As per many other people, I didn't realise this was the fourth book in a series. Whilst it's certainly not imperative that you've read previous novels before you take this one on, it did bother me that things had happened before this that I wasn't aware of.

Eva Dunbar wakes in a large metal box, and has no idea who has taken her. She can't get out. Detective Ian Bradshaw is acutely aware that this has happened before and with no leads, he has very little time to solve the case. A body is then found, and the police hope for clues that will help them find the kidnapper...but when the body is identified, everything gets a lot more complicated.

One of the really unique parts of this book is that the lead detective works with journalists, and the relationship between the two professions works really well. It makes a change from the cliched old policeman cursing the journos for wrecking his investigation.

It's a bit of slow starter, but if you stick with it, the pace quickens. The characters are well written and nuanced, and the writing style is excellent.

All in all, a great book...but I wish I'd been able to read the other novels first.

This was a fantastic book although I didn’t realise until I was part way through that it was part of a series and there were a few books before it. Nonetheless this didn’t detract from the story.

The story itself was slow to begin with but soon picked up pace and there are a few heart stopping moments.

DC Bradshaw has been given the task of investigating the disappearance of a number of young girls in the area but unfortunately for him there is no other manpower within the force to assist him. As such he is given the go ahead to bring on board an investigator (Tom) who is also a freelance journalist. Tom brings his partner, Helen to assist and together the three of them try to solve the case.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This Book was recommended to me by Penguin and I am so glad they did I loved this book, Its a really good thriller with twists and turns..... And even though I have never read any of the three previous books from this series this book does really well as a standalone. I shall be interested in reading the others and waiting for more.

The story is gripping right up to the last page and makes you stay up way past your bedtime I easily read this in a few days, Highly recommended this book to anyone who loves thrillers and this was my first Howard Linksey book and won't be my last already bought the other books previous to this one to read !!

I was unaware that this was part of a series and was worried that this would hinder my reading experience, however that was not the case. This read was super claustrophobic and menacing. The story lines and characters were so believable and well written that this made for a compelling read.

It took me a couple of attempts to get in to this story, but, once I did I couldn't put it down again. I could picture the characters, feel their emotions, and felt invested in them. The overall story was engaging (once I got in to it), but I really liked how the smaller sub stories as well. It was very well written and definitely worth a read. Thanks!

Eva wakes and finds herself entombed in some weird chamber, not knowing she's not the only one who has been in this situation. Policeman Ian along with reporters Tom and Helen have to solve this mystery, which proves difficult. The idea was very creepy and disturbing - who doesn't have a horror of being trapped? A mix of goodies and baddies in this tale, some likeable and others not so much. The ARC was confusing at times, no proper breaks, so concentration is needed as it flits from one character and time to another, all on the same page! A good story for those who enjoy police procedure books.

Wow....
Absolutely brilliant.
Kept me guessing and certainly gripped ..quite creepy and I loved it I cannot wait to to meet the characters in the next instalment they make an awesome team.

This was a fantastic crime thriller and my first book by Howard Linskey. I'll definitely be reading the first three books in the series as soon as possible. I loved the mix of police procedural and journalism and found the plot to be so engaging that I couldn't put the book down until I'd finished. If you enjoy well-written and frightening crime thrillers, then this book is for you.

This was a gripping, fast paced, police procedural story. A great cast of characters with DC Ian Bradshaw working in tandem with two journalists to discover the whereabouts of five missing women. This is a scary story in places but a great read

Atmospheric, creepy and tense thriller - an engrossing read:
"The Chosen Ones" is the second novel I've read in the DC Ian Bradshaw series from author, Howard Linskey. I read the first novel in the series "No Name Lane" many years ago, on the back of a recommendation in the Literary Review Crime Section and really enjoyed it. The first novel, where the characters are introduced, must be the hardest to write and it was an exceptionally good opening thriller.
"The Chosen Ones" is the fourth in the series, the second that I've read and similarly the novel didn't disappoint: strong characterisation and an unusual, creepy plot.
A number of women are reported missing under similar circumstances and the suspicion is that a serial abductor is on the loose. The police hope for more evidence but it is not forthcoming. If abducted where are the women being held? Are they dead or alive? Why can't the police locate them? There is of course a very good reason for this: the victims of abduction are hidden away in a spot where they can effectively never be found as the location doesn't appear on any map. The author occasionally switches to the entombed victims which makes the reader desperate for DC Bradshaw and Co to locate them. The thriller features several unusual twists (the identity of the abductor, the location used, what the abductees have in common). An exceptionally creepy novel and one which should fall into the category of a must read by those readers, like myself, addicted to crime fiction. An excellent atmospheric thriller. Linskey is a gifted writer.

