This was another disappointment of sorts. 

With all the mystery, thrillers, and horror novels that have been/will be releasing, I have been in such a mood for these stories. 

When I saw that this was a psychological thriller, I was all for it. But, when I met the characters and found the plot to be a little flat, my mind quickly wasn't having it. 

I ended up giving this one a 2 out of 5 stars. While there were moments that I found the writing to be engaging, between the meh ending and lack of oomph that I love from thrillers, I just couldn't see myself recommending this one to fellow readers.

Kane kicks this novel off with a gripping opener, giving us Dr Robyn Adam’s harrowing backstory before taking us straight into a murder investigation – the death of her cousin’s husband. As a consultant psychologist, Robyn’s cousin asks her to use her skills to help solve the mystery of who did it, but despite her reputation from some high profile cases, she is initially met with resistance from the local police. Meddling in a small town causes waves and soon Robyn find herself in trouble which only escalates as she digs deeper and the questions surrounding the murder become greater. Eventually it seems like Robyn has cracked it, but will she live to bring the guilty to justice and is that really the end?

We already know that Kane can combine a crime thriller with a family heartbreak but in this novel he manages to weave in a psychological element complete with an extensive and complex backstory – mastery! This created a dark, intense and twisted plot!

This books really packs a punch in the opening chapters! I love that we get such an insight into the shocking backstory of Robyn that it feels like we’ve already read a full novel about her before we even get started on this one. Having such a fully established character added depth and a layer of complexity that I really enjoyed. You could see how this history, along with the clever way that Kane shares additional flashbacks, really influenced how Robyn questioned and saw the world in front of her. It also heightened that emotional reaction to the events happening.

As I said before, this multi-layering of approaches meant one minute we were experiencing those raw human emotions and just how real they were, then we were processing the twisted psychological moments, while in the next minute puzzling over the crime details. This constant change in focus kept me hooked pretty much throughout. I think the only time the pacing dipped a little was during the middle of the book when Kane needed to do some fact/world building in order to deliver the impressive latter half of the book, which was totally worth it. I was kept guessing right up until I was reading the plot unfold and loved all the twists and turns. I honestly thought I had it figured out at one point until everything was thrown into uncertainty again.

This was, for the most part, a fast paced and easy to read book. Kane structures his chapters to finish in such a way it entices you to read the next, be that with plot twists, more questions or gut-wrenching events, making it hard to put down. Although it is definitely a standalone story, for those that have read Kane’s previous novel – Her Last Secret – there was a very small but incredibly interesting link. I’m wondering if a third book might reveal more…I’ll be keeping my eye out!

Thanks to Netgalley, HQ Digital and Paul Kane for providing me with this ARC. Review will be published on www.lotteslibrary.com and all Lotte’s Library social media pages on Tuesday 4th August for the book blog tour as discussed with the author.

#HerHusbandsGrave #NetGalley
An ok read.
Criminal psychologist Robyn Adams is at breaking point after a previous case resulted in an attempt on her own life. But as she sits in the car about to head home, her phone rings. It’s Robyn’s cousin, Vicky Carter, who she hasn’t seen or heard from in years.
Vicky’s voice cracks down the phone. Her husband, Simon, has been found buried on Golden Sands beach. Desperate to help and determined not to let her last case get the better of her, Robyn returns to the coastal village where she spent summers with Vicky as a child.
Robyn knows that she has let Vicky down in the past and is set on making up for lost time. Throwing herself into the case, she combs through evidence, intent on discovering a lead that will help the local police.
But there is clearly someone who wants Robyn gone. She is convinced someone is watching her and when she begins to receive threatening notes, Robyn knows that she could be risking her life…
The suspense was slow and the dialogues were not gripping. Overall it's an ok read. If you want to read it then go for it.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for giving me an advance copy of this thriller.

This was a fascinating and intriguing book! It was difficult to put down and kept me on the edge of my seat! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

My thoughts about this cleverly written tensed gripping thriller, was outstanding P L Kane’s My Husband’s Grave is truly unbelievable masterpiece. What I liked about the story was it gave me goosebumps while reading this when it was revealed who killed vicky’s husband, was just fantastic.Author P l Kane’s writing,is truly unbelievable, loved how he has written a powerful story that is not just outstanding but it is brilliantly written, a nail biting ending, that surely packs a punch, the characters, I loved the most in this gripping tale, was Criminal psychologist Robyn Adams, was fantastic, loved how she goes out and investigates the murder of her cousin Vicky’s husband, and to reveal who killed her was fantastic. a powerful dark and twisted thriller that is truly remarkable, highly recommended. I would like to say thank you to HQ Stories and Netgalley and author P L Kane, for giving me a chance to read and review this outstanding thriller.

