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DS Ronnie Delmar #2
The Choice
A stolen child. A missing woman. You can only save one.
A distressed young woman arrives at Halesworth police station in fear for her life, then vanishes.
Meanwhile, a local boy is snatched from his school playground.
But the answer to one lies with the other, and soon DS Ronnie Delmar is submerged deep in a world she could never have imagined.
Because to those who have created their own moral code, the truth is worth killing for...
A distressed young woman arrives at Halesworth police station in fear for her life, then vanishes.
Meanwhile, a local boy is snatched from his school playground.
But the answer to one lies with the other, and soon DS Ronnie Delmar is submerged deep in a world she could never have imagined.
Because to those who have created their own moral code, the truth is worth killing for...
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2022
6 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 3, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
DS Ronnie Delmar #2
A distressed young woman arrives at Halesworth police station in fear for her life, them vanishes. Meanwhile, a local boy is snatched from his school playground. But the answer to one lies with the other, and as soon as DS Ronnie Delmar is submerged deep in a world she could never have imagined. Because to those who have created their own moral code, the truth is worth killing for.
When a woman and a child go missing, the disappearance of the missing child taken from the school gates take precedence. DS Ronnie Delmar and her team are called in to investigate. I was pulled into the story by the premise, two missing people, one adult, one child, was there a hidden connection between them? The characters are well rounded, and I quite liked Ronnie and her partner Baz. I haven't read the first book in this series, so I don't know if I've missed out on any backstory. I did enjoy this book, but it wasn't as gritty as I would have liked. I will read more from this author in future.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #WellbeckPublishing and the author #LucyMartin for my ARC of #TheChoice in exchange for an honest review.
DS Ronnie Delmar #2
A distressed young woman arrives at Halesworth police station in fear for her life, them vanishes. Meanwhile, a local boy is snatched from his school playground. But the answer to one lies with the other, and as soon as DS Ronnie Delmar is submerged deep in a world she could never have imagined. Because to those who have created their own moral code, the truth is worth killing for.
When a woman and a child go missing, the disappearance of the missing child taken from the school gates take precedence. DS Ronnie Delmar and her team are called in to investigate. I was pulled into the story by the premise, two missing people, one adult, one child, was there a hidden connection between them? The characters are well rounded, and I quite liked Ronnie and her partner Baz. I haven't read the first book in this series, so I don't know if I've missed out on any backstory. I did enjoy this book, but it wasn't as gritty as I would have liked. I will read more from this author in future.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #WellbeckPublishing and the author #LucyMartin for my ARC of #TheChoice in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2022
This is the second in a series featuring DS Ronnie Delmar - I'd read the first, Stop at Nothing, a while back, though didn't remember that much about it. The Choice - I'm not wild about the title, which could be better - was a good read, seeing Ronnie grappling with both a case involving a missing woman and a catfishing man, and another case concerning a child abducted from the school gates. (It's understandable that the latter takes priority, and I know resources are limited, but I do feel the police should have capacity to take on more than one case at a time.) While the disappearance of little Liam Buckley obviously comes first, Ronnie's instinct is telling her that there's more to the missing woman, Ruth, than meets the eye, and indeed this proves to be the case, as we see enigmatic glimpses of Ruth's past. As for Liam, it seems not everyone around him might be telling the truth, but who and why?
I'm a sucker for a police procedural and I do like Ronnie and her colleague Baz, though we get only a limited amount of their backstories. The Choice was an enjoyable read which came together satisfyingly in the end. There's a proper baddie, and a few more ambiguous characters. I'll definitely look out for future books by Lucy Martin.
I'm a sucker for a police procedural and I do like Ronnie and her colleague Baz, though we get only a limited amount of their backstories. The Choice was an enjoyable read which came together satisfyingly in the end. There's a proper baddie, and a few more ambiguous characters. I'll definitely look out for future books by Lucy Martin.
October 13, 2022
The Choice by Lucy Martin.
A stolen child. A missing woman. You can only save one. A distressed young woman arrives at Halesworth police station in fear for her life, then vanishes. Meanwhile, a local boy is snatched from his school playground.. But the answer to one lies with the other, and soon DS Ronnie Delmar is submerged deep in a world she could never have imagined. Because to those who have created their own moral code, the truth is worth killing for...
I really enjoyed this. Between Ronnie’s investigations and Ruth’s experiences it was not what I thought. 5*.
