Wow what horrible people some of the characters are which makes for a great read. Starting to love the Ruby Preston thrillers edge of the seat stuff. Cant out down stuff too

DS Ruby Preston has another murderer to find: this one is extremely creepy and the case is turning out to have leads that come very close to home. Ruby grew up in the East End and went to school in the area. She is pursuing a career with the Shoreditch police, while some of her class mates are from the families of crime lords, including her estranged sweetheart, Nathan Crosby and his brother Lenny. A girl is found, murdered, in a local park, but then another body, this time staged in an adjacent cemetery to look like Snow White, and crucial evidence is found in the home of someone she cares about. Ruby continues to go her own way rather than follow procedure. and puts herself at risk rather than let more victims fall to this sinister killer. There's plenty of suspense and surprises in this compulsive read of a book, and it leaves me wondering where Ruby's cases will next take her.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Sleep Tight, the second London based novel to feature DS Ruby Preston.

Ruby is called out to a murder scene where a young student has been killed in a park but no sooner does she have the killer apprehended than another young woman's body is discovered, mutilated and dressed up. When this woman's body parts are found in Nathan Cody's house he goes on the run and Ruby's loyalties are severely tested.

I read and liked the first novel in the series, Love You To Death, but I found Sleep Tight difficult to get in to and found myself putting it down regularly to go and do anything else. It is not until about 70% in that it starts to get gripping.

I do not find the relationship between gangster Nathan Cody and Police detective Ruby convincing or believable. They must be the only couple of singletons in the world not to have moved on from a teenage romance, especially given the environments they work in. As this is the basis of most of the novel it did not engage me. The serial killer aspect seems to come second to this and is a bit lacklustre as the reader knows who he is almost from the start.

I did, however, enjoy the twist at the end - it is unexpected and, within the scope of the novel, makes sense.

Sleep Tight is not a bad book and will entertain many readers, it's just not to my taste.

Wow, wow, wow!
Another superb book from Caroline Mitchell! I couldn't put it down, literally!
I fell asleep trying to read it until late in the night, and refused to get out of bed this morning so that I could finish it.
Ruby Preston is a compelling character and Caroline really brings her to life. I can't wait to see what's next for Ruby.
This is the second book where Ruby is the lead character, and in both books the 'villains' were extremely well written too, Ruby serves up justice and gets the job done.
This book proves that fairy tales really do come true, only,. not always in the way you would want them to!

Oh Ruby, your personal life does keep encroaching into your job doesn't it!? So much so, I am surprised that you still have it. I guess there's just something about you that keeps you hanging on by the threadest of threads.
In this, the second outing for our erstwhile detective, we find Ruby on the hunt for another killer. Oh, before I forget, you may have guessed from my opening that Ruby is a bit of a complex character so, do yourself a favour and read book one first to get a better experience with this, book two. Where was I... so, someone is killing your women and posing them. Then Ruby's on/off boyfriend, father of her child, and bad boy Nathan is implicated in the crime. He flees, she shields him, aided and hindered by his family as she tried to get him off the hook. Luckily, she has a rather forgiving boss who enables her to walk on the wild side so to speak. Although when the whole truth comes out, I wonder if he'll be as supportive. He don't know the half!
In this book, it isn't as much a whodunnit, more a who and when next, and why? Specifically why target Nathan? I read both this sort of book and the usual "reveal all at the end" book and, to be honest, I don't have a preference, just as long as the execution is good. And it is here, very good. Enough is explained and hinted at throughout to allow guessing but sufficient is kept back until the big finale, when the truth eventually came out, it kinda smacked me in the face. Luckily my jaw was dropping at the time so the bruising was minimal!
My only worry with this series is that Ruby will skate too close to the edge and fall over to the dark side. As we left things, she was pretty close to it. Although, I guess if that does happen, she can come back as a PI or similar so I think all should be OK. But I do fear for her and her connections sometimes. Yes, I know she's only a fictional character but even with just the two books together, I feel we have this bond... can't help it if I care! And she and Nathan as just... well, read it and make your own mind up!

