Mel Sherratt's series set in Stoke and featuring DS Allie Shenton was excellent; Hush Hush is both a continuation of that series but also the first in a new series featuring DS Grace Allendale. Grace returns to Stoke after working for years in Manchester and immediately comes into contact with her estranged family, the Steeles. When a body is discovered outside Steele's Gym, Grace has a tough time trying to find the perpetrator, and more deaths occur. In addition, she has to cope with working with a new team who are slow to accept her. This is a gripping novel and I llok forward to its sequel.

A killer is on the loose ..... the story had twists and turns and kept me guessing until the last chapter. Great book worth reading

First, I wish to thank NetGalley and Open Road Media for the opportunity to read this digital e-book in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
Mel Sherratt is back in a big way with a new character in her latest Stoke-ont-the-Trent thirller, Hush Hush. And, I am here to tell you that Sherratt does not disappoint her readers. Sherratt is, IMHO, developing into quite an elite English thriller writer. I would put her very close to the ranks of Sharon Bolton and Angela Marsons. They all can write very similiar police procedural thriller styles. When Bolton is on her game, though, she is a tough comparison.
Allie Shenton has moved on to another position, an advancement that she couldn’t pass. Grace Allendale, a widow, originally from Stoke, but currently living in Manchester is hired to take her spot as DS. This does not sit well with all in the squad, what hiring from the outside when someone inside the squad already could have had the position. This is the first of two elements that DS Grace Allendale will have to weather out and prove otherwise. She is told by superiors to keep a secret from all others that she would just as soon reveal to her co-workers at start. She is a step sister to the Steele family, one of the most powerful families in the local crime underworld.
Still, life goes on and Grace gets her first murder case. And, it just so happens that their are very close connections to the Steele family and the murder. Soon, other murders begin to happen. Their seems to be some kind of connection with the murders, but nobody has the answers, neither the Steele family, nor the Stoke police. Grace, and her very affable side-kick Perry, work hard and long hours on the case. Sam does what she can with the CCTV and research in the office, and Alex … well, Alex is Alex, but he tries in his own way. DI Nick supervises the case and tries to keep Grace walking the rope staying on the case.
Grace and their crew begin to race at a rapid pace to solve the case as more bodies turn up. Is this an internal family struggle gone bad? Is this a family battle over turf or rites? Or is this just some really brave serial killer?
Hush Hush is an excellent police procedural/thriller that really bring to light broad advancements in Mel Sherratt’s writing. This is an excellent, fast paced read. I know many of my friends would enjoy this book immensely, and I would have no trouble at all recommending Hush Hush to readers of either of these genres. I simply loved it. I rarely give the 5-star rating, but this one is close, let us say, 4.75 stars.

I have loved reading this book I am also very happy that Mel has gone back to Police Pocedures.Grace returns to Stoke to take up her new position in the local force,her arrival is a little hard for some of the team.A series of brutal murders have the team hard at work but there some people in stoke who grace doesn't want to have to face just yet.Time is not on grace's side as she is made to face the Steele family,Eddie,Leon,Jade and their mother Kathleen.As grace is faced with solving the murders there are forces around trying to wrong foot her.This is an excellent book and one that i can highly recommend and well worth 5*

Their is a killer and he leads to her family .
Grace had an extremely violent Father
Her team does not really feel well and she always feels worried about that , but their all coppers and they have to accept her .
I recieved an ARC from Avon Books

Killers on the loose.
This one kills anywhere they feel comfortable with and most of all safe.

This of course can’t continue and Grace Allendale has to help solve this terrible crime and with her team bring the killer to justice.

There is one thing though......
It leads to her family. The steele family well known for their criminal activity .

Grace had a violent father.
This is his extended family, her blood.

Her Team are not the easiest to work with, she is forever in doubt with them, she feels she’s forever proving her ability, her duty and her loyalty.

But when it’s family, when it’s your own blood you have to bring to justice what then.

It’s a very powerful book with lots of low punches.

