I've been looking for a twisty (and twisted) read for a little while now. This book fit the bill. Laura and Robert are never really a couple for the reader. We walk in on the end of their marriage. Looking back at how they go to where they are is full of all kinds of side adventures that, though some are predictable and some are fantastical, are still all interesting to read. You always feel for Laura, even though you wouldn't blame her or hold her accountable for a second if she had really decided to kill her husband. No one deserves it more. Well, maybe one person.

The detective solving the case immediately feels for Laura what the reader feels and sets out on following his intuition. He goes to bat for her, never relenting to popular opinion or the easy solve. He ends up uncovering a story with a little bit of everything.

All throughout the reading I got the feeling of a series, so at the end I had to check it out. Indeed, this is the second in a series. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture now have to go buy myself yet another book in a series I was introduced to through my Netgalley shelf.

The Couple On Cedar Close is the second novel in the Detective Dan Riley series; however, it works perfectly well as a standalone. The highlight of the story is definitely the characters; they are all so real and beautifully flawed. The author makes you care for both the good characters and the bad. You sympathise with the good and despise the bad. It's difficult to comment on the novel without giving away details that I feel should be kept under wraps, so I will keep it purposely vague. I found that you didn't know who to trust throughout the story as most of the characters are untrustworthy, but it didn't take long until I knew exactly what was going on and sadly there were no twists of surprises.

Detective Riley is intelligent, intuitive, compassionate and has a tendency to be stubborn. He's a well-developed character, but what let the novel down was the lack of suspense and the very obvious clues that pointed to the killer early on that I'm pretty sure even a youngster could figure out. The book then focused on the psychology of the killer and why they decided to carry out such a despicable act. Don't get me wrong, the book had a lot of potential and I enjoyed the psychological aspect, the writing was sound and the characters interesting but those positives couldn't make up for the lack of twists and thrills.

Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

This is the second book in the DI Riley series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. I did not have the feeling that I missed something in order to pick this one up, but I do missed reading about DI Riley (but that is my own fault by not reading the first book and has nothing to do with the author not giving enough information), because you just have to love him. He is kind, compassionate, funny and stubborn by sticking to what he believes in and looking beyond first impressions. He might become my favourtie DI.

There are two ways of writing a crime book. You can keep the identity of the culprit hidden until the end or you can reveal it earlier on and give them a more active part in the story. I like both ways. I am not going to give away how this story was structured. That is for you to find out for yourself.

The author takes us on a journey by intertwining past and present into a fabulous book. She shows us that although we think we know someone we never really know them at all.

The story is a mixture of a police procedural and psychology that kept me very entertained. 4 stars.

Thank you, Anna-Lou Weatherley, Bookouture and Netgalley.

A gripping read. I was intrigued from the start with this book. I had no problems dea where it was going and certainly no idea as to who to believe which is exactly what I love about a book. I will definitely be looking out for more books from this author.

She did it, she didn’t do it...the reader is left oscillating between these two in the beginning. But as you read through it seems evident that she’s being set up. Early on in the plot as Laurie is preparing for the dinner with Robert, the narration makes it sound like she wants to kill him, phrases such as these “tonight she’s going to make sure that this will never happen”, “looks beautiful, one last meal”, “till death do us part, she says quietly...” when read in context make the reader believe she wants to kill him and not reconcile with him. But then as you read more you realize that while she said wanted him back, she actually wanted to be free of him but she never wanted him dead!
Monica seems to be standing by her friend Laurie, helping her even, but she gives off a strong frenemy vibe that makes you wonder where she actually stands. If you are an avid thriller reader, you have suspected this pretty early on and then about halfway through the book the author reveals the connections between Monica, Robert and Laurie. At this point you wonder what more can this story offer, you know the links and all that’s left is figuring out the logistics. And that’s exactly what happens. The book that starts off as a psychological thriller in the beginning turns in to a police procedural after that. There are no twists that surprise the reader and the rest of the book just focuses on the how.
The side plot about Lucy, Dan, Fi and Delaney is interesting and while it does not add to the main plot it certainly does not distract either. Makes it more interesting to see other characters growing and developing.