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I read the first Ruby Preston book last year and I admit it took me some time to warm up to the main character. But as soon as I saw the blurb of Sleep Tight and realized this sequel was going to be another serial killer thriller, I just had to give Ruby a second chance. And I'm glad I did, because whatever reservations I had about her character in book one have completely vanished by now. Her connections to the organized crime definitely add a whole different level to what is already an interesting plot! Sleep Tight had me hooked right from the start and it has been one hell of a ride. Twisted serial killer... Check. Lots and lots of plot twists... Check. Fast pace and well written prose... Check. Interesting characters... Check. Possible Jack The Ripper reference... Check. What's more to ask? If you like fast-paced detective thrillers with an original touch, I can definitely recommend this series. Sleep Tight reads like a train and even though the identity of the killer has been revealed a bit early, this won't stop you wanting to find out how the story ends. Intense until the very last page! I will definitely be waiting impatiently for the next Ruby Preston adventure.

Another gripping, page turner from Caroling Mitchell. This is the 2nd in the Ruby Preston Series. Ruby is leading an investigation of a serial killer who kills his victims and dresses and reconstructs their bodies in the characters of fairy tales. Then someone tries to frame Nathan Crosby for the murders, when they fine organs of one of the victims underneath his bed.

I really enjoyed this, Ruby not the by the book detective and I liked how the characters have been developed in the story. I only one criticism. I expected more from the ending.

Turn off the phone, ignore the doorbell, put your feet up, and immerse yourself in Caroline Mitchell's latest offering 'Sleep Tight'. I doubt that YOU'LL sleep tight though after reading it!

A serial killer is snatching young women from the streets of East London. He poses and dresses their bodies to represent fairytale characters, but there's no fairytale ending for his victims, they're simply there to feed his fantasy. This is a particularly vicious and disturbed individual.

Detective Ruby Preston and her team are on the case, but she's a cop with a difference - her ex- lover Nathan is an East End criminal kingpin, and she still has feelings for him. In effect, she has a foot in both camps. Ruby becomes emotionally involved in this case and not just because she wants to bring this monster to justice, but also because someone is trying to put Nathan in the frame for these crimes.

Oh boy ! I just love Ruby Preston, she doesn't just break the rules, she smashes them to smithereens. She's tough but also has a really caring, down to earth side to her too. The storyline was gripping, and real scary, it was impossible to put down, and there were some great meaty characters.

This is a cracking story, it's grim, it's gritty, it's edge of the seat stuff, and I believe Caroline Mitchell is right up there with the best of them!

Ruby follows a trail that involves the father of her recently found daughter Cathy and his gangster family . This trail sees prostitutes being killed and surgically transformed into fairy tale characters by a crazed rat infested doctor. Lots of characters to keep track of and the plot becomes a bit complex at times. Ruby as always is relentless in seeking justice for these girls as well as seeing Nathan 's name cleared. Ending is a surprise. Another decent read by Caroline Mitchell. Keep them coming. Thanks to net galley.

I look forward to each and every book this author writes with anticipation as she never lets me down. I know I am in for a good read, a bumpy ride and a full head on collision.

This book in the series was of no exception for me.

One by one women are being taken. Who is this person who is using these girls to fulfill his fantasies?
We learn quite early on, however, it doesn't take anything from the storyline, infact, it enhances it.

Nathan is the father of Detective Ruby Preston child. There is still love and attraction there but Nathan is on the wrong side of the tracks.
Now he is the suspect in this crime.

Ruby is a detective who breaks rules and you see this many times, but she has huge respect from not only her team but her superior.

Not saying any more!

Its one that needs to be read and savoured.

My thanks to Bookoutour and Net Galley for my copy

This was my first Ruby Preston book. It's not the first in the series but it made no difference to my enjoyment of the book. I loved it fast paced, great storyline, great characters, I couldn't put it down. I will now make sure I read the earlier in the series. Highly recommended.

