
I'd HIGHLY recommend ALL three of these novels especially if you're a fan of Jo Nesbo and Steig Larsson. The Girl Who Wouldn't Die is only £2.99 & The Girl Who Broke The Rules is £1.49 respectively on Kindle at the moment so grab it while you can, you won't be disappointed so don't say I never told you so!!!
April 3, 2016
10 Reasons Why You Should Read The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows
1. Confident writing. So confident it can be brutal. You know, the in-your-face kind of brutal that leaves a black eye in the morning. Get some ice.
2. Bursting at the seams with fascinating and flawed characters: from the morally ambiguous to the sordidly immoral to the sexually fluid to the emotionally crippled. (The author could be talking about my family, but I digress.)
3. Unrelenting suspense. So tense that you might find your heart fibrillating. Okay, that may be a tad too much, but it can happen, yes?
4. Reading it is like assembling the most difficult jigsaw puzzle while playing “Where’s Wally”. (And since this is an international crime thriller, that would be “Waldo” in the US, “Charlie” in France, “Walter” in Germany, “Willy” in Norway…)
5. Icicle of death. A very handy murder weapon during an arctic freeze. Cold, cruel, and best of all, untraceable. Plausible? Well, if Roald Dahl can use a big frozen leg of lamb to bludgeon someone in his short story, why can’t Marnie Riches use deadly sharp icicles in her crime fiction?
6. Funny bits are really funny. Sure, the book is dark and gritty 90% of the time, but the author delivers funny lines when you need them the most.
7. Moral and ethical dilemmas. There’s plenty of that in the book. It challenges you. It makes you question your own moral sensibilities.
8. Extremely cunning criminals. It makes you genuinely worry for George’s safety and everyone else involved with her.
9. The George-Paul Dynamics. One minute tender, the next minute combustible. Problems seem to resolve themselves between the sheets. Not that I’m complaining.
10. An ending you won’t see coming.
1. Confident writing. So confident it can be brutal. You know, the in-your-face kind of brutal that leaves a black eye in the morning. Get some ice.
2. Bursting at the seams with fascinating and flawed characters: from the morally ambiguous to the sordidly immoral to the sexually fluid to the emotionally crippled. (The author could be talking about my family, but I digress.)
3. Unrelenting suspense. So tense that you might find your heart fibrillating. Okay, that may be a tad too much, but it can happen, yes?
4. Reading it is like assembling the most difficult jigsaw puzzle while playing “Where’s Wally”. (And since this is an international crime thriller, that would be “Waldo” in the US, “Charlie” in France, “Walter” in Germany, “Willy” in Norway…)
5. Icicle of death. A very handy murder weapon during an arctic freeze. Cold, cruel, and best of all, untraceable. Plausible? Well, if Roald Dahl can use a big frozen leg of lamb to bludgeon someone in his short story, why can’t Marnie Riches use deadly sharp icicles in her crime fiction?
6. Funny bits are really funny. Sure, the book is dark and gritty 90% of the time, but the author delivers funny lines when you need them the most.
7. Moral and ethical dilemmas. There’s plenty of that in the book. It challenges you. It makes you question your own moral sensibilities.
8. Extremely cunning criminals. It makes you genuinely worry for George’s safety and everyone else involved with her.
9. The George-Paul Dynamics. One minute tender, the next minute combustible. Problems seem to resolve themselves between the sheets. Not that I’m complaining.
10. An ending you won’t see coming.
July 30, 2016
This was a good book, but I think that the earlier books in the series have to be read first to give context both to the complicated relationships and to the settings.
George and Paul, the lead characters from the earlier "Girl Who" novels get embroiled in a case of child abduction. This leads to a much wider investigation of paedophile rings, child trafficking and serial murder.
There is a lot packed into this book, fast paced, great characterisation, ambivalent morality, danger, gruesome murder, loathsome child abduction and heart-wrenching, gut churning fear.
I was gripped throughout and loved how each person is so well realised and, where we had met them before, they remain consistent whilst still, moving forward and developing. I like that the action takes place across more than one country and in different places, and that there are many nationalities and classes depicted, on both sides of the criminal line.
I did have a couple of quibbles that make this not quite 5 stars, one is the jumping backwards and forwards in time which was a bit distracting although a popular device in many current novels, and secondly was that some of the incidents/revelations felt a bit too coincidental and a bit too unreal for me. However with things left where they are at the end there seems to be another book in the future and I for one am looking forward to it.
