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Bad Sweet Things
Six women hunted one by one: Each receives a copy of an old school group photo, in which their own face has been savagely scratched out.
Within three weeks, two of them are dead.
A Detective in a race against time:
Known to her colleagues as the Hound, DS Tina Bassett believes the women were all murdered by the same person.
Someone out there is hunting down the class of 98.
As the death toll continues to rise, DS Bassett desperately delves deeper into the pasts of the women to help uncover the true catalyst to the unfolding rampage in the present. Will she succeed in stopping a killer hell bent on having their revenge?
Or will the class of 98 finally pay their price...Bad Sweet Things is the new gripping Irish Crime thriller from Maria Hoey, perfect for fans of Jane Casey, Claire McGowan and Claire Allan.
Within three weeks, two of them are dead.
A Detective in a race against time:
Known to her colleagues as the Hound, DS Tina Bassett believes the women were all murdered by the same person.
Someone out there is hunting down the class of 98.
As the death toll continues to rise, DS Bassett desperately delves deeper into the pasts of the women to help uncover the true catalyst to the unfolding rampage in the present. Will she succeed in stopping a killer hell bent on having their revenge?
Or will the class of 98 finally pay their price...Bad Sweet Things is the new gripping Irish Crime thriller from Maria Hoey, perfect for fans of Jane Casey, Claire McGowan and Claire Allan.
375 pages, Paperback
Published December 13, 2021
1 person is currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Maria Hoey
7 books17 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author with this name on GR
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 17, 2021
Five women receive photos in the mail - each with their faces scratched out. None take it seriously. Until they start dying.
Avenge - the killer tells the story of their intention, the ease of deciding to avenge.
The story of their friendship unfolds - the A Team, the group of popular girls who antagonize and bully classmates.
Tina and JP are tasked with checking out Jennifer's accident - could it be homicide? When another woman dies, Tina thinks they are connected. She becomes obsessed with proving the connection between the photo, a recent rape case and five women.
I loved the background - using the killer's narrative to give context and history; Tina's character is fantastic. I found the ending predictable yet the connections and suspense were well done.
Avenge - the killer tells the story of their intention, the ease of deciding to avenge.
The story of their friendship unfolds - the A Team, the group of popular girls who antagonize and bully classmates.
Tina and JP are tasked with checking out Jennifer's accident - could it be homicide? When another woman dies, Tina thinks they are connected. She becomes obsessed with proving the connection between the photo, a recent rape case and five women.
I loved the background - using the killer's narrative to give context and history; Tina's character is fantastic. I found the ending predictable yet the connections and suspense were well done.
March 10, 2022
Fantastic thriller, reminiscent of 'Promising Young Woman' + John Grisham + the Janet Evanovich 'Stephanie Plum' series. A detective and her partner unravel a fantastic plot surrounding a group of girls who were friends in their youth and called themselves 'The A-Team'. This book is a true page-turner and I loved how everything came together in the end. There was snarky, Irish humour (which I loved), a great plot, and even some very touching moments. I highly recommend this novel for an exciting read that will have you guessing, make you laugh, and make you feel strong emotion.
December 14, 2021
I’d like to thank Zoe from Zooloo’s Book Tours for contacting me to take part in this blog tour.
Bad Sweet Things is an intense and thrilling read from cover to cover. I devoured this book in a day and was really intrigued to see how all the dots connected.
Our detective on the case, Tina, was formidable and determined to get to the bottom of the investigation. She followed her gut and was quite often right in her thinking and I too felt her frustration when those higher up didn’t share her views. I enjoyed the banter between her and JP, I thought they made a great team and complemented each other well.
As for the A – Team, what an awful group of women. I know that as teenagers there’s always an element of banter amongst youths but what they did was bullying, plain and simple. As adults some of them weren’t any better! I did not like Jennifer from the start and wasn’t sorry to see how she met her demise but even worse was her brother. I can honestly say I did not feel any sympathy for him at all.
As the story unravels and we learn more about the murderer and their past a part of me could understand their reasoning behind the killings. What they had endured was awful and to see the same crime committed again must of been horrendous.