So this is the second in the Ruby Preston series. While I somewhat enjoyed the first in the series I did find the serial killer in the story very one dimensional and uninteresting and the story didn't really do it for me. Ruby was an interesting character though and I had high hopes for a better follow up and I wasn't disappointed with Sleep Tight.

Young women are being murdered and their bodies being staged in public as fairy tale characters. Ruby and her team are on the case but as they investigate, the case takes a turn for the worse for Ruby as evidence is found in her former lover and childhood friend Nathan's house. Part of a renowned crime family who also appeared in the first novel, Ruby faces a race against time to find out who the killer is as Nathan goes into hiding as he is the number one suspect.

I really enjoyed this second outing for Ruby. A woman who skates on both sides of the law, Ruby was always an interesting and likeable well rounded central character from the first book. In Sleep Tight I think she has a story and investigation to go with the strength of her as a character.
The story ends up being quite complex without being difficult to follow. We have a large cast of characters to keep track of, from Ruby's team to Nathan and his cronies and the women and their siblings who are the victim of the serial killer.
Speaking of serial killers, we have a cracker of one here. While he is clearly bonkers, unlike in the first novel he is very well written and a believable character. He gets up to some pretty nasty stuff as characters go. It would so easy for him to have been a near cartoon character baddie and it all become a little one dimensional and silly, but it never ventures into that territory as he remains totally believable and interesting to read.

The story is a good one. Well paced, well played out and keeping you guessing right until the end, it's a really enjoyable read. I was delighted I enjoyed it so much when I was finished. Although I only gave the first in the series three stars and had given it some criticism, I had enjoyed Ruby and her team as characters and was always going to read the follow up to see what they got up to. The result was totally satisfying and didn't disappoint. I look forward now to Ruby's next outing with great anticipation. Sleep Tight was a cracker of a read and one that has now really put Ruby Preston on the map of great modern female detective characters.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and Caroline Mitchell for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What an amazing book! What a remarkable story! Still recovering from it! I LOVED the first Ruby Preston book and this one is even better. So many twists and turns. So dark and thrilling and unputdownable. Love Ruby - she is so human and real. This author is absolutely incredible in that everything she writes is addictive and gets right under the skin. Love this series and love this author. I cannot wait for more from her!

Sleep Tight is the second book in the Ruby Preston series by Caroline Mitchell and it's every bit as great as the first one.

There's a creepy killer on the loose. His targets are prostitutes. He means to make them beautiful and poses their bodies as fairytale princesses. This is one brutal and disturbing serial killer who has no conscience whatsoever.

When the first body is found, Ruby and her team quickly find a suspect. But is he the killer? Things become even more complicated when Nathan Crosby becomes entangled in the murder investigation. Ruby is convinced someone is trying to frame him. But is he really that innocent? How well does she know him anyway?

This is what makes the series so unique and why I keep coming back for more : the complicated life Ruby is living. On the one hand, she's a detective out for justice. But on the other hand, she's romantically involved with Nathan, head of one of the biggest criminal families in town. You can't help but wonder how that will play out because surely at some point, something's got to give.

Brilliantly constructed and gripping plot with a great twist that I didn't see coming at all. I love it when that happens. I'm looking forward to book 3 and can't wait to read what's next for Ruby.

Good golly, Miss Molly. If you thought Lucy was Grimm, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Oh how and where to begin with this book. I absolutely loved Love You To Death and after starting a series so brilliantly,with such a memorable and formidable foe as Lucy was, you have to wonder whether or not it is possible to match that in the books that follow. The answer in this case is a resounding yes. Oh yes, yes, yes.

Driven to kill for initially undisclosed reasons, the murderer in this novel has very deliberate tastes, at least in how he wishes to present his victims. Each victim is laid out in their own personal tableau, a recreation of the original Grimm Fairy tales, far more macabre and chilling than the beautiful princesses you used to read about in the Ladybird books of your youth. There is no Disney magic at play here, this is more a Nightmare on Nile Street. (Hey - cut me some slack - it was the most similar sounding road I could find close to Shoreditch Police station).