A stolen child. A missing woman. You can only save one. A distressed young woman arrives at Halesworth police station in fear for her life, then vanishes. Meanwhile, a local boy is snatched from his school playground.. But the answer to one lies with the other, and soon DS Ronnie Delmar is submerged deep in a world she could never have imagined. Because to those who have created their own moral code, the truth is worth killing for...
I really enjoyed this. Between Ronnie’s investigations and Ruth’s experiences it was not what I thought. 5*.
October 14, 2022
This was a cracking read. DS Ronnie Delmar is faced with two investigations and has to prioritise one over the other. But she's convinced they're connected. The strands of the novel were woven together so cleverly and I had me reading into the night to find out if Ronnie was right. You'll have to read it to find out. And do read it! It's brilliantly written. Looking forward to more from Lucy Martin.
October 19, 2022
Stop At Nothing was one of my 5 🌟 reads of last year, so I’ve been looking forward to the next in the series.
It was so good being back with Ronnie, who is fast becoming one of my favourite book characters.
I loved how the cases run alongside each other (twisted religious cults/oddballs really interest me)
This is a tense ride and both Ronnie, the team and readers are kept on their toes!
It was so good being back with Ronnie, who is fast becoming one of my favourite book characters.
I loved how the cases run alongside each other (twisted religious cults/oddballs really interest me)
This is a tense ride and both Ronnie, the team and readers are kept on their toes!
October 13, 2022
A perfect mix of detective fiction and psychological suspense made this right up my street. Tense and chilling in places; warm and funny in others, with great relationships between the characters and an absolutely gripping central premise. DS Ronnie Delmar is extremely relatable and the two intertwining plots had me turning the pages to find out the answer to the mystery. Can’t wait to read more from Lucy.
September 29, 2022
I struggled with Lucy Martin's writing style, and despite the premise sounding really intriguing and exciting - I didn't enjoy the actual plot.
October 10, 2022
I would like to thank Netgalley and Welbeck Publishing UK for an advance copy of The Choice, the second novel to feature DS Ronnie Delmar of Surrey Police.
Ruth Jones has been attacked and reports it to the police but disappears before finishing the complaint. Seven year old Liam Buckley is abducted from his school. Two cases, limited resources. Ronnie understands the need to prioritise the hunt for Liam, a child, but thinks there is more to Ruth’s disappearance. She is proved right when links between the two cases emerge.
I enjoyed The Choice, which is a combination of police procedural and psychological thriller. I have not read the previous novel in the series, so I had no expectations, but I generally liked what I got in this.
The narrative is split between Ronnie’s investigations and Ruth’s experiences, neither of which are standard. I can’t expand on Ruth’s experiences without spoilers, but suffice to say they are not what I expected. Ronnie’s investigation has all sorts of twists and turns that are more than enough to keep the reader turning pages. I note, however, that she has an aptitude for ignoring protocol and going off piste and it is one of these misadventures that leads to the final showdown.
The novel has an interesting construct. It starts with some absorbing mysteries, Ruth’s disappearance and Liam’s kidnapping. This arouses the reader’s curiosity and urges them to keep reading. It sags a bit in the middle with all sorts of unbelievable theorising from Ronnie and her team, only leavened by Ruth’s experiences, which are still arousing curiosity, but pointing the reader in the right direction. It culminates in a gobsmacking finale with so many reveals and twists it made my head swim.
I’m not sure if I like Ronnie Delmar. I can see that she is doing her best to run her family and job as a single mother, but this is offset by an attitude that seems to know best, or at least better than everyone around her. It’s not a good look, even if it is done with the best of intentions.
The Choice is a good read, that I can recommend.
Ruth Jones has been attacked and reports it to the police but disappears before finishing the complaint. Seven year old Liam Buckley is abducted from his school. Two cases, limited resources. Ronnie understands the need to prioritise the hunt for Liam, a child, but thinks there is more to Ruth’s disappearance. She is proved right when links between the two cases emerge.
I enjoyed The Choice, which is a combination of police procedural and psychological thriller. I have not read the previous novel in the series, so I had no expectations, but I generally liked what I got in this.
The narrative is split between Ronnie’s investigations and Ruth’s experiences, neither of which are standard. I can’t expand on Ruth’s experiences without spoilers, but suffice to say they are not what I expected. Ronnie’s investigation has all sorts of twists and turns that are more than enough to keep the reader turning pages. I note, however, that she has an aptitude for ignoring protocol and going off piste and it is one of these misadventures that leads to the final showdown.
