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Hunter's Rules
When best-laid plans go awry…
Hunter and Meera’s romantic plans come to an abrupt end when they stumble into the scene of a crime.
A young woman was attacked in a hotel lift. She has traumatic injuries, but she clings to life. Hunter notes that her wounds are like those inflicted on two other women, who died from their ordeal.
Can Meera keep the injured woman alive long enough for her to identify the assailant? Is the same person responsible for all three crimes?
When Hunter is identified as a suspect, can he establish his innocence and lead his team to solve the crime and keep Edinburgh safe?
Hunter and Meera’s romantic plans come to an abrupt end when they stumble into the scene of a crime.
A young woman was attacked in a hotel lift. She has traumatic injuries, but she clings to life. Hunter notes that her wounds are like those inflicted on two other women, who died from their ordeal.
Can Meera keep the injured woman alive long enough for her to identify the assailant? Is the same person responsible for all three crimes?
When Hunter is identified as a suspect, can he establish his innocence and lead his team to solve the crime and keep Edinburgh safe?
- GenresMystery
Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2022
About the author
Val Penny
20 books110 followersVal Penny is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and two cats.
She has a Llb from Edinburgh University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer.
However she has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories and novels. Her crime novels,The DI Hunter Wilson and Jane Renwick Thrillers are published by SpellBound Books.
She has a Llb from Edinburgh University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer.
However she has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories and novels. Her crime novels,The DI Hunter Wilson and Jane Renwick Thrillers are published by SpellBound Books.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 15, 2022
Val Penny is back again with Hunter’s Rules and I can’t explain how excited I was when this tour invite landed in my inbox. I have been a big fan of this series and of this author’s writing, so it was an easy decision to say yes to the invite. I will say, this is book six in the series but the books work well individually. I just love revisiting the characters as the series progresses, and think there’s a lot of value in reading all the books!
Hunter is such a fantastic main character. He’s likable and as a reader, he is relatable and someone to root for. The rest of the cast is well written as well. Val Penny knows how to write characters that drive the plot.
Plenty of action and some humor to keep you on your toes, Hunter’s Rules is a book I highly recommend giving a read. The characters are excellent and the story will hold the reader’s attention from beginning to end. I love this book and this series!
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
Hunter is such a fantastic main character. He’s likable and as a reader, he is relatable and someone to root for. The rest of the cast is well written as well. Val Penny knows how to write characters that drive the plot.
Plenty of action and some humor to keep you on your toes, Hunter’s Rules is a book I highly recommend giving a read. The characters are excellent and the story will hold the reader’s attention from beginning to end. I love this book and this series!
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the free review. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
January 19, 2022
Here’s a series that just keeps going from strength to strength!
Hunter and Meera are off duty and out for a romantic evening at a posh hotel when, as luck would have it, they stumble upon a crime scene. Luckily, as it turns out, because Meera’s medical skills undoubtedly play a big part in getting the victim to hospital and giving her a better chance of surviving. Similar injuries have occurred in two other recent cases – could this be the breakthrough the team have been hoping for?
I just adore this series; it’s on of those on my ‘must not miss’ list. Val Penny has the uncanny ability of giving everyone on the team their chance to shine, highlighting the skills and abilities of each of them. I’m very fond of them all, and feel I know them rather well. There is no hiding the fact that the crime, this time around, is quite horrendous and I was silently cheering the detectives on to discover ‘whodunnit’. Did I get it right? Well, yes – but in all honesty I suspected almost every character so it was more by luck than judgement! An absolutely sparkling read and one I enjoyed so very much. This is one series that I hope will continue for a long time to come. 5*
Hunter and Meera are off duty and out for a romantic evening at a posh hotel when, as luck would have it, they stumble upon a crime scene. Luckily, as it turns out, because Meera’s medical skills undoubtedly play a big part in getting the victim to hospital and giving her a better chance of surviving. Similar injuries have occurred in two other recent cases – could this be the breakthrough the team have been hoping for?