Her Husband's Grave is the first book by P.L. Kane that I've read so I was unsure what to expect. The plot line sounds really interesting but from the very beginning, I struggled to get into it properly. I tend to judge a book on how often I pick up my phone during reading... or how much time I can spend flat out reading without being tempted to pick up my phone as a distraction. Unfortunately, I put this book down far too many times that I couldn't really get into it. The story is ok, develops quite well with a horrifying back story sown in; who's back story it is remains a mystery to the reader which keeps things mildly intriguing but not something that had me gripped. I didn't really warm to the lead character (or any others to be fair) and I felt parts of the plot were a little far-fetched.

Her Husband's Grave wasn't for me but I'm sure there are plenty of readers out there who would disagree with me!

Thank you to NetGalley, P. L. Kane and HQ Digital for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A gritty, pacy thriller but with an emotioA gripping page-turner that drew me in from page 1nal depth that puts this ahead of the pack. Unputdownable.. I totally love this book from beginning to end. Fantastic!!!

Criminal psychologist Robyn Adams is at breaking point after a previous case resulted in an attempt on her own life.
Vicky Carter Robyns cousin who she hasn't heard from in years calls wanting her help.
Vickys husband, Simon, has been found buried on Golden Sands beach.
Robyn returns to the coastal village where she spent summers with Vicky as a child.
As.Robyn digs deeper into the case clearly someone wants her off the case. She thinks she's being watched.
She is getting life threatening threats
. But she can't leave her cousin now. Not when she needs her!

This was.very well written. I loved everything about this book. I really connected with the characters.
The beginning, middle and ending of the story had me on egde.
I could not not put this book down till I finished every bit of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this great ARC

Robyn Adams is called by her cousin Vicky Carter out of the blue. Her husband Si.on has been found buried on the beach. Could she come help. After all they're the only family they have left. Her and her daughter Mia. So Robyn goes to help a cousin she hasn't seen in years. They had grown up together. Were closer than most sister's. Than things came up and they'd grown apart. Family was family and she would do what she could.
There first meeting was a little awkward but they soon fell into an easy camaraderie. It helped immensely that Mia was so excited to see her and wouldn't let her out of her sight.
As Robyn starts trying to help. She sees immediately that the police are not welcoming of her. They don't care that she helps the police with profiling on their cases. Or even that she has solved a number of high profile cases. She is on their territory. Things go from bad to worse. With her family and the police.
How can she help solve this death if she isn't even wanted there.
Fast-paced, action packed, great read!

First time reading fiction from this author, I was gripped from the start. A twists and turns throughout, not your average thriller read.

I received a complimentary copy of Her Husband's Grave from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This novel was just okay in my opinion. I really didn't bond with any of the characters or get so involved in the plot that I had any trouble putting it down. Interesting enough, but unfortunately not notable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Police psychologist Dr Robyn Adams is still trying to come to terms with someone trying to end her own life after the last case.
She’s on her way home when she gets a call from her cousin Vicky telling her her husbands dead. Robyn hasn’t seen Vicky for years but wants to be there for her cousin so she goes back to the coastal place where Vicky and herself spent their summers.
Robyn decides to look into the case and as she goes through evidence someone starts leaving threading notes on her car is she getting close to the truth . There is someone who doesn’t want her there.
Thanks NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance reader copy of Her Husband's Grave by P L Kane.

This was a very standard, yet enjoyable thriller. There were the traditional elements of a thriller, protaganist with a troubled past, murder in the small town that the protaganist if from, and local cops who aren't interested in help from big ciy hotshots. There were also twists and turns that I didn't predict, which made this an enjoyable read, even if you read thrillers like it's your job.

The protaganist, Robyn, is a psychologist who has tangled with serial killers in her recent past, and Robyn's cousin Vicky, the wife of the murder victim and the reason that Robyn comes to Golden Sands to help solve the murder. We also meet Mia, Vicky's young daughter and Aunty Rob's biggest fan. Robyn's relationship with her family is strained after a long absence, creating mistrust in Vicky and a determination by Robyn to solve this case and get back in her cousin's good graces.

For thriller fans, this will not disappoint. My chief complaints were small, such as the use of obvious thriller tropes that were easy to spot and the author's decision to have some chapters come from the perspective of secondary characters, instead of focusing on the narratives of the two main characters, Robyn and Vicky. I wanted to hear more from them and the chapters that focused on thoughts and observations of other characters felt like wasted space in an otherwise intriguing book. I would definitely read another P L Kane thriller but I probably wouldn't seek it out on purpose.

This book was an interesting read to be sure. In the start I thought it was quite a bit like William Graham & Hannibal Lector in the tv series Hannibal but it went completely away from that feeling. The characters were well written & the story line followed the character development.

