This was my first novel by Mel Sherratt and I definitely want to read more of her books after this one. Hush Hush follows DS Grace Allendale on her first case back in her hometown of Stoke-On-Trent where she's returned after over 20 years. But letting go of her past may not be as easy as she hoped, as she finds her long estranged family entwined in the case.

The style of investigation was fairly reminiscent of the TV Show Broadchurch and it made me realize that the book would make a great TV adaptation. The police procedures and investigations had a very authentic feel to it. I also liked Grace's character quite a lot! She's smart, independent and fights on the right side of law and she made a great protagonist to this story.

So, a new author for me and with a big stable of 11 books behind her I was pleased this was book 1 in a new series
Grace Allendale returns to her hometown of Stoke on Trent and murders start happening....she has a secret though....she is related to the biggest crime family in Stoke...the story then follows the police procedure re these killings ( and they are gruesome ) and the inevitable contact with her ‘family’, the wounds this opens and then the connection between her past and what is happening now becomes apparant...
Its a sad, brutal and harrowing story and one Grace cannot help but become emotionally involved with
The story occasionally goes back in time and as it progresses more and more of it makes sense
I enjoyed the descriptions of the Potteries ( Stoke on Trent etc ) and the authors obvious love for the area shone throughout the book
The characters and settings ( a ‘spit and sawdust’ gym etc ) are fairly standard for this genre although amazingly there was no nightclub ( I often think nightclubs only exist now in this genre of book but I digress )
Grace is a fairly complex character and her husband died a few years previous from cancer and this is mentioned frequently
The writing style is fine and the story flows fine, its all fine but in such a ‘hotly contested’ genre fine sometimes needs to be more!
At some points I thought I had read the book before, I hadnt!
The last quarter of the book ‘hotted up’ and was exciting

This was a great start to a new series and loved it. It took me a bit to get into the story but ended up loving Grace and loving the story. Look forward to the next in this series!

Grace Allendale has returned to Stoke-on-Trent as the new girl on the block, or rather, the new cop in the team. Her new team mates, however, are unaware of her terrible secret. This is the first in a new series by Mel Sherrat which looks set to be a winner. Hush Hush makes for gripping reading. The author plunges us straight into murder, and the suspense keeps building. Great writing, a strong, likeable lead character and surprising outcome all make for a really enjoyable read.

Grace was my hero in this book. Going back home and facing her demons made life at her new job hard. With her past who can she trust, who can she rely on when dead bodies start piling up? This was a book with mystery, suspense and so many twists and turns on every page. Thank you for allowing me to read and write about this story.

I have a confession to make….this is the first thriller type book that I have read by Mel Sherratt! Previously I have been a massive fan of her sparkly alter ego Marcie Steele’s books so I was a little nervous of reading a switch in genre from the same author. Well, there was no need for nerves as Hush Hush blew my little sparkly socks off. I’m not averse to crime/thrillers/grit lit so loved all the elements of this novel which mixed together perfectly.

DS Grace Allendale returns to her home town and is immediately recruited on to a gruesome murder case, the only fly in the ointment is that her estranged family are involved. Is blood thicker than water? Where do Grace’s loyalties lie; with her new team or the family who suffered under the brutality of the same father (George Steele)? As much as Grace has grown up apart from her half-brothers and sister you do wonder if her head will be turned and having an insider on the force certainly appeals to the Steele brothers who have taken over the criminal side of their father’s legacy.

The murders are particularly vicious and the thought that they are committed in places where the victims would consider themselves safe gave me the shivers. I was definitely checking over my shoulder when I was out and about in public! I do love a gruesome death scene and Hush Hush definitely delivered.

There are some characters in Hush Hush from the previous Allie Shenton trilogy but enough detail was given about them that I could keep up and in fact it made me want to bump up these books on my TBR. Mel Sherratt writes excellent female protagonists and I want to get to know them all! The men aren’t always the driving force and we see this in all the strong women in Hush Hush; Grace, her mother, Allie and her estranged sister. None of them are willing to bow down to the men in their lives and in some cases they have been irrevocably damaged mentally and/or physically.

I loved Hush Hush and can’t wait for Tick Tock the next book in the series which is due April 2019!

First in a new series about a female Detective Sergeant with the Major Crimes Unit in Stoke-on-Trent, a smallish city in the Midlands, Hush Hush follows Grace Allendale as she transfers from Manchester to Stoke, taking a promotion and returning to her roots. She’s thrown straight in at the deep end with a series of murders connected to the criminal Steele family - who just happen to be related to Grace a lot closer than she’d like.