I just adore this series; it’s on of those on my ‘must not miss’ list. Val Penny has the uncanny ability of giving everyone on the team their chance to shine, highlighting the skills and abilities of each of them. I’m very fond of them all, and feel I know them rather well. There is no hiding the fact that the crime, this time around, is quite horrendous and I was silently cheering the detectives on to discover ‘whodunnit’. Did I get it right? Well, yes – but in all honesty I suspected almost every character so it was more by luck than judgement! An absolutely sparkling read and one I enjoyed so very much. This is one series that I hope will continue for a long time to come. 5*
January 16, 2022
Hunter and Meera's special night out to celebrate
However, their plans are thwarted by fate.
A young woman attacked and left for dead
But their finding her means she may live instead.
Horrific injuries the woman sustained
And yet she seemed not to be pained.
Though the first to survive, it is the third similar case
Something dreadful, macabre is taking place.
As Hunter and his team start to investigate
The victim's family seem likely to create
If they find the perpetrator before Hunter and crew
There's no telling just what they'll do!
This is an enthralling page turner read
Just what crime thriller readers need
Filled with locals from Edinburgh and around
Where family connections are diverse and not always sound.
What a horrific crime this proved to be
With links between folks you just don't foresee.
With blackmail, murder and abysmal crime
This is an edge of your seat read all the time.
A great read with a touch of romance, too
I have no hesitation in highly recommending to you.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.
However, their plans are thwarted by fate.
A young woman attacked and left for dead
But their finding her means she may live instead.
Horrific injuries the woman sustained
And yet she seemed not to be pained.
Though the first to survive, it is the third similar case
Something dreadful, macabre is taking place.
As Hunter and his team start to investigate
The victim's family seem likely to create
If they find the perpetrator before Hunter and crew
There's no telling just what they'll do!
This is an enthralling page turner read
Just what crime thriller readers need
Filled with locals from Edinburgh and around
Where family connections are diverse and not always sound.
What a horrific crime this proved to be
With links between folks you just don't foresee.
With blackmail, murder and abysmal crime
This is an edge of your seat read all the time.
A great read with a touch of romance, too
I have no hesitation in highly recommending to you.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.
January 18, 2022
It’s only fairly recently that I discovered how flipping fantastic Val’s books are. I have read each and every book that she has released to date. I have a special fondness for her ‘Edinburgh Crime Mysteries’ series, which feature Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson. When I heard that Val was due to release another book in the Hunter series, I instinctively knew that I was going to love it. Well ladies and gents, the wait is over as ‘Hunter’s Rules’, which is number 6 in the series, was released on 1st January 2022. It’s another brilliant addition to the series, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
I was drawn into ‘Hunter’s Rules’ from the very first word on the very first page. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. As soon as I stared reading, I knew that I wasn’t going to be doing anything other than reading for the rest of the day. I just couldn’t put this book down. It wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. There was so much going on in the book and I didn’t want to risk missing out on something by putting the book down. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. The first time I checked on my progress I was staggered to realise that I had read a third of the story in one go. The pages were turning so quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves as I became even more desperate to find out how the story concluded. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘Hunter’s Rules’ and I had to say farewell to Hunter and the team. I found ‘Hunter’s Rules’ to be a gripping, dramatic and tense read, which gripped me from start to finish and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘Hunter’s Rules’ is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Val Penny. Val has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Val certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and drawn them into what proves to be one heck of a story. For me the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Parts of the story were rather scary and unpredictable and there were several twists and turns along the way- some of which I guessed and some of which were a surprise. I love the way in which Val makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Hunter’s Rules’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Val’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I was drawn into ‘Hunter’s Rules’ from the very first word on the very first page. The book seemed to develop a hold over me and it was a hold that I wasn’t willing to break. As soon as I stared reading, I knew that I wasn’t going to be doing anything other than reading for the rest of the day. I just couldn’t put this book down. It wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. There was so much going on in the book and I didn’t want to risk missing out on something by putting the book down. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. The first time I checked on my progress I was staggered to realise that I had read a third of the story in one go. The pages were turning so quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves as I became even more desperate to find out how the story concluded. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘Hunter’s Rules’ and I had to say farewell to Hunter and the team. I found ‘Hunter’s Rules’ to be a gripping, dramatic and tense read, which gripped me from start to finish and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
‘Hunter’s Rules’ is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Val Penny. Val has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Val certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and drawn them into what proves to be one heck of a story. For me the story hit the ground running and maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. Parts of the story were rather scary and unpredictable and there were several twists and turns along the way- some of which I guessed and some of which were a surprise. I love the way in which Val makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Hunter’s Rules’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Val’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
January 16, 2022
Hunter has a new case.