George and Paul, the lead characters from the earlier "Girl Who" novels get embroiled in a case of child abduction. This leads to a much wider investigation of paedophile rings, child trafficking and serial murder.
There is a lot packed into this book, fast paced, great characterisation, ambivalent morality, danger, gruesome murder, loathsome child abduction and heart-wrenching, gut churning fear.
I was gripped throughout and loved how each person is so well realised and, where we had met them before, they remain consistent whilst still, moving forward and developing. I like that the action takes place across more than one country and in different places, and that there are many nationalities and classes depicted, on both sides of the criminal line.
I did have a couple of quibbles that make this not quite 5 stars, one is the jumping backwards and forwards in time which was a bit distracting although a popular device in many current novels, and secondly was that some of the incidents/revelations felt a bit too coincidental and a bit too unreal for me. However with things left where they are at the end there seems to be another book in the future and I for one am looking forward to it.
October 28, 2016
Only once had I been approved for this book( thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and author of this book for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review) did I actually realise it is the third in the trilogy and I have not read the previous books. If I had it would of probably got the full five stars as some other reviewers had this as the favourite out of the three.
Right from the very start I was hooked in by the feisty, assertive, mouthy and strong lead character of Georgina who works as a criminologist.
As Europe receives a cold artic blast a killer is amongst the midst who is named Jack Frost which relates to his weapon of choice which is a razor sharp icicle. Children are also vanishing without a trace.
Alongside her work partner Van Den Bergen they realise this killer could be linked to a case they covered a few years previously and so they embark to track him down.
A very dark gritty murder story which throws us in to the violent tragic world of child trafficking can make the story quite difficult emotionally to read but the hope the killer is caught kept me hooked and the frustrating romantic tension between the two characters.
The story is told well with weaving plots and fast paced tension. I enjoyed it very much and would certainly recommend to others who enjoy this genre.
Right from the very start I was hooked in by the feisty, assertive, mouthy and strong lead character of Georgina who works as a criminologist.
As Europe receives a cold artic blast a killer is amongst the midst who is named Jack Frost which relates to his weapon of choice which is a razor sharp icicle. Children are also vanishing without a trace.
Alongside her work partner Van Den Bergen they realise this killer could be linked to a case they covered a few years previously and so they embark to track him down.
A very dark gritty murder story which throws us in to the violent tragic world of child trafficking can make the story quite difficult emotionally to read but the hope the killer is caught kept me hooked and the frustrating romantic tension between the two characters.
The story is told well with weaving plots and fast paced tension. I enjoyed it very much and would certainly recommend to others who enjoy this genre.
March 26, 2016
This is the third of "The Girl Who" series and I loved the first two. However I struggled a little more with this third one and I'm not too sure why.
Again the book is split between England and Amsterdam with George McKenzie now practicing as a criminologist. Her relationship with Chief Inspector Paul Van Den Bergen continues to be complicated, and the balance between work and personal lives seem to cause them some problems.
It is a particularly cold winter and people are being killed by "Jack Frost" a killer who uses weather related methods to murder his victims. The book also flicks back in time to the disappearance of Josh and Lucy Deenen from their back garden, and everything that went along with the search for them.
If you have read the first two this is definitely worth reading, and if you haven't read the first two then I suggest you go and read them as they are very good. This isn't a bad book, I just found my attention slipping from time to time as I felt it wasn't as gripping a storyline as the previous two.
Again the book is split between England and Amsterdam with George McKenzie now practicing as a criminologist. Her relationship with Chief Inspector Paul Van Den Bergen continues to be complicated, and the balance between work and personal lives seem to cause them some problems.
It is a particularly cold winter and people are being killed by "Jack Frost" a killer who uses weather related methods to murder his victims. The book also flicks back in time to the disappearance of Josh and Lucy Deenen from their back garden, and everything that went along with the search for them.
If you have read the first two this is definitely worth reading, and if you haven't read the first two then I suggest you go and read them as they are very good. This isn't a bad book, I just found my attention slipping from time to time as I felt it wasn't as gripping a storyline as the previous two.
August 21, 2016
I would like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest and open review.
This is the third book in the Georgina MacKenzie series and I devoured it as I did the previous two books.