The book is a tad longer than I would’ve liked, a little crisper editing would have made it more entertaining.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley, #TheCoupleOnCedarClose

Also shared on: https://romasharma.blogspot.com

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the opportunity to read The Couple on Cedar Close.

Wow! Right from the beginning I loved this book. It was so easy to read and so hard to put down. This book contains it all, murder, twisted relationships and twists you don't always see coming. Boy was that Robert a piece of work. I had only just worked out who the murderer was when it was revealed in the book, but I did not see the twist that came with this person. I loved Dan and his gut instinct that something was not right, he just kept going against all the advice he was given to prove who the killer was. And the ending, I so hope there is going to be another instalment to this book. I need to know what happens next!! Would definitely recommend this book, 5 stars all the way. Now to find Black Heart by the same author which contains Dan Riley in there too.

The Couple on Cedar Close

The second book a mystery series featuring the smart and intuitive Detective Dan Riley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY
Laurie wakes with a start, her head spinning. She’s laying on a bed but not sure where. When she attempts to rise her finger touch something metal. She pulls herself up and realizes she is wet, and her hands feel slippery. It’s dark, and the light switch doesn’t work. She makes it downstairs to the electric panel and flips the switch. The light floods the room. She looks down and realizes she is covered in blood.

Her estranged husband has been murdered in the guest room of their house, his throat cut and he has multiple stab wounds. Laurie is taken into custody, but she doesn’t remember what happened to Robert. She remember earlier in the evening she had fixed his favorite meal, Beef Wellington, for dinner and had consumed a bottle of wine waiting for him to arrive. But he stood her up. She was furious with him. Could she have killed him? She hasn’t been the same since her accident years ago, she’s become dependent on Valium and alcohol. But did she really kill him?

REVIEW
THE COUPLE ON CEDAR CLOSE is the second book in a series featuring London Detective, Dan Riley. Dan Riley’s character is smart and intuitive and I appreciate his sense of reason in the book. The roles of the women in the book were disappointingly weak. Not a role model among them, except perhaps the nosy blind neighbor Mrs Foster, who delivers the best line in the entire book—“You’ll have to speak slower, Detective. My eyes aren't what they use to be.”

It’s a nice, light detective mystery, and can be read quickly. The writing was good, although the dialog seemed a little cliche at times. Author Anna-Lou Weatherley is a journalist who grew up and lives in London with her partner and two children. The first book in the Dan Riley series is Black Heart, published January 31, 2018. Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Anna-Lou Weatherley for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Bookouture
Published January 18, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

Thank you so much to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Laurie thinks she has the perfect marriage to her husband Robert until one fateful day at an annual barbecue. Laurie discovers that her husband Robert is having an affair, and has a child with the woman. Robert moves out of the house and when Laurie decides to try to give their marriage a second shot, Robert is found upstairs brutally murdered. Laurie wakes up covered in blood with no recollection of what happened, largely in point she believes due to her addiction to pills and alcohol. As Laurie tries to piece together the events of that night other murders start happening that Laurie is getting blamed for also, but she doesn't have a recollection of those either. Is she having blackouts or someone framing her for the murders?

I think I had higher exceptions for this book and it kind of felt like a letdown to me. There really wasn't any suspense to the novel and I had the killer figured out less than half way through the book due to some not so subtle clues. It was definitely focused more on a police drama than a domestic abuse drama like I assumed it was going to be. I liked the character of Dan Riley and how he went about solving the murder and how he didn't let the evidence sway him away from his gut instinct. All in all not a terrible book but definitely lacking in suspense and mystery.

Thank you again to Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy!

This is a good read about a couple with relationship issues, murder and secrets and lies.
Laurie is married to Robert and on a sunny day in their idyllic 'Cedar Close' she finds out he's having an affair. What happens next is a spiral of intrigue and, despite my having a good idea who the culprit was, the writing and characters kept me interested until the end.

The police detectives Dan Riley and his subordinate, Davis are excellently matched and this pairing and the writing make me want to go back and read the previous book, 'Black Heart'.