I started this book twice but each time I struggled to get in to it and it was a slow slog to get to the end.

I read a lot of books which follow a similar plot and this one fell a little flat.

3 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for review.

The Chosen Ones is the fourth part of this 90's series, the second that I have read. Whilst it would be good to start from the beginning(I wish I had) that's more for the enjoyment of a great series than any necessity. It has everything you want from a detective novel and a little bit extra.



Detective Ian Bradshaw has again been handed a case no one else wants but with the help of journalists Tom and Helen he's determined to solve the case. A girl has gone missing and she isn't the first. When a body turns up it leads them to believe the girl could be alive. It's them a race against time, but in their way is corruption and general arse covering from Bradshaw's colleagues.

I like lots about this series but for me, it particularly stands out for its authentic 90's and the fact this detective works with journalists rather than them all been portrayed as mudslinging reprobates. Yes, we know there are journalists like that but not all so it's great to see a different portrayal for a change. This is a great series but also works well as a standalone.

I chose to request The Chosen Ones to read for review many months ago but unfortunately it managed to slip through the cracks and I have only just managed to get around to reading it.

When I requested The Chosen Ones I didn’t register that it was part of a series and I think this did hinder my reading of it to start of with as I couldn’t remember if I had read any of the others or not. I spent much of the first part of the book trying to recall if I had and I am still unsure.

I think that to better enjoy the book it is better to have read the others in the series because although it can be read as a stand alone there are elements that would be better understood with prior knowledge of the characters.

Eva Dunbar wakes from a night out with friends to find she is trapped in a large box. She has no way of knowing how she got there and no means of escape.

“When Eva woke, imprisoned in a large metal box, the one thing that terrified her more than the prospect of her captor returning was the thought that he might not.”

Eva is not the only girl to have gone missing and when Detective Ian Bradshaw is given the case no one else wants he knows he has limited time to find them before the media strike.

Then a body is discovered causing the case to become a lot more complicated.

I think I knew from the beginning that this book wasn’t really going to engage my attention, but I decided to carry on in case I was wrong and it was just a slow starter.

The Chosen Ones was a slow burner that didn’t ever pick up. There was a good twist at the end but I don’t think it was worth my time and I won’t be recommending anyone else waste their time on it.

Can't decide for sure whether this should be 3 stars or 4 stars so am giving it 3 1/2 stars! This is the first I have read in this series of books but I don't think it spoilt my enjoyment. This appears to be Book 4 and I will be looking to read the earlier books from the series. It is unusual to have a policeman working with journalists and the relationship seems to work well, giving a fresh perspective on a thriller/police procedural. I liked Ian Bradshaw's character, but he seems to be a bit of a loner. Tom and Helen have an unusual relationship which works well too - plenty of room for development. Amongst all this is a good plot causing a well-paced tale.

Many thanks to Netgalley/Howard Linskey/Penguin for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A routine crime procedural drama set in the north east of England, A detective joins forces with two investigative journalists when young women go missing. This is a slow burn of a novel with lacklustre central characters.

Police detective Ian Bradshaw is assigned a case where it is believed, that five women are missing. He calls two journalists, Tom and Helen, to help him solve this case. I really liked that the author doesn’t leave these cases only to the police but also involves other people to help. I think, that there is no single main character in this book, Ian, Tom and Helen are equally important in this novel. I really loved that this book is told from multiple perspectives, allowing to understand the characters and to have a glimpse into different minds and lives. Even though it is told by multiple people, the mystery and suspense were very well kept throughout the book. I don’t think I could single out my favourite character, I think they all have very intriguing personalities, and I quickly warmed up to all the important characters in this book.