I do believe it’s her best book yet (apart from The Estate series which wasn’t crime)

My thanks to Harper Collins for my copy from Net Galley

The first instalment in a new crime series is always exciting.
For me, one of the bonuses of this author’s writing is the way she makes me feel like I know everyone already. Like I’ve known them all my life. There’s no confusion about who’s who, no looking back and wondering where I’d seen the name before. The depth of the characters jumps out of the page.
DS Grace Allendale is introduced to us. She was born in Stoke but moved away when she was a child. She’s recently returned to the Stoke area after working in Manchester.
Heading up a team she’s keen to earn her new colleague’s trust. It doesn’t take long for that trust to come into question. There’s an incident involving the Steele family. They are her relatives, and even though she’s estranged from them some people are very quick to jump to the wrong conclusions. It’s very awkward for her at times.
Some of the scenes are very gritty, so well described that I was cowering away.
There are lots of twists and turns in the plot, lots of suspicions, making it a real page-turner.

Hush Hush is the new book by Mel Sherratt featuring DS Grace Allendale. Grace has returned home to Stoke to take up a new position, she finds herself in charge of a series of murders which seem to be connected to the Steele family, the only problem for Grace is that the Steeles are her half siblings. As the investigations into the murders continue and Grace’s team find out about her past, she needs to prove to her colleagues that she is not in cahoots with the Steeles.

An excellent thriller and a very enjoyable read.

Oh my good God!! I now have the biggest book hangover imaginable! I always get so excited when Mel releases a new book, especially when she's spent the last few months teasing us about it.

Hush Hush introduces us to DS Grace Allendale who has recently moved back to her home town of Stoke on Trent, a place she had said goodbye to as a child. Now she is back, in a job she loves, but she finds herself thrown in at the deep end when an investigation into a vicious murder is right on the doorstep of the local crime family, the Steeles, who happen to be family, albeit people she's never met before, as they are from her Father's double life.

Grace has one hell of a job proving herself to her new team, can they ever trust her now? Also, who can Grace trust? Someone is leaking confidential information related to the cases quicker than a dripping tap!

Amongst the brilliant characters is an old face, one I was so excited to see, I actually squealed out loud!! Her predecessor is none other than my favourite character, Allie Shenton, who immediately befriends Grace, providing valuable support at times.

In case you didn't guess, I can say, hand on heart, this is another absolute diamond from Mel Sherratt, and I have already recommended it to 4 people in the course of reading it!

I love Mel Sherratt's previous series of books so was looking forward to reading this new series of hers. I wasn't disappointed. It was interesting to get a bit of background to Grace the main character and how her bad childhood still gives her nightmares. A gritty read to get your teeth into and I will look forward to the next instalment. Just wish I didn't have to wait so long for it!!!

I was over the moon to get an ARC of this book which is the first in a new crime series by one of my favourite authors. Grace has a very dark past and it's something which she knows she will have to face when she accepts a job as a D.S. in the town where she was brought up. She is also aware that she will have to tread carefully as she has connections to family who are far from squeaky clean.

Hush Hush
By Mel Sherratt
4 Stars

Gripping from the first page.
Sherratt introduces Detective Sergeant Grace Allensdale, who is called upon to stop the murders while leading a new team. There is a twist, the clues lead to Grace’s step family, complicating all the issues.

The twists in the plot keep you guessing till the last few pages, with some unexpected jumps at the end.

The characters are well developed, particularly that of Grace, with the backstory filled in as we read through.

An engaging mystery, that’s hard to put down, and will leave you wanting more.

#HushHush #NetGalley
www.books-reviewed.weebly.com

As a massive fan of Mels books I have to say I was delighted to be sent an ARC of this book by the publishers and netgalley. I’m so thrilled as it didn’t disappoint. I must admit, I can usually work out who’s behind the crimes, but Mel’s writing is so clever, even me, as an avid crime reader didn’t see what was going on! Just shows the wonderful skill Mel has developed as a crime writer.

There are plenty of murders, and low and behold the local crime family, the Steeles are related to Grace. She finds herself in an invidious position, who does she choose, her family or her team mates at work?