I’m still not sure why Grace wanted to go back to Stoke in the first place, considering what a terrible person her father was and the fact she neither knows nor particularly wants to know the Steeles. She has neither family nor good memories there. Though her wanting to leave Manchester is perfectly understandable after the loss of her husband, I just don’t get why she’d even consider Stoke. It was really never explained.

This is a long book at 400 pages and 80 (fairly short) chapters, and to be honest I thought it could have been cut by about a third and still be a good story. There was too much repetition and description which made me feel rather as though the author was trying to describe everything happening on a TV show rather than just telling the story.

The excellent show Line of Duty is name-checked in this book, and I daresay Hush Hush would make a very good TV show, but as a police procedural crime thriller it was a bit waffly and long-winded to make a great read. Three stars.

I did like how the story shows the point of view of the "killer", a family member affected by the deaths, and the main character Grace, the detective. That format does balance the details well and gives some insight that allows the reader to put the pieces together. The story is police and detective heavy but following the affected family does add to the overall arc and gives a good window into both sides.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys police or detective thrillers and mysteries that showcase multiple points of view. The story discusses family, professional life, and the inner workings of a small town.

Hush Hush was insanely gripping. I gulped down the first hundred pages of this book in one sitting. This is the first book by Mel Sherratt which I have read, although I still have her previous novels sitting on my kindle which I will be reading very soon. I love the way how Mel Sherratt writes; I can see now what I have been missing out on. If you enjoy dark and gritty crime fiction, then this is definitely the book for you. It’s the start of what promises to be an addictive and an exciting new series. I can’t wait to read more form Mel.

Grace Allendale is a welcome addition to the crime world. She’s a tenacious detective but hides a harrowing past which she would rather keep from her fellow police officers. Grace is connected to a family who are well known to the police and to the criminal underworld. When a current spate of murders pulls her back to her roots, she knows that this particular case is going to be tricky and she fights to stay on it, despite facing opposition from her superiors. Can she really investigate her own family? And soon it appears that Grace herself may be a target.

This was a brilliant introduction to Grace’s character. Throughout the book, Mel gives us a glimpse into Grace’s former life in some uncomfortable and disturbing scenes. You get the sense of just how difficult the cases that Grace is investigating in the future may be for her as she is swept back into her family’s fold. Although I could feel that there was an eagerness on both sides to get to know each other more, I kept wondering how Grace was going to respond to this, especially, if this meant putting her career in the police force at risk.

There is some excellent dialogue, keeping the pace going; I just wanted to keep reading and I didn't want to put it down. It is a very easy book to get into and it will sweep you up into its murky depths. Grace is a character who you can easily get behind and the end will certainly leave you wanting more from this author.

Hush Hush is an absolutely gripping read and it marks the start of a series that I will be following with a keen eye. I’m sure this book will win Mel lots and lots of new fans, it has certainly won me over. Excellent stuff.  Thank you to Sabah Khan at Avon Books for inviting me to take part in the tour and for sending me a copy of the book to review.

Well, I will say one thing. This book certainly grabs your attention from the start and once it has a hold it never let's go. I practically devoured this book, charging from first page to last in no time at all. It really is an addictive read and looks set to start yet another cracking series from Mel Sherratt.

DS Grace Allendale has just accepted a promotion and transferred back to her home town of Stoke on Trent from Manchester. She has tried hard to forget her past, a rather horrid and abusive childhood at the hands of a father who harboured more than a few secrets of his own. She has a family she has never met, nor does she want to but as they both operate on opposite sides of the law, the reunion is inevitable. When her first case, a particularly brutal murder, brings her face to face with her estranged siblings Grace has to battle to keep her identity secret whilst stopping a vicious killer in their tracks. No easy task - given who the victim was and who they had worked for, the list of potential suspects could be long.

What I loved about this book is the way in which Mel Sherratt gave us such convincing and easy to like characters. Grace Allendale is a woman who is at the centre of a huge amount of personal and professional conflict. Her ties to the victim's employers, her estranged half siblings, the Steeles, and their connection to organised crime make things all the more awkward in the office as well as at home. And yet she is steadfast in her conviction, her determination, to bring the killer to justice, even if that killer may share the same blood. I really liked Grace. She has had a hard past but it shapes rather than defines her and in spite of getting a hard time from her new team, especially when the learn who her father was, she still battles on, hell bent on proving everyone wrong. She has suffered loss and survived, just, and Stoke will be her new, and somewhat old or re-, start.

