An enjoyable book. The characters are developing nicely and it looks as if there is going to be far more intrigue in future reads. Highly recommended #TwoVictims #NetGalley

Two victims was a quick read. All the characters tie together until the very end and the story line is easy to follow.

Rating 3

For me, Two Victims was an okay read. The crime plot and the backdrop was interesting, but I struggled with some of the characters, especially Rachel and her behaviour at times.

NCIS - that's what this book reminded me of. Super forensic scientist, best Medical examiners, a team of investigators.... Even the dialogues were similar. Like, ' I will know more when we do the autopsy' and 'The dead talks to us'.

However, the most annoying part of the book was Rachel, AKA 'the heroine'. All her reactions were completely off. Instead of senior investigator and divorced mother of two, she was more like a bratty newbie and hormonal angsty teenager. Take for example, her reactions to her love interest McAteer. She is unnecessarily hostile and angry towards him because of personal reasons. On many occasions, she behaves immaturely (like not telling her daughter he is her biological father) and it is highly irritating.

Even her actions and reactions in personal life are wrong. In the first book, her younger daughter is kidnapped. And still, when her elder daughter doesn't come home for two days, she is completely relaxed and doesn't care. And when her older daughter does turn up in a police station, all she feels is annoyance towards the other officers, who are actually being nice and not charging her daughter. She is rude to her colleagues, who are just doing their job. And she kept throwing her weight around. That entire situation really put me off and made me start to dislike Rachel from just not liking her, before.

The mystery and crime component of the book was not a winner, either. For one, it was too personal. Like, what are the chances that the case she is working on is related to her daughter's friends. That's two for two (i.e., in both the books). I, personally, don't enjoy drama in my mystery and thriller reads. And there was a lot of drama. Drama from personal life that interfered with her professional. Isn't the goal of writing such characters, that nothing interferes with their professional life - not love life and not family?

Then, there is the entire trafficking thing with McAteer. Love of the heroine's life, secretly father of one of her child, sordid, criminal past, high school sweethearts, forbidden love (criminal and police officer... can it get more Romeo and Juliet?), being set up, going in hiding, dirty cops..... can it get any more melodramatic and cliche?

As for the actual mystery of two dead bodies, there is nothing that makes it special... or even unforgettable. It was totally an accident and others who provided information, that they stumbled onto who the villain was.

Basically, this book was worse than average. The writing was okay, but I might have liked it more if not for the characters. Even the side characters were unlikable or inconsistent. Take the heroine's reckless, bratty, hormonal teenage daughters, for example. Or even the villain. One second he/she is lawyering up and denying everything, and next chapter they are confessing. Why - just because! What...!?

There are far better books in this genre out there and I would not recommend this book over them. It has a vast room for improvement before it can come to par with those other books.

Two Victims
Alright read. Characters are likable, but reads a bit slow. The end left many details open for a sequel
Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for this advanced reader copy edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

This is the second book in the series featuring Detective Rachel King. Rachel is called out to investigate the murder of a young woman. Her body is found on a building site and she has been shot through the head. Whilst recovering her body, a second body is found but this young girl’s body has been there a few months. Are he two deaths connected? Is Jed McAteer, Rachel’s ex lover, father of one of her children and an ex criminal, involved? In solving this case Rachel has to work with a DCI from another force who appears to know about her and Jed’s past, which Rachel has been keeping a secret. This is a book that you will not want to put down. It is fast paced and covers drugs, trafficking and prostitution, a brilliant read. I can’t wait for book number three.
Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I read an advance copy of Two Victims from Net Galley. I loved the storyline and the characters. This is the second book on the series and I had read the first but it could easily be read as a stand alone. I read the book in one sitting and I couldn't put it down. We learn a bit more about DI Rachel King's personal life as well as the 2 murders she is solving. Having her ex husband live next door and her 2 daughters makes an interesting twist to her background. There is also the presence of a past lover and his influence on both her personal and professional worlds. Great story. I would highly recommend this book.

Unfortunately, and through no fault of the author, I couldn't connect with this book. It took me over a month to finish (which is a LONG time for me) and I really had to force myself not to DNR it.

The plot was intriguing enough and the writing was more than acceptable, so I can't really list any reasons as to why I didn't enjoy it. But at any rate, this wasn't my cup of tea, and I won't be rating it publicly on Goodreads due to that.

Two Victims
By Helen H. Durrant

4 stars

An enthralling murder mystery that engages the reader throughout the entire story.

Although this is the second in a series, it is easily read on its own, as I did. The characters are self-supporting from the first title.

The story line moves along quickly and easily, without various side tracks that are often found in modern books.

The book picks up the story of DCI Rachel King. A thirty-nine year-old divorced mother of two teenage daughters. She is good at her job, gets results but does make mistakes. One of them was getting involved with a budding villain in her teens. No one, family, friends or colleagues know anything about this.

Detective Rachel King has two victims to deal with. The first woman was local nurse, Agnes Moore. One of the victim’s friends makes contact but then disappears. Does Rachel have a serial killer on her hands? And what was Agnes really helping local girls with?

This title has been reviewed by This title was provided by Netgalley and the publisher in return for an open and honest review.

#TwoVictims #NetGalley

A great story with some excellent characterisation. Helen always excels with her plotlines and I can't wait for the next one, which I hope will tie up a few of the loose ends. Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for this Arc.

Two women are found murdered on a building site. Rachel has to tie them together - a young woman and a nurse, both single gunshot wound through the head. A young woman who knows more than she is saying. Quick read.