Although it can be read as a stand-alone thriller, you would be better off reading them in order. The first is "The Girl Who Wouldn't Die" and the second "The Girl Who Broke The Rules". By reading them in order you will understand the relationship between Georgina and Dutch Chief Inspector Paul van der Bergen.
This will have you gripped from page 1 and you will struggle to put it down.
I hope this isn't the last we hear of Georgina MacKenzie.
This is the third book in the Georgina MacKenzie series and I devoured it as I did the previous two books.
Although it can be read as a stand-alone thriller, you would be better off reading them in order. The first is "The Girl Who Wouldn't Die" and the second "The Girl Who Broke The Rules". By reading them in order you will understand the relationship between Georgina and Dutch Chief Inspector Paul van der Bergen.
This will have you gripped from page 1 and you will struggle to put it down.
I hope this isn't the last we hear of Georgina MacKenzie.
March 31, 2016
Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for letting me read this book for free!!!
I LOVED this book Loved it! I love the character George
The story was well researched and written.
I cannot recommend this book enough a great fast paced crime read.
I always know when a book will grab me and keep me gripped as i start to speed read and pick it up when i should be doing other things! I wont spoil it for anyone but the ending was fab too.
I LOVED this book Loved it! I love the character George
The story was well researched and written.
I cannot recommend this book enough a great fast paced crime read.
I always know when a book will grab me and keep me gripped as i start to speed read and pick it up when i should be doing other things! I wont spoil it for anyone but the ending was fab too.
May 31, 2016
this is the third book in the series. I would suggest reading them in order but I have only read two and I loved this book. I loved the characters and the story was well written. I was totally hooked till the end of the book.
highly recommended
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highly recommended
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April 7, 2016
The girl who walked in the shadows
Five stars for this book I read the first two books in this series again to catch up on the story line and loved this third book hope more to follow with George and Inspector Paul
Five stars for this book I read the first two books in this series again to catch up on the story line and loved this third book hope more to follow with George and Inspector Paul
March 28, 2016
Review to follow!
September 5, 2018
This is one I read recently.
Yikes, that was quite dark. I'm surprised more people haven't been reading this series as I'm finding it quite addictive. The character of George (Georgina) has grown immensely over the three books. She is now a fully qualified criminologist. Van den Bergen, the Dutch policeman she has worked with in the past (who is also her lover) has asked for help with another case, but he is in the doghouse for now.
Meanwhile Europe and the UK are in the grip of the coldest winter for ages. Police in London are chasing a killer, dubbed Jack Frost, who killed a man by apparently stabbing him in the neck with an icicle (ingenious, no fingerprints). Soon there appears a link to another similar murder in the Netherlands and some suspicious deaths in Berlin.
Can George and Van den Bergen find a link between these deaths? Is this related to child trafficking as appears to be the case? Does this have anything to do with two toddlers abducted from their own garden some months ago? But as the traffickers get wind of their involvement, George and her merry band of helpers find themselves increasingly in danger. Can they prevail? Can they find the killer or killers? Can they find the missing children? And no, the answers are not as obvious as you might think.
It's a rollicking ride that takes us into the underbelly of some of Europe's premier cities. George is a foul-mouthed but totally 'real' person who is dedicated to her cases. The relationship with Van den Bergen blows hot and cold as he sees himself too old for her but George is having none of it and simply wears him down. The books are pretty crazy and full-on but also a bit different from your mainstream crime thrillers. I have really been enjoying the series, which should be read in order.
Yikes, that was quite dark. I'm surprised more people haven't been reading this series as I'm finding it quite addictive. The character of George (Georgina) has grown immensely over the three books. She is now a fully qualified criminologist. Van den Bergen, the Dutch policeman she has worked with in the past (who is also her lover) has asked for help with another case, but he is in the doghouse for now.
Meanwhile Europe and the UK are in the grip of the coldest winter for ages. Police in London are chasing a killer, dubbed Jack Frost, who killed a man by apparently stabbing him in the neck with an icicle (ingenious, no fingerprints). Soon there appears a link to another similar murder in the Netherlands and some suspicious deaths in Berlin.
Can George and Van den Bergen find a link between these deaths? Is this related to child trafficking as appears to be the case? Does this have anything to do with two toddlers abducted from their own garden some months ago? But as the traffickers get wind of their involvement, George and her merry band of helpers find themselves increasingly in danger. Can they prevail? Can they find the killer or killers? Can they find the missing children? And no, the answers are not as obvious as you might think.