Having heard such good things about Val Penny’s crime writing I should have expected the dramatic start to Hunter’s Rules, but it took me by surprise at how quickly the story leaps into action, completely engaging the reader and compelling them to keep reading. I found it extremely exciting. Although Hunter’s Rules is the sixth book in the series and I haven’t read the others, I didn’t find myself at a disadvantage at all, although I was surprise that Hunter himself wasn’t as present as I had expected. Reading Hunter’s Rules has made me want to go back and read the series from the beginning to see how the characters have arrived at their current roles and relationships, because here is a cast of people I thoroughly enjoyed meeting.
Val Penny’s fast paced style is fabulous because the reader hardly has time to catch their breath. Val Penny is unafraid to use vernacular language that makes the characters feel very real and I found the touches of dark humour, that come through the character interplay, enhanced and alleviated the more gritty aspects of the story. I also loved the way the italicised sections from the perpetrator spoke directly to the reader because they added to the tension and creepiness and kept me guessing who it was. There’s also a feeling of positivity in Eileen that elevates Hunter’s Rules beyond a simple crime story. In Eileen we have a victim who refuses to be cowed by her experience and I found that very refreshing. Hunter’s Rules also presents the reader with the full range of society and I thought it very skilful that Val Penny made me like the rogues rather more than the social elite!
The plot simply races along and having struggled to settle to a book for a while I read Hunter’s Rules in one sitting which attests to the interest it provided. Because there’s such a dynamic plot, it’s quite hard to review Hunter’s Rules without giving too much away.
With themes of obsession and addiction, the reality of prison life, science and medicine, relationships and society, woven through the story, Hunter’s Rules is an exciting and entertaining read that I really enjoyed.
Having heard such good things about Val Penny’s crime writing I should have expected the dramatic start to Hunter’s Rules, but it took me by surprise at how quickly the story leaps into action, completely engaging the reader and compelling them to keep reading. I found it extremely exciting. Although Hunter’s Rules is the sixth book in the series and I haven’t read the others, I didn’t find myself at a disadvantage at all, although I was surprise that Hunter himself wasn’t as present as I had expected. Reading Hunter’s Rules has made me want to go back and read the series from the beginning to see how the characters have arrived at their current roles and relationships, because here is a cast of people I thoroughly enjoyed meeting.
Val Penny’s fast paced style is fabulous because the reader hardly has time to catch their breath. Val Penny is unafraid to use vernacular language that makes the characters feel very real and I found the touches of dark humour, that come through the character interplay, enhanced and alleviated the more gritty aspects of the story. I also loved the way the italicised sections from the perpetrator spoke directly to the reader because they added to the tension and creepiness and kept me guessing who it was. There’s also a feeling of positivity in Eileen that elevates Hunter’s Rules beyond a simple crime story. In Eileen we have a victim who refuses to be cowed by her experience and I found that very refreshing. Hunter’s Rules also presents the reader with the full range of society and I thought it very skilful that Val Penny made me like the rogues rather more than the social elite!
The plot simply races along and having struggled to settle to a book for a while I read Hunter’s Rules in one sitting which attests to the interest it provided. Because there’s such a dynamic plot, it’s quite hard to review Hunter’s Rules without giving too much away.
With themes of obsession and addiction, the reality of prison life, science and medicine, relationships and society, woven through the story, Hunter’s Rules is an exciting and entertaining read that I really enjoyed.