I loved how the heroine, Robyn Adams, is completely damaged & is trying to heal and not let anyone know how damaged she is. Yet she comes to the call of family and does her best even when Vicky (her cousin) finds out the dark secret that Robyn holds. Even then she continues to push her limits of what she can mentally and emotionally handle just to find the culprit of the murder of Vicky's husband.

With the local law enforcement against her, her mental and emotional status Robyn Adams is a kick butt woman that goes after her suspect with an undying drive. I recommend this book even if you do not normally enjoy this genre of book.

Although the characters weren't really my favorite people, mostly Robyn, her personality really lent itself to the predicaments she would find herself in. There were many times where she frustrated me but I really don't think the story would have worked if I had liked her.

This story jumps between multiple viewpoints. We get to read from both Robyn and Vicky. What I liked about P L Kane's writing style, was that the characters built off of each other very well, often repeating phrases or transitioning through a similar theme or motif. At first, when I didn't know it was multiple perspectives, I found it jarring and confusing because it isn't labeled anywhere. But after I got into the story, it began to flow much better.

The mystery and criminal investigation side was interesting to read. It was not like the usual crime reads that I find myself diving into. Her Husband's Grave focused on the more obscure of clues and required more patience from the law enforcement as things fell into place.

Her Husband's Grave was a mystery that tested the strength of family and loyalty and that proved just how challenging it can be to bring justice to light.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ Digital for an advance copy of Her Husband’s Grave, a stand-alone psychological thriller featuring police psychologist Dr Robyn Adams, set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Golden Sands.

Robyn is still trying to recover from serious injuries she received in her previous case when her cousin Vicky Carter calls asking for help, her husband, Simon, has been murdered and the Police aren’t telling her anything.

I found Her Husband’s Grave to be a mixed bag. Initially I found it quite compulsive with a writing style that drew me in and an interesting plot premise - who would want to strangle family man Simon and bury his body in the sand? Why is there a strange dynamic between Vicky and Robyn? Even Robyn’s recent history, which is explained early on, hints at an exciting read. Unfortunately it doesn’t last as the novel is more interested in the psychology of the characters than the criminal investigation. This really doesn’t interest me and I started to find the novel boring. Robyn and Vicky seem to get into a fight every day and as the novel shifts from voice to voice we get both their reactions. Then there are the passages in italics of someone watching two teenage girls. There are developments in the investigation as the novel progresses but they are few and far between and lost in the morass of emotional turmoil.

It might have been a more interesting read if the characters had been more likeable. Vickie is well drawn in a standard picture of grief, too much drinking and lashing out as a function of not being able to comprehend her loss. It’s good but not something that interests me. I don’t even want to talk about Robyn as I dislike her so much. She’s an emotional mess with a painkiller addiction and impulse control issues. There is no sign of the smarts and intellectual rigour you would assume accompanies her vaunted ability. There are reasons for this, but, frankly, who cares in a crime novel?

Her Husband’s Grave is well enough done in its own way but it’s not my kind of reading.

Pffffft. Thumbs down on this one. I think I read enough thriller/mystery books to waste time on things that don't grab me from chapter one. People like Lisa Jewell are masters at this.

I didn't finish this book - it just didn't pull me in.

What is To Tell You the Truth? Is it a mystery? Is it a ghost story? Or is it the story of a woman hovering on the edge of mental illness after a childhood trauma? As a character in the deeply disturbing thriller says here “Imagination meets reality.”

Lucy Harper is the successful author of a detective series featuring heroine Eliza Grey. Years before, when she was nine, she made a midnight trip into the woods behind her home to view pagan revelers dancing around a bonfire on the Summer Solstice. Against her better judgement, she took he three year old brother Teddy with her. He disappeared that night and was never seen again. Lucy knows where she left him and has kept that a secret from everyone except the two people she trusts. One is her husband Dan, a would be writer who manages her life so she is free to write her bestsellers. The other is more problematic. It is Eliza, her detective and the imaginary friend from her childhood. Eliza was with her the night Teddy went missing. In her just completed new novel, Lucy has tried to banish Eliza by making her only a small part of the story. The novel is rejected. Now Don presents her with an unpleasant surprise. He has purchased a hulking mansion that needs renovation at he edge of the same woods where Lucy left Teddy. Lucy’s fragile hold on reality loosens as she begins to see Eliza everywhere and listens to her advice. Then, after an argument, Dan drives away and does not return. What happens next will have you turning pages as fast as you can as you to discover what happened to both Teddy and Dan.

This is a fantastic 5 star read! In Lucy, Gilly Macmillan has created a memorable, wounded, creative woman. The other characters are incredibly real and Teddy’s story, told in alternating chapters, is heartbreaking. I with I could give more than 5 stars. To Tell You the Truth deserves that!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A law enforcement official is faced with the task of finding the killer of a family member.

Even if I liked the style of writing I found the story hard to follow and didn't liked the characters.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.