It's a rollicking ride that takes us into the underbelly of some of Europe's premier cities. George is a foul-mouthed but totally 'real' person who is dedicated to her cases. The relationship with Van den Bergen blows hot and cold as he sees himself too old for her but George is having none of it and simply wears him down. The books are pretty crazy and full-on but also a bit different from your mainstream crime thrillers. I have really been enjoying the series, which should be read in order.
March 17, 2016
Europe is in the grip of an extreme Arctic blast and at the mercy of a killer, who leaves no trace. His weapons of choice are razor-sharp icicles. This is Jack Frost.
Now a fully qualified criminologist, Georgina McKenzie is called upon by the Dutch police to profile this cunning and brutal murderer. Are they looking for a hit man or a frenzied serial-killer? Could there be a link to a cold missing persons’ case that George had worked with Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen – two abducted toddlers he could never quite give up on?
How can you not get excited about a book which begins with "Black hearts so easily hidden beneath bespoke Jermyn Street clothing. Lies. Corruption. Evil. A day of reckoning was nigh"? This novel throws you straight into the action with writing that immediately conjures up a scene of tension and an atmosphere of anticipation. I was gripped. The description of the men who "had the entire week diarised satisfactorily by their P.A.s" so there were "no unwelcome surprises for these masters of the universe" ironically made me feel less sympathy for them -almost siding with the anonymous voice of someone we can only guess is about to commit a terrible crime. I loved the sentence "An unwitting child stumbled though the wardrobe...into a hard, white world, waiting to be lured into the shadows by a ragged, destitute Tummus." It implies so much; such impressive imagery.
After wasting no time in introducing us to "Jack Frost" and his murder with a ten inch icicle, we then move to a women's prison where George McKenzie, criminologist, is interviewing inmates for her research project. Again, Riches skilfully creates very visual characters with phrases and short sentences, focussing on details that paint authentic pictures and subtly convey personality: "a gingivitis grin.....thin hair scraped back....look like a ruined child." It seems effortless and yet so controlled and clever at the same time. It was almost poetic in places with lines like "Bedbugs. Beatings. Braless and behind bars. Blotted life." I found it impressive that, throughout the whole novel, Riches is able to use such basic adjectives and sentence structures to invent strong characters and unpleasant situations in a very eloquent manner. I really admire the way she uses a collection of simple, single words to reinforce the realistic and gritty tone of the book.
George is a great character. Clearly affected by her work, she is sensitive and stressed. She is emotionally vulnerable and shows some fragility and there are suggestions of a troubled past. I think this gives her more depth and intrigue.
The novel is well paced with several threads of storyline established early on. There are clues and the characters and plots are linked. There are constant hints of intrigue but the reader is never given enough time to join up the dots as more and more information presented. The switches in time and locations of Amsterdam and London, where similar crimes are evading both police forces, keeps adding layer upon layer to a complex murder investigation.
My favourite chapter was the introduction of Piet and Gabi Deenen from a past unsolved crime where their children were abducted. I loved to hate Gabi! She was so obnoxious and so palpable and I loved the way this storyline unveiled itself through flashbacks, slowly bringing itself up to present day. The description of Piet as he looked after his children was so authentic and captured the way parents watch children while trying to multitask with the endless mundane tasks- spilling coffee, unable to finish a sentence on the phone, eyes constantly flickering from children to task while also trying to defend or argue or listen. Piet's thoughts and actions were so well captured and I read this scene as if watching it live in front of me.
And Gabi's feeling of being like "Alice, trapped on the wrong side of the looking glass, falling down the rabbit hole where her children may or may not lie broken at the bottom" demanded some empathy for a woman who loved her children but thwarted and judged by her ambition. Her suffering doubled by the fact that the press don't like a "ball breaker" and each of her decisions criticised when she is simply desperate to find her missing toddlers.
The second part of the book is really exciting. There is a twist and the tempo increases. Its action packed, clever and a real page turner. I read it quickly but actually this really helped me keep up with the characters, events and locations.