January 20, 2022
Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is back with another case that will leave readers on the edge of their seats: Hunter’s Rules.
When Hunter and his girlfriend Meera had headed on a night out, they were looking forward to spending some time together enjoying each other’s company – they certainly never imagined that they would find themselves stumbling onto a gruesome crime scene. With all their romantic plans for the evening having gone up in smoke, Hunter and Meera need to work together to catch a ruthless criminal intent on causing maximum destruction.
A young woman has been attacked in a hotel lift and there is something in her injuries that jolts Hunter’s memory. Her wounds and the injuries she has sustained in the attack are identical to those inflicted on two other women who had died from their ordeal. Is Hunter on the trail of a serial killer? Or is this mere coincidence? Hunter won’t rest until he gets to the bottom of this case and he needs his girlfriend’s assistance to help him catch whoever is behind this heinous attack. However, there is a twist which nobody saw coming: Hunter has been identified as one of the main suspects!
With time not on his side, Hunter needs to clear his name and find the assailant – before he ends up losing everything!
Nail-biting crime fiction does not get any better than Val Penny’s Hunter’s Rules. From the heart-stopping beginning to the final jaw-dropping twist, Hunter’s Rules will keep readers frantically turning the pages and desperate to find out what is going to happen next. Hunter is at his mesmerizing best in this latest adventure and his skills, courage and forensic insight into the human psyche make him one of the genre’s most fascinating characters.
A read in one sitting thriller, Val Penny’s Hunter’s Rules is a chilling, unpredictable and compulsive readable tale from a very talented writer of crime fiction.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When Hunter and his girlfriend Meera had headed on a night out, they were looking forward to spending some time together enjoying each other’s company – they certainly never imagined that they would find themselves stumbling onto a gruesome crime scene. With all their romantic plans for the evening having gone up in smoke, Hunter and Meera need to work together to catch a ruthless criminal intent on causing maximum destruction.
A young woman has been attacked in a hotel lift and there is something in her injuries that jolts Hunter’s memory. Her wounds and the injuries she has sustained in the attack are identical to those inflicted on two other women who had died from their ordeal. Is Hunter on the trail of a serial killer? Or is this mere coincidence? Hunter won’t rest until he gets to the bottom of this case and he needs his girlfriend’s assistance to help him catch whoever is behind this heinous attack. However, there is a twist which nobody saw coming: Hunter has been identified as one of the main suspects!
With time not on his side, Hunter needs to clear his name and find the assailant – before he ends up losing everything!
Nail-biting crime fiction does not get any better than Val Penny’s Hunter’s Rules. From the heart-stopping beginning to the final jaw-dropping twist, Hunter’s Rules will keep readers frantically turning the pages and desperate to find out what is going to happen next. Hunter is at his mesmerizing best in this latest adventure and his skills, courage and forensic insight into the human psyche make him one of the genre’s most fascinating characters.
A read in one sitting thriller, Val Penny’s Hunter’s Rules is a chilling, unpredictable and compulsive readable tale from a very talented writer of crime fiction.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 16, 2022
Acting DCI Hunter Wilson has just had a lovely meal with his fiancée pathologist Dr Meera Sharma at an exclusive hotel to celebrate their engagement when a killer strikes. He has already murdered and taken the eyes from two women in the last few months and it looks like the sightless woman left for dead in the hotel lift is his third victim. It is only thanks to the speedy intervention of Meera and Hunter that the woman, Eileen Maguire, survives, albeit with life changing injuries but able to give the detectives crucial evidence in their investigation. Based at Fettes Station in Edinburgh, Hunter and his team of DS Colin Reid, DCs Winston Zewedu (Bear), Mel Grant, Tim Myerscough, Nadia Chan, Rachael Anderson and Neil Larkin discover that the woman is the sister of Jamie Thomson’s girlfriend Linda and realise that they need to find this vicious killer before Jamie does. Polish DI Oskar Krol makes a great new addition to the squad in this story as Hunter knows they need all hands on deck to solve these horrendous crimes. As the story proceeds, the reader gets to hear from the killer himself as he ruminates on his crimes but his identity is still anyone’s guess right the way through the book until the shocking conclusion is delivered. There are plenty of good suspects identified by witnesses who all fit the evidence in some way including members of the aristocracy, prison inmates and even Hunter himself, but will the detectives be able to make sense of the clues to find the Eye Thief and the monstrous master he serves before he can strike again?