For some reason the killer, known to at least two of his victims as 'The Doctor', seems to want to lay the responsibility for his crimes at Nathan's door, making the murder investigation more than a little personal for our heroine, DS Ruby Preston. And as her daughter is not dissimilar in age to the victims, all of whom have links back to the Crosbys' less than honourable activities, she has reason to be fearful for her safety. Not only that but as her boss knows of her links to the Crosbys, Ruby is under pressure to get Nathan to hand himself in, leaving her caught between the will of the force and the wrath of Nathan's thug of a brother, Lenny.

The tension throughout the book is palpable. There is diversion galore, especially as a victim is found who seems to have no connection to the case Ruby is working on, and yet she is certain the links are there if only she can find them. And while the violence meted on the women is not described in any graphic detail, there is enough depicted, enough hinted at, to create a clear picture of what has occurred, and that makes for a stomach churning feeling for sure. Lucy... well she was a pure pussy cat in comparison.

The motivations of the killer are so well hidden in this book that the ending really took me by surprise. It wasn't what I had been expecting at all. And while the victims were predominantly prostitutes, people who put themselves naturally in harms way by their choice of career, Caroline Mitchell managed to make them sympathetic enough, make their back stories harrowing without overplaying the poor me angle, that you couldn't help but feel for them.

I really like the character of Ruby. She is, at heart, a true Blue Blood - a copper through and through. There is nothing she would not do for the job and her determination to solve the murders is unwavering. And yet she is torn by her loyalty to the Crosbys, in particular Nathan, the boy who stole her heart all those years ago. She is a straight talker, obsessed with bright red lipstick, has a clear understanding of the need for humour that only a long serving officer could have, has an overwhelming empathy for the victims and potential victims and she is truly respected by her team. She is perhaps a little battle weary, particularly given that she finds herself in the thick of all of the tension surrounding the chance to finally nail Nathan, and yet she is strong and (mostly) focused. She may not always follow procedure to the strictest letter of the law but she is ultimately incredibly likeable and a brilliant character to lead this series.

And as for Nathan and Ruby. The relationship that shouldn't happen, that shouldn't work. Well the chemistry between them is as strong as it has ever been, and as Ruby gives into temptation, you know that she is about to embark on something that could change her future forever. Nathan is as stoic and poised as ever, even under the intense pressure of being a murder suspect, but in spite of all of the people around him who could potentially be working against him, the one person he never lacks faith in is Ruby. This is something which is returned ten-fold, with her never wavering in her certainty that Nathan is innocent.

With shocks in store from within the force and betrayal happening all around the Crosby organisation, you will have no end of suspects. While we know from half way through exactly who the killer is, it does not alter the pace of the story, in fact if anything it speeds things up even more as it becomes a race to find the mysterious Doctor and to secure the evidence required to prove Nathan's innocence, before he has a chance to claim another victim.

If you like your books with a cluster of murders that rest just a touch on the dark and unusual side, enjoy strong, well written characters with an undeniable chemistry, and like tales which twist and turn with unrelenting heart-thumping pace and tension, then you definitely want to read this book. I loved it, was hooked from first page to last and didn't want to put it down. I was gutted when it was over, I was enjoying it that much, and I cannot wait to see what Caroline Mitchell has in store for old Ruby next.

A totally grim, grizzly and twisted 5 stars from me.

So how do I review a crime/police procedural without giving the plot/ending away? Let's just say it's typical of Caroline's work and is an excellently read. A mixture of amazing storyline and fascinating characters. Ruby, the main characters is a determined Sergeant with flaws. It has been a long time since she could even spell counter corruption unit! Split between her job and her gangster lover she has to make tricky decisions. A serial killer is on the loose and she has to stay one step ahead despite a couple of murders early on in the book. I loved the take on the dark side of childrens tales. You will understand this as you read it. I won't say any more apart from BUY IT! Definitely 5 stars from me