The novel is bleak. This is a thriller about murder, child trafficking, pedophillia. It is a sophisticated novel. There are lots of pieces of the jigsaw to concentrate on and the narrative moves backwards and forwards between the last twelve months, switching location between Denmark, Berlin, Amsterdam and Cambridge for starters. It is literally chilling. The freezing arctic temperatures and snowy weather are ever present and permeate every part of the story. Metaphors like "she felt like he had thrown a snowball squarely in her face" help reinforce the physical and emotional coldness of the book.
The blurb and reviewer compare Riches to Jo Nesbo and Stieg Larsson. I very much admire these writers but I think I prefer Riches work - for me, I felt more of a connection with it and maybe I was able to relate to the character of George more than some of those in other Nordic books. I liked her a lot. She is flawed and fallible but I admired her. She is honest, genuine and a positive representation of a female character.
The only small criticism I would have is that I don't think the cover really does it justice. To me it suggests a less sophisticated read. Although this is hugely accessible book that should definitely adorn the best selling stands and will be a very mainstream, popular read, it shouldn't sell itself short!
I thought this was an ambitious novel; it covers a lot of difficult issues but it feels slick, fluid and well crafted. I have not read the first two books in this series but it did not affect my enjoyment or understanding - I will be tracking down these pervious titles! I would recommend "The Girl who Walked in Shadows."
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for a fair and honest review.
Now a fully qualified criminologist, Georgina McKenzie is called upon by the Dutch police to profile this cunning and brutal murderer. Are they looking for a hit man or a frenzied serial-killer? Could there be a link to a cold missing persons’ case that George had worked with Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen – two abducted toddlers he could never quite give up on?
How can you not get excited about a book which begins with "Black hearts so easily hidden beneath bespoke Jermyn Street clothing. Lies. Corruption. Evil. A day of reckoning was nigh"? This novel throws you straight into the action with writing that immediately conjures up a scene of tension and an atmosphere of anticipation. I was gripped. The description of the men who "had the entire week diarised satisfactorily by their P.A.s" so there were "no unwelcome surprises for these masters of the universe" ironically made me feel less sympathy for them -almost siding with the anonymous voice of someone we can only guess is about to commit a terrible crime. I loved the sentence "An unwitting child stumbled though the wardrobe...into a hard, white world, waiting to be lured into the shadows by a ragged, destitute Tummus." It implies so much; such impressive imagery.
After wasting no time in introducing us to "Jack Frost" and his murder with a ten inch icicle, we then move to a women's prison where George McKenzie, criminologist, is interviewing inmates for her research project. Again, Riches skilfully creates very visual characters with phrases and short sentences, focussing on details that paint authentic pictures and subtly convey personality: "a gingivitis grin.....thin hair scraped back....look like a ruined child." It seems effortless and yet so controlled and clever at the same time. It was almost poetic in places with lines like "Bedbugs. Beatings. Braless and behind bars. Blotted life." I found it impressive that, throughout the whole novel, Riches is able to use such basic adjectives and sentence structures to invent strong characters and unpleasant situations in a very eloquent manner. I really admire the way she uses a collection of simple, single words to reinforce the realistic and gritty tone of the book.
George is a great character. Clearly affected by her work, she is sensitive and stressed. She is emotionally vulnerable and shows some fragility and there are suggestions of a troubled past. I think this gives her more depth and intrigue.
The novel is well paced with several threads of storyline established early on. There are clues and the characters and plots are linked. There are constant hints of intrigue but the reader is never given enough time to join up the dots as more and more information presented. The switches in time and locations of Amsterdam and London, where similar crimes are evading both police forces, keeps adding layer upon layer to a complex murder investigation.
My favourite chapter was the introduction of Piet and Gabi Deenen from a past unsolved crime where their children were abducted. I loved to hate Gabi! She was so obnoxious and so palpable and I loved the way this storyline unveiled itself through flashbacks, slowly bringing itself up to present day. The description of Piet as he looked after his children was so authentic and captured the way parents watch children while trying to multitask with the endless mundane tasks- spilling coffee, unable to finish a sentence on the phone, eyes constantly flickering from children to task while also trying to defend or argue or listen. Piet's thoughts and actions were so well captured and I read this scene as if watching it live in front of me.
And Gabi's feeling of being like "Alice, trapped on the wrong side of the looking glass, falling down the rabbit hole where her children may or may not lie broken at the bottom" demanded some empathy for a woman who loved her children but thwarted and judged by her ambition. Her suffering doubled by the fact that the press don't like a "ball breaker" and each of her decisions criticised when she is simply desperate to find her missing toddlers.