I enjoyed this book and would like to thank NetGalley, Bookoutre and the author for the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received this ARC through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley.com, to Bookouture, and to Anna-Lou Weatherley for this opportunity.

Laurie Mills is no stranger to recent tragedy. To make matters worse, the discovery of her husband's infidelity at a neighborhood barbecue explodes into a spectacle with Laurie making threats that she can't take back. When she discovers her husband, Robert, brutally murdered in their home and has no recollection of recent hours, she begins to question her sanity. Could she have done this? Locked up in a cell to contemplate events, Laurie has no choice but to accept her fate. Detective Riley is on the case to find real evidence of the killer - whether or not that is Laurie is yet to be determined. As he gets deeper into the case, things become more complicated than anyone could have imagined.

This is book 2 in a series, which I did not realize until I had already started the book. It does well as a stand-alone because I never felt like I was missing any background story. The killer is revealed rather early on but the view into that person's psyche make it well worthwhile. This is a fast-paced, enjoyable read that I would recommend.

Usually, I don't like to read a book in a series if I haven't read the previous ones, but I actually didn't know this was part of a series until I was already into it. Luckily, it didn't affect anything or cause any confusion. This was a thrilling page turner, which I at first thought was very obvious in it's "whodunnit" but then realized that was intentional as the second half became more about that person and their psychotic ways. An enjoyable, if not original, read.

Poor Laurie Mills. After her husband convinces her that he has cutoff his affair with another woman, Laurie realizes he’s been lying. And now she finds out that he has a child with the “other woman.” On the night she plans to cook him a dinner and possibly discuss reconciliation one more time, she wakes up from a drunken stupor covered in blood. Her husband is dead in the other room, with a slashed throat…and Laurie doesn’t remember a thing. It’s up to the investigators on the case to figure out if she’s guilty, and if not, who did it. Easy read with the story holding my interest to the very end!
NOTE: Special thanks to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Couple on Cedar Close by Anna-Lou Weatherley is the second book in the Detective Dan Riley series and I just loved this book. I was hooked when I read her first book and wanted to read more from this new author.
I found this book well written, fast pace and gripping from the very first chapter.

If you haven't read this new Detective Dan Riley series and you should give it a go.......I highly recommend this author and looking forward to read more of her books in the future. Brilliant new series of books.

Big 5 Stars from me.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

The Couple on Cedar Close was terrific, 4.5 stars!

First, let me start out by saying, I had no idea that this book was the second book in the Detective Dan Riley Series but as I read, The Couple on Cedar Close, and was falling deeply in love with Dan, the detective with a heart, I was hoping it would turn into a series…because he is amazing…and I was joyous when I discovered it was already part of a series! This can definitely be read as a standalone, I didn’t feel lost or like I was missing pieces of a character or a backstory. This is a VERY big deal for me because I CANNOT read books out of order, I am ‘OCD’ about it so I am very glad that I didn’t know it was the second in the series or I may have missed this book in its entirety. Now, I am going to get on Amazon right after I post this review and buy a copy of, Black Heart, the first in the series. I can’t wait for Anna-Lou Weatherley to write/release book 3 in the detective series.

Also, if anyone wants to talk about the ending- send me a message!!!

Here are some of my favorite lines from the ARC...

"Please know that there is hope, there is help and there is light at the end of the tunnel."

"Trauma has bonded you to him by a chemical addiction. You're an addict..."

Many addicts swap one addiction for another, Laurie. And some people develop another addiction while trying to anesthetize themselves from the first."

You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time..."

***Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for my advanced copy of, The Couple on Cedar Close, in exchange for my honest review!

I had a huge issue with the feeling I had read the book before. It was so close and from a chapter to chapter, it just seemed I read this book front to back. It was hard to get into because of this one. Being a Texas lady, I was having trouble with some of the wording and slang. This being said, It was a book other would most likely enjoy.

Fast paced & liked the writing style which is a bit different to usual books like this. Really enjoyed it & will be reading more by this author. Would recommend this to anyone.

Unlike other mystery novels you find out around the halfway mark what is truly going on - a point which I truly liked.