I always choose my Netgalley books carefully and was looking forward to this Helen Durrant book. It was well written and pacy and I did not see the ending coming. However, there was something missing for me. I think it may have been my lack of empathy for the protagonist Rachel King. It is not a book that I will remember in a month's time but I will probably read the next in the series.
Thank you Helen Durrant, Netgalley and Joffe for giving me the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion.

While you do not have to have read the first book in this series in order to enjoy this one, there are references made that would spoil certain aspects of the first story if you do decide to read this one first.

Much like with the first novel in this series, Rachel makes it very hard to like her. Or even connect with her on any level. She's a very headstrong woman, which might be a good thing considering her profession; if she wasn't constantly doing just whatever the heck she pleased. And not only is she doing it, but she's asking other members of her team to go against orders or withhold certain information about her in order to help her. It quickly became tiring watching her shoot off at the mouth (whether it be literally or inside of her own head, both happened far too often).

And don't get me started on her as a mother. Even when faced with her eldest daughter finding herself in a potentially dangerous situation, Rachel still can't focus. In fact, it seems like the only time she can be counted on to actually be a parent to her two daughters is when there is trouble. I guess its a good thing after all that her ex-husband lives next door. That way those poor girls aren't left completely parentless.

Also, while I understand that by doing what she did the author managed to set up the next novel in this series, on the whole, not only did it make this novel feel unfinished, but I find it impossible to believe that the police would just be satisfied with the work they did when the supposed "head' of the trafficking ring is still wandering about free.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

As always a nice quick read.Short and to the point.
I love Helens books and I can't wait for the next one.

TWO VICTIMS is the second book in a brilliant crime series by best-selling author, Helen Durrant. Both these novels feature detective DCI Rachel King, a thirty-nine-year old divorced mother of two teenage daughters who lives next door to ex-husband Alan. Having enjoyed reading most of her novels, I look forward to starting the second book in this new series. The novel is set in the Cheshire, ten miles outside Manchester.

A murdered woman found buried on a building site, with a bullet to her skull.

But then another body is found buried in the same place, and had been in the ground for some time.

Detective Rachel King, the SIO is assigned to both cases. The first victim, a woman was a local nurse, Agnes Moore. One of the victim’s friends makes contact but then disappears.

Are the two killings connected?

Rachel has her hands full, while investigating two murders, and raising two teenage daughters on her own. The building site is owned by Rachel’s secret ex- lover villain, Jed McAteer.

Agnes and the girl had both been killed in the same way, therefore not random…a serial killer! Both were shot in the head. And what was Agnes really helping local girls with?

But what was Rachel’s former lover, villain Jed McAteer connection to the victims.

A mystery with a stunning twist and a race against time to save her career and stop further murders.

This is a well-written crime fiction novel, with engaging characters for a new series that shows much promise.

Many thanks to the author, Joffe Books via Netgalley for my digital copy.

I absolutely love Helen Durrant! This book is the 2nd of a series featuring Rachel King. The series is based in Manchester, which is another plus for me! Rachel is the main character and is juggling life as a mother to teenagers whilst living next door to her ex-husband and trying to concentrate on work still.I found the tension built up throughout the book and I really didn't want to put it down to do the hum drum things in life. I love Helen's books and this one proved no different! A fantastic peice of writing and, as always I am looking forward to the next book!
A massive thankyou to Netgalley, Joffe books and Helen for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this, as there was a lot of suspense and the writing was excellent. I am hoping to read more Rachel King books in this series, as the first one and now this one were both great reads!

I love a good crime novel - the darker the better and Joffe always seem to hit the nail on the head with their crime thrillers.

Despite being the second book in the series, it works as a stand alone although there are some references to events in the first book.  I am really looking forward to reading the first Rachel King novel.     

DI Rachel King and her team find two bodies in close proximity with no connection or identification.  With potential links to people trafficking and drugs, can Rachel stop the killer before he strikes again?

For starters I love the female lead in this novel.  She is a strong, intelligent officer who lives a fairly normal life but is excellent at her job.  For me this is important and a brilliant touch as usually this type of woman is portrayed as having a severely troubled past.  IN this case, Rachel is just a hardworking woman with a family who struggles balancing family and work in the way that many of us do. 

Told through the narrative of the police investigation with entwined chapters from other characters, this novel had me hooked from the beginning.  The subject matter can make uncomfortable and dark reading for some but sheds light on what I believe is a serious and growing issue in our society.  The pages turned themselves and with a few twists and surprises thrown into the mix I couldn't put it down until I had reached a conclusion.

This is a brilliant crime thriller with a little bit of a dark theme - I highly recommend it and I am off to read the first novel in the series.

Another absorbing, nailbiting thriller from the queen of detection, Helen Durrant. This outing sees D.C.I Rachel King, tackling murder, people trafficking and intrigue which once more throws her into the orbit of her erstwhile lover, protagonist and secret father of her youngest daughter, Jed McAteer.
Forced to work with an ambitious D.C.I from a neighbouring force, can she trust him?-especially as he seems well informed on her past entanglement with her criminal ex lover. King is a likeable well drawn character who draws us into her world which has her battling crime while coping with life as a single mum to her two teenage girls. I can't wait for the next installment. A very well deserved 5 stars!

Book 2 in the DCI Rachel King series kept me engrossed from the first page. It can be read as a stand alone but I would recommend reading book 1 first for character development. This is a good crime thriller with interesting characters, good plot and fast paced. Plenty sub plots and the ending left me wanting so much more. Looking forward to book 3 with Rachel King and hoping I don't have too long to wait. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.