Maria Hoey explores the depth of friendship and how quickly things can turn sour. Another great read for all crime lovers out there!
Bad Sweet Things is an intense and thrilling read from cover to cover. I devoured this book in a day and was really intrigued to see how all the dots connected.
Our detective on the case, Tina, was formidable and determined to get to the bottom of the investigation. She followed her gut and was quite often right in her thinking and I too felt her frustration when those higher up didn’t share her views. I enjoyed the banter between her and JP, I thought they made a great team and complemented each other well.
As for the A – Team, what an awful group of women. I know that as teenagers there’s always an element of banter amongst youths but what they did was bullying, plain and simple. As adults some of them weren’t any better! I did not like Jennifer from the start and wasn’t sorry to see how she met her demise but even worse was her brother. I can honestly say I did not feel any sympathy for him at all.
As the story unravels and we learn more about the murderer and their past a part of me could understand their reasoning behind the killings. What they had endured was awful and to see the same crime committed again must of been horrendous.
Maria Hoey explores the depth of friendship and how quickly things can turn sour. Another great read for all crime lovers out there!
December 17, 2021
This was a fast read for me! It was entertaining & the suspense was great! I found myself at the edge of my seat a few times! I liked that we got to hear from the bad guy in this story! It gave us some history & it was neat to see their point of view! Even though I did figure out the ending it wasn’t until I was almost the very end & I still enjoyed the twists & turns! The pace & the flow of the story is good! I really liked Tina's character! Do you think you can figure out who the killer is? Or how about the WHY they are killing?
March 17, 2022
This was a superb book. I devoured this really quickly. I just couldn’t put it down, when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it.
This was gripping, clever and the plot was fantastic.
I would highly recommend this if you’re a sucker for psychological thrillers.
This was gripping, clever and the plot was fantastic.
I would highly recommend this if you’re a sucker for psychological thrillers.
December 18, 2021
Title: Bad Sweet Things
Author: Maria Hoey
Publisher: Spellbound Books
My Rating: 4/5
A huge thank you to the author, Zooloos Book Tours and Spellbound Books for letting me be part of the book tour!
Synopsis:
They say keep your enemies close but your friends closer. Six women, each receive a copy of an old school photograph. Each of their faces savagely scratched out. A week later, two of the women are now dead. It falls into the hands of Detective Sergeant Tina Bassett to race against time before anyone else is hurt. As she delves deeper into the past of these women, she believes the culprit is the same person, someone who is intent on killing off the class of 98. Will Tina stop this killer who is hell bent on revenge, or will the class of 98 end up paying the price of their past?
Review:
I couldn’t wait to read this book, the blub sounded like this would be a read I could really sink my teeth into. The fact that it also an Irish thriller excited me as this is one of my favourite places! I found the cover to be very eye catching and the words “sometimes bad shit happens” definitely had me drawn in. It is safe to say my attention was well and truly caught.
It did take me a few chapters to get used to the characters as there was a few of them to get my head round, however once I’d overcome this hurdle, I found myself becoming absorbed. I then began to find myself saying just one more chapter!
I really liked how throughout we heard from the murderer, it allowed me to be able to get inside their head but I also liked how this was done in a clever way at first and didn’t give anything away straight away. I enjoy reads that keep me guessing and half way through this one, I still found myself without a theory as to who was behind all this!
I found the characters to be very interesting, but it made me feel quite saddened at times how Tina had such low self-esteem, us as humans can all be guilty of putting ourselves down too much, especially our image.
The plot for this read was very juicy, it was full of clever twists and turns. Surprisingly however, I also found it pulling on my heart strings at times too. I was definitely on the end of my seat right up until the end. I really did find this gripping and I do hope there will be a second book!
There was definitely no sweetness in this read, just the dark elements that I love! This was a clever plotted book and once you pick it up, you’ll struggle to put it back down!
Author: Maria Hoey
Publisher: Spellbound Books
My Rating: 4/5
A huge thank you to the author, Zooloos Book Tours and Spellbound Books for letting me be part of the book tour!