The novel has an interesting construct. It starts with some absorbing mysteries, Ruth’s disappearance and Liam’s kidnapping. This arouses the reader’s curiosity and urges them to keep reading. It sags a bit in the middle with all sorts of unbelievable theorising from Ronnie and her team, only leavened by Ruth’s experiences, which are still arousing curiosity, but pointing the reader in the right direction. It culminates in a gobsmacking finale with so many reveals and twists it made my head swim.
I’m not sure if I like Ronnie Delmar. I can see that she is doing her best to run her family and job as a single mother, but this is offset by an attitude that seems to know best, or at least better than everyone around her. It’s not a good look, even if it is done with the best of intentions.
The Choice is a good read, that I can recommend.
October 22, 2022
🌟🌟🌟. 5
This is second installment in the DC Delmar series. A woman goes missing after being caught up in an apparent catfish scam and at the same time a little boy is abducted from his school gates and DC Delmar is torn between the two cases.
I haven't read the first book in this series but it didn't seem to matter there where very little throwbacks to the previous book. I really enjoyed the story I espessialy liked Ronnie and her gut instincts although it did leave her a bit vulnerable in some places. The downside for me was that it seemed a little disjointed at times especially when tying the two cases together it felt that potential plot holes where glossed over.
Overall good fast read and enjoyable ending just a few points that need more explanation and I'll definitely be going back and reading the first book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.
This is second installment in the DC Delmar series. A woman goes missing after being caught up in an apparent catfish scam and at the same time a little boy is abducted from his school gates and DC Delmar is torn between the two cases.
I haven't read the first book in this series but it didn't seem to matter there where very little throwbacks to the previous book. I really enjoyed the story I espessialy liked Ronnie and her gut instincts although it did leave her a bit vulnerable in some places. The downside for me was that it seemed a little disjointed at times especially when tying the two cases together it felt that potential plot holes where glossed over.
Overall good fast read and enjoyable ending just a few points that need more explanation and I'll definitely be going back and reading the first book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.
October 14, 2022
The Choice is a mix of police procedural and psychological thriller which are two of my favourite genres. DS Ronnie Delmar is the main character. She's been tasked with investigating the case of a missing child, but can't stop thinking about a woman who turned up at the station upset, then disappeared. The two cases run alongside each other (one formally, the other in Ronnie's spare time), which keeps the book fast-paced with lots of twists and reveals. Ronnie Delmar isn't perfect and makes some questionable choices, but this gives her character real depth and ultimately makes you more sympathetic towards her. The pace gets even quicker towards the end and I read the final third in one sitting. Highly recommend.
July 3, 2023
'The Choice' is an okay read but it is definitely lacking something for me. Throughout the book we have two plot threads; a missing child and a missing woman and we follow Ronnie's battle as she struggles with having to leave one case to one side. I liked both of the plot threads, they both had something to get stuck into and they read well. However, the book is too long and any action becomes laborious halfway through and sadly, never truly recovers.
The characters are ok but nothing special and I did not think they were particularly memorable. I also found the very latter sections of the book confusing and I did not think events were particularly well explained.
This was an okay read but nothing special.
Thank you to NetGalley and Welbeck Publishing UK for an advance copy.
The characters are ok but nothing special and I did not think they were particularly memorable. I also found the very latter sections of the book confusing and I did not think events were particularly well explained.
This was an okay read but nothing special.
Thank you to NetGalley and Welbeck Publishing UK for an advance copy.
August 27, 2022
This is not a book that will live on in my memory for weeks or months to come but it was a decent and enjoyable read.
A woman and a child go missing and the Police are called to investigate both disappearances. The disappearance of the child from the school gates takes precedence but little do they know just how close both cases may be related.
As I say, a decent police procedural with likeable characters which always helps. There was just really nothing about it either in the writing or the depth of the investigation that made it really stand out amongst what is obviously a very crowded genre.
Thanks to Netgalley and Welbeck publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
A woman and a child go missing and the Police are called to investigate both disappearances. The disappearance of the child from the school gates takes precedence but little do they know just how close both cases may be related.
As I say, a decent police procedural with likeable characters which always helps. There was just really nothing about it either in the writing or the depth of the investigation that made it really stand out amongst what is obviously a very crowded genre.
