This book Got archived before I had a chance to download it🤦‍♀️

Unfortunately this book was archived before I could read it.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I devoured this book in one sitting and it was brilliant

This is #6 in the DS Ebony Willis & DS Dan Carter novels. In 2000 fifteen year old Heather Phillips is murdered and Jimmy Douglas was convicted of this crime. Now as Jimmy is coming up to parole new murders start occurring with all the victims linked to the past case. Did the police get the wrong man?
The story unfolds in both the past and present.
In the past Jimmy was a charismatic man who who became the focal point for dysfunctional individuals who flocked to him. Heather was on the outskirts of the group but caught the attention of Jimmy. You learn how far the individuals went to please Jimmy.
In the present some of these people are still under Jimmy’s spell.
The story was gripping and you almost wanted to skip ahead to see what will happen. Highly recommend and will be looking forward to the next book.
Thanks to NetGalley, SimonSchuster & Lee Weeks for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for a review copy of Cold Revenge, the sixth novel to feature DS Ebony Willis and DCI Dan Carter of the Met's MIT 17.

The team is called out to the body of a murdered woman found in a lake. When they establish her identity things get very complicated because she is Millie Stephens, former disciple of Jimmy Douglas, a Charles Manson like psychopath who held sway over a group of young acolytes. Douglas is serving time for rape but not murder as the case against him for the murder of Heather Phillips in 2000 collapsed when no body was found. The team wonder if Douglas's imminent release, Heather's fate and Millie's murder are all linked.

I enjoyed Cold Revenge which is a complicated maze of relationships and cruelty, although having said that it is not difficult to follow. I must admit that I guessed a couple of the key twists early on which probably helped my understanding but did not mar my enjoyment as the action comes thick and fast. The first half of the novel has a dual timeline, split between the present day investigation and the events of 2000 when Heather disappeared. It makes for a choppy read but with all the disciples no commenting now and then it is the only way to give the reader enough information to understand the present.

Although Ebony is the main protagonist Jimmy Douglas casts a long shadow. Ms Weeks does a good job of painting him as a manipulative, sadistic psychopath within the confines of a plot driven novel. His crimes are horrific and are described in more detail than some readers will be comfortable with but without these descriptions he would not have the same menace so they are graphic but necessary. I like the fact that his narcissism and overweening self confidence finally trip him up.

Cold Revenge is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

I love discovering an author who is new to me. Although this is the sixth book in the DS Ebony Weeks series I did not feel that I was in any way disadvantaged coming in afresh to the series midway as this is a stand-alone story (although I assume her police colleagues and friends are consistent throughout the series).
Lee writes very well and the book has me gripped from the first few pages. Although the book was overly graphic for my tastes at times, which is why I have given the book a four rather than five star rating, I really enjoyed the storyline and found it easy to follow inspite of there being a multitude of different characters introduced in the plot (some even referred to by different names either having been giving new police identities or referred to by nicknames!) I find this a sign of an excellent author when they can do this in such a way as to not confuse the reader (as with lessor writers I’ve found myself flicking back pages thinking “who is X,Y, Z again?”.
I would recommend this book to fans of good talent and police crime thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent book. A real page turner. I loved it. I can’t wait for more by this author. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Lee Weeks for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.