Synopsis:
They say keep your enemies close but your friends closer. Six women, each receive a copy of an old school photograph. Each of their faces savagely scratched out. A week later, two of the women are now dead. It falls into the hands of Detective Sergeant Tina Bassett to race against time before anyone else is hurt. As she delves deeper into the past of these women, she believes the culprit is the same person, someone who is intent on killing off the class of 98. Will Tina stop this killer who is hell bent on revenge, or will the class of 98 end up paying the price of their past?
Review:
I couldn’t wait to read this book, the blub sounded like this would be a read I could really sink my teeth into. The fact that it also an Irish thriller excited me as this is one of my favourite places! I found the cover to be very eye catching and the words “sometimes bad shit happens” definitely had me drawn in. It is safe to say my attention was well and truly caught.
It did take me a few chapters to get used to the characters as there was a few of them to get my head round, however once I’d overcome this hurdle, I found myself becoming absorbed. I then began to find myself saying just one more chapter!
I really liked how throughout we heard from the murderer, it allowed me to be able to get inside their head but I also liked how this was done in a clever way at first and didn’t give anything away straight away. I enjoy reads that keep me guessing and half way through this one, I still found myself without a theory as to who was behind all this!
I found the characters to be very interesting, but it made me feel quite saddened at times how Tina had such low self-esteem, us as humans can all be guilty of putting ourselves down too much, especially our image.
The plot for this read was very juicy, it was full of clever twists and turns. Surprisingly however, I also found it pulling on my heart strings at times too. I was definitely on the end of my seat right up until the end. I really did find this gripping and I do hope there will be a second book!
There was definitely no sweetness in this read, just the dark elements that I love! This was a clever plotted book and once you pick it up, you’ll struggle to put it back down!
December 23, 2021
Omg the opening to this book had me in giggles we’ve all had awful mornings like that and I can truly relate. When a day starts out bad and just goes so much worse. There’s something about this authors way of words that just tickle me. I loved the introductions to the characters the references and the banter of Nick names so much.
I couldn’t believe how my emotions switched from giggling so much to feeling so emotional about Orla and what had happened to her. Also learning about Tina’s upbringing was a sore moment to read about too. I loved the way the book progresses in time so you have a rough idea on the timeline, especially when you reach the photograph and realise what has happened to that person could all be related to a certain someone else.
I had a bit of a sweet spot for Tina and Jo working relationship but you’ll have to read to understand why. I thoroughly enjoyed this crime thriller and loved the what if and will this happen next. It’s extremely fast paced keeping you from putting it down every step of the way. I do hope this isn’t the last we see on this book it would be incredible to have a book two. Loved this, loved how the author can flip between emotions so quickly.
March 12, 2022
You know, I've never read a thriller quite like this one. It's like a mystery mixed with a thriller mixed with some seriously messed up peer pressure. "Messed up" is a compliment, in this case! Lol Maybe thriller isn't my favorite genre, but I can still appreciate a good book when I see one.
I love the way we effortlessly jumped between POVs. She manages to balance building up a background and plot and characters at the exact same time. That often requires some extraneous memory from the characters, which could feel out of place, but it never quite struck me that way. She knows how to write a mystery, too, because I was genuinely stumped until it was revealed.
While it did have a slow start, in my opinion, it picked up about half way through and kept me engaged until the very end.
My favorite part of this book, though, was the characters. Tina, the grumpy little spitfire, really grew on me! I liked JP from the beginning, and I really, really felt for the Anna/Grace/Orla group. I won't tell you how they link up. That'd be a spoiler. But let's just say that Anna is honestly STILL my favorite character.
Lastly, kudos to Maria for making such a truly relatable, likable villain. Whoever that is. *winkwink*
https://aejohnsonwrites.wordpress.com...
I love the way we effortlessly jumped between POVs. She manages to balance building up a background and plot and characters at the exact same time. That often requires some extraneous memory from the characters, which could feel out of place, but it never quite struck me that way. She knows how to write a mystery, too, because I was genuinely stumped until it was revealed.
While it did have a slow start, in my opinion, it picked up about half way through and kept me engaged until the very end.