Thanks to Netgalley and Welbeck publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
September 28, 2022
This is a good police procedural, with excellent characterisation. It's a steady read and the plot kept me interested, with plenty action and tension, involving a missing woman and a child abduction. I liked the unexpected ending and would recommend it. The genre is full of excellent reads but this one is somewhere between good and decent. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
November 1, 2022
THE CHOICE is a gripping detective thriller that grabs you from the start, leads you through twists and turns and takes you to a place you never expected. Readers are in for a treat with the second book in the Ronnie Delmar series and will find it hard to put this book down as it reaches its unexpected conclusion.
November 25, 2022
A good read, well-paced with a couple of interesting twists. What was also nice was that our detective, DS Ronnie Delmar was so believable and a nice person without some of the unpleasant hang-ups that some police officers are often portrayed with. An absorbing book with a variation on a crime that has been used by authors before, but this time with a more chilling edge.
January 15, 2023
This is my first Lucy Martin book but I would pick up a book by this author again although it wouldn’t be top of the pile.
DC Delmar is involved in two cases a missing woman and a missing child. It was interesting how the stories evolved and the plethora of character.
Thanks to Wellbeck publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DC Delmar is involved in two cases a missing woman and a missing child. It was interesting how the stories evolved and the plethora of character.
Thanks to Wellbeck publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2023
Good plot, and I did finish reading it. There are too many gaps, unanswered questions, no input from the other grandparents, no follow up at the hospital, no real mention of any press scrutinyand so on. Unimaginative, unlikely for an experienced police officer to take such stupid risks.
November 11, 2024
This is the second installment in the DS Ronnie Delmar series by Lucy Martin, unfortunately I felt it did not live up to its potential. Though it had elements that could have made for an engaging mystery, the story ultimately fell flat, bogged down by a slow pace and underdeveloped characters that seemed indiscernible.
A child has been kidnapped, and a woman who claims to have been assaulted by a man she met online vanishes. DS Ronnie is convinced the two are connected. However, her boss is not convinced and pushes for the focus of the department to go into finding the missing child. With DS Ronnie already on a slippery slope following a suspension on her last case she struggles to find a balance between following orders and her instincts.
While there were twists and turns in how the cases intertwined, they seemed overly convenient, with some explanations left murky. There were also moments that hinted at flashbacks, but without clear transitions, left the narrative disjointed and confusing at times.
The main character Ronnie, in particular, came across as self-absorbed and disconnected, showing little awareness of her children’s lives or her colleagues' challenges. Her tendency to act as a martyr—refusing to lean on or consult with others—coupled with her disregard for police protocol, made her seem implausible as a professional investigator. These traits, rather than adding complexity, simply made her difficult to root for.
There’s also a suspension of disbelief required in the way she handled the cases, with investigative decisions that seem to risk both the admissibility of evidence and her career. This lack of realism made the plot harder to buy into, detracting from the story’s overall credibility.
Only around chapter 35 (of 40) did the novel manage to evoke any real emotion. Overall, despite the twists and some intriguing ideas, The Choice struggled to deliver, leaving it an underwhelming addition to the series.
A child has been kidnapped, and a woman who claims to have been assaulted by a man she met online vanishes. DS Ronnie is convinced the two are connected. However, her boss is not convinced and pushes for the focus of the department to go into finding the missing child. With DS Ronnie already on a slippery slope following a suspension on her last case she struggles to find a balance between following orders and her instincts.
While there were twists and turns in how the cases intertwined, they seemed overly convenient, with some explanations left murky. There were also moments that hinted at flashbacks, but without clear transitions, left the narrative disjointed and confusing at times.
The main character Ronnie, in particular, came across as self-absorbed and disconnected, showing little awareness of her children’s lives or her colleagues' challenges. Her tendency to act as a martyr—refusing to lean on or consult with others—coupled with her disregard for police protocol, made her seem implausible as a professional investigator. These traits, rather than adding complexity, simply made her difficult to root for.
There’s also a suspension of disbelief required in the way she handled the cases, with investigative decisions that seem to risk both the admissibility of evidence and her career. This lack of realism made the plot harder to buy into, detracting from the story’s overall credibility.
Only around chapter 35 (of 40) did the novel manage to evoke any real emotion. Overall, despite the twists and some intriguing ideas, The Choice struggled to deliver, leaving it an underwhelming addition to the series.
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