The team who work around Grace were all well developed and, although a mixed bunch, they were likeable. Well ... mostly likeable with one or two exceptions. They may not have been wholly on Grace's side at all times but that is up to her to win them over. As for her extended family. Gah. What a bunch. Her brothers, Eddie and Leon are hard and menacing. While Eddie has the ability to remain calm, there is no denying the way his presence is felt and the menace you can sense from the page. He is calculated and maintains a certain persona but you cannot doubt he is a man you don't want to cross. Leon ... he is vile, vying for position at the head of the business but lacking his brother's sense. Mel Sherratt has created a pairing who will make you feel on edge, but Leon will also make your skin crawl just that little bit. Seeing how these two develop and what fresh hell they serve on Grace will certainly be fun reading going forward.

As for little sister, Jade, she is a touch manic and defiant when it comes to what her brothers expect of her. She is the only one to extend an olive branch to Grace and to look past what is printed on her warrant card. You get the feeling that between them, Grace and Jade may share more than just DNA, but you don't know the extent of this until you read on. There are passages which give hints as to their shared history, scenes which will make your stomach churn and drive you to chew on those nails as we are brought into the world of a scared young child with their abusive father. Hard reading at times but very well handled.

The murders in this book are brutal but also quite topical. None of it is gratuitous in delivery but you will know enough to be able to picture the scene in as much detail as your mind should wish. That is one thing Mel Sherratt is very good at - setting the scene for her readers. Be it the descriptions of Stoke and the surrounding areas, or the picture she creates of the individual settings such as the Gym owned by the Steeles, you find a very vivid image appearing in your mind as you read, skilfully putting you at the heart of the action.

Fast paced, heart stopping at times and taking me tot he very edged of my seat, I loved this book and I cannot wait to read of more from Grace and her team in the future. Top stuff.

I totally embraced this new book from Mel Sherratt. She has produced fine, well defined characters, a maze of clues and avenues to follow. And a great police thriller that has only become expected of this amazing writer.
I look forward to more in this series.
Thank you for bringing this to us! I have recommended this to all my friends , they have the same kind if ‘digging’ Brain that you need for Mel Sherrat books
If you are a Genre jumper and are looking fir something different this is a fantastic book to read and you will soon be on a Mel Sherrat bbookhunt!!

5 stars is not enough! Absolutely brilliant! One of those books - I was torn between wanting to finish it to find out who the killer was and wanting to take it slowly and savour every minute because it's so good.
DS Grace Allendale is back where she grew up with very mixed emotions. On one hand she's been promoted on the other she's back where she lived with her abusive father before her mother managed to escape with her. Her father is now dead, his murder still unsolved, but her half-brothers and sister are still there and are one of the most notorious crime families in Stoke, the Steele's.
A series of violent murders leads her to them and unleashes a torrent of memories. Grace has to try to solve the murders as well as trying to get her new team to trust her as much as they trusted their former DS.
With a mole on the team and details of Grace's past starting to emerge can she find the killer before she is kicked off the enquiry.
Gritty, violent only when necessary to the story. There was no "filler" every word was relevant to the story, Grace Allendale is a brilliant character and the story-line was gripping right from the start.
Can't wait for the next one

Oh wow, this was a roller coaster of a ride but what a thrilling ride it was! Thoroughly loved reading this crime thriller. It was full of twists and turns with lots of suspense. Very well written and back in that lovely town of Stoke-on-Trent.

DS Grace Allendale is new to the station but not to the area as ahe has family ties that she would rather keep hidden, especially as they link her to one of the biggest crime families of the area. It is well worth reading. Found it unputdownable!

It seems like ages since Mel has released a book and this one was definitely worth the wait.

Enough twists and turns to keep you gripped and staying up way to late when you have work the next morning, thanks Mel for a great book, bring on the next one!

I hoped this new series would be as good as the compelling Estate series and I'm not disappointed. This novel is the first in the DS Grace Allendale series. Immediately, you are placed at the scene. This seems to be the author's unique style as well as the depth within her characterisation. Vicious attacks are carried out, and Grace who has returned to Stoke-on-Trent discovers the family involved are known to her. It could spell jeopardy to her blossoming career. It's a sensitive, uncomfortable journey for Grace as she has to decide where her loyalties lie to cope with the case. Prematurely widowed she's a loner. The case puts her in touch with the violent Steele family which opens old wounds. The past and the present are crucial when Grace revisits past traumas and revenge harboured by others. Many ups and downs. I can't wait for the rest of the series. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins.