The second part of the book is really exciting. There is a twist and the tempo increases. Its action packed, clever and a real page turner. I read it quickly but actually this really helped me keep up with the characters, events and locations.
The novel is bleak. This is a thriller about murder, child trafficking, pedophillia. It is a sophisticated novel. There are lots of pieces of the jigsaw to concentrate on and the narrative moves backwards and forwards between the last twelve months, switching location between Denmark, Berlin, Amsterdam and Cambridge for starters. It is literally chilling. The freezing arctic temperatures and snowy weather are ever present and permeate every part of the story. Metaphors like "she felt like he had thrown a snowball squarely in her face" help reinforce the physical and emotional coldness of the book.
The blurb and reviewer compare Riches to Jo Nesbo and Stieg Larsson. I very much admire these writers but I think I prefer Riches work - for me, I felt more of a connection with it and maybe I was able to relate to the character of George more than some of those in other Nordic books. I liked her a lot. She is flawed and fallible but I admired her. She is honest, genuine and a positive representation of a female character.
The only small criticism I would have is that I don't think the cover really does it justice. To me it suggests a less sophisticated read. Although this is hugely accessible book that should definitely adorn the best selling stands and will be a very mainstream, popular read, it shouldn't sell itself short!
I thought this was an ambitious novel; it covers a lot of difficult issues but it feels slick, fluid and well crafted. I have not read the first two books in this series but it did not affect my enjoyment or understanding - I will be tracking down these pervious titles! I would recommend "The Girl who Walked in Shadows."
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for a fair and honest review.
December 15, 2018
With Book 3 of the George McKenzie novels, Marnie Riches has proven that she is capable of high-quality repeat performances as she brings the world of Georgina McKenzie back for another whack at our sensibilities.
George's world is dark. The people she deals with are all as flawed as she is, including the man in her life, but I couldn't help but continue to root for her success and survival.
In this third book, time has passed (she is a now a professional criminologist), but the people in her life challenge her at every turn. Paul van den Bergen, an Amsterdam Chief Inspector, needs her to help solve a string of murders, but also needs her to be part of his life...even as they push each other away.
Wonderful thriller. If you like your stories dark, and your characters to have sharp edges, then the George McKenzie novels are for you.
I received a free copy of The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows in exchange for an honest review.
George's world is dark. The people she deals with are all as flawed as she is, including the man in her life, but I couldn't help but continue to root for her success and survival.
In this third book, time has passed (she is a now a professional criminologist), but the people in her life challenge her at every turn. Paul van den Bergen, an Amsterdam Chief Inspector, needs her to help solve a string of murders, but also needs her to be part of his life...even as they push each other away.
Wonderful thriller. If you like your stories dark, and your characters to have sharp edges, then the George McKenzie novels are for you.
I received a free copy of The Girl Who Walked in the Shadows in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2018
Another powerful book in the series starring George McKenzie.
I found this book to be thrilling, shocking and heartbreaking, all at the same time. There are so many threads in this book and the author does a great job of weaving them all together.
George and Paul are still trying to keep their relationship going, but it isn't easy when there are crime bosses, corrupt officials and missing children that they are trying to keep track of. I thought the story of Piet and Gabi was particularly interesting in this book; I don't know how I would handle things if someone had abducted my two small children either, truth be told.
I really like George. She isn't perfect, far from it, but she is interesting, hardworking and the people she loves, she loves fiercely, which is rather nice to read about. I also like her Aunty Sharon, she sounds a lot like my Aunty Margaret :)
I give this book 4.5 stars, looking forward to reading the next one!
I found this book to be thrilling, shocking and heartbreaking, all at the same time. There are so many threads in this book and the author does a great job of weaving them all together.
George and Paul are still trying to keep their relationship going, but it isn't easy when there are crime bosses, corrupt officials and missing children that they are trying to keep track of. I thought the story of Piet and Gabi was particularly interesting in this book; I don't know how I would handle things if someone had abducted my two small children either, truth be told.
I really like George. She isn't perfect, far from it, but she is interesting, hardworking and the people she loves, she loves fiercely, which is rather nice to read about. I also like her Aunty Sharon, she sounds a lot like my Aunty Margaret :)
I give this book 4.5 stars, looking forward to reading the next one!
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