This leads the reader along by the nose, as it gives insight to Graces’ awful childhood to the person she is today. I’d want to stab my father if he’d been like that too!

Here we see, I hope, the start of a new detective series, with the addition of some old favourites too, Annie Shelton. I do like it when authors merge the characters from their other books, it adds a nice familiarity to the story. Another thing I admire about Mel is you can “get inside her characters”and feel their emotions. I just loved it 5* plus.

I am a huge fan of this authors books so was very excited to see that she was writing a new series. Grace I am sure is going to be a massive hit with fans new and old.

Grace has returned to her home town and finds herself working on a case which means she has to have dealings with family that she would rather never have to set eyes on. Having had a violent father growing up, they certainly weren't happy times for Grace and she wants to forget all about it. Sadly her estranged family are very much a reminder. Grace has had quite a lot to deal with in her life and I have to say she was very brave coming back but I had to salute her for doing it.

The murders are pretty gruesome to say the least but ensures that it grabs hold of the reader making you turn those pages for more. As much as I was horrified, I couldn't wait to see what they were going to do next. It certainly makes for some thrilling and chilling reading.

I thought this was a great case for Grace and her colleagues to be working on, Not only do we get to know more about Grace and her background, we are also taken on an exhilarating journey in the fight for justice. For me this was a perfect way to kick off a new crime series as usually the first book in a series is spent getting to know the character that it can detract from the overall story. This, I am pleased to say, is definitely not the case with Hush Hush.

Mel Sherratt has nailed it again with Hush Hush. It has left me very excited about what else she has in store for the reader. If you love a hard hitting, edge of you seat read, then look no further.

Superb thriller! Mel Sherratt combines great character development with a page turning plot. Look forward to more from this author.

Hush Hush is the new book from Mel Sherratt which i'm guessing will become a new series featuring DS Grace Allendale who has moved to her home town of Stoke on Trent from Manchester but is finding it hard to fit in with her new team.When a murder occurs she is drawn into contact with the Steele family who it transpires are her half brothers and sister Eddie,Leon and Jade.As the murders continue Grace is accused of siding with her family against her team and she also has to battle her past demons.Hush Hush is an excellent start to what i'm sure is going to be a great series of books by Mel Sherratt if her previous books are anything to go by.Once again she does not disappoint and i am looking forward to the next instalment of DS Grace Allendale.Another 5 stars for the ever excellent Mel Sherratt.

I received this via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

This is the first book in the DS Grace Allendale series. I love a good crime series so it's good to know there's more of Grace to come.

Grace has returned to her childhood home town to take up a position as she feels it's safe now her violent and abusive father has been murdered.

Her first case throws her into a meeting with half siblings she has never met but it's not a happy family meeting as she deals with a murder at her siblings family run gym and has to choose between family or the job.

I really enjoyed this book, I had a suspicion who the guilty person was. I feel the snippets of Graces past that we got throughout the book will lead to some excellent further books in the series.

Impressively Good

Having had the privilege of being able to have a preview of this book on Netgallery I can honestly say that this is probably one of Mel's best.
Her new character DS Grace Allendale is I hope the beginning of a new series as she tries to earn the trust of her new team at the same time dealing with her own criminal family.
This was one of those books that once I started to read I couldn't put down it grabbed my attention right from the start.
I have no doubt that Mel has got a winner with Hush Hush

This is the first in an exciting new series. Mel known for her Estate series which isn't a hard hitting crime series but this one really hits you hard and fast.

Grace Allendale is a powerful woman who has returned back to her childhood home and believe me she isn't too happy about this or in life.

The conflict in this book really shows a diverse ability in writing as it isn't the utopian book where everything is smooth from the start. In fact Grace has to deal with a lot of emotions that are difficult as well as she has to try and earn the trust of her team.

This is the best book I have ever read by Mel Sherrratt. It had everything one could hope for in a book and really shows just what type of author she is.

I am really looking forward to more novels in this series. I feel that it will be one of my top reads.

Great cover, but unfortunately this British police thriller didn’t work for me. It is possible that it might have greater appeal to a female audience.