It’s great to see so many returning characters from previous books with good development of their stories throughout the series in another clever and complex plot. Although this series is definitely best read in order to get the most out of the continuing storylines, each book still works as a standalone. A brilliant series and highly recommended! 5*
It’s great to see so many returning characters from previous books with good development of their stories throughout the series in another clever and complex plot. Although this series is definitely best read in order to get the most out of the continuing storylines, each book still works as a standalone. A brilliant series and highly recommended! 5*
January 8, 2022
DI Hunter Wilson and Dr. Meera Sharma are out for a romantic evening that comes to an abrupt halt when they leave the restaurant for the hotel's elevator. When the elevator door opens, they find a young woman laying on the floor, bleeding, with her eyes missing--completely missing.
Unlike the two previous women found with their eyes removed, she's not dead. She's still alive, if only barely, and Meera sets to work caring for her, while Hunter calls an ambulance and a police crime scene team.
When she is able to regain consciousness they learn that her name is Eileen Maguire, and her date's name was Frederick. They met on a dating app, and she doesn't know his last name. She can describe, but since she is now blind, she can't look at pictures to help narrow down the possible matches.
Having initially no real lead on the man is one complication. Another is that Eileen Maguire is the sister of Linda Maguire, the girlfriend of Jamie Thomson, who with his cousin, Frankie, is currently running Thomson's Top Cars, owned by Jamie's father, who is currently doing a rather long prison sentence. Jamie and Frankie are relatively small-time crooks, and oddly friendly and likable, but it's going to be awkward on both sides for them to be effectively the victim's next of kin. And Jamie can be a little hot-headed at times.
Jamie and Linda, Frankie, Frankie's two young twin girls, and Frankie's girlfriend, Donna, are sharing one half of what, as far as I can tell, is what here in the northeastern US we call a duplex--two apartments, side by side rather up and down, in mirror image layout. The other side is occupied by an older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Morrison, who understandably find Jamie in particular a rather annoying neighbor. This turns out to be much more important than one might initially suspect, due to the Morrisons' unexpected connections, and Mr. Morrison having at one point fudged some details on some paperwork.
Meanwhile, we're also following the activities and concerns of the person who stole Eileen's eyes. We know both that it fascinates him, and that he's actually working for someone else, the man who really wants to collect especially attractive and interesting human eyes.
In these Edinburgh mysteries, Edinburgh, at least the criminal investigation and higher-end criminal activities portions of it, seems like a small town, where everybody knows everyone, or knows someone who knows them, or not infrequently is related to people of interest. Sometimes, it's a combination of all three. The characters are, if not all likeable, by any means, well-developed, and interesting. The British class system comes into play, for good and ill, and at both the upper and lower reaches of society. It's a story that's well-plotted, held my interest, and made me care about the characters.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
Unlike the two previous women found with their eyes removed, she's not dead. She's still alive, if only barely, and Meera sets to work caring for her, while Hunter calls an ambulance and a police crime scene team.
When she is able to regain consciousness they learn that her name is Eileen Maguire, and her date's name was Frederick. They met on a dating app, and she doesn't know his last name. She can describe, but since she is now blind, she can't look at pictures to help narrow down the possible matches.
Having initially no real lead on the man is one complication. Another is that Eileen Maguire is the sister of Linda Maguire, the girlfriend of Jamie Thomson, who with his cousin, Frankie, is currently running Thomson's Top Cars, owned by Jamie's father, who is currently doing a rather long prison sentence. Jamie and Frankie are relatively small-time crooks, and oddly friendly and likable, but it's going to be awkward on both sides for them to be effectively the victim's next of kin. And Jamie can be a little hot-headed at times.