My favorite part of this book, though, was the characters. Tina, the grumpy little spitfire, really grew on me! I liked JP from the beginning, and I really, really felt for the Anna/Grace/Orla group. I won't tell you how they link up. That'd be a spoiler. But let's just say that Anna is honestly STILL my favorite character.
Lastly, kudos to Maria for making such a truly relatable, likable villain. Whoever that is. *winkwink*
https://aejohnsonwrites.wordpress.com...
December 16, 2021
A new author for me and a really good police procedural crime thriller. Well written, it grabbed my attention quickly and kept it throughout. The main protagonist is a feisty woman who works on gut instinct and it’s seen her well in the past. Alongside the story the killers narrative is used to give the reader an insight that the police don’t have. Yet.
Briefly, when six women, former school friends, receive a copy of an old school photograph, each with their own faces viciously scratched out, they think little of it until two of the woman are found dead. DS Tina Bassett investigates, alongside her colleague and secret crush JP, and she believes the women were murdered and that the other four women are in danger. One of the women is the sister of Lorcan O’Keefe, a man found innocent of raping a woman in one of Tina’s previous cases. Who is the murderer and why are they seeking revenge on the six women?
I really enjoyed this book. There were plenty of red herrings, such that, until the reveals I really wasn’t sure who the killer was or exactly why they were targeting the women. A tale of teenage friendship that was really just a group of girls who were egged on by their ‘leader’ to verbally bully other girls with horrifying consequences. A good read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Briefly, when six women, former school friends, receive a copy of an old school photograph, each with their own faces viciously scratched out, they think little of it until two of the woman are found dead. DS Tina Bassett investigates, alongside her colleague and secret crush JP, and she believes the women were murdered and that the other four women are in danger. One of the women is the sister of Lorcan O’Keefe, a man found innocent of raping a woman in one of Tina’s previous cases. Who is the murderer and why are they seeking revenge on the six women?
I really enjoyed this book. There were plenty of red herrings, such that, until the reveals I really wasn’t sure who the killer was or exactly why they were targeting the women. A tale of teenage friendship that was really just a group of girls who were egged on by their ‘leader’ to verbally bully other girls with horrifying consequences. A good read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 19, 2021
A fast paced and original crime thriller which had me hooked from the beginning. The story follows DS Bassett and her colleague JP in their investigation of a series of murders which start to unfold within a friendship group, once known as the ‘A Team’. A clever plot keeps you intrigued and guessing what will come next. I loved that it was in no way predictable and how the reader is thrown off on a number of occasions to suspect someone different before all of the pieces come together at the end- I did not see that twist coming!! Well written characters and different narrative voices help to drive the story forward and keep us wanting to turn the pages eagerly to get to the conclusion… definitely one for all crime lovers!
March 13, 2022
Disconcerning acts in one’s past sometimes come back to haunt us. In this Irish crime novel, Tina is challenged with solving a mystery of a string of accidents involving a particle group of high school friends known as the A-Team. As much as she sees a connection between the incidents, her superior rejects the idea.
Maria Hoey hits all the right buttons in this novel with a great story and good characters.
One of my favorite books recommended by my book club.
Maria Hoey hits all the right buttons in this novel with a great story and good characters.
One of my favorite books recommended by my book club.
March 12, 2022
Mystery
A thrilling mystery that keeps you guessing who done it! With an ensamble of women who have a sinister past and their relatives who may have played a role in it this book keeps you turning the pages. It was easy to read and highly enjoyable. I'd highly recommend it.
A thrilling mystery that keeps you guessing who done it! With an ensamble of women who have a sinister past and their relatives who may have played a role in it this book keeps you turning the pages. It was easy to read and highly enjoyable. I'd highly recommend it.
December 14, 2021
What a great read. I loved DS Tina Bassett, she’s feisty, self deprecating and funny. I loved the chemistry between Tina and JP. I loved the way they work together against the infamous Colonel Mustard. I loved everything about this book. The plot is clever, fast moving and gripping with a real twist at the end. I certainly didn’t see it coming and the door is wide open for a second book.