Laurie’s soon to be ex husband is found murdered and all the evidence points back to her. With the body count rising and Laurie seeming guilty on all fronts, the detectives must pick up their pace and put the murderer behind bars.

The Couple On Cedar Close is book number two in the Detective Dan Riley series or known as the detective with the kind eyes. Cedar close appears to be the perfect little neighborhood it’s in a nice secluded suburban location. When Robert Mills is found butchered in his former home after visiting his estranged wife Laurie to discuss a divorce, and she’s found covered in his blood unable to remember the previous nights events she’s Detective Dans main suspect! After interviewing neighbors and hearing that Robert is a serial cheater and has many girlfriends on the side and hearing that Laurie threatened to kill him at a neighborhood bbq, after discovering one of his girlfriends for pregnant he thinks maybe there is more to the story he is missing. When he begins to dig into Roberts past he uncovers a truly terrible web of misery and deceit. This book was an easy read for me. Lots of great characters with secrets. Some of the points of view alter from past and present and I loved it! Dan Riley came off as a very efficient detective who was set on finding the truth! Great thriller!

"Cedar Close has always been a nice place to live – a quiet suburban street where everyone looks out for one another and bad things do not happen. Until late one evening, when Robert Mills is found dead in his bedroom…." The story starts with the residents of Cedar Close enjoying a barbecue. Laurie, who has had a traumatic event happen in the past, is a recluse while her husband Robert seems to be outgoing and charismatic. The only friend she has at the Cedar Close is Monica, her best friend, who encouraged her to move to Cedar Close to help her with her past trauma and keep an eye on her. This barbecue is Laurie’s first public outing in long time and the first time the residents of Cedar Close get to meet her. It is also the day Laurie finds out her husband Robert is having an affair. Forward a few days later, Laurie wakes up to find Robert dead in her home and her body covered in blood. She does not remember anything about that evening, but she is sure she did not kill her husband. This book had me hooked from the first chapter. It has everything a psychological thriller should have: suspense, murder, deceit, and betrayal. Although the book alternates between past to present, I did not get that "Gone Girl and Girl on the Train" vibe that has been often used since those books were written. That being said, it is supposed to be a “who-done it” thriller, but I learned early on who the killer was. Although I enjoyed the book, I found my excitement diminish toward the end just knowing how it would end. Overall, it was well written I just wish the ending would have been less predictable.

After enjoying the first book of this detective series Black Heart last year, it was an easy decision whether to continue meeting up with detective Dan Riley. And now that I have gotten the chance to read The Couple On Cedar Close, I definitely don't regret making that decision. There is one thing for sure: this is a very entertaining detective thriller sequel to be starting the year with. Not only is the writing style solid and easy to read, but the plot is filled with plot twists, suspense and a lot of mystery around what really happened that night. The Couple On Cedar Close also has one of the most interesting and well developed unreliable characters I've encountered with in a while. I know this technique might get a bit old, especially combined with an amnesia angle, but trust me: you will forget about your doubts as the story will put you under its spell. There are a lot of twists and turns as well as flashbacks that are ment to help you solve the puzzle as well as keep you guessing. Sadly I was able to guess most of the final reveals quite early on myself, but that might just be me having read so many detective thrillers that I can see through most tricks by now... Anyhow, it didn't mean that I enjoyed the ride because of that tiny speed bump. I did have my doubts about the credibility of certain aspects of the plot and not all characters were exactly likeable. I never like cheating in a story either... But I do think The Couple On Cedar Close shines an important light on the fact that psychological abuse is still abuse and should be treated in the same way. All in all not perfect, but worth your time if you enjoy the genre.

If you enjoy detective thrillers and unreliable characters, you will definitely have a blast with this detective Dan Riley sequel The Couple On Cedar Close. There is a lot of mystery around both Robert and Laurie and their past, adding suspense to the plot and it will keep you entertained as you guess about the details. The flashbacks are interesting as well as you try to fit them into the rest of the story... I did have some issues regarding the credibility of some parts of the plot and wasn't sure about some of the characters, but overall it was still an entertaining ride.