Jamie and Linda, Frankie, Frankie's two young twin girls, and Frankie's girlfriend, Donna, are sharing one half of what, as far as I can tell, is what here in the northeastern US we call a duplex--two apartments, side by side rather up and down, in mirror image layout. The other side is occupied by an older couple, Mr. and Mrs. Morrison, who understandably find Jamie in particular a rather annoying neighbor. This turns out to be much more important than one might initially suspect, due to the Morrisons' unexpected connections, and Mr. Morrison having at one point fudged some details on some paperwork.
Meanwhile, we're also following the activities and concerns of the person who stole Eileen's eyes. We know both that it fascinates him, and that he's actually working for someone else, the man who really wants to collect especially attractive and interesting human eyes.
In these Edinburgh mysteries, Edinburgh, at least the criminal investigation and higher-end criminal activities portions of it, seems like a small town, where everybody knows everyone, or knows someone who knows them, or not infrequently is related to people of interest. Sometimes, it's a combination of all three. The characters are, if not all likeable, by any means, well-developed, and interesting. The British class system comes into play, for good and ill, and at both the upper and lower reaches of society. It's a story that's well-plotted, held my interest, and made me care about the characters.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
February 16, 2025
Straight into the gritty action with slick, fast-paced prose. Hunter and his team, with Polish newbie, DI Oskar Krol, are back with plenty of strong black coffee and a great selection of biscuits. A grisly attack on a woman in The Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh sees Hunter and the gang on the hunt for a dangerous killer, now on the run.
Penny is fabulous at making the reader feel they are present in the story, either walking the streets of Edinburgh or in the post-mortem room. Penny uses just the right amount of procedure and autopsy detail to inform, but it never feels dull. Same goes with the mechanics of the eyes – I learnt a lot, some of which made me feel a bit queasy!
The reader is chasing the shadow of a villain unable to keep away from their brutal handiwork, incorporating all strands of society. The story is full of clever twists, and I liked the logistical conundrum of there being plenty of suspects for Frederick, but each with seemingly sound alibis. Drugs, dark beards, neighbourly quarrels and key players off the grid, in the big house, all add to muddy the waters, so I was left guessing until right up to the end. It’s another pacy, clever read with some stomach twisting moments but with brave, lovable characters to balance the dark side and to give a satisfying finale. I’m already looking forward to Hunter’s Festival.
Penny is fabulous at making the reader feel they are present in the story, either walking the streets of Edinburgh or in the post-mortem room. Penny uses just the right amount of procedure and autopsy detail to inform, but it never feels dull. Same goes with the mechanics of the eyes – I learnt a lot, some of which made me feel a bit queasy!
The reader is chasing the shadow of a villain unable to keep away from their brutal handiwork, incorporating all strands of society. The story is full of clever twists, and I liked the logistical conundrum of there being plenty of suspects for Frederick, but each with seemingly sound alibis. Drugs, dark beards, neighbourly quarrels and key players off the grid, in the big house, all add to muddy the waters, so I was left guessing until right up to the end. It’s another pacy, clever read with some stomach twisting moments but with brave, lovable characters to balance the dark side and to give a satisfying finale. I’m already looking forward to Hunter’s Festival.
January 10, 2022
I love picking up a really good crime story and this one is definitely up there with the big boys! Our main protagonist is Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson, he’s mean, he’s keen and he certainly lives up to his name! I also found him to be very charming and instantly likable - a bit of a character crush happening here I think!
The book is number six in the Edinburgh crime mysteries series, and is the only one I have read so far. You don’t need to have read the past books to be able to enjoy this one.
The setting is of course the beautiful city of Edinburgh, this is somewhere I have been many times and I always like reading stories that are set in places I’m somewhat familiar with.
The story itself is well written as are the characters, there is a bit of humour here and there and of course plenty of action! I’m looking forward to picking up more books from this series in the very near future!
A solid 4 star read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a review copy of this book for free. Views and opinions are my own and have not been influenced by anyone.
The book is number six in the Edinburgh crime mysteries series, and is the only one I have read so far. You don’t need to have read the past books to be able to enjoy this one.