I think I read somewhere that this is the first of what is going to be a series and I so hope this is true.
I think I read somewhere that this is the first of what is going to be a series and I so hope this is true.
December 23, 2021
When six friends from the class of 98 receive an old school photo with their own faces scratched out, it’s not long before two of the women are dead.
Is it natural causes? Detective Sergeant Tina Bassett doesn’t think so and believes it has something to do with the photo and she needs to find the killer before they strike again.
A fantastic crime thriller, this is a new author to me and I shall certainly be reading more from her. A great story of revenge with an ending I did not see coming!
Is it natural causes? Detective Sergeant Tina Bassett doesn’t think so and believes it has something to do with the photo and she needs to find the killer before they strike again.
A fantastic crime thriller, this is a new author to me and I shall certainly be reading more from her. A great story of revenge with an ending I did not see coming!
December 19, 2021
Set in Dublin, DS Martina (Tina) Bassett and her partner Detective Garda JP O’Rourke visit the parents of Nicole Brady who has just been found dead at the base of a cliff. Her family agree that she was happy and wouldn’t have jumped so, unless anything shows up in the post mortem, it must have been a tragic accident while she was out running. But what the detectives don’t know is that six friends from school, including Nicole, have all received a group photo recently posted on facebook and which was being used for a class reunion with their own individual faces chillingly scratched out. The women involved wonder if the organiser, Liz, is behind it but surely nearly 20 years is a long time for someone to wait for revenge? The five others, Anna, Jennifer, Rachel, Bethany and Megan meet at Nicole’s funeral. Four of them meet again after Bethany is killed in a hit and run which Tina is also given to investigate. In a panic, Rachel calls the guards, and Tina and JP interview the four ladies left from the “A Team” gang as they were known at school. With a third attack on one of the remaining women, Tina is sure there must be a link to the class of ’98 but with no concrete proof she struggles to get the backing of her DI. Will it take another death to convince him that these are not just awful coincidences but the work of a very careful and clever killer? And will Tina find the answers she seeks in the past or present?
This is a superb and thrilling police procedural which grips the reader right from the start and carries the mystery and tension through to a shocking yet quietly satisfying ending as the harrowing words from the killer are read. Such is the skill of the author and her power to invoke empathy that it is simply impossible to hate the culprit nor to not understand the motive to avenge. I do hope to be reading more about Tina and JP very soon. 5*
This is a superb and thrilling police procedural which grips the reader right from the start and carries the mystery and tension through to a shocking yet quietly satisfying ending as the harrowing words from the killer are read. Such is the skill of the author and her power to invoke empathy that it is simply impossible to hate the culprit nor to not understand the motive to avenge. I do hope to be reading more about Tina and JP very soon. 5*
March 4, 2022
Riveting!
I love watching crime series, yet Bad Sweet Things is the first crime novel I’ve read from beginning to end. Maria Hoey’s simplistic and descriptive writing style was perfect for this reader. Each character is unique and well-defined as well as each scene.
Intuitive and entertaining DS Tina Basset aka The Hound along with her partner, JP, are tasked with checking out a woman’s accidental death. As the story unfolds, we learn that the woman was a member of The A Team, a group of popular girls who antagonized and bullied classmates when they were teenagers. When another past group member is found dead, Tina believes the deaths of both women are not so-called accidents, but homicides. Could they be systematic avenge killings?
Even though I figured out who the murderer was, having the perpetrator’s point of view and what lead that person to commit the crimes and what had transpired to motivate a group of girls to act and be so despicable, kept me engaged and intrigued.
A highly recommended book club read. I loved it!
I love watching crime series, yet Bad Sweet Things is the first crime novel I’ve read from beginning to end. Maria Hoey’s simplistic and descriptive writing style was perfect for this reader. Each character is unique and well-defined as well as each scene.
Intuitive and entertaining DS Tina Basset aka The Hound along with her partner, JP, are tasked with checking out a woman’s accidental death. As the story unfolds, we learn that the woman was a member of The A Team, a group of popular girls who antagonized and bullied classmates when they were teenagers. When another past group member is found dead, Tina believes the deaths of both women are not so-called accidents, but homicides. Could they be systematic avenge killings?