The narrative is very well developed in this novel. There is more than one investigation happening, and I think that made the whole book even richer and more absorbing. I really liked all the twists and turns this story had to offer, and I believe, the author really knows how to sidetrack the reader. The narrative kept changing continuously, depending on the character, that is why this book was a real page turner to me.

The writing style was very creative, but at the same time enjoyable and easy to read. The chapters are very well constructed and have a decent length, so for me, the pages just flew by. This book is fourth in the series, and it does carry quite a bit of information from the previous books, and I wish I read them before this one, however, I was able to understand of what was going on. So, you can read it as a stand alone, but I would recommend reading the previous books first. I really liked the way this book ended, it answered all my questions and gave a glimpse of what to come in the next book, which I will be looking out for.

So, to conclude, this book is dark, claustrophobic, and very gripping, filled with very well developed characters, absorbing plot and plenty of twists. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I hope you will give it a try and will like it as much as I did.

Eva wakes up to find herself in a box. She doesn’t know how she got there or who her captor is. On the other hand, Detective Bradshaw is working with two journalists, Tom and Helen, to find a missing woman. Soon, the case becomes complicated as the investigators realize that there is more than one missing woman.

This story is narrated through alternating perspectives. I really liked Eva and sympathized with her. I was anxious wondering whether she would make it out alive. I like the fact that she was a fighter though but there many tense moments involving her. Detective Ian was an interesting character. He didn’t seem to have the usual demons that most detectives in thrillers have. I also enjoyed Tom and Helen’s perspectives and their back stories.

This case was intense. I absolutely had no clue who the villain was. It’s the kind of case where you meet the baddie and still don’t recognize them until the police connect all the dots. I don’t even think I had any suspects. I just had to sit back and let the police do their work. This made it an even more captivating read.

The Chosen Ones is book 4 in DI Bradshaw series. However, it is the first book that I have read in the series. I ended up with a copy of the ARC without knowing that it was an ongoing series. This made me delay reading the book because I was really apprehensive about beginning a series in the middle.

In the end, I loved it! It’s the kind of book that can be read as a standalone. Honestly, there weren’t any conversations that I couldn’t follow and the background stories necessary for the character development were provided. I know reading the series in order would have been better but I still enjoyed this book.

The Chosen Ones is the first Howard Linskey novel that I’ve read, and it certainly won’t be the last!

When Eva Dunbar awakes in a large secure metal box after a night out, she has no idea how she ended up there, no idea who bought her there, and no idea how to get out.

She isn't the first woman to disappear in the local area, but the stretched local police force take a little while to connect Eva's disappearance with the (largely) unsolved cases before hers.

The discovery of a woman's body, leads the detectives to believe that they may have had a breakthrough, but this is one of those cases that is never going to be that straightforward.

DI Bradshaw is not one to give up, no matter what his colleagues opinions on him, particularly when he calls on some slightly unorthadox external help, in the form of two local journalists Carney and Norton.

He is determined to solve the case, and the investigation throws up plenty of twists and turns to keep them all on their toes.

This is apparently the fourth book in a series featuring Bradshaw, Carney and Norton, but I wouldn't have realised that, had I not been told. It can certainly be read as a stand alone.

The Chosen Ones is a very clever, very dark novel and I look forward to reading other novels by this author.

Eva Dunbar disappears....she finds herself if a sealed container. Other women have disappeared. The body of a women who disappeared 18 years ago is found. Flashbacks to the past starts to paint a picture. Brilliant fast paced book. Would really recommend

I have never read anything by Howard Linskey before but if this book is anything to go by, I won't be making that mistake again ... what a great read and even though this is book number 4 in the series, I don't think it's totally necessary to have read the previous ones. Yes you may miss out on some of the back story and relationship building that has gone on before but I think there is enough provided to give you a good idea but not so much that it becomes tedious.

The writing flows well making it easy to read and with great characters, creepy and disturbing storyline and a great ending, I have no hesitation in recommending this to those who enjoy a good police procedural with a psychologically thrilling edge.

Thanks go to the publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review and for introducing me to another fantastic British author.