The setting is of course the beautiful city of Edinburgh, this is somewhere I have been many times and I always like reading stories that are set in places I’m somewhat familiar with.
The story itself is well written as are the characters, there is a bit of humour here and there and of course plenty of action! I’m looking forward to picking up more books from this series in the very near future!
A solid 4 star read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a review copy of this book for free. Views and opinions are my own and have not been influenced by anyone.
January 31, 2022
I still can't believe that this is Val Penny's 7th book! Her writing, plots, and character building started from the very beginning of this series, and now I can't wait to see what happens next. Not many authors develop a great style this quick!
I have read a few authors stories about this same crime per say! But this take on it was very original, and actually you feel good for one of the victims by the end of the book. I want to know what happens with Hunter and Meera, Will Gillian come back? What's Tim going to do for a year alone? Will Bear and Mel ever do the deed? Is one of the DS's going to leave now that Tim passed his Sargent's exam? And what is going to happen with Jamie and Linda next? How are Frankie's twins? What about Colin and Nadia? And when will Ian come home? She gets you invested in her characters!
I highly recommend this book, but I also recommend that you start from the beginning of the series to really get the feel and depth of these characters and her writing!
I have read a few authors stories about this same crime per say! But this take on it was very original, and actually you feel good for one of the victims by the end of the book. I want to know what happens with Hunter and Meera, Will Gillian come back? What's Tim going to do for a year alone? Will Bear and Mel ever do the deed? Is one of the DS's going to leave now that Tim passed his Sargent's exam? And what is going to happen with Jamie and Linda next? How are Frankie's twins? What about Colin and Nadia? And when will Ian come home? She gets you invested in her characters!
I highly recommend this book, but I also recommend that you start from the beginning of the series to really get the feel and depth of these characters and her writing!
July 27, 2024
I think I've read all or most of the books in this series and I've loved them all. Hunter is tough but fair. He's hard on his team, but only because he wants the best out of them and because they know he's not really too serious.
The constant eating of breakfast did make me hungry though!
The crime in this is horrific and I love the way the author reflects the impact from the victims point of view. There are also snippets from the killer as he follows his victim as she's the only one who survived.
The story started off intense and didn't let up a lot all the way through.
Alongside that are a couple of crime gangs, some rivalry over a house, puppetry from a gang father in prison.
It certainly packs a lot in and I loved it all the more for it.
Another great book in the series, and I will be eagerly anticipating the next book.
The constant eating of breakfast did make me hungry though!
The crime in this is horrific and I love the way the author reflects the impact from the victims point of view. There are also snippets from the killer as he follows his victim as she's the only one who survived.
The story started off intense and didn't let up a lot all the way through.
Alongside that are a couple of crime gangs, some rivalry over a house, puppetry from a gang father in prison.
It certainly packs a lot in and I loved it all the more for it.
Another great book in the series, and I will be eagerly anticipating the next book.
January 15, 2022
With the action and Hunter's personality this made for a great read for a Sunday afternoon! Hunter really is an awesome main character! I don't think there will be many people who read this book and not like him! The writing in this book is really good! This is the first book I have read of this series but I didn't feel like I was missing anything! But I look forward to reading more from this series!
Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and Val Penny for sharing this book with me and for having me on the tour!
Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and Val Penny for sharing this book with me and for having me on the tour!
April 5, 2022
Despite being the 6th book in the series, it can be read as a standalone without worrying about what happened in the first 5 books, which, I have now got to go and read.
Val Penny has done a really good job with not only her storyline but I thought the characters were well written as well.
If you are looking for a good crime story to settle down with for the evening, then look no further. The bonus was having been to Edinburgh a couple of times, it was lovely reading as it brought back many memories of my time away.
Val Penny has done a really good job with not only her storyline but I thought the characters were well written as well.
If you are looking for a good crime story to settle down with for the evening, then look no further. The bonus was having been to Edinburgh a couple of times, it was lovely reading as it brought back many memories of my time away.
January 18, 2022
Another fantastic addition to the series. Characters are brilliant
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