Even though I figured out who the murderer was, having the perpetrator’s point of view and what lead that person to commit the crimes and what had transpired to motivate a group of girls to act and be so despicable, kept me engaged and intrigued.
A highly recommended book club read. I loved it!
September 23, 2021
No Sweetness Here
Wow! What a story! I finished it in one sitting, unable and unwilling to put it down. The plot grabs you instantly and doesn't let go for a second until the very last page. Totally unpredictable from the start this book leaves you guessing....the wrong solution, after every chapter. When you finally realize the only sensible answer it still takes you completely by surprise. A little darker than her first two books but absolutely believable, I can't wait to see what Ms. Hoey comes up with next!
Wow! What a story! I finished it in one sitting, unable and unwilling to put it down. The plot grabs you instantly and doesn't let go for a second until the very last page. Totally unpredictable from the start this book leaves you guessing....the wrong solution, after every chapter. When you finally realize the only sensible answer it still takes you completely by surprise. A little darker than her first two books but absolutely believable, I can't wait to see what Ms. Hoey comes up with next!
December 17, 2021
An absolute page-turner. I lost a night's sleep over this book. I kept putting it down, turning out the light, then jumping back up to see what happened next. It is a real 'who done it', and oh, so cleverly written. I could see the characters vividly as though on a screen and Maria's dialogue is brilliant. I loved the main character Tina's relationship with JP. A really good thriller and I hope there is a follow up.
March 4, 2022
Absolutely, loved reading this book. I could not put it down. It has to be the best thriller I’ve seen or read in a long time. This really should be turned into a series or a TV, who done it? It absolutely smokes. Easy to read, great pace.
Orla is left devastated after a rape case she is persuaded to bring against a prominent male, finds him not guilty.
A group of women start to die in fast succession. All cases are linked to DS Tina Bassett, aptly nicknamed the hound, for both her investigative techniques and her surname. Known as a relentless searcher for the truth. Her nose is so close to the ground she picks up every scent, every coincidence.
Even though her boss is a real piece of work, he still can’t distract her from her convictions of thought.
Her partner is very supportive, but he too has a dark secret.
The author has picked many, very sensitive subjects to write about, enabling the reader to feel the anger of those hurt in this complex story.
Diverse leadership, rape, alcoholism, envy, and the sheer evil of young girls who become like sheep following their leader just to belong.
None of them really dared to stand up to their bully of a leader who really doesn’t particularly like anyone but herself. Their need to remain in the group is stronger than their sense of decency in the hope that they will continue to belong to the “A-Team” They have no thoughts of their future consequences to the victim or themselves.
The violence is balanced and blends well into the storyline. Initially, I was a bit mmm, about the rape stuff but when I put it all together and had it laid out in front of me, I honestly can’t think of a better way to tell this story. It really shares all the emotions a person is going through and the evil of young girls’ minds in their teenage years, when they get together. Purely for self-gratification with no thought for others.
It’s so well written and drawn together at the end. It leaves you wondering what could possibly come next. I found this book a very fast read, leading me off in swift succession to get to know the true reason for the death of key members and the many suspicious circumstances. A must-read!!
Well, Done.
Veronica Shaw
I would give this a 5 Review.
Read as part of a book club – How lucky am I.
Orla is left devastated after a rape case she is persuaded to bring against a prominent male, finds him not guilty.
A group of women start to die in fast succession. All cases are linked to DS Tina Bassett, aptly nicknamed the hound, for both her investigative techniques and her surname. Known as a relentless searcher for the truth. Her nose is so close to the ground she picks up every scent, every coincidence.
Even though her boss is a real piece of work, he still can’t distract her from her convictions of thought.
Her partner is very supportive, but he too has a dark secret.
The author has picked many, very sensitive subjects to write about, enabling the reader to feel the anger of those hurt in this complex story.
Diverse leadership, rape, alcoholism, envy, and the sheer evil of young girls who become like sheep following their leader just to belong.