Grace Allendale has moved back to her old hometown of Stoke-on-Trent. It soon becomes clear that the notorious Steele family are going to cause trouble.
Grace’s secret is that she is related to this family, George the head of the family has recently been murdered.
A great intriguing story, about how the actions of one man, many years ago, has shaped the future for the rest of his family.
Really looking forward to hearing more about DS Allendale

Grace Allendale has recently been promoted to DS and returns to her home town of Stoke to head up her new team, but she has a secret that, if revealed, could turn her team against her because she is related to the infamous criminal family, the Steeles.  The blood connection is their violent father George,  who Grace and her mum managed to escape from when she was just a young girl.  Her first case is a murder and Grace and her team need to find out who and why before they strike again, but things are never as straightforward as they seem and she needs to prove herself to her team when her secret is finally revealed.  Whose side is she really on?

This is the first in a new series by this author and, if this one is anything to go by, the series will be another corker.   The story is written in the past and the present and is definitely not for the squeamish as it is gory in parts, but I loved it.  It kept me guessing right to the end and I was very surprised when the killer was revealed, didn't expect that at all.  I'm looking forward to reading the next one in this series which is due for release in April next year.  What a cracking read!

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins Avon for the approval.  I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon on publication day.  4 stars

DS Grace Allendale #1

DS Grace Allendale has returned to her hometown of Stoke-on-Trent. She had been based in Manchester and her husband had died two years previously. She is in charge of a new team and it does not sit well with all of them. Plus she has been told to keep her relationship to the Steele's a secret. Her first case involves her half brothers and sister, who she is estranged from. The Steele's own a gym but they are also one of the most powerful families in the criminal underworld. It's a brutal attack. Quickly, other murders take place and they are just as brutal. Who is behind these murders.

This is the first book in a new series. This is a captivating and quite a suspenseful thriller. I really like gangland rivalry books and this one does not disappoint. I have not read the Allie Shenton series of which this new series mentions her a couple of times., but it is on my tbr list. I also liked the family/ police connection. I had no idea who was behind the murders but I was shocked when it was revealed who it was. This is a promising start to this new series and I look forward to reading the next book in the series , Tick Tock, when it's released early next year.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and the author Mel Sherratt for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a brilliant start to a new series.
I loved this book and all the characters are easy to connect with - and the Steeles easy to dislike!
Grace returns home to Stoke for a job opportunity and struggles to keep a family secret to herself.
It’s not long before she’s dealing with her first murder and has to interview the Steeles as it happened in their gym’s car park.
This is a gritty crime thriller and whilst I had my suspicions about who the killer was, I must admit I got it wrong.
It’s quite emotional reading about Grace’s childhood but I think it was needed to make the story feel more real.
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I'm no stranger to this author's work although I haven't read her Allie Shenton series which this, new series, appears to be a continuation of as main character Grace Allendale has taken the position vacated by Allie, a decision that doesn't sit too well with some of her new colleagues. To add fuel to the fire, Grace is forced to withhold certain information about her past, and indeed her present connection from them. In taking up her new position, she has actually moved home. Back to the place she and her mother once fled from, leaving an abusive father/husband. Now dead, his murder still unsolved, but with estranged family still living there, she is horrified that her first investigation centres on them when there is a rather gruesome death just outside the local gym that they run. Forced to keep her ties to the suspects from her colleagues proves to be impossible as the investigation proceeds and, inevitably, her integrity is called into question. Whose side is she really on? Will her past come back to bite her? Or, as more deaths occur, will she manage to keep her head below the parapet long enough to cut through the noise and work out what is really going on?
This book hit the ground running for me and didn't let up until the very end. Not normally the biggest fan of main characters' lives spilling over into the crimes they are investigating, I have to admit that here it really worked. As a reason for Grace's return, to explain the friction with her colleagues and a pretty nifty, well planned out motive for the crimes. The whole shebang really. I was especially excited with the cop / crime family connection which made for an exciting opener and has great potential to rear its ugly head throughout the series periodically.
I was also pretty much clueless through the majority of the book as to who and why, even with some of the added extra narrative interspersed throughout, adding colour to the already exciting story being told. I did manage to work it all out just ahead of the reveal, but not too early which, considering the sheer volume of this genre book I devour, is a pretty impressive feat!
All in all, an explosive series opener which has not only left me hankering after more but has also led me to queue up the previous series on my tbr. Hopefully I will have time to sneak this in ahead of book two of this one.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.