Bloody hell! This is one of Caroline Mitchell's best yet!
Bullet list review!
;Fabulous storyline full of amazing alleyways of detection
; Incredibly precise accurate police procedural information to follow and try to solve
; Deceit, from many including Ruby!
Some parts are just sickeningly vile, which is a brilliant testament to the author.
I felt as though I was turning into Ruby in some parts it was brill a proper page turner and a must read.
I love a book that makes you feel like you are actually living it, I can see Ruby definitely on screen.
Nathan is more prominent in this 2nd book of this (hopefully) long series,
Downes is an awesome character I see him being a real asset and Allie for Ruby
No spoilers from me at all you HAVE to read this and devour it for yourself oh and you won't be able to put it down. It's a me time book so put aside the time because you will resent being interrupted reading this piece of literary genius.

I really really liked this book. I loved DS Ruby Preston, I loved Nathan Crosby. Then why the four stars, you are asking me? Amnesia. It is like we are supposed to totally ignore so much that happened in the really good first Ruby Preston book, Love You to Death. Affairs, compromised detectives, and a few other situations that haven't migrated to the second book and should have.

Oh and a daughter, of whom Ruby is remarkably passive in not being able to have much contact with her. Why she has not bitch-slapped Frances and throat punched Lenny I will never understand. In a alternate universe France would have been her MIL and Lenny her BIL. Huh, maybe this is the better universe, although how can she ever be with the love of her life? Oh, I'm sorry, am I sounding too invested in fictional characters? Kudos to Ms Mitchell for bringing me to that point.

A serial killer in London who kidnaps them then after killing them displays them a la Grimm Fairy tales. Really Grimm fairy tales. Body parts are found under Nathan Crosby's bed. You can be sure as shootin' Nathan is not going to submit himself to any sort of arrest, so he goes on the run.
By dint of threats and love Ruby goes on the hunt for the real killer. Through an odd set of circumstances Ruby does this with official permission as she is designated liaison with the Crosby family. Class, please refer back to earlier comments on bitch-slapping and throat punching.

Sleep Tight is a page turner. I finished it at 3 a.m. No easy answers, I never figured out the puppeteer until Ruby revealed the answers. Not expecting a long life for that character, although Nathan promised different. I'm sorry, did I forget to mention that Nathan is co-head of one of London's biggest criminal organizations?

Mitchell paints a grim and gritty picture of the Shoreditch area of London and continues with her compelling portrayal of the sex trade.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ruby Preston is back on form in the second in the series, only this time, the suspect in the murder case she is trying to solve happens to be Nathan, the man she has loved and grown up with, also the father of her Daughter.

Despite the insistence of her superiors of Nathan's involvement, Ruby is determined to find the real killer and clear his name, ASAP. Only then another body is found, soon to be linked to the previous case and it soon becomes clear they need to catch the killer before he strikes again.

To say much more would spoil it for other readers, but if you like being kept on the edge of your seat with a cracking crime thriller, this is definitely the book for you. Caroline has a wonderful talent for making you genuinely liking the characters, giving a bit of their personal life, yet still showing them as the 'bad ass' Detective we know and love. I honestly can't wait for the 3rd book and hope this series goes on forever!

Even better than the first volume, Sleep Tight is the second book devoted to Detective Ruby Preston. Ruby is strong, dogged and has a weakness for a guy on the other side of the law (oh, Nathan, being so dreamy should be illegal). There is a new killer in town with a fondness for fairy tales. Not the super-cute Disney versions but the creepy originals. He likes to turn his victims into very dead princesses. When the lungs and liver belonging to Snow White turn up in Nathan's bedroom, Ruby will have to catch the killer and clear Nathan's name. The identity of the culprit is not so important. The real issue is figuring out where he is before he strikes again, and why is he trying to frame Nathan. As she did in the first novel, Ruby needs to toe a very thin line between her loyalty to the Police and her relationship with her lover's criminal family. She needs their help, but she knows the law. Ruby's team is really coming into their own. They are now real people that you get to care for. I can't wait for book number 3.