None of them really dared to stand up to their bully of a leader who really doesn’t particularly like anyone but herself. Their need to remain in the group is stronger than their sense of decency in the hope that they will continue to belong to the “A-Team” They have no thoughts of their future consequences to the victim or themselves.
The violence is balanced and blends well into the storyline. Initially, I was a bit mmm, about the rape stuff but when I put it all together and had it laid out in front of me, I honestly can’t think of a better way to tell this story. It really shares all the emotions a person is going through and the evil of young girls’ minds in their teenage years, when they get together. Purely for self-gratification with no thought for others.
It’s so well written and drawn together at the end. It leaves you wondering what could possibly come next. I found this book a very fast read, leading me off in swift succession to get to know the true reason for the death of key members and the many suspicious circumstances. A must-read!!
Well, Done.
Veronica Shaw
I would give this a 5 Review.
Read as part of a book club – How lucky am I.
March 21, 2022
Rounded up from 3.5
Maria Hoey is a new to me author, but I was intrigued by the blurb of Bad Sweet Things I thought I have to give that a read!
Six women receive a photo with their faces scratched out. They think it's some prank, revenge for old grudges from their school days, but then the women die in accidents and doubts start to creep in. DS Tina Bassett and her partner JP are tasked with investigating, but quickly find it hard to prove anything more sinister than just unfortunate accidents. Tina, however, is determined to get to the bottom of things, no matter the cost.
Bad Sweet Things is an Irish crime thriller packed full of drama, all about toxic friendships and revenge.
Tina was a fantastic character. Flawed, with a troubled upbringing, she puts her determined nature to good use to get to the bottom of her cases, no matter the roadblocks.
There's a lot of layers to the story and it covers a lot of emotional subjects, with care I might add, but just be warned it might have you reaching for a tissue while you're reading it.
I felt this was definitely more of a whydunnit than a whodunnit. To me, the person responsible was obvious from the start, but the motive isn't entirely clear until near the end.
Bad Sweet Things is a fast-paced and fraught thriller that packs an emotional punch.
Maria Hoey is a new to me author, but I was intrigued by the blurb of Bad Sweet Things I thought I have to give that a read!
Six women receive a photo with their faces scratched out. They think it's some prank, revenge for old grudges from their school days, but then the women die in accidents and doubts start to creep in. DS Tina Bassett and her partner JP are tasked with investigating, but quickly find it hard to prove anything more sinister than just unfortunate accidents. Tina, however, is determined to get to the bottom of things, no matter the cost.
Bad Sweet Things is an Irish crime thriller packed full of drama, all about toxic friendships and revenge.
Tina was a fantastic character. Flawed, with a troubled upbringing, she puts her determined nature to good use to get to the bottom of her cases, no matter the roadblocks.
There's a lot of layers to the story and it covers a lot of emotional subjects, with care I might add, but just be warned it might have you reaching for a tissue while you're reading it.
I felt this was definitely more of a whydunnit than a whodunnit. To me, the person responsible was obvious from the start, but the motive isn't entirely clear until near the end.
Bad Sweet Things is a fast-paced and fraught thriller that packs an emotional punch.
March 1, 2022
This book has all the ingredients for a great crime novel and it delivers. I got hooked pretty quickly and invested in the characters and that is important for me when I read a book. I want to care. And care I did, with the plight and injustice of Orla’s story in the beginning, the intrigue of the A-team clique and their misdemeanours, and the drive of Tina to get her job done, despite her annoying superior. There was a good balance of personal and plot, so we know something about the detective, but it doesn’t overpower the story. The plot is great and getting little glimpses of the murderer’s mind to start with was really clever, with the big reveal later on in the story. I’m looking forward to more from this writer!
*I read this book as part of a book club
*I read this book as part of a book club
April 7, 2022
Bad Sweet Things by Maria Hoey is a crime thriller set in North County Dublin in Ireland. I myself am from this area so the place names etc were all very familiar to me which is something I love in a book familiarity. As soon as I started this book I just knew I was going to love it. This crime thriller had me completely hooked from the first chapter. Often in a book I can predict quite early on who the guilty party is but I have to say with this story I really has no idea which made this book even more exciting. A fast paced and gripping thriller that I highly recommend, I really hope this is just the start of a new crime series .
February 14, 2022
A good thriller that is easily read. A group of women who were at school together and called themselves the A team, receive the same photo each with their face scratched out. Are they all under threat and if so, from who and why? When one of them is killed, Detective Tina Bassett and her partner, JP are sent to investigate. We also hear about a previous case of Tina's with a woman called Orla, whose rapist was acquitted.
Lots of suspense and twists and turns make it a good read.
Lots of suspense and twists and turns make it a good read.
March 13, 2022
A intense read
When Tina stumbles upon a case in which A team are being targeted by a killer, there is no turning back. But as the investigation moves along, the dark past of the A team comes to light and Tina might find herself on the wrong side of justice.
With an intriguing plot this crime novel everything a reader wants - a great realistic story, characters that really stand out and a nail biting ending. I read this book as a part of a book club.
When Tina stumbles upon a case in which A team are being targeted by a killer, there is no turning back. But as the investigation moves along, the dark past of the A team comes to light and Tina might find herself on the wrong side of justice.
With an intriguing plot this crime novel everything a reader wants - a great realistic story, characters that really stand out and a nail biting ending. I read this book as a part of a book club.
March 8, 2022
A Good Read
I read this as part of a book club.
I enjoyed the storyline, the suspense, and the writing, and found the ending satisfying.
However, I had difficulty reconciling the repeated change in spelling for some of the characters' last names, especially O'Keeffe vs O'Keefe which occurred multiple times throughout the book.
I read this as part of a book club.
I enjoyed the storyline, the suspense, and the writing, and found the ending satisfying.
However, I had difficulty reconciling the repeated change in spelling for some of the characters' last names, especially O'Keeffe vs O'Keefe which occurred multiple times throughout the book.
August 18, 2022
fantastic page turner. loved DS Bassett - the hound with a nose for ferreting out the facts! themes of vulnerability, friendship, revenge, grief, trauma, humour and more. has it all. importantly it's an intriguing story that kept me guessing until the somewhat sad, dark but satisfying end. more from the hound please.
April 30, 2022
Good read
I enjoyed this book. Kept you guessing throughout, good storyline and strong characters. I like a good crime book and this didn't dissapoint.
Read as part of book club
I enjoyed this book. Kept you guessing throughout, good storyline and strong characters. I like a good crime book and this didn't dissapoint.
Read as part of book club
February 15, 2023
Feel like giving it 3.5 really. I enjoyed this book and like the writing style. Needs a better proofreader - too many typos and grammatical errors.
February 19, 2022
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed this police procedural thriller. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and kept me engrossed until the end. I also liked the originality of the plot. It was refreshing.
I enjoyed the character of the protagonist Tina - formidable, no-nonsense, and determined. She is also a very down-to-earth person who is a good detective. She is able to see patterns where others can’t and she stays her path despite getting zero support from her superiors. I also liked that we get to hear the killer’s point of view that gives us an insight into the events that led to the murders.
Overall, an enjoyable and thrilling read.
I enjoyed the character of the protagonist Tina - formidable, no-nonsense, and determined. She is also a very down-to-earth person who is a good detective. She is able to see patterns where others can’t and she stays her path despite getting zero support from her superiors. I also liked that we get to hear the killer’s point of view that gives us an insight into the events that led to the murders.
Overall, an enjoyable and thrilling read.
March 28, 2022
A tight plot and a gripping read
I loved this book from start to finish. It ticked all the boxes for a crime thriller, and I liked how all the puzzle pieces fell into place. The writing had a great balance of action, inner thoughts, descriptions, and humor. I got invested in the characters and loved the Tina - JP banter. I already picked another book by this author, and I'm hooked.
I loved this book from start to finish. It ticked all the boxes for a crime thriller, and I liked how all the puzzle pieces fell into place. The writing had a great balance of action, inner thoughts, descriptions, and humor. I got invested in the characters and loved the Tina - JP banter. I already picked another book by this author